The other half of the nursing home bill
When people talk about rising nursing home costs, the focus is often on care itself. But a large part of the monthly bill has nothing to do with care: room, board and investment costs. As of 1 July 2026, these items together amounted to a federal average of €1,589 per month — almost half of the average total burden of €3,364 in the first year. And unlike the care-related share, there is no care fund supplement for them.
Room and board
Room and board covers the costs of living in the home and meals. This includes the room, cleaning, laundry, heating, electricity, water as well as breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. These are sometimes called a home's "hotel costs".
According to vdek, these costs averaged €1,068 per month nationwide as of 1 July 2026, up from €1,018 a year earlier. The amounts are negotiated between the home, the care funds and the social assistance provider and apply equally to all residents of a home. When food and energy prices rise, this is usually reflected in the next negotiation.
Investment costs
Investment costs cover expenses for the building and equipment: construction or rent, maintenance, modernisation and furnishings. They are charged to residents separately unless they are publicly funded. The federal average as of 1 July 2026 was €521 per month.
This is where the differences between individual homes are greatest: a newly built home often has significantly higher investment costs than an older, already paid-off building. Comparing is particularly worthwhile when looking for a home.
Care housing allowance: relief in some federal states
Some federal states support nursing home residents with a subsidy towards investment costs, often called Pflegewohngeld. Whether this benefit exists and how much it is depends on the federal state and often also on your own income and assets. Ask the home, the care support centre or the responsible social welfare office — such support can noticeably reduce the monthly burden.
Additional services
In addition to the regular costs, homes may offer additional services, such as a larger room, special meal requests or comfort options. These must be agreed separately and in writing and are voluntary. Check the residential contract to see which services are included and which cost extra.
Why these costs stay the same for years
The supplement under § 43c SGB XI applies exclusively to the care-related co-payment. Even from the fourth year of stay, when the care fund covers 75% of this share, room, board and investment costs remain in full. Calculated with average values, around three quarters of the remaining co-payment is then accounted for by these items: €1,589 out of a total of €2,111 per month.
How to use the values in the calculator
The federal averages are preset in the nursing home cost calculator. If you have the cost statement of a specific home, simply enter room and board as well as investment costs with the amounts stated there. The values in the residential contract are often given per day. To arrive at a monthly amount, 30.42 days are usually used. If in doubt, ask the home what monthly amount results.
Conclusion
Room, board and investment costs make up a large, permanent part of nursing home costs. When comparing homes, you should therefore look not only at the care-related co-payment but at the total. Read more about how all components interact in the main article Nursing home costs 2026.