What the bill is made of
A Swiss nursing home bill has three parts. Care is financed by health insurance, the canton and a capped resident contribution (Art. 25a KVG). Accommodation (room, meals, laundry, cleaning) and assistance (support, activities) are paid by the resident.
| Situation | per day | per month | Gap with CHF 4,000 pensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low rate (rural) | CHF 165.00 | CHF 5’016 | CHF 1’016 |
| Average rate | CHF 223.00 | CHF 6’779 | CHF 2’779 |
| High rate (city, single room) | CHF 303.00 | CHF 9’211 | CHF 5’211 |
Personal expenses such as hairdresser, clothing or phone are usually extra – plan CHF 200 to 600 per month. Health insurance premiums and taxes continue as well.
Who pays the gap
If pensions are not enough, savings are used first. If assets are below CHF 100’000 (couples CHF 200’000), there is usually an entitlement to supplementary benefits (Ergänzungsleistungen). They cover the recognised daily rate plus an allowance for personal expenses – a legal right, not welfare. The owner-occupied home does not count towards the asset threshold.
A helplessness allowance from the AHV can be added for people who need regular help with daily activities, regardless of income and assets. Children are not legally required to pay for their parents' nursing home; a support obligation only arises in rare cases of social assistance and wealthy relatives.
- Pensions and savings first
- Supplementary benefits (EL)
- Helplessness allowance (Hilflosenentschädigung)
Care levels and the daily rate
On entry and regularly afterwards, the care need is assessed and assigned to one of twelve levels, each representing 20 minutes of care per day. Health insurance pays a fixed contribution per level; the canton covers the remaining care costs. Because your own care contribution is capped, a higher care level barely changes what you pay – unless the home charges a higher assistance rate, for example on a dementia ward.
When comparing homes, ask for the full tariff sheet and convert everything to a monthly amount: accommodation, assistance, care contribution and typical extras such as laundry labels, phone or TV. Differences between homes in the same region of CHF 30 to 60 per day are common.
Tips for expat families
If your parents live in Switzerland, residency rules matter: supplementary benefits generally require residence in Switzerland and, for foreign nationals from outside the EU/EFTA, a minimum period of residence. Clarify early with the cantonal compensation office. Parents moving to Switzerland late in life may not qualify for these benefits for years.
Practical steps: list all income and costs, check entitlement to supplementary benefits and helplessness allowance, and create a power of attorney for incapacity (Vorsorgeauftrag) while still possible. The application for supplementary benefits only takes effect from the month it is filed.
Track your real numbers in BudgetHub: enter income and fixed costs once and see each month what is left – free, no bank connection, data hosted in Switzerland.