How Much Is Health Insurance per Month? Average Costs in 2026

The monthly cost of health insurance depends on where you get coverage, your age, where you live, your income, and the plan you choose. There's no single number for everyone, but recent national data gives a realistic starting point. Here's how much health insurance costs per month in 2026 for employer-sponsored plans and Marketplace plans, what drives health insurance premiums, and how to estimate your own monthly health insurance cost.

Quick answer: average monthly health insurance costs in 2026

• Employer plan, single coverage: about $817 per month in total premium ($9,804 a year). Workers pay about $139 a month of that on average ($1,672 a year), and employers pay the rest, according to the KFF 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey.
• Employer plan, family coverage: about $2,359 per month in total premium ($28,303 a year), with workers paying about $623 a month on average ($7,471 a year).
• Marketplace plan: the national average benchmark premium in 2026, the second-lowest-cost silver plan for a 40-year-old, is $625 a month before any tax credit, according to KFF.

Many Marketplace enrollees pay less than the full premium because of premium tax credits, government subsidies based on household income. What you'd actually pay depends on your income, household size, age, and location.

What makes up your health insurance cost?

The monthly premium is only part of what health insurance costs. You also pay when you use care:

• Premium: the fixed amount you pay each month to keep your plan active, whether or not you see a doctor.
• Deductible: what you pay for covered services each year before your plan starts sharing most costs. In employer plans with a general deductible, the average single-coverage deductible is $1,955 in 2026, according to KFF.
• Copays: flat fees for specific services, such as a doctor visit or prescription.
• Coinsurance: your percentage of the bill after you meet your deductible, such as 20%.
• Out-of-pocket maximum: the yearly cap on what you pay for covered in-network care. For Marketplace and other non-grandfathered plans, the 2026 limit is $10,600 for an individual and $21,200 for a family.

A lower premium usually means you pay more when you get care, and a higher premium usually buys a lower deductible and more predictable costs. Our guide to the deductible vs. out-of-pocket maximum explains how those limits work together.

What determines your health insurance premiums?

Several factors affect the cost of health insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers selling individual and small-group plans can't charge you more because of your health or a pre-existing condition, and can't charge different rates by sex. According to HealthCare.gov, they can set premiums based on five factors:

• Age: older adults can be charged up to three times as much as younger adults.
• Tobacco use: tobacco users can be charged up to 50% more.
• Location: local health care prices, competition among insurers, and state rules all affect premiums.
• Individual vs. family enrollment: covering a spouse or dependents adds to the premium.
• Plan category: the plan tier you choose (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).

Plan design matters too. HMO plans often have lower premiums than PPO plans, and EPO plans usually fall in between, in exchange for a narrower network.

Marketplace health insurance costs by metal tier

Marketplace plans are grouped into metal tiers that show how costs are split between you and the plan. On average:

• Bronze: the lowest premiums and the highest out-of-pocket costs. The plan pays about 60% of the cost of covered care.
• Silver: moderate premiums. The plan pays about 70%. Only silver plans can include cost-sharing reductions, which lower deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums for eligible lower-income enrollees.
• Gold: higher premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs. The plan pays about 80%.
• Platinum: the highest premiums and the lowest out-of-pocket costs. The plan pays about 90%.

Every Marketplace plan covers the same essential health benefits, including preventive care, hospitalization, prescriptions, and mental health care. The tiers differ in how costs are shared, not in which services are covered. A healthy adult with few prescriptions might choose a bronze plan to keep the monthly payment low, while someone managing a chronic condition or expecting a baby might prefer silver plans or gold plans for more predictable costs.

How much health insurance costs by state

Where you live has a big effect on Marketplace premiums. In 2026, KFF's data shows average benchmark premiums for a 40-year-old ranging from $401 a month in New Hampshire to $1,299 a month in Vermont, before tax credits.

