← Back to Tools
Free Calculator

Nursing Home Costs Calculator (2026)

Estimate nursing home costs, then compare assisted living and home care for your parent

Short answer: a nursing home costs about $9,300 a month for a semi-private room and $10,600 for a private room nationally (2024 Genworth and CareScout Cost of Care Survey), roughly $111,000 to $128,000 a year. Use the estimator below for your area and room type, or scroll to the full care-cost comparison calculator.

Updated 2026. Estimates for planning, not legal or financial advice. See our disclaimer.

Nursing Home Cost Estimator

Pick an area and room type to see the monthly cost, the total for a stay, and how long savings last after income.

📍 Where does your parent live?

Care costs vary significantly by region

High-cost area
NYC, SF Bay Area, LA, Boston, Seattle, DC
Medium-cost area
Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas
Lower-cost area
Midwest, South, rural areas

🩺 What level of care is needed?

Companion care
Company, light housekeeping, meal prep, errands
Personal care
Help with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility
Skilled nursing
Wound care, injections, catheter care, medical monitoring
Memory care
Dementia or Alzheimer's requiring specialized care

The equipment that changes the most

Most of what caregiving costs is time. These four are the purchases that reliably buy some of it back, and they are the ones families tell us they wish they had bought sooner.

Drive Medical Hydraulic Patient Lift Drive Medical Hydraulic Patient Lift

A full lift is what makes one person able to manage a transfer alone. It is the single purchase that most often delays a move into residential care.

Check price on Amazon →
EZ-ACCESS Suitcase Singlefold Wheelchair Ramp EZ-ACCESS Singlefold Wheelchair Ramp, 6 ft

Folds like a suitcase and carries in a car boot, so the same ramp handles the front step at home and the kerb at an appointment.

Check price on Amazon →
Drive Medical Nitro Sprint Rollator Walker Drive Medical Nitro Rollator with Seat

The seat matters more than the wheels. Being able to stop and rest is what decides whether someone still goes out at all.

Check price on Amazon →
Vive Stand Assist Mobility Rail Vive Stand Assist Rail for Couch or Chair

Getting out of a low sofa is where most falls at home start. This is the cheapest thing on the list and often the first one needed.

Check price on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Researched guidance, not medical advice. Prices change, so check before buying.

⏰ How many hours of care per week?

For in-home care. If considering facility care, this helps compare costs.

10 hrs 40 hrs 80 hrs 168 hrs (24/7)
40 hours/week

➕ Any additional needs?

Select all that apply

Medication management
Transportation to appointments
Special diet/meal prep
Overnight supervision
Physical therapy

Your Estimated Care Costs

Based on your inputs, here's what to expect

Projected Annual Cost (Current Option)

$0

Based on home care at current hours. Costs typically increase 3-5% per year.

Ways to Reduce Costs

    Resources to Plan Your Care Budget

    Need Help Affording Care?

    Check what benefits your parent might qualify for.

    Check Benefits Eligibility

    How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost?

    The national median nursing home cost is about $9,300 a month for a semi-private room and $10,600 for a private room in the 2024 Genworth and CareScout Cost of Care Survey. That is about $111,000 to $128,000 a year. Prices rise every year, so a figure from two or three years ago understates today's rate.

    Nursing home room type (US median, 2024)Per monthPer year
    Semi-private roomabout $9,300about $111,000
    Private roomabout $10,600about $128,000

    Nursing Home Costs by Area

    Location moves the price more than almost anything else. The estimator above uses these planning rates, which line up with the high-, medium- and lower-cost tiers used in the care cost comparison further down this page.

    Area (calculator planning rate, semi-private)Per monthPer year
    High-cost metro$12,000$144,000
    Medium-cost area$9,000$108,000
    Lower-cost area$7,500$90,000

    Nursing Home vs Assisted Living vs Home Care

    A nursing home is the most expensive setting because it includes round-the-clock skilled nursing. If your parent needs help with bathing, dressing and medications but not skilled medical care, assisted living costs about a third less. See our assisted living cost calculator by ZIP code and the average assisted living cost by state table.

    Care settingTypical monthly cost (US median)What it covers
    Nursing home, semi-privateabout $9,30024-hour skilled nursing, room, meals, therapy as ordered
    Assisted living$5,900Apartment, meals, help with daily activities
    Memory care$6,000 to $8,000+Secured assisted living with dementia staffing
    Home care aidevaries with hoursHourly help at home; cost scales with hours per week

    How to Calculate Nursing Home Costs for Your Parent

    1. Get the daily rate in writing. Nursing homes quote per day. Multiply by 30.4 for a monthly figure.
    2. Ask what is extra. Therapy, incontinence supplies, medications, barber and laundry are often billed separately.
    3. Subtract income. Monthly cost minus Social Security, pension and other income is the monthly shortfall.
    4. Divide savings by the shortfall. That is how many months private pay lasts before Medicaid is considered.

    Who Pays for a Nursing Home?

    Medicare covers only short-term skilled nursing after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three days: the first 20 days in full, then days 21 to 100 with a daily coinsurance (over $200 a day in 2026). It does not cover long-term custodial care. Medicaid is the main payer for long-term nursing home care once a resident's assets are spent down to the state limit, and it reviews asset transfers made in the previous five years (the look-back period). Long-term care insurance and VA benefits can also help. Read our guides on Medicare vs Medicaid, long-term care insurance and veterans benefits.

    Nursing Home Cost Questions

    How much does a nursing home cost per month?

    About $9,300 for a semi-private room and $10,600 for a private room nationally, from roughly $7,500 in lower-cost areas to $12,000 or more in high-cost metros.

    Is there a free nursing home costs calculator?

    Yes. The estimator on this page is free: choose the area, room type, length of stay, income and savings, and it returns the monthly and total cost and how long savings last.

    Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?

    Only for short-term skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay, up to 100 days per benefit period, with a daily coinsurance after day 20. Long-term custodial care is not covered.

    How long can my parent afford a nursing home?

    Divide savings by the monthly shortfall after income. With $100,000 in savings and a $6,500 shortfall, private pay lasts about 15 months.

    What is the Medicaid look-back period for nursing homes?

    Five years (60 months) in most states: Medicaid reviews gifts and transfers made in that window and may impose a penalty period. Talk to an elder law attorney before moving assets.

    Related Tools

    Keep exploring with these hand-picked guides on related topics.

    What Benefits Might Your Parent Qualify For?

    Free tool to check what government programs and benefits your aging parent might qualify for. Medicare, Medicaid, VA ben

    Are You Running on Empty?

    Free 3-minute assessment to check your caregiver burnout level. Get personalized self-care recommendations based on your

    What Level of Care Does Your Parent Need?

    Free 5-minute assessment to determine what level of care your aging parent needs. Get personalized recommendations based

    Emergency Contact Card Generator

    Create a printable emergency contact card for your elderly parent. Include doctors, medications, allergies, and emergenc