Even though it seems so expensive to start off with modern cloth nappies, the economic benefit reaped in the long term is huge, compared to disposable nappies.

Most parents spend around $30-40 on a pack of disposable nappies that will last for about 1 week-10 days.
Assuming that you spend $25 per week, in one year you will be spending $1300 on nappies.
As the average child toilet trains between 2-3 years old, this means $2600-$3900 will be literally thrown in the bin over this time!

And this does not include the cost of wipes and nappy rash creams, nor the countless laundry from all the leakage in some disposables.

A full-time modern cloth nappy package costs around $300-$1000 depending on the needs of the child and how frequently you wish to wash them.
The nappies should last the child from birth to toddlerhood, and if you look after them well, you could even use them on your subsequent child.

If you choose to use cloth nappies part-time you will still save money from paying for disposables full-time, though to a lesser extent than full-time cloth use.