Cost of assisted living in Florida
Assisted living in Florida costs a median $5,610 a month, or $67,320 a year, in the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025. That's $590 a month less than the US median of $6,200.
A nursing home in Florida costs nearly twice as much. A semi-private room has a median of $10,342 a month.
| Type of care | Florida monthly median | US monthly median |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living, private one-bedroom | $5,610 | $6,200 |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $10,342 | $9,581 |
| Nursing home, private room | $12,167 | $10,798 |
| Homemaker services, 44 hours a week | $6,101 | $6,673 |
| Adult day health care, 5 days a week | $1,625 | $2,058 |
What assisted living costs in Florida
The $5,610 median works out to about $181 a day. It's the rate CareScout found for a private one-bedroom unit, surveyed from July to November 2025.
Florida has 3,021 licensed assisted living facilities (ALFs) on the state's roll. They range from small homes with a handful of beds to large communities. Prices vary widely between them, so the median is a guide, not a quote.
The National Institute on Aging notes that most places offer a few levels of care. Residents pay more when they need extra services. Expect the quote to change after the facility assesses your parent.
Florida compared with the US and nearby states
Florida's assisted living median is below the national figure but above most of its neighbours. Its nursing homes cost more than the US median.
| State | Assisted living | Nursing home, semi-private | Nursing home, private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $5,610 | $10,342 | $12,167 |
| Georgia | $5,300 | $8,821 | $9,429 |
| Alabama | $4,425 | $8,334 | $8,787 |
| South Carolina | $5,350 | $9,034 | $9,612 |
| US | $6,200 | $9,581 | $10,798 |
All figures are monthly medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025. See every state on our cost of assisted living guide.
Nursing home and home care costs in Florida
A Florida nursing home costs a median $10,342 a month for a semi-private room, about $340 a day. A private room costs $12,167, about $400 a day.
That's $4,732 a month more than assisted living for a shared room. The extra pays for 24-hour skilled nursing. You can compare every certified home on our nursing homes in Florida page, with CMS star ratings for 694 homes.
Care at home is not always cheaper. CareScout puts homemaker services in Florida at $6,101 a month for 44 hours a week. Adult day health care costs $1,625 a month for 5 days a week. Adult day can be the cheapest option if your parent still lives with family.
What a Florida ALF charges for
Florida rule 59A-36.006 tells you what a facility must put in writing before you move in. You should get a statement that covers:
- The daily, weekly or monthly charge, and the services, supplies and room that rate includes
- Personal care services the facility offers, and any extra cost
- Nursing services, and any extra cost
- Food service and whether it can handle special diets
- Transport, and any extra cost
- Any other special services and their cost
- Services it doesn't provide but will arrange, and their cost
You should also get a copy of the resident contract and the resident bill of rights. Compare these statements line by line. The base rate is only part of the bill once care is added.
Paying with Florida Medicaid
Florida Medicaid pays for care in an ALF through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Long-Term Care program. It pays for services, not room and board. Federal law bars these waivers from paying for room and board.
AHCA says your parent can qualify if they're 65 or older and eligible for Medicaid, or 18 or older and eligible because of a disability. The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) must also find that they need nursing facility level of care. DOEA decides the medical side and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) decides the financial side.
There's a waitlist. DOEA releases people from it each month by score and frailty level, not by how long they've waited. To get screened, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center.
Only some ALFs take the waiver. 407 Florida ALFs are on the Medicaid assisted living waiver list. Find them by city on our Florida Medicaid assisted living page.
When DCF works out what your parent pays toward care, it lets them keep enough income for the ALF's basic room and board rate, plus 20% of the federal poverty level. That rule comes from the DCF SSI-Related Medicaid fact sheet. If income is over the Medicaid limit, a Qualified Income Trust can still make them eligible.
Other ways to pay
- Optional State Supplementation (OSS). DCF pays this cash supplement to eligible low-income residents of an ALF. The amount depends on their income and the facility's OSS rate. Not every ALF has OSS beds, so ask.
- VA pension with Aid and Attendance. A monthly payment added to a VA pension for veterans and survivors who need help with daily tasks. See VA.gov.
- Long-term care insurance. Some policies partly cover assisted living. Read the policy's terms on licensed facilities.
- Savings, income and home equity. The NIA says most people pay the full cost of assisted living themselves.
Medicare doesn't pay for assisted living in Florida or anywhere else. Our guide on how to pay for assisted living with no money goes through each option in more depth.
Sources: CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025; Florida AHCA; Florida DOEA; Florida DCF; Florida Administrative Code rule 59A-36.006; VA.gov.
Questions families ask about Florida costs
What is the average cost of assisted living in Florida?
The median is $5,610 a month, or $67,320 a year, in the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025. That's for a private one-bedroom unit. The US median is $6,200.
Does Florida Medicaid pay for assisted living?
Yes, for care services, through the SMMC Long-Term Care program. It doesn't pay room and board. Your parent must qualify on income, assets and care needs, and there's a waitlist. 407 ALFs are on Florida's waiver list.
In Florida, will Medicare cover assisted living?
No. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term care in any state. It still covers doctor visits, hospice and other covered medical care while your parent lives in an ALF.
How much is a nursing home in Florida per month?
The median is $10,342 a month for a semi-private room and $12,167 for a private room, from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025. Both are above the US medians of $9,581 and $10,798.
Which is cheaper, nursing home or assisted living?
Assisted living. In Florida it costs a median $5,610 a month, against $10,342 for a shared nursing home room. A nursing home gives 24-hour skilled nursing, which is what the extra pays for.
More guides for the decision
- Cost of assisted living, state by stateAssisted living costs a median $6,200 a month in the US (CareScout 2025). See every state, what the fee covers, what costs extra and the ways to pay.
- Does Medicare pay for assisted living?Medicare does not pay for assisted living rent or personal care. What it does cover, the nursing home 100-day rule, and what pays instead.
- Medicaid waiver for assisted livingMedicaid waivers pay for care in assisted living, not rent. How the waivers work, who qualifies, the waitlists, and the Florida and California lists.
- How to pay for assisted living with no moneyNo savings for assisted living? How Medicaid waivers, Florida's OSS, VA Aid and Attendance and a nursing home on Medicaid work, and where to ask first.
- Assisted living vs nursing homeAssisted living helps with daily tasks; a nursing home gives 24-hour nursing care. Compare the care, the median cost, who pays and how to choose.
- Florida assisted living regulationsFlorida ALF rules in plain words: the licence types, staff training, help with medication, discharge notice, resident rights and how to complain.
Or search assisted living near you.