Is senior living worth the cost? Financial trade-offs seniors and families need to consider before making the move

When Geetha Purushotham’s husband passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, she took a quick, considered decision. She booked a flat in Primus Reflection, a retirement community on the outskirts of Bengaluru, and moved from her city residence to a 1.5-BHK (bedroom-hall-kitchen) apartment in 2022. “My only daughter was abroad, and I didn’t want to burden her or depend on anyone else,” says the 78-year-old, who has had little reason to regret the move. “Now, my daughter is at peace knowing that I’m safe and have people to take care of me in an emergency,” she adds.

As children move away, spouses pass on, and old age creeps in, the elderly retirees have begun to seek families among strangers, forging new bonds in homes away from home. ‘Old age or retirement home’ is no longer a despised alternative fobbed on unwilling parents, or one that families shirk away from. Seniors are making this choice proactively. This is because their three-pronged needs—security, medical care, and the unvoiced desire for companionship—once met by the joint family structure, are now being outsourced to senior living facilities.

“Senior living is no longer a choice people consider only when they need care; it is increasingly becoming a conscious lifestyle decision,” agrees Rajit Mehta, MD & CEO, Antara Senior Care, which currently has four active communities in Dehradun, Noida and Gurugram. “As India’s demographics, family structures and the aspirations of seniors evolve, the way we think about ageing is evolving as well. Seniors today are thinking more proactively about where and how they want to spend their later years,” he says.


The Lambas have done just that. “We were dreading life after retirement in our Delhi house, because our only daughter is abroad and everyone around us was busy with their own lives. Here, we are involved in various activities all day long, without the bother of housekeeping, food or maintenance,” says Reena Lamba, 62, who, along with her husband, shifted to Ashiana Nirmay, Bhiwadi, in 2024, after retirement. “She has actually become more confident and happy after shifting here,” says 70-year-old Amar Bir Singh Lamba, about his wife. The couple has now bought a cottage in a new Ashiana project, Advik, and plan to shift there soon.

However, behind this promise of comfort and companionship lies a crucial financial decision. Moving into such a community can mean committing a substantial sum, selling your existing, familiar home, bearing high, recurring maintenance charges, and planning for healthcare needs that may stretch years into the future. If you, too, are considering a move to such a facility, weigh the pros and cons before deciding.

The market & offerings

Despite the growing pan-India interest in retirement communities, the organised senior living market is heavily concentrated in the southern states, which account for about 62% of capacity, according to the India Senior Living Market report by Mordor Intelligence. Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Chennai are the largest hubs and some of the leading players include Vedaanta Senior Living, Primus Senior Living, Columbia Pacific Communities, and Manasum.

“We operate 12 active communities across South India and are working to scale to 24 with a capacity of around 2,500 families by 2029,” says Shreya Anand, Director, Vedaanta Senior Living. Primus, mean while, has four active communities and several under construction in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. “We currently have 3,500+ homes under development and, at full occupancy, these would accommodate approximately 6,200 seniors,” says Adarsh Narahari, Managing Director, Primus Senior Living.

Ashiana, Antara, and Athashri are the main developers in the North (Delhi-NCR) and West (Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad), contributing the remaining stock, with the communities in the East accounting for a minuscule percentage.

As of June 2026, the market had 25,050 units, up from 22,157 units in June 2025, according to the report ‘India’s silver economy: From niche to necessity’, released on 8 September 2026, by the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) and JLL. It has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% since 2024, nearly double the previous five-year growth.

Surging growth of these communities is trying to keep pace with the changing demographic—the country’s 60+ population of 166.9 million is estimated to rise to 191.5 million by 2030, and 346 million by 2050, as per the ASLI-JLL report. However, current supply meets just 1.5% of demand. Nearly 89% of the current supply is purchased by active seniors, who pay recurring monthly charges for maintenance, meals, and optional care services, while less than 10% is taken up by assisted living options, despite comprising 25% of the demographic need (75+ age group).

‘Active senior living’ and ‘assisted living’ are the two broad classifications for retirement communities. While the former is designed for relatively independent seniors, who can manage their daily activities, but want a safer, more social and convenient lifestyle, assisted living is for seniors who need help with everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing, medication or mobility and, hence, provides a higher level of personal and healthcare support. Epoch Elder Care, Athulya Senior Care, Geri Care, and NEMA Elder Care are some facilities in this segment.

Services & cost

Most active senior living communities are located in the suburbs or outskirts of bigger cities, and range from compact 3-5 acre developments to sprawling 20-30 acre campuses, with several mid-sized 10-20 acre projects. These are integrated, self-sufficient communities, with senior-friendly infrastructure, and facilities covering healthcare, safety, dining, recreation, social engagement, and daily support.

