Aged care costs in Melbourne follow the national structure set by the Aged Care Act: a basic daily fee (around A$63/day), a means-tested care fee based on your income and assets, and an accommodation payment (a RAD lump sum or a daily DAP). RADs in Melbourne commonly sit in the A$400,000–A$550,000 range but vary widely by home and room.
What lowers the cost
The means assessment from Services Australia protects people on low means — fully supported residents don’t pay a RAD, and there are annual and lifetime caps on care contributions. Retirement villages in Melbourne are private, but Support at Home funding can sometimes be used for care delivered in the village.
Compare like for like
Ask every Melbourne home for a written estimate for the exact room and your means-assessed situation, including any hotelling or extra-service fees. The lowest published room price is rarely the lowest real cost once care and everyday-living fees are added.
How to use this guide in practice
Don’t read this as general information — use it as a worksheet. Write down the details of the person who needs care, the current limits of the situation at home, the monthly budget, the documents you already have, whether they’ve registered with My Aged Care and had an assessment, and who you’ve already spoken with. Then turn every unclear point into a specific question. A family that arrives with a clear picture usually gets more useful answers than one calling under stress with scattered information.
Keep one simple rule: anything about admission, cost, funding, waitlists and whether a home fits must be confirmed directly with the aged care home or the competent authority serving Melbourne, Victoria. This guide prepares the search — it does not replace official decisions.
Want a clear shortlist before you start calling?
If you don’t know which aged care homes to contact first, Curalune Care Help can prepare an ordered shortlist of 3–5 suitable homes — with Star Ratings, contacts, useful links and a ready-to-send enquiry.
The service helps you organise the search. It does not replace the home’s own assessment or the My Aged Care process, and it does not guarantee admission, price or a room.
Important limit
Curalune offers practical help with the search and orientation. Admission, pricing, room availability, eligibility and the final assessment always rest with the aged care homes and the competent authorities (My Aged Care, Services Australia for the means assessment, and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission).