Parents may anticipate to spend around $162,899.86 on their child's education and related activities for children in public school from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Parents should expect to spend a total of $292,719.86 for their children to attend private school. The estimated cost for people to prepare themselves for a career that typically requires an undergraduate degree is $1,171,905. There are several factors that go into determining how much it will cost to send a child to school. These include the type of school they attend, where they live, how much they eat, etc. The following is an estimate only and not based on personal experience: In terms of overall cost, the most important factor is location. Schools in Manhattan or San Francisco cost far more than those in rural Kentucky or small town Ohio because these cities have high-quality schools that are expensive to provide. The district of which the school is a part also plays a role - districts with better resources generally have higher-priced schools. Transportation costs are another major factor; schools near home or by public transportation are less expensive than those that require parents to drive. The total cost of educating an child can vary greatly depending on the type of school they attend. Public schools can be divided up into four categories based on price: very low cost, low cost, moderate cost and high cost.