By Phyllis Domingo, REALTOR® · San Antonio Relocation Specialist · 6 min read CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey puts the national median for assisted living at $6,200 a month, while the most recent San Antonio metro figure on record runs about $3,400; the gap is real, and the fine print matters more than the median. Here is what families should ask before they compare.
Start with the national number
CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, released in early 2026, reports a national median of $6,200 a month for assisted living, up 5 percent from $5,900 the year before, per Genworth's announcement. That one number is the honest place to start any conversation about senior living costs, because it is higher than most families guess.
The San Antonio figures on record
The most recent San Antonio metro number on record from the Genworth survey series is $3,413 a month for assisted living, from the 2021 survey, as compiled by PayingForSeniorCare; the older 2018 survey listed about $3,975. Living costs and care rates have moved since then, so treat both figures as low watermarks, not today's sticker price.
The honest takeaway is a range: San Antonio has historically run meaningfully below the national median, but real quotes in 2026 will land somewhere above the older metro numbers, and the exact figure depends on the community and the level of care.
What the monthly fee actually buys
An assisted living monthly fee typically bundles an apartment, meals, housekeeping, scheduled transportation, activities, and a baseline of personal care, with care tiered up as needs grow. It does not include skilled nursing care, which is a different and more expensive product.
Independent living, the other common option, is priced more like renting an apartment with services and activities on top; there is no survey standard for it, so it has to be priced community by community.
The questions that matter more than the median
Ask every one of these in the first conversation, and get the answers in writing before any deposit changes hands. The median is context; the rate sheet is the truth.
- Exactly what is included in the monthly fee, and what is billed a la carte: meals, utilities, cable, laundry, transportation?
- How are care levels assessed and reassessed, and what does the monthly rate do when a level increases?
- Is there an entrance or community fee, and is any part of it refundable?
- What is the staffing ratio and turnover like, and is the community licensed by the state of Texas?
- Does the community accept long-term care insurance, Veterans benefits, or Medicaid, and does that change the rate?
- What happens if care needs grow beyond what the community can provide on site?
The honest fine print
National and metro medians are a planning tool, not a quote. Two communities in the same ZIP can charge very different prices, and a published median hides the range. Always request the full rate schedule in writing, tour in person, and read the admissions agreement and residents' rights before you sign.
Also worth knowing: these figures describe care communities, not the 55-plus and active-adult neighborhoods where homeowners buy or rent homes without bundled care. They are different products with different math, and it is worth being clear which one your family is actually comparing.
Bring us your family's real numbers
On my side of the table, senior moves usually start with the real estate: selling the family home, right-sizing to a smaller floor plan, or finding a 55-plus community that fits. Bring me your spreadsheet and I will bring the neighborhood knowledge. Call or text me at 210-744-5478, or use the contact page, and we will sort it out with no pressure.
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Sources
The numbers in this post were checked against these sources on October 1, 2026.
