Free interactive calculator

Elder Care Cost Comparison Calculator

When a parent starts needing help, families usually face this decision under time pressure. Home care quotes by the hour, assisted living by the month, nursing homes by the day — and family care only looks free until you count lost income and time. This free calculator puts all four options on the same monthly, annual, and 5-year basis, with cost growth built in so you see the long-term picture, not just this month’s bill. A quality-of-life scorecard weighs what matters beyond money, with weights you set. Starting figures use published national medians — always get real quotes in your area. Your numbers stay in your browser, never uploaded.

Little Ledger Co.

Aging-Parent Care Decision

Which care option costs YOUR family the least — and fits best?

We compare home care, assisted living, nursing home, and family-provided care on true 5-year cost and quality of life.

Example

The Parkers, mom 82 needing 4 hrs/day — home care wins on quality at ~$197k over 5 years; family care is cheapest at ~$19k but scores lowest on family burden.

How to use

  1. Guide me (default): answer 5 plain-English questions — we fill in the technical stuff and show our work.
  2. Check the summary, tap any value to adjust it, or flip to “I know my numbers” for full control.
  3. Green highlights the lowest 5-year cost and the best quality score. Estimates are always labeled.
+  New here? The 30-second version

Every option gets boiled down to two numbers: its true 5-year cost (with yearly price increases) and a quality-of-life score based on what your family values. Cost alone rarely decides — this shows both.

Answer 5 questions and we’ll do the math. National medians are used as starting estimates; replace them with your real quotes.

Your results

5-year total = yearly cost grown by your yearly increase %, plus one-time costs. Score = weighted average out of 5.

Little Ledger Co. — for personal use only
Provided “as is” for educational purposes only — not tax, legal, financial, or medical advice. Cost figures are estimates; get real quotes and consult qualified professionals. Liability limited to the amount paid.

Common questions

Is this elder care calculator free?

Yes — free in your browser, no account or signup required.

How much does elder care cost per month?

It varies widely by state and care level. As rough 2025 national medians: home care runs about $6,800/month for 44 hours a week, assisted living about $5,350/month, and nursing homes about $9,200/month for a semi-private room. Enter your local quotes in the calculator for numbers that reflect your area.

Is home care or assisted living cheaper?

It depends on how many hours of care are needed. Part-time home care is usually cheaper than assisted living; once care needs pass roughly 40 hours a week, assisted living often costs less. The calculator shows the crossover for your numbers.

Where does my data go?

Nowhere — your inputs save only in your browser’s local storage. Nothing is uploaded, tracked, or shared.

Is this financial or legal advice?

No. It is an educational estimating tool, not tax, legal, financial, or elder-law advice. For Medicaid planning, powers of attorney, and contracts, consult a qualified elder-law attorney.

Want the full kit?

This free calculator is one tool from our 10-tool Elder Care Decision Toolkit — the downloadable version on Etsy adds the Excel workbook, a monthly cost tracker, assisted-living tour checklists, home-care agency interview guides, a family conversation guide, long-term-care insurance comparison worksheets, and more.

Get the full toolkit on Etsy