24-hour senior care at home in Switzerland

How much does a care home cost per month?

Costs, funding and the alternative at home – clearly explained.

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A place in a care home in Switzerland costs on average CHF 8’000 to 12’000 a month – a mean of around CHF 332 a day (Federal Statistical Office). Around two thirds of this, roughly CHF 6’900 a month, is paid by residents out of their own pocket. The exact amount depends on the canton, the home and the care level.

seniorencare24’s 24-hour care at home starts at CHF 5’080 a month (5 days/week) or CHF 7’530 a month (7 days/week) – all-inclusive, with personal 1:1 care in familiar surroundings.

Retirement home, nursing home, care home: the difference

The German terms are often used interchangeably, and that is no great mistake: an Altersheim (retirement home) is for people who are still largely independent and need little nursing care, while a Pflegeheim (nursing home) is for people who need nursing care around the clock. In Switzerland, most institutions now offer both under one roof and are therefore called Alters- und Pflegeheim – in English, simply a care home.

For the costs, the name hardly matters. Billing is based on care needs, not on what the home is called. If you move from the residential to the nursing section of the same home, you pay more because your care level rises – not because the sign on the door has changed.

The three cost blocks – and who pays them

Cost block Amount per month Who pays
Board and lodging (accommodation & meals)
CHF 3’500–5’500 Resident
Care and support (companionship, activities, daily life)
around CHF 1’500 on average Resident
Nursing care (nursing services)
CHF 9.60–115.20 per day Health insurer + public sector; resident’s share max. CHF 23/day
Typical total
CHF 8’000–12’000

Source: Federal Statistical Office (average CHF 332/day) and Curaviva fact sheet on care financing. Despite contributions from health insurers and the public sector, on average around two thirds of the costs – roughly CHF 6’900 a month – remain with residents.

Who pays what in a care home?

Care financing in Switzerland splits the costs three ways:

  • Residents themselves: board and lodging and care and support in full, plus a capped share of nursing costs of up to CHF 23 a day.

  • Health insurance: a fixed contribution to nursing care, graded by care level (CHF 9.60 to 115.20 a day).

  • Public sector: the canton and municipality cover the residual financing of nursing care.

If income and assets are not sufficient, supplementary benefits (Ergänzungsleistungen, EL) to the old-age, survivors’ and invalidity insurance (OASI/IV, in German AHV/IV) step in. Depending on the canton and care level, residents are often left paying CHF 4’000 to 8’000 a month net out of their own pocket.

Care home or 24-hour care at home?

Cost per month

Care at home

from CHF 5’080 (all-inclusive)

Care home

~CHF 6’900 paid yourself

1:1 care

Care at home

Yes

Care home

Rarely

Familiar surroundings

Care at home

Your own home

Care home

Care home

Start of care

Care at home

Within a few days, same day in an emergency

Care home

—

Often waiting lists

The alternative: 24-hour care at home

Instead of moving into a care home, seniorencare24 makes it possible to stay in your own home – with a personally selected caregiver who is there around the clock. Prices are transparent and all-inclusive:

You will find details of the packages in our cost overview. For a direct comparison, see home vs. care home.

What would care at home cost in your situation?

Five or seven days, and whether a helplessness allowance (Hilflosenentschädigung) or supplementary benefits might apply: we clarify this in a no-obligation initial consultation. Afterwards, you can compare a care home and care at home using your own figures.

Get no-obligation advice

Respite beds and short stays: what a temporary place costs

Not every stay in a care home is meant to be permanent. Many homes keep what are known as respite beds (Ferienbetten) – places for a few weeks, for example after a hospital stay or when family carers go on holiday themselves. Such a stay is billed in the same way as a permanent place: per day, split into board and lodging, nursing care and support.

The difference lies less in the daily rate than in what cushions it. Even for a temporary stay, the nursing share is billed to the health insurer and the resident’s share remains capped. Supplementary benefits, on the other hand, are designed for a permanent living situation; if you only stay a few weeks, you will as a rule pay for board and lodging and support in full yourself. For two to three weeks, this quickly adds up to several thousand francs, without anything changing about your living situation.

