How much does a nursing home cost in California?
The median nursing home cost in California is $15,178 per month for a private room and $12,167 per month for a semi-private room, based on the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey released March 2026. That's roughly $182,135 per year for a private room — among the highest in the country.
California has one of the most generous individual asset limits in the country at $130,000 (reinstated January 1, 2026 after a brief no-asset-limit period in 2024–2025) — substantially higher than the $2,000 standard in most states. Care costs run +41% vs the national median private-room cost of $10,798.
2026 California senior care costs at a glance
| Care type | California median/month | National median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home (private) | $15,178 | $10,798 | +41% |
| Nursing home (semi-private) | $12,167 | $9,581 | +27% |
| Memory care (est) | $8,750 | $7,750 | +13% |
| Assisted living | $7,000 | $6,200 | +13% |
| Non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $40 | $35 | +14% |
See your exact spend-down timeline for California
Enter your savings, income, and care type to see how long your money lasts before reaching California Medicaid asset limits.
Open the California calculator →Nursing home costs by California city
Costs vary by metro area within the state. Urban markets typically run 10–25% above state medians, while rural areas can be 10–20% below.
City-level estimates are based on CareScout 2025 metro-area data. Individual facility costs vary 20–40% from these medians depending on amenities, staffing ratios, and room type.
California Medicaid for nursing home care
California Medicaid covers nursing home care for residents who meet both medical eligibility (need for skilled nursing care) and financial eligibility (limited assets and income). Understanding the rules before you need them can save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars.
California Medicaid 2026 asset limits
Individual applicant: $130,000 in countable assets
Married couple, one spouse applying: Community spouse may keep up to $162,660 under the federal Community Spouse Resource Allowance (2026 maximum), plus the home, one vehicle, and personal belongings
The 5-year look-back period in California
California Medicaid reviews all asset transfers made within 60 months (5 years) of your application date. Gifts to family, property transfers below market value, or large unexplained withdrawals trigger a penalty period that delays Medicaid eligibility — during which you must private-pay.
California Medi-Cal's 2026 penalty divisor (called the Average Private Pay Rate, APPR) is $14,440 per month (~$475 per day). A $50,000 transfer that violates the look-back rule would create a ~3.5-month penalty period. The look-back was reinstated January 1, 2026 and applies only to transfers made on or after that date — transfers in 2024–2025 are not penalized.
This is why elder law attorneys consistently advise families to begin Medicaid planning at least 5 years before nursing home care is needed.
Find a California elder law attorney
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys maintains a state-by-state directory of certified elder law attorneys.
Find a California attorney →What makes California different
California Medi-Cal reinstated its Long-Term Care asset limit on January 1, 2026, returning to a $130,000 individual cap after a no-asset-test window in 2024 and 2025. Two distinctives set California apart from most states: a 30-month look-back period (not the 60-month standard), applied prospectively only to transfers made on or after January 1, 2026, and lengthening one month at a time until reaching the full 30 months in July 2028; and an Average Private Pay Rate (APPR) gifting threshold of $14,440 per month, meaning gifts smaller than the monthly APPR don't trigger a transfer penalty at all — a planning advantage no other state offers. Estate Recovery applies to the home after death.
Sources: state Medicaid agency program documentation and CMS spousal-impoverishment standards. See our methodology page for the broader data sources used across this site.
How California compares to neighboring states
Cost differences across state lines can be substantial. Some families consider relocating for care, particularly if adult children live across a border.