Aged Care Home Cost Calculator
Estimate the ongoing annual cost of a residential aged care home in Australia. There are three moving parts, the basic daily fee everyone pays, a means-tested care fee, and accommodation.
Your aged care home details
Your estimate sits within the typical range.
The basic daily fee is set at 85% of the single Age Pension and everyone pays it, about $23,000 a year. On top sits a means-tested care fee based on your income and assets, and accommodation paid as either a refundable lump sum (RAD) or a daily payment (DAP). Get a formal means assessment from Services Australia before you commit.
Where the money goes
Estimated breakdown for your configuration
💰 Ways to save
- Get a Services Australia income and assets assessment before choosing a home, because it determines your means-tested care fee and whether you are fully supported, and choosing a home before you know your assessed fee is how people are surprised by the bill.
- Weigh the refundable lump sum (RAD) against the daily payment (DAP) carefully, because paying a RAD ties up several hundred thousand dollars but avoids the daily interest charged on a DAP, and the right choice depends on your other assets and whether you are keeping or selling the family home.
- Check whether extra-services or additional-services fees are optional, because a more expensive room or amenities package can add $10 to $100 a day and is sometimes bundled in by default, so ask for the home's standard (non-extra-services) price.
- Remember the means-tested care fee has annual and lifetime caps, so ask the home to model your fee against those caps rather than quoting an open-ended daily figure.
or from $369/week over 5 years , indicative finance
How we estimate this
Residential aged care in Australia has three parts in 2026: a basic daily fee everyone pays (85% of the single Age Pension, about $23,000 a year), a means-tested care fee based on your income and assets (from $0 up to an annual cap of roughly $33,000), and accommodation paid as either a refundable lump sum (RAD, often $400,000 to $550,000) or a daily payment (DAP).
Pricing reviewed: October 2026.
Understanding aged care home costs in Australia
Residential aged care in Australia has three parts in 2026: a basic daily fee everyone pays (85% of the single Age Pension, about $23,000 a year), a means-tested care fee based on your income and assets (from $0 up to an annual cap of roughly $33,000), and accommodation paid as either a refundable lump sum (RAD, often $400,000 to $550,000) or a daily payment (DAP).
A fully supported resident may pay close to just the basic daily fee, while a self-funded resident paying a daily accommodation payment and extra services can face $100,000 or more a year. The RAD lump sum is separate from the annual figures and is refunded when you leave.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an aged care home cost in Australia?
Expect a basic daily fee of about $23,000 a year (85% of the single Age Pension) that everyone pays, plus a means-tested care fee from $0 up to an annual cap of roughly $33,000, plus accommodation paid as a refundable lump sum (often $400,000 to $550,000) or an equivalent daily payment. A self-funded resident can face $100,000 or more a year all up.
What is a RAD in aged care?
A refundable accommodation deposit is a lump sum you can pay for your room, commonly $400,000 to $550,000, which is refunded (less any agreed deductions) when you leave. The alternative is a daily accommodation payment (DAP), which is the same cost expressed as daily interest. You can also split the two.
What is the means-tested care fee?
It is an extra contribution towards your care costs based on a Services Australia assessment of your income and assets. It ranges from $0 for fully supported residents up to an annual cap of around $33,000, with a lifetime cap of around $82,000 after which you stop paying it. Get the assessment before choosing a home.
Does the government help pay for aged care?
Yes. The government subsidises most of the cost of residential aged care, and fully supported residents on a low income and few assets may pay little more than the basic daily fee. Your personal contribution rises with your income and assets, determined by a formal means assessment through Services Australia.
Are you a aged care provider?
Everyone on this page is working out what aged care home costs because they are ready to hire. Put your business right beneath the calculator, in your state, so you are who they find. From $50/mo.