When you’re considering a move to assisted living, your search often starts with one big question: How much does it cost?
The median price of assisted living is around $5,000 per month, but assisted living isn’t just a monthly bill. Assisted living brings together services and experiences that would be difficult to manage at home—from engaging events and programs to wellness resources, nutritional support, and team members who are on-site 24/7.
In fact, assisted living often costs less than your current monthly expenses while offering much more value.
Watch the video below for a simple breakdown of assisted living pricing models:
Assisted living is designed for older adults who want to live as independently as possible, with the reassurance of having a helping hand when they need it. Whether that means support with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as getting dressed, taking a bath, or eating, or simply knowing that care is always close by, assisted living offers a balance of freedom and support.
The value of assisted living isn’t only about dollars; it’s also about your long-term well-being. Scientific studies show that older adults who choose senior communities live longer, receive more health services, and benefit from more personalized care.
Many of these long-term benefits come from the support that assisted living provides beyond care needs and attentive team members, including:
When you choose assisted living, you’re not just paying for housing. You’re paying for a holistic package that covers a variety of weekly and monthly expenses in one convenient bill.
The national median rate for assisted living is approximately $5,350 per month. While that may sound like a big number, it’s simply a starting point and not a universal price. To truly understand the cost of assisted living, you need to account for a variety of factors.
Location makes a big difference because a community in a highly desirable or urban area will likely cost more. The local cost of living also drives cost—for instance, assisted living in Missouri will cost less than in Massachusetts. Other cost factors include:
Some communities offer inclusive pricing in which one monthly payment covers housing, meals, activities, and care. Others use a tiered model in which you pay a base rate plus an additional monthly amount depending on the level of assistance you need. A third option is a la carte pricing, which allows you to pay a basic monthly cost and then only for the services you use. This may be a good option if you don’t need much hands-on help day to day, but it can become expensive over time if your care needs change.
When you take a close look at assisted living versus aging in place at home, the true cost of aging in place often adds up to just as much as—or even more than—assisted living without providing the same level of support or convenience.
Monthly assisted living costs cover almost everything already included in your monthly budget, including rent or mortgage, utilities, property taxes, groceries, entertainment, housekeeping, maintenance, and more.
Living at home can come with challenges and expenses that may not be obvious at first. Beyond basic expenses, the average monthly price of in-home caregiving alone is $6,070. Health risks, including falls, poor nutrition, and social isolation, can lead to higher medical bills and a lower quality of life over time. If any of your family members step in as caregivers, they can be at risk of feeling stressed, experiencing burnout, and losing income.
Choosing a senior living community provides a variety of benefits that extend beyond the price tag. These intangible factors affect your daily well-being by providing:
To create a picture of how much assisted living will cost for you, take the following steps:
To make things easier, you can use a Senior Living Cost Calculator to stack up the numbers side by side. When you add up and directly compare all of these costs, assisted living is often equal in cost to or less than home-based care with more support included.
One of the most common questions people ask is, “How do I pay for assisted living?” You have a variety of options for covering the cost, and many people find that with a little planning, the financial transition is more manageable than they imagined.
Common assisted living funding options include:
With the mix of resources that works for you, assisted living isn’t only possible but also sustainable as an investment in your comfort, safety, and quality of life.
When you look beyond the monthly price tag, assisted living is so much more than rent or housing. It’s a supportive package that blends safety, community, convenience, and care. With meals customized to meet your nutritional needs, engaging social opportunities, 24/7 peace of mind, and more, the value extends far beyond what most people can create when they choose to age in place at home.
Discover more about what assisted living could look like for you by exploring our senior living pricing resources to learn more about what’s included and find tools to plan with confidence.
This post was originally published in May 2021 and updated in October 2025.