If you are looking for a bridging solution rather than a move, it is therefore worth calculating both options. Temporary care at home is explicitly part of what we offer: 13 days from CHF 3’700, see no-obligation trial. You keep your familiar home, which after a hospital stay often does more for recovery than the room itself.

Why costs vary by canton and care home

The average of around CHF 332 a day hides a considerable range. Three factors explain the differences.

First, the care level: the health insurer’s contribution is graded by law and ranges from CHF 9.60 to CHF 115.20 a day. The higher the assessed care needs, the more the insurer covers, while the share for board and lodging and support stays with residents unchanged.

Second, the canton: residual financing and public-sector contributions are regulated by each canton, as are the rates. Two homes offering the same services can therefore cost different amounts depending on where they are.

Third, the home itself: room size, single or double room and additional services have a direct effect on the price of board and lodging. How care needs are assessed and what levels there are is explained under care levels in Switzerland.

What to ask a care home before moving in

Because quotes are structured differently, a list of questions is worthwhile. These points make offers comparable:

  • How much is board and lodging per day, and what does it include?

  • Which support services are included, and which are charged separately?

  • Which care level is assumed, and what happens if the care level is raised?

  • What additional costs arise regularly, such as laundry, hairdresser or accompaniment to appointments?

  • How much is the daily resident’s share of nursing costs, and is it charged at the maximum?

  • How long is the waiting time, and what are the rules on notice and refunds?

It makes sense to put the same list to the alternative too. With care at home, the care itself, organisation, advice, administration and the hotline are included in the monthly price, while medical nursing care is provided through Spitex (home nursing service) and billed to the health insurer.

Frequently asked questions about care home costs

On average CHF 8’000 to 12’000 a month, or around CHF 332 a day (Federal Statistical Office). Around two thirds – roughly CHF 6’900 a month – is paid by residents themselves.

The resident’s share of nursing costs is capped by law at CHF 23 a day. On top of that, board and lodging (accommodation and meals) and support must be paid in full by residents themselves.

In many cases, yes. seniorencare24’s 24-hour care starts at CHF 5’080 a month (5 days/week) or CHF 7’530 a month (7 days/week) – all-inclusive, with personal 1:1 care – whereas in a care home residents often pay around CHF 6’900 a month themselves.

If income and assets are not sufficient, supplementary benefits (EL) to OASI/IV step in. The residual financing of nursing care is covered by the public sector (canton and municipality).

In the vast majority of cases, no. The person’s own income and assets count first; after that, supplementary benefits to OASI step in. Only if that is not enough can the public authorities invoke the duty to support relatives (Verwandtenunterstützungspflicht) under Article 328 of the Swiss Civil Code – and only for children who live in favourable circumstances. The Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS) sets out guideline values for this, which are not binding and are applied differently from canton to canton: according to the SKOS flat rates, the threshold for a married couple with two children in education is around CHF 220’000 of income a year. Important: the care home itself can never make a direct claim against the children – only the public authorities can. Because each case is assessed individually, it is worth seeking advice from your municipality or a legal advice service if you are faced with a specific claim.

Personal support around the clock, housekeeping, companionship in everyday life, activities and medication reminders from a caregiver who lives with you. seniorencare24 coordinates medical nursing care with the local Spitex.

Three parties share the bill, but very unequally. Compulsory health insurance pays a contribution to nursing care that is set according to the care level. The canton and municipality cover what is known as residual financing, i.e. whatever nursing costs remain after the insurer’s contribution and the resident’s share. Everything else – accommodation, meals, support – is paid by residents themselves, on average around two thirds of the total bill. If pension and assets are not sufficient, supplementary benefits to OASI step in.

A respite bed is billed at the same daily rate as a permanent place, i.e. board and lodging, nursing care and support combined. Even for a temporary stay, the nursing share is billed to the health insurer and the resident’s share remains capped. Supplementary benefits, on the other hand, are designed for a permanent living situation and do not usually apply for a stay of a few weeks – so you pay for board and lodging and support in full yourself. If you are looking for a bridging solution, compare the cost of temporary care at home: at seniorencare24, 13 days from CHF 3’700.

Sources

As of: November 2026

More guides on senior care

Overview: Guide to care at home