The price on a care home's list usually covers accommodation, meals and basic round-the-clock care. Paid separately, most often, are medicines, hygiene products and incontinence pads beyond the NFZ limit, the hairdresser and podiatrist, transport to and escort at specialist appointments, rehabilitation beyond the package, and a higher level of care when health deteriorates. One-off fees may come on top: an entry fee, a deposit or a booking fee. According to our report, the average price of the cheapest option in a private care home was 6 374 zł a month in the second quarter of 2026, and the gap between the bottom and top of the price range averaged 1 368 zł. That gap is where most of the extras hide.
In short
- 61 percent of the facilities in our report quote a range rather than a single price. The final amount depends on the room and on health, so ask for the price for a specific person.
- The NFZ reimburses incontinence pads up to 90 pieces a month on an order, with a patient co-payment. A resident of a private care home keeps this right, as well as the ZUS nursing supplement (366.68 zł from March 2026).
- UOKiK, the Polish consumer protection office, found that a facility cannot keep payment for services it did not provide. That also applies to advance payments and deposits.
What a care home price usually includes
The basic fee most often covers a place in a room of a given standard, full board, round-the-clock care and help with daily activities, giving medicines, washing bed linen, cleaning the room and daytime activities. A round-the-clock facility run as a business must provide services that meet the standard set in the Act on Social Assistance, but the Act does not say what must be included in the price. That is always a matter for the contract and the price list.
That is why two homes with the same price can cost a family very different money. One includes rehabilitation twice a week and hygiene products, the other charges for them separately. Compare offers only once you have answers to the same questions.
The most common extras beyond the price list
| Item | Usually included? | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines | No, the resident pays | Who orders them and whether the pharmacy adds a margin or delivery fee |
| Incontinence pads and hygiene products | It varies | Whether the facility uses NFZ reimbursement and who pays above the limit |
| Higher level of care | No, a surcharge when health worsens | What the thresholds are and who decides on a rate change |
| Single room | Usually at extra cost | How much it costs and whether you can change rooms later |
| Transport to the doctor | Usually not | The cost of the trip and of an hour of a carer's escort |
| Rehabilitation | Often only to a limited extent | How many hours a week are included |
| Hairdresser, podiatrist | Usually not | How often they come and what they charge |
| Entry fee, deposit | One-off fee | Whether and when it is refunded, and on what terms |
Medicines and incontinence pads: a cost that grows over time
A resident of a private care home remains an NFZ patient, so they use reimbursed prescriptions and reimbursement of medical devices just as they would at home. Incontinence pads and other absorbent products are available on an order up to 90 pieces a month. Reimbursement, however, covers only part of the price up to a set limit, and with heavier incontinence 90 pieces is often not enough. The resident or the family pays the difference.
Ask whether the facility orders the products itself and settles them every month, or expects you to bring them. For medicines, ask whether the resident can stay with their family doctor or should register with a clinic near the facility. You can change your primary care doctor free of charge up to three times a year. If the facility has its own doctor, check whether their visits are included.
A higher level of care, or a price that changes with health
The most expensive extra usually appears after a few months, when the senior starts to need more help: with walking, eating, at night. Many homes have several rates depending on how much care a resident needs. So the question is not only "how much does it cost today" but also "how much will it cost when Mum stops walking", and who will decide. Ask for the thresholds and assessment rules to be written into the contract or the price list.
If the senior is already bedridden or has dementia, ask for the price for their current condition, not the price from the leaflet. We cover what to look for in that situation in our guide on care homes for bedridden people.
One-off fees: entry fee, deposit and booking
Some facilities charge an entry fee, a refundable deposit or a fee to hold a place at admission. These are not wrong in themselves, but the contract must say when the money comes back. In its review of contract templates from 72 care home operators, UOKiK stated that a facility cannot refuse a refund for unused services, including to the heirs. It may keep only the amount matching what it actually provided. We break down the rules on price changes and refunds in our article on contracts with private care homes.
How to work out the real monthly cost
Start with the price for a specific room and the current state of health. Add expected medicines, hygiene products above the reimbursement limit and any items from the table above that the facility charges separately. From the total, subtract what the senior contributes: their net pension and the nursing supplement, which is still paid in a private care home. The difference is the amount that has to come from savings or family support.
The quickest way to do this sum is our care costs calculator, which sets the cost of a care home against other forms of care. Also check what support is available in our guide on funding for a care home. Once you know the budget, describe your parent's needs and we will help you find facilities that fit within it.
Frequently asked questions
Does a care home price include medicines?
Usually not. The facility gives medicines as part of care, but the resident pays for the medicines themselves, most often on their own NFZ-reimbursed prescriptions.
Are incontinence pads reimbursed in a private care home?
Yes. The resident remains an NFZ patient and, on an order, gets reimbursement for up to 90 pieces a month, with a co-payment up to the price limit.
Can a care home raise the price during the stay?
It can, if the contract sets out the reasons and procedure for the change. The Civil Code lists a clause allowing a price rise without the senior's right to withdraw as an example of an unfair term.
How much does a private care home cost on average?
In the second quarter of 2026, according to our report, the average price of the cheapest option was 6 374 zł a month and of the most expensive 7 207 zł. The market ranged from 4 800 to 9 900 zł.
Sources
- Planeta Seniora: Care home price report, Q2 2026
- UOKiK: Care homes, results of a review of contract templates (in Polish)
- Act of 12 March 2004 on Social Assistance, Articles 68 and 68a (in Polish)
- Civil Code of 23 April 1964, Article 385³ (in Polish)
