The study, by data company Laing & Buisson, directly contradicts findings from charity Daycare Trust's annual childcare costs survey.
According to Daycare Trust's latest figures, released in January, the average cost of a childcare place in England rose by five per cent in the past year. The charity said childcare bills have risen above inflation for the past seven years.
But Philip Blackburn, senior economist at Laing & Buisson, said the company's annual childcare report showed no increase above the rate of inflation.
"We survey around 6,000 nurseries in the UK every year and get a response rate of around 20 per cent, which is pretty good. We ask them for a breakdown of their fees, including full-time and part-time, and this is where we get our data from. The inflation is worked out on that basis. The sample is pretty solid each year and it's a true reflection."
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