<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Exclusive:</span></strong><span> Australians say the soaring cost-of-living, including groceries, schooling and housing, is holding them back from having a second child or starting a family at all.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The national median house price is $1.28 million, median rent is $650 per week, and the price of groceries, food, energy and insurance is through the roof.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Casey Gardiner, a 36-year-old who owns a home in Queensland, tells nine.com.au that she and her partner can't afford children.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/abortions-terminations-due-to-cost-of-living-australian-birth-rate/58e60e95-0193-4a1c-b9fb-64d91a25ed11" target="_blank" title="'Australians aren't choosing careers over children, they're choosing financial survival'"><strong><span>'Australians aren't choosing careers over children, they're choosing financial survival'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both work odd hours that most childcare doesn't cover, so they'd have to fork out thousands for private childcare services in their child's first few years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's on top of a mortgage, bills and groceries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The maths didn't work," Gardiner told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/cost-of-living-housing-crisis-to-blame-australia-birth-rate-dropping/3920c79b-1c85-4034-a750-d2f4703261c8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm sure we could have made it work, like so many people have done before, but that's a lot to ask without a village."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Have you got a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter Maddison Leach at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:mleach@nine.com.au" target="_blank" title="mleach@nine.com.au"><strong><em><span>mleach@nine.com.au</span></em></strong></a></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/2ES21W2CwRxW1UgzPPpySxjSnbM=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2026%2F01%2F743953%2Fthumbbb.png"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many Aussie families are only making ends meet because they have help from family, whether it's cash for groceries or free babysitting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's not an option for Gardiner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her in-laws don't live close by and her parents made it clear they won't be babysitting, despite pushing for grandchildren in the past.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That stopped after I pointed out the cost and impracticality of childcare without routine family help," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She says the only way forward for couples like her and her spouse would be if Australia introduced free, flexible childcare options.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Research suggests it can cost anywhere from $164,000 to $370,000 to raise a child in Australia, so it's not wonder Aussies are being priced out of parenthood.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An Australian Institute of Family Studies report from 2018 put the weekly costs of raising a child range at $140 for unemployed families and $170 for low-paid families.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Adjusted for inflation, that's about $176 per week for unemployed families and $214 for low-paid families.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Add that up over 18 years and those families are looking at investing more than $164,000 and $200,000 into raising one child.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Based on the available data, Australian families can expect to spend in the low six figures in the first 18 years of a child's life – and that's if they only have one.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Families with two or more children can expect to cough up a lot more.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/vasectomies-on-the-rise-in-australia-exclusive-data/e327612f-9118-4673-abec-860564301353"><strong><span>This surgical procedure is booming in Australia as cost of living bites</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gardiner is not alone. Having a second child just isn't an option for Barbara Brayovic, 34, no matter how badly she wants one.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She and her husband barely made ends meet when their son was born in 2022.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was hell the first year, financially," Brayovic told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Even though her husband works full-time, covering mortgage payments, groceries and other bills on a single income was a challenge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brayovic is now working part-time and their son gets three days of subsidised child care per week, but the budget is still tight.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I would love to be able to just stay home and take care of my child and not have to work but it's unrealistic," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's partly because when she applies for support, she's assessed based on household income (though her husband is taxed as an individual).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taking on more work isn't an option either, as any additional income would barely cover the cost of extra childcare.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Luxuries like family holidays and manicures are off the table, and Brayovic has to be thrifty with even the essentials.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've got different grocers and butchers around us that I double-check all the specials before I go and buy things," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Having to feed an extra mouth just isn't feasible right now, no matter how much she'd like to giver her son a little brother or sister.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It just makes me so sad that he's by himself."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/not-so-grey-nomads-south-australian-couple-allan-mercer-jess-smith-ditched-mortgage-and-rentals-for-life-on-the-road/c46712f9-d91b-4600-80ae-621757bfed51" target="_blank"><strong><span>The extraordinary lengths young Aussies are going to after being forced out of home ownership</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>These stories are heartbreaking but not uncommon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bianca*, 40, and her husband own a home, are on good salaries, and are about to have their first child.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They won't be able to afford a second even when she returns to work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Having two children seems to be a luxury reserved for the wealthy," she told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Imogen*, 29, and her fiancé earn good money but have postponed having children due to finances.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She wants to be at home with her children in their formative years but the family won't survive on a single income.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Andrea*, 22, wants to own a home before thinking about kids but current housing prices mean she'll be waiting a long time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nadia*, 36, had the same approach but now she and her partner own a home, they can't afford a family on top of the mortgage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>