In short
The cost of a stay in an EMS (a Swiss medico-social nursing home) in Geneva breaks down into three layers: the room-and-board price (paid by the resident), the care (LAMal plus a small resident co-payment), and the residual care cost (covered by the canton).
In practice, in 2026, the daily room-and-board price ranges from roughly CHF 190 to CHF 273 per day depending on the home. A daily figure is easy to underestimate: at that rate, room and board alone comes to roughly CHF 5,800 to 8,300 per month, or CHF 69,000 to 100,000 per year. Over an average stay (the OFS puts the average at about 2.4 years), that's on the order of CHF 167,000 to 240,000. When the resident's resources are not enough, supplementary benefits (PC) top up to the room-and-board price — which is what happens for a majority of residents.
The three layers of the cost
| Layer | Who pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Room & board (socio-hôtelier) | Resident (then PC if insufficient) | ≈ CHF 190–273/day depending on the home |
| Care | LAMal (OPAS art. 7a contribution) + resident (co-payment CHF 10/day, federal cap CHF 23) | Based on level of dependence, assessed via the PLAISIR method |
| Residual care cost | Canton of Geneva | For publicly recognised homes |
This structure matters: comparing two homes on the room-and-board price alone is a common mistake. The level of care and the co-payment count too.
What a day price really adds up to
People don't stay in an EMS for a day; they stay for years. Here is the room-and-board range expressed over the horizons families actually plan around (month = day × 30.4, year = day × 365):
All figures in CHF.
| Room & board | Lower end | Higher end |
|---|---|---|
| Per day | 190 | 273 |
| Per month | 5,800 | 8,300 |
| Per year | 69,000 | 100,000 |
| Over an average stay (≈ 2.4 yr) | 167,000 | 240,000 |
These cover room and board only. The care co-payment (CHF 10/day) adds about CHF 300/month or CHF 3,650/year on top. The average length of stay (≈ 881 days, OFS) is used for the "average stay" row; figures are rounded.
The 2026 figures
- [Geneva] Daily room-and-board price: a range of roughly CHF 190 to CHF 273/day depending on the home (cantonal tariffs). A few examples published on ge.ch (2025/2026):
- La Provvidenza — CHF 217/day
- EMS les Franchises — CHF 240.50/day
- Résidence des Arénières — CHF 246/day
- Les Charmettes — CHF 254/day
- Résidence Les Tilleuls — CHF 257.50/day
- Maison de Vessy — CHF 272.50/day
- (→ see the monthly / yearly / full-stay equivalents in the table above)
- [Geneva] Resident care co-payment: CHF 10/day since 1 January 2025 (a Geneva-specific amount).
- [Federal] Federal cap on the co-payment in a nursing home: CHF 23/day (20% of the maximum contribution of CHF 115.20/day, the highest care level). Geneva sets its co-payment well below this. Not to be confused with the at-home cap (CHF 15.35/day).
- [Federal] LAMal care share: a contribution based on the level of dependence (12 levels, OPAS art. 7a, from roughly CHF 9.60 to CHF 115.20/day). The assessment uses the PLAISIR method, still in force in Geneva.
- [Geneva] Number of LAMal-recognised homes: 54 as of 31 December 2025 (≈ 4,126 long-stay beds + 21 short-stay respite beds).
⚠️ Tariffs vary from one home to another and are revised regularly. Always check the home's own page on ge.ch for the current rate.
What if resources are not enough? (supplementary benefits)
In Geneva, most homes are publicly recognised and subject to the FEGEMS standard accommodation contract as well as cantonal residual funding. The mechanism works as follows:
- The resident pays first from their own resources: AVS pension, 2nd pillar (LPP) and assets, up to the room-and-board price and the co-payment.
- If resources are not enough, the supplementary-benefits office (SPC) tops up after reviewing the file (income and assets).
- Care is billed separately: the insurer pays its lump sum, the resident pays the CHF 10/day co-payment, and the canton covers the residual.
To see why this matters, put the numbers side by side: even the maximum single AVS pension is about CHF 2,520/month (CHF 1,260 at the minimum). Against a room-and-board price of CHF 5,800–8,300/month, the pension covers well under half — often under a third. Because the room-and-board price so regularly exceeds the AVS pension plus LPP, a majority of residents end up receiving PC. Opening the PC file on admission avoids a heavy cash advance for the family — exactly the kind of step we take care of.
Common pitfalls
- Comparing homes on the room-and-board price alone. The care level and co-payment also feed the real bill.
- Assuming assets are untouchable. They are drawn down before PC kicks in (subject to legal thresholds).
- Not anticipating the PC file. It often needs to be opened on admission to avoid a heavy cash advance.
- Skipping the FEGEMS standard contract. Included services, surcharges, termination conditions — it's all there.
Sources
- State of Geneva — Funding a stay in an EMS (the three layers, PLAISIR, residual cost, CHF 10/day co-payment): ge.ch — funding an EMS stay — accessed 2026-06-24
- FEGEMS — Life in an EMS / funding (CHF 10/day co-payment, care levels CHF 9.60–115.20): fegems.ch — accessed 2026-06-24
- State of Geneva — List of EMS (54 homes as of 31.12.2025): ge.ch — list of EMS — accessed 2026-06-24
- FOPH — Care services (OPAS art. 7a, co-payment cap CHF 23/day in a nursing home = 20% of CHF 115.20): bag.admin.ch — accessed 2026-06-24
- State of Geneva — individual EMS pages (daily room-and-board prices, e.g. Vessy CHF 272.50, Tilleuls CHF 257.50, Arénières CHF 246) — accessed 2026-06-24