The accommodation is varied—studio apartments, 1-, 2-, 3-BHK flats and independent villas or cottages—available in both ownership and long-term rental or lease models. “The ownership model is relevant for those looking at senior living as a long-term home as well as an asset that can be passed on to the next generation. The rental/lease model offers a lower commitment route for seniors who prefer to preserve capital and pay for the use of home and services,” says Anand.

The price range is diverse too. While older projects have an entry price of around Rs.40 lakh for their 1/2-BHK flats, newer projects can range from Rs.40 lakh to around Rs.10 crore for the luxury segment, depending on size, because service models, amenities, and pricing have evolved significantly over the years.

“I paid only Rs.43 lakh for an independent 2-BHK villa with a garden, in a Vedaanta facility in Coimbatore, in 2017,” says 69-year old Rama Rangaswamy, who shifted from Mumbai in 2018 because the weather aggravated her asthma. On the other hand, the villas at Bengaluru’s Nandi Retreat Vedaanta (launched recently), are available for a starting price of Rs.88 lakh.

In addition to the purchase price, there are other upfront costs, such as the security deposit, advance management fee, or a medical deposit. Then there are the recurring monthly maintenance charges, along with variable fees, depending on the services utilised. While some projects bundle certain service charges, such as those for dining or medical care, with the maintenance fee, others charge based on usage.

For instance, Ashiana charges no security deposit, but takes an advance management fee, which is interest-free and reducible on a prorata basis. “This fee, as applicable, is valid for 15 years and paying it upfront significantly reduces the recurring service charges from 25% to just 5%, resulting in substantial savings,” says Ankur Gupta, Joint MD, Ashiana Housing. Manasum, on the other hand, takes a medical deposit of Rs.2-2.5 lakh, and its maintenance charges vary from Rs.8.5 to Rs.12.5 per sq ft.

Monthly recurring charges differ not only by community, but also by project and city for the same facility. For instance, at Antara Dehradun, monthly charges—ranging from Rs.40,000 to around Rs.1 lakh, depending on apartment size and services—cover the lifetime cost of apartment repairs, including fixing and replacing fittings and appliances. At Antara Noida 150, monthly charges range from Rs.9,000 to Rs.19,000, excluding consumables.

Besides housekeeping, maintenance and repair services, most campuses have extensive recreational facilities, personalised activities, community events, festivals, and get-togethers. “Manasum offers indoor and outdoor sports, swimming pool, walking area, gym, community hall, dining area, medical centre, library, hobby rooms, salon & spa, besides meals and community engagement activities like yoga, meditation, lectures, music, dance, talent shows, and outings,” says Anantharam V. Varyur, Co-founder, Manasum Senior Living.

“Shifting to Antara Dehradun has definitely improved the quality of my life,” says Rajender Kumar Singal, a practising chartered accountant, who shifted into his 2-BHK unit in 2022, with his wife and mother. While he still spends nearly half a month in his Delhi house due to professional obligations, the 63-year-old rushes back at every given opportunity.

“I can go for a walk any time I want here, unlike in Delhi where I can do it only in the morning. I also don’t have to endure traffic while travelling for social engagements or other activities as all these are available within the compound,” says Singal, who paid `3.75 crore for his apartment and shells out Rs.80,000 a month as maintenance charges. The cost and monthly charges are high as this is a luxury property targeted at the premium segment.

“A great deal of thought has gone into constructing the facility, with every detail geared towards the seniors’ comfort and convenience,” says Reena about the Ashiana facility. “For instance, the wall edges in the room are rounded, not sharp, to avoid hurting the seniors. There are also grab rails and ramps at strategic places, and panic buttons for emergencies,” she adds.

“Security and medical care in an emergency are the most important concerns for the residents’ children, especially those who stay abroad. Unlike the regular societies or independent houses, senior living facilities provide a high degree of security and medical attention,” says Prithvi Pani, 77, who is set to shift into Vedaanta’s Nandi Retreat, Bengaluru, soon.

Most retirement communities provide a 24-hour nursing attendant or physiotherapist, an ambulance with a driver, and a doctor on call in case of an emergency. They also have tie-ups with hospitals so residents can be admitted, if required. “Amaya is planning a resident doctor, round the-clock nursing, physiotherapy and emergency-response support. Specialist consultations, pharmacy access and hospital coordination will also be available,” says Dhruv Badruka, Founder, Amaya Senior Living, a facility set to launch soon in Hyderabad.

