How much does home care cost compared to a nursing home?

Research highlights: At a typical 44 hours of care a week, in-home care costs about $6,673 a month ($80,080 a year), based on the 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey. That undercuts a nursing home, where a semi-private room runs $9,581 a month and a private room $10,798.

Assisted living sits lowest at $6,200 a month. The catch: home care is cheaper than assisted living up to roughly 41 hours a week, cheaper than a semi-private nursing home up to about 63 hours and cheaper than a private room up to about 71 hours. Above each of those points, the facility being compared becomes cheaper on a monthly basis.

Related research: How much does in-home care cost? | How long will Medicare pay for home health care? | Who pays for home care? | Does Medicaid pay for home care?

How much does home care cost compared to a nursing home?

At part-time hours, home care wins on price. Booking the survey’s standard 44 hours of care a week, in-home care costs about $6,673 a month. A nursing home costs far more: $9,581 a month for a semi-private room and $10,798 for a private one.

That makes home care roughly $2,900 to $4,100 a month cheaper than a nursing home, as long as care stays part-time. For a senior who needs help a few hours a day, staying home is often the clear financial winner for families that can safely manage care at home.

The picture flips with intensity. At the $35 hourly median, a nursing home’s semi-private rate equals about 63 hours of home care a week. Need more than that, and a semi-private nursing home becomes cheaper on a monthly basis.

True 24-hour home care runs roughly $25,550 a month, more than double a private nursing home room.

Care option (2025 national median)	Monthly	Annual
In-home care (44 hours per week)	$6,673	$80,080
Nursing home, semi-private room	$9,581	$114,975
Nursing home, private room	$10,798	$129,575
In-home care (24 hours a day, estimated)	~$25,550	~$306,600

How much does home care cost compared to assisted living?

This is the closest race in senior care. Assisted living costs a national median of $6,200 a month ($74,400 a year) in 2025. In-home care at 44 hours a week runs $6,673, so assisted living is only about $473 a month cheaper at that level.

The two options are nearly neck and neck.

Because the prices are so close, the deciding factor is hours. At the $35 hourly median, assisted living’s monthly rate equals about 41 hours of home care a week. Below that, home care is cheaper; above it, assisted living pulls ahead and the gap widens fast.

So a senior needing 20 to 30 hours of weekly help usually saves money at home. Someone needing 50-plus hours, or overnight supervision, typically saves in assisted living, where room, board and staffing are bundled into one rate.

Preference and care needs, not just price, should guide the call.

Scenario (2025 national median)	Monthly cost
Assisted living community (reported monthly rate)	$6,200
In-home care, 20 hours per week	~$3,033
In-home care, 40 hours per week	~$6,067
In-home care, 44 hours per week	$6,673
In-home care, 60 hours per week	~$9,100

What is the median cost of nursing home care per month?

Nursing homes are the priciest long-term care setting, because they bundle around-the-clock skilled nursing with room and board. In 2025, the national median is $9,581 a month for a semi-private room and $10,798 for a private room.

Translated to a daily rate, that is $315 a day for semi-private and $355 a day for private. Annually, the totals reach $114,975 and $129,575. These are private-pay medians; actual bills vary widely by state and facility.

Costs keep climbing, though more slowly than before. The semi-private monthly rate rose 3% over the prior year while the private rate rose 1%.

Remember that Medicare does not cover this long-term custodial care, a gap we explain in our guide to Medicare home health coverage.

Nursing home (2025 national median)	Daily	Monthly	Annual
Semi-private room	$315	$9,581	$114,975
Private room	$355	$10,798	$129,575

What is the difference between a private and semi-private nursing home room?

A private room means a room to yourself; a semi-private room means a roommate. The clinical care is the same, so what you pay extra buys privacy and space. In 2025, that premium is $40 a day, which adds up to about $1,217 a month or $14,600 a year.

For many families, that is a meaningful line item. Over a two-year stay, choosing a private room rather than semi-private adds nearly $30,000. Some residents prize the privacy and quiet; others would rather preserve the savings or the estate.

One planning note: in general, Medicaid-funded nursing home care is based on shared-room accommodations. A private room may require medical necessity, limited room availability or an out-of-pocket room differential, depending on state rules and facility policy.

Our guide to Medicaid coverage has more.

Room type (2025)	Daily	Monthly	Annual
Private room	$355	$10,798	$129,575
Semi-private room	$315	$9,581	$114,975
Difference (private premium)	$40	$1,217	$14,600

Sources & additional resources

• Genworth Financial. “CareScout Releases 2025 Cost of Care Survey Results.” Genworth Newsroom.
• CareScout. “Cost of Long-Term Care by State: Cost of Care Report.” CareScout.
• American Council on Aging. “Will Medicaid Pay for a Private Room in a Nursing Home?.” Medicaid Long Term Care.
• CareScout. “Where Senior Care Costs Are Rising Fastest Across the U.S..” CareScout.

For families comparing home care, assisted living and nursing home costs, CARE Homecare provides personalized home care services across Los Angeles and Orange County. Care plans can include help with daily routines, companionship, mobility support, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation and light housekeeping. For loved ones who need continuous support at home, CARE Homecare also offers 24-hour care at home tailored to each client’s needs, schedule and level of independence.