Quick answer
Assisted living is an apartment with help for daily tasks like bathing, dressing and medications. A nursing home provides 24-hour skilled nursing and medical care. Nursing homes cost more: in 2025 the Kansas median was $5,975 a month for assisted living and $8,669 for a shared nursing home room; in Missouri, $5,400 and $6,741. (800) 614-8388 if you're not sure which level of care is right.
Side by side
| Assisted living | Nursing home | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Help with daily living, in a home-like setting | Skilled nursing and medical care around the clock |
| Living space | Private apartment, often with a kitchenette | Usually a shared or private room |
| Staff | Staff on site 24 hours in most communities; nursing coverage varies | Licensed nurses on duty 24 hours |
| Typical resident | Needs a hand with some daily tasks, medically stable | Serious or complex medical needs, or rehab after a hospital stay |
| 2025 median, Kansas | $5,975 a month | $8,669 shared room, $9,064 private |
| 2025 median, Missouri | $5,400 a month | $6,741 shared room, $7,604 private |
| Medicare | Does not pay | Can pay for a short skilled stay after a qualifying hospital stay; not long-term care |
Costs are medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, not quotes.
When assisted living is the better fit
- Your parent needs help with a few daily tasks, like bathing, dressing or managing pills.
- They are medically stable and don't need a nurse's care every day.
- They want their own apartment, their own things and some independence.
- Loneliness, meals and safety at night are the main worries.
When a nursing home is the better fit
- They need skilled nursing every day, such as wound care, injections or complex medication management.
- They need help to move or transfer most of the day, or two people to help safely.
- They are recovering from a hospital stay and need daily therapy. Many people go to a nursing home for short-term rehab, then home or to assisted living. See skilled nursing facilities.
Who pays for each
Assisted living is mostly paid privately. A nursing home is also private pay for long-term care, but Medicare Part A can cover a limited skilled nursing stay after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days: in 2026, days 1 to 20 cost $0 after the Part A deductible, days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day, and Medicare pays nothing after day 100. Medicaid is the main payer for long-term nursing home care for people who qualify. See does Medicare pay for nursing homes.
How to check quality
For nursing homes, look up ratings and inspection results on Medicare's Care Compare. For assisted living, check the state: KDADS in Kansas, the Show Me Long Term Care site in Missouri. Our assisted living guide shows where.
Not sure which level of care fits?
Tell us what's happening day to day. We'll explain which setting matches and introduce you to a few nearby. Free.
Questions families ask
Is assisted living cheaper than a nursing home?
Usually, yes. In Kansas the 2025 median was $5,975 a month for assisted living and $8,669 for a shared nursing home room. In Missouri it was $5,400 and $6,741 (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025).
Can someone move from assisted living to a nursing home?
Yes. If care needs grow beyond what a community is licensed and staffed for, a move to a nursing home may be needed. Ask each community how it handles that.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living or nursing homes?
Medicare does not pay for assisted living or long-term custodial care in a nursing home. It can cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care per benefit period when the rules are met.
Is a skilled nursing facility the same as a nursing home?
Most nursing homes are licensed as skilled nursing facilities. The term usually refers to the medical and rehab care they provide, often for a short stay after a hospitalization.
Sources
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, Median Cost Data Tables (survey July to November 2025; median cost data tables, published March 2026)
- Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage
- Medicare.gov: Skilled nursing facility care (2026 costs)
- Medicare.gov Care Compare (nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice)