Costs
What caregiver support costs in Australia
Care pricing is genuinely hard to compare. This guide explains what makes up the price, which parts are easy to miss, and how to get quotes you can put side by side.
Written and reviewed by the My Caregiver editorial team · Last reviewed September 2026 · Editorial policy
Why we don't publish a single hourly rate
What makes up the price
- Base hourly rate — the standard weekday daytime rate for the type of support. Personal care, domestic assistance and nursing are usually priced differently.
- Time-of-day and day-of-week loadings — evenings, nights, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays commonly attract higher rates.
- Minimum shift length — a one-hour visit may be billed at a two-hour minimum in some areas.
- Travel — travel time between clients and per-kilometre charges, particularly in regional areas and low-density suburbs.
- Overnight and live-in models — priced very differently from hourly support; confirm which model is quoted.
- Management and administration — under funded packages, package management and care management may be charged separately from care hours.
- Cancellation terms — short-notice cancellations are often chargeable. Ask for the notice period in writing.
Where the money can come from
Depending on circumstances, care may be funded through aged care programs, the NDIS, veterans' support, state or territory programs, insurance or compensation arrangements, or paid privately. Each has its own eligibility rules and price settings, and some publish price limits that providers must work within.
Because the settings change, check current figures at the source: the relevant government program information for subsidised care, or the provider's own current price list for private work. Ask for the version date on any price list you are given.
How to get quotes you can actually compare
Ask every provider for the same seven things
- A written price list including weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday rates
- The minimum shift length and how partial hours are billed
- Travel charges — time, kilometres, or both
- Any package, care or administration fees, shown separately
- Cancellation notice periods and charges
- A sample weekly invoice for the exact roster you want
- The date the price list takes effect and when it is next reviewed
The sample weekly invoice is the one that reveals differences. Two providers with similar hourly rates can produce very different weekly totals once loadings, minimums and travel are applied to your actual roster.
Sensible ways to reduce cost without reducing care
- Consolidate short visits into fewer, longer blocks where the routine allows.
- Move flexible tasks such as cleaning or shopping to weekday daytime hours.
- Separate tasks that do not need a skilled care worker — gardening or handyman work is usually cheaper arranged separately.
- Use funded hours for the highest-need supports and privately paid hours for extras.
- Review the roster quarterly. Needs change, and rosters rarely shrink on their own.
Things worth watching on the first invoices
Check the first two or three invoices line by line against the agreed rate card: shift lengths, loadings applied to the right days, travel, and any fee you were not told about. Raise discrepancies immediately and in writing. Most are honest errors, but they are much easier to correct in the first month.
If you are weighing an agency against a private arrangement, read caregiver vs home care provider before you decide on cost alone.
Common questions
Why won't this page quote an hourly rate?
Because a single number would be wrong for most readers and would go stale quickly. Rates differ by state, service type, time of day, funding program and provider. We explain the structure instead, and point you to current published price information.
What makes the biggest difference to the total cost?
The shape of the roster. Weekend, evening and public holiday loadings, short shifts with minimum charges, and travel between clients often change the weekly total more than the base hourly rate does.
What are management fees?
Where care is delivered under a funded package, part of the funding may go to package management and care management rather than direct care hours. Ask each provider to show these separately so you can compare like with like.
Is hiring privately cheaper?
The hourly rate usually is. The full picture includes insurance, cover when the worker is away, administration and any employment obligations you take on. Compare the total, not just the rate.
Last reviewed September 2026. General information only — not financial, legal or medical advice. Always confirm current pricing and eligibility directly with providers and the relevant government service.