Elder Care Cost Planning
In-home care cost per month.
Enter hours of care a week and an hourly rate. See the monthly and yearly cost of home care from an agency and from a caregiver you hire yourself. Rates are yours; nothing is sent or stored.
Your numbers
Result
Fill the form and press Calculate.
Monthly home care cost = hours per week x 52 / 12 x hourly rate. At 20 hours a week and $35 an hour that is $3,033.33 a month. Enter an agency rate and a private rate to see the gap.
Not financial, legal, insurance or medical advice. This is arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It is not a care assessment, a quote, or a recommendation. Talk to a qualified financial planner, elder law professional, insurance adviser or your care team before you commit money or choose care.
Worked example
20 hours a week is 86.67 hours a month. An agency at $35 an hour costs $3,033.33 a month ($36,400.00 a year). A private caregiver at $25 an hour plus 10% employer costs is $27.50 an hour all in, or $2,383.33 a month. The agency costs $650.00 a month more ($7,800.00 a year), and its rate is 27.27% higher than the private all-in rate. These rates are examples, not market prices.
How it works
Hours per month = hours per week x 52 / 12. Agency cost = hours per month x agency rate. Private all-in rate = wage x (1 + employer costs). Private cost = hours per month x all-in rate. The agency premium is agency rate / private all-in rate - 1. Overnight, weekend and holiday rates, minimum visit lengths and sick-day cover are not modelled; enter a blended rate if yours differ.
Public funding by region
Pick a region for a pointer to the official source. These notes do not say what you qualify for or how much it pays.
Sources
- Long-term care in Ontario (ontario.ca), opened 2026-10-08.
- Long Term Care Coverage (Medicare.gov), opened 2026-10-08.
- Money, work, benefits and social care (NHS), opened 2026-10-08.
- My Aged Care (Australian Government), opened via a Web Archive snapshot, opened 2026-10-08.
Cost figures are arithmetic on the rates you enter. No prices are built into this tool. The funding notes link to official pages only.
FAQ
How much does in-home care cost per month?
Multiply hours of care per week by 52, divide by 12, then multiply by the hourly rate you are quoted. Rates vary by place and by type of care, so use real quotes.
Why does an agency cost more than hiring privately?
Often because an agency rate includes its own costs and margin, while a private hire leaves duties such as scheduling and replacement cover to you. Enter employer costs and compare real quotes.
What are employer costs on a private hire?
The extra amounts an employer may owe on top of a wage, such as payroll taxes, insurance and paid leave. The rules differ by country and region, so check with an accountant or payroll provider.
Does this include medical care or equipment?
No. It covers hourly caregiver cost only. Add supplies, equipment and medical costs separately.
Does Medicare pay for in-home care?
Medicare.gov says Medicare does not pay for long-term care, and that you may be eligible through Medicaid if you meet your state requirements. See the funding notes above for your region.