Zóveel duurder is een dochter dan een zoon

We all know that children are a rib out of your body – Nibud says about 120,000 to 150,000 euros until their eighteenth birthday – but the question that keeps coming up is: does a daughter cost more than a son? And there, dear readers, the answer seems to be yes again and again. From the closet full of crop tops to half of the Sephora collection: daughters turn out to be a slightly more expensive hobby than sons in practice. But how big is that difference really? I still remember that during my puberty I found it unfair that I was spending about fifteen euros a month (guilder back then, shhh) on tampons. I actually felt I was entitled to a higher student loan, so I thought.

Clothing: mini-me or hoodie-repeat

With boys, you can often get away with one pair of sneakers, three hoodies, and a pair of jeans that they can easily wear four days in a row. Daughters? They want that mini-me trench coat from Burberry (I think it's very cozy too), or that T-shirt from Baby Dior and a TikTok-proof outfit for the first day of high school. Okay, maybe they don't always want it themselves, but we really want it too. In any case; research shows that parents spend an average of a quarter more on girls' clothing than on boys' clothing. And admit it: who can resist when your daughter shines in a mini-me look?

Hobbies: soccer vs. violin

A son who plays soccer: club membership, soccer shoes, done. A daughter who chooses ballet or horseback riding: tutus, pointe shoes, costumes, and riding school contributions that head towards a city trip with your girlfriends. Ballet lessons quickly cost €500 per year, excluding outfits, and horseback riding can easily cost €2000 per year. Of course, there are also girls who play soccer and boys who play the violin, but the numbers show that daughters more often end up in the more expensive category of hobbies.

Beauty: welcome to the bathroom chaos

Boys are often satisfied with a 3-in-1 shower gel and a hair clipper. Daughters, on the other hand, discover the world of lip gloss, mascara, and skincare early on. Before you know it, there is a beauty fridgenext to her bed and you wonder why she has more serums than you. Parents spend an average of 15% more on personal care for daughters. And that's still without the mysterious disappearing act of hair ties and sunglasses.

Driving lessons: cautious perfectionists

The price of a driving lesson is the same for boys and girls, but girls take an average of just a bit more lessons. Not because they drive worse, but because they are perfectionistic and cautious. The difference can add up to a few hundred euros extra. Take comfort: that extra investment will probably give you a daughter who parks her car with angelic patience without a scratch.

The day with the big D

And then there's the wedding, the ultimate cost fest. Traditionally, it is often the parents of the bride who contribute generously. From a wedding dress that costs more than a city trip to New York to a venue where champagne is charged by the glass – it adds up. Of course, there are plenty of couples who arrange everything fifty-fifty, but the expectation that parents of daughters contribute more still exists. And believe me: a bridal gown really has a different price tag than a nice blazer from the Bijenkorf.

But sons are no bargains either

Before you think that daughters are the only budget suckers: sons have their own expensive habits. Think of the latest Playstation (with games that cost as much as a Michelin dinner), a scooter as soon as they turn sixteen, and gadgets you didn't even know existed. Add in contributions for hockey clubs or personal trainers, and the balance suddenly becomes less skewed.

So... how much more expensive is a daughter really?

On average, it comes down to a daughter costing parents about 10 to 15% more. If we calculate that based on that 150,000 euros, we're talking about tens of thousands of euros extra. Enough for a Chanel 2.55, a Vespa, and a long weekend in Ibiza with your girlfriends.

But oh

I have three daughters and know that I, story of my life, haven't managed to get the cheapest tickets. But even if I had to eat dry bread and rice my whole life, I do it with love. And the good news; as they get older, you can divide all your purchases by the number of daughters. Girlmaths!