Abstract：To determine the cost of raising a child and how to measure this cost is important in determining how to share the responsibility of childcare between the state and society． This paper reviews prevailing definitions and approaches to the measurement of child costs． The cost of raising a child is defined as not only the cash outlay“marginal”costs ( direct costs) but also the time ( indirect costs) that parents spend when they add a child to their household． The gap in family income/motherhood pay gap，measured by the pay gap between mothers and nonmothers， is also defined as the indirect cost of raising a child． Based on the data of Chinese Family Survey in 2014，it is estimated that the direct economic cost of raising a child from 0 to 17 years old is 191 thousands Yuan，273． 2 thousands Yuan for urban children，and 143． 4 thousands Yuan for rural children． The lower the family income is，the higher the percentage of cost of raising a child is． The author uses data from 3rd National Survey on Chinese Women's Social Status to examine the wage penalty for motherhood． Results show a wage penalty of 12． 8 percent per child while controlling other variables． Finally，the author discusses policy recommendations related to the cost of raising children．