If your income is low, you may qualify for Medicaid through your state's health and human services agency, and children may qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which can lower or eliminate premiums. Eligibility rules vary by state. Some states run their own Marketplaces and may offer extra help on top of federal tax credits.

Employer-sponsored plans vs. private health insurance on the Marketplace

Most people under 65 with private coverage get it through an employer as part of their employee health benefits. Because employer contributions cover most of the premium, workers usually pay far less each month than the total cost. In the KFF 2026 survey, workers paid on average 18% of the premium for single coverage and 27% for family coverage.

Marketplace plans offer more plan options and coverage options, and the chance to switch each year, and premium tax credits can lower the cost for eligible households. But there's no employer contribution, so the full premium before credits can be higher than what a worker pays for an employer plan.

If you leave a job, COBRA lets you keep your employer plan, but you pay the full premium plus up to a 2% fee, so it often costs much more than you paid as an employee.

How premium tax credits lower your monthly cost

A premium tax credit is financial help from the federal government for Marketplace plans. Your credit is based on your expected household income for the year, your household size, and the price of the benchmark silver plan where you live. You can apply the credit to any Marketplace plan in your area, and some households with lower incomes can find plans for $0 a month after the credit.

You generally can't get a tax credit if you have access to employer coverage that's considered affordable and meets minimum standards. Enhanced tax credits that had been in place since 2021 expired at the end of 2025, so 2026 credits follow the original ACA rules, which generally limit eligibility to households with incomes from 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level (sometimes called the federal poverty line).

The best way to see what you'd pay is to enter your details on HealthCare.gov or your state's Marketplace, or to work with a licensed agent or broker. If your income changes during the year, update your application so your credit stays accurate when you file taxes.

What to expect for 2027

Marketplace premiums are set to rise again. In preliminary rate filings, KFF found insurers proposed a median increase of about 15% for 2027, the second year in a row of double-digit increases. Final 2027 prices appear on HealthCare.gov when open enrollment starts.

Individual vs. family health insurance plans

• Individual Marketplace coverage: premiums depend heavily on age and location. A 25-year-old in a lower-cost state pays far less than a 60-year-old in a higher-cost state for the same plan.
• Family Marketplace coverage: family plans add a premium for each of your family members, calculated separately by age, so adding people raises the total. Children's premiums are capped after a set number of children.
• Employer family coverage: about $2,359 a month in total premium in 2026, with workers paying about $623 a month on average.

Adding or removing household members can also change eligibility for tax credits, Medicaid, or CHIP, so look at your total household cost, not just the cost per person.

How to choose the right plan: monthly premium vs. out-of-pocket risk

A lower-premium plan with a high deductible can make sense if you're healthy, take few prescriptions, and could afford a larger deductible if something unexpected happens. A higher-premium silver or gold plan may be smarter if you have a chronic condition, expect a pregnancy or surgery, or need frequent care.

Also check that your doctors and hospitals are in network. To compare plans, estimate your total yearly cost: 12 times the monthly premium, plus what you expect to pay out of pocket for care, up to the out-of-pocket maximum.

When you can enroll

• Open enrollment period: on HealthCare.gov, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026, to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1; enroll from December 16 to January 15 for coverage that starts February 1. Our open enrollment cheat sheet explains the terms you'll see.
• Special enrollment period: a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving, getting married, or having a baby, usually gives you 60 days to enroll in or change a plan.
• Employer plans: your employer sets its own enrollment window, usually in the fall.

How to estimate your own monthly cost

• Gather the ages of everyone you want to cover, your ZIP code, your expected household income for the year, and whether anyone has access to an employer plan.
• Use HealthCare.gov or your state's Marketplace to see local plans and estimate your tax credit.
• If you have an employer plan, check how much of the premium your employer pays for you and for dependents.
• Check your state's Medicaid and CHIP rules if your income is modest.
• Compare plans on total yearly cost, including your expected medical expenses, not just the average monthly premium.