Care homes in Berlin: expensive care, cheap accommodation
In Berlin the care part of a home’s price is higher than anywhere else, while board and lodging cost less. For residents who stay long, that is good news.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Monthly co-payment, Berlin
€3,388
in month 1, supplement 15 %
| Care (EEE) after supplement | €2,049 |
|---|---|
| Board and lodging | €870 |
| Investment costs | €469 |
| Fund pays the home | €1,681 |
| Monthly gap after pension | €1,788 |
| Savings last until the protected amount | 18 months |
| Co-payments over the next 36 months | €107,490 |
| Year 1 (15 %) | €3,388 |
|---|---|
| Year 2 (30 %) | €3,026 |
| Year 3 (50 %) | €2,544 |
| Year 4 (75 %) | €1,942 |
Step-by-step calculation
- vdek average for Berlin on 1 July 2026: EEE €2,410 (incl. training levy €239), board and lodging €870, investment costs €469.
- Month 1 in the home: supplement 15 % of the EEE = €361.50 (section 43c).
- Co-payment = €2,048.50 + €870 + €469 = €3,387.50.
Estimate using the 2026 amounts in Book XI of the Social Code. Only the decision letter from your Pflegekasse is binding. How we calculate
On 1 July 2026 Berlin care homes had the highest uniform care co-payment (EEE) of any German state: €2,410 a month before the care fund’s supplement, including a nursing training levy of €239, second only to Saarland. Board and lodging, at €870, are cheaper than in any other state, and investment costs of €469 are below the national average. In the first year that comes to €3,388 a month (vdek). Because the supplement only reduces the care part, and that part is especially high in Berlin, the supplement has a strong effect here: between year one and year four the co-payment falls by €1,446 to €1,942, one of the lowest figures for long-term residents anywhere in Germany. Over four years a resident pays about €130,788. Since January the care part has risen by €158.
What is different in Berlin
| Year in the home | Supplement | Care part after supplement | Co-payment Berlin | Co-payment Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 % | €2,049 | €3,388 | €3,364 |
| 2 | 30 % | €1,687 | €3,026 | €3,051 |
| 3 | 50 % | €1,205 | €2,544 | €2,633 |
| 4 | 75 % | €603 | €1,942 | €2,111 |
In year one Berlin is above the national figure, from year three below it. The reason is the mix: the high care part shrinks with the supplement, while the low fixed items of €1,339 combined stay put. The first two years are therefore the most expensive, and that is the period savings need to cover; the calculator shows how long they last.
When comparing homes, look at the price list: because the care part dominates in Berlin, that is where homes differ most. An EEE €300 below average saves €255 a month in year one but only €75 from year four. See the care home co-payment.
For families abroad choosing between homes in different Berlin districts, ask each home for its current price list and the date of its last rate agreement. A home that has just renegotiated is less likely to raise prices again soon than one whose agreement is about to expire.