What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover

The Australian Taxation Office publishes ranges for small businesses' main costs as a share of turnover, by industry and size. This page sets them out by industry and turnover band.

The ranges come from tax returns and activity statements of small businesses in each industry. The ATO publishes them so businesses can compare their own figures. This page reproduces them and is not connected with the ATO.

Child care services

Industry: Child care services

In Child care services, the ATO's range for businesses with turnover of more than A$600,000 was 79% to 88% of turnover on total expenses in 2023-24.

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The ATO's ranges for Child care services, turnover of A$200,001 to A$600,000, 2023-24Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover. The table below gives the same figures.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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onestepright, "What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover", updated October 2026, https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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<a href="https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band"><img src="https://onestepright.com/embed/small-business-cost-ratios/ratios-band.png" alt="The ATO's ranges for Air conditioning, refrigeration and heating services, turnover of more than A$600,000, 2023-24. From onestepright.com. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright." width="704" height="432" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>
Cost ratios for Child care services, by turnover band, 2023-24
Turnover (A$)Cost of sales (%)Labour (%)Rent (%)Motor vehicle (%)Total expenses (%)
65,000 to 200,000Not publishedNot published10 to 164 to 642 to 59
200,001 to 600,000Not publishedNot published7 to 122 to 460 to 77
More than 600,000Not publishedNot published8 to 120 to 179 to 88

Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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Small business cost ratios by industry · onestepright