Anyone with a relative in a German nursing home is paying more this year: the average out-of-pocket share, called the Eigenanteil, has risen to €3,364 a month nationwide for a resident’s first year in care.
The figure comes from an evaluation by the VDEK, the association of Germany’s substitute health insurers (including Techniker Krankenkasse, Barmer and DAK-Gesundheit), based on data collected up to 1 July 2026. That’s €119 more per month than at the start of the year, and €256 more than on 1 July 2025.
This Eigenanteil covers only care and nursing itself. Germany’s long-term care insurance, the Pflegeversicherung, pays part of the cost but not all of it, unlike statutory health insurance. On top of that, residents also pay separately for room and board, building investment costs, and a training levy.
Costs vary sharply by state. Bremen is the most expensive, at €3,761 a month, followed by Saarland (€3,695) and Baden-Württemberg (€3,657). Saxony-Anhalt is the cheapest at €2,891, with Lower Saxony (€3,008) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (€3,032) also below average.
VDEK chief executive Ulrike Elsner attributed the rise to high staffing costs, saying pay increases for care workers were overdue and justified, but that this should not keep piling costs onto people needing care. A planned care reform is meant to address this. Care recipients already receive relief surcharges that reduce their care-only share by 15% in year one, 30% in year two, 50% in year three, and 75% from year four onward. Under a Health Ministry draft, the gap between these steps would stretch from 12 to 18 months, saving €2.6 billion next year.
What this means for you
If you have a parent or relative moving into a German care home, budget for regional differences of over €800 a month between states, plus separate charges for accommodation and meals on top of the care fee itself.
Leave a Reply