When a move into a nursing home is on the horizon
The decision to move into a nursing home is rarely easy. It is often preceded by a fall, a hospital stay or a long period of home care that has pushed everyone involved to their limits. Alongside the worry about a loved one's wellbeing, a very practical question soon arises: what does it cost — and who pays?
The honest answer is that German long-term care insurance is partial cover. It pays a fixed amount; residents bear the rest themselves. This guide explains step by step how high this co-payment is, what it consists of and how it falls over time. You can enter your personal figures at any time in the nursing home cost calculator.
What nursing homes cost on average in 2026
The association of substitute health funds (vdek) regularly analyses the remuneration agreements of nursing homes. As of 1 July 2026, residents in their first year of stay paid a federal average of €3,364 per month out of their own pocket — €256 more than a year earlier. This figure has three components:
1. Care-related co-payment: an average of €1,775 in the first year (already after deduction of the 15% supplement). This includes around €128 for the nursing training levy.
2. Room and board: an average of €1,068 per month.
3. Investment costs: an average of €521 per month.
There are large differences between the federal states. According to the vdek data, the range in the first year runs from €2,891 in Saxony-Anhalt to €3,761 in Bremen. And even within one city, two homes can be several hundred euros apart. Averages are therefore only a first guide — what counts is always the cost statement of the specific home.
What the care fund pays
For full inpatient care, the care fund pays a fixed monthly amount directly to the home under § 43 SGB XI. In 2026 these are:
1. Care level 2: €805
2. Care level 3: €1,319
3. Care level 4: €1,855
4. Care level 5: €2,096
With care level 1, there is only a subsidy of €131 per month for a stay in a home. The amounts have applied since 1 January 2025 and were not changed in 2026.
The uniform facility co-payment (EEE)
A home's actual care costs are significantly higher than the care fund's flat rates. Residents bear the difference — and in any given home, all residents with care levels 2 to 5 pay the same amount. This is called the einrichtungseinheitlicher Eigenanteil, or EEE for short.
This has an important consequence: if a person's health deteriorates and a higher care level is assessed, the co-payment does not rise. The care fund then pays more, while the resident's share stays the same. The fear that a higher care level will be expensive is therefore unfounded in inpatient care.
The supplement: the longer, the cheaper
Since 2022 there has also been a supplement under § 43c SGB XI. The care fund covers part of the care-related co-payment, and this share rises with the length of stay:
1. months 1 to 12: 15%
2. months 13 to 24: 30%
3. months 25 to 36: 50%
4. from month 37: 75%
Started months count. The supplement applies to care levels 2 to 5 and is settled between the care fund and the home — you only receive the bill for the remaining amount. Very important: the supplement applies exclusively to the care-related share. Room, board and investment costs remain in full. Read more in the article The nursing home supplement.
A worked example with average values
Working back from the vdek figures, the care-related co-payment before the supplement is around €2,088 per month. Together with €1,068 for room and board and €521 investment costs, this gives the following progression:
1. Months 1–12: €2,088 − 15% (€313.20) = €1,774.80 care, €3,363.80 per month in total
2. Months 13–24: €2,088 − 30% (€626.40) = €1,461.60 care, €3,050.60 in total
3. Months 25–36: €2,088 − 50% (€1,044) = €1,044 care, €2,633 in total
4. From month 37: €2,088 − 75% (€1,566) = €522 care, €2,111 in total
Over four years, the co-payment in this example adds up to around €133,900. The supplement noticeably reduces the monthly burden, but even from the fourth year more than €2,000 per month remains — mainly because of room, board and investment costs.
Is your own money enough?
The average pension is well below these amounts. Someone with a net pension of €1,500 has a monthly shortfall of just over €1,860 in the first year in our example, and still around €610 in the fourth year. This gap is initially covered from savings. You can find out how high your pension actually is after health and care insurance contributions and tax with the net pension calculator.
The nursing home cost calculator shows how long existing savings are likely to last given your personal shortfall. This can help you plan early instead of being caught off guard by the situation.
When income and assets are not enough: care assistance
Nobody needs to fear being denied a place in a home for lack of funds. If income and usable assets are not sufficient, the social welfare office covers the uncovered costs as Hilfe zur Pflege (care assistance) under Book XII of the Social Code. Part of the assets remains protected, and residents keep a monthly personal allowance of at least 27% of standard need level 1 — at least €152.01 in 2026. Our article on care assistance explains how to apply.
And the children?
Many older people hesitate to move because they do not want to be a burden on their children. The good news: since the Relatives Relief Act, maintenance claims against children are only taken into account for social assistance if their total annual income exceeds €100,000 (§ 94 (1a) SGB XII). For the vast majority of families this means: the children do not pay. It is different for spouses — the limit does not apply to them. Read the details in the article on parental maintenance. Our child support calculator shows how maintenance is calculated in principle.
Tips for choosing a home
1. Request a cost statement: ask for the current breakdown with EEE, room, board, investment costs and any additional services.
2. Ask about planned increases: care rates are renegotiated regularly. Ask when the next adjustment is due.
3. Check for care housing allowance: some federal states subsidise investment costs. The local authority can tell you more.
4. Use counselling: care support centres and your care fund's care counselling help free of charge and independently.
5. Check the care level: if no care level has been assessed yet or it no longer fits, an application is worthwhile. The care allowance calculator shows which benefits are available for home care.
Common misconceptions
"A higher care level makes it more expensive." No — the care-related co-payment is the same for care levels 2 to 5 within a home. If the care level rises, the care fund pays more.
"I have to apply for the supplement." No — it is settled automatically between the care fund and the home. But check the bill to see whether it actually rises after 12, 24 and 36 months.
"The parents' house will be gone immediately." Not necessarily. Which assets are protected depends on the individual case, for example if a spouse continues to live there. Seek advice before making decisions.
Conclusion
In 2026, a nursing home place costs an average of around €3,364 per month in co-payment during the first year. Each year the burden falls thanks to the rising supplement, but room, board and investment costs remain. If you know your home's figures, you can plan well — and you know that help is available if your own money is not enough, and that children are only liable in rare cases. Calculate your personal progression now with the nursing home cost calculator.