Senior living projects

Source: Senior living facilities. Purchase prices as in 2026. Purchase prices, rents, monthly charges are indicative and vary according to city, project, unit size and services.

Active senior living: Pros & cons

Are you financially prepared for the shift?

Consider these factors before taking a decision to buy a senior living house.

Will you have enough left over?

Don’t use your entire retirement savings to buy a senior living house. Purchase only if you have a sufficiently large corpus to take care of 15-20 years of expenses.

What is the real entry cost?

Besides the purchase price, consider stamp duty and registration charges, modification costs, moving costs, and upfront medical and security deposits by the facility, which can add up to a considerable sum.

Should you rent or buy?

Buying: You will bear a higher upfront cost, besides the monthly charges, and will need a separate corpus for living & healthcare expenses.

Renting: Rent will be subject to annual inflation. You will also pay monthly charges, but existing retirement corpus can fund your expenses.

Do you have a separate health corpus?

Though basic services may be included in the package, you will have to pay for hospitalisation or other healthcare services, and if required, assisted living costs.

Have you planned the exit?

If you want to leave the facility, it may take time to sell due to a limited market. If you leave it to your kids, they will not be able to use it and may have to rent or sell it.

The downside & financial implications

The retirement homes are equipped to cater to specific senior needs, which justifies the higher upfront and recurring charges compared to a regular housing society, but money is one of the biggest concerns for retirees. “Senior living is an important long-term lifestyle decision, and the financial planning around it should go beyond evaluating the initial cost of the residence. The first step is to assess one’s overall retirement plan and ensure that the choice aligns with one’s assets, regular income and long term financial goals,” says Rajit.

Retirement corpus: It’s best not to deplete your retirement corpus or sell your only self-occupied property to fund the purchase of a senior living unit. “The objective should be that senior living does not disproportionately deplete the retirement corpus or compromise financial independence in the later years. Adequate liquidity should be maintained for unforeseen medical or personal expenses,” says Ramesh Vishwanathan, CEO, Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), India.

A reliable source of recurring income through pensions, investments, annuities, rental income or other financial assets is crucial to support the ongoing costs of community living. Planning for these in advance, while also accounting for inflation and evolving healthcare needs, can help ensure greater financial comfort, says Rajit.

Rent or buy? Seniors could also find themselves in a tough spot if they realise the arrangement doesn’t suit them, especially if they have sold their only property to fund the senior living purchase. “The best option is to rent out a unit for a few months and see if it works for you. If it does, you can continue renting and fund recurring expenses by letting out your existing property. It also gives you the flexibility to exit, if needed,” says Rajan Mehta, Founder, Zealver Living, a facility offering senior care and assisted living services.

“While buying may provide stability and potential capital appreciation, it can also lock a significant portion of retirement savings into an illiquid asset. Renting may offer greater flexibility and preserve capital for healthcare, lifestyle needs and unforeseen contingencies,” agrees Vishwanathan.

“If you want to purchase, it’s advisable to do so with separate surplus funds. Avoid depleting core retirement savings or selling the primary home unless necessary. Use only excess investments for deposits after confirming the remaining corpus covers lifelong expenses and healthcare,” says Ashok Kumar ER, Chief Client Officer, Scripbox.

Assisted living: Senior living communities may be a good option for active, healthy retirees, but residents may face a problem if they develop a medical condition that requires extensive care, especially if the facility does not offer assisted living. In such a case, one may need to shift to an assisted living option or move back to a regular housing society to access elder care services.

However, some communities offer both active and assisted living options. “Vedaanta follows a continuum-of-care approach in communities where assisted living is available, and these are currently coming up in Bengaluru and Coimbatore. We bring independent and assisted living together, enabling residents to access a higher level of support as their needs evolve,” says Anand.

Inheritance: Owning a unit in a senior living community doesn’t guarantee it stays usable within the family. You can bequeath the property to your children, but most facilities only allow seniors to reside there. So if your children inherit before they qualify by age, they won’t be allowed to move in. Their real options are to rent or sell the property. Selling may not always be simple either because the market for these units is limited to seniors, and it may take time to find a buyer, even with help from facility management.

Family adjustment: Most facilities have an entry age limit, requiring at least one spouse to be 55 (age can vary for different facilities), to purchase or move in as a resident. Most also restrict who can live with residents: adult children, younger spouses or other family members who fall below the community’s minimum age generally aren’t allowed to stay permanently, even if the resident couple themselves qualify, though rules vary for different projects. This can reduce flexibility in using the property as a multigenerational home and may mean children cannot move in later to provide care. Hence, families should check not just the minimum entry age, but also the rules for spouses, dependent children, long-term guests and caregivers.