Cost comparison · October 2026

Renovate, move or bring care home? The real cost of aging in Victoria

For most Greater Victoria families, the deciding factor is the level of care someone needs, not the building. This guide compares three paths using published Victoria figures: moving to a residence, staying home with home care, and renovating for accessibility. Prices are as listed in October 2026; always ask for a written quote.

By Laura Sinclair Faunt, Co-Founder, Adapt & Thrive, Greater Victoria · Updated October 21, 2026 · 12-minute read

The short answer. For most families, adapting the home and adding part-time help costs far less than a private residence, until care needs become round the clock.

A one-bedroom at Berwick Royal Oak starts at $5,750 a month, before care fees.
A mid-range bathroom renovation in Canada averages about $14,500, roughly two and a half months of that rent. A full accessible bathroom can run $50,000 or more.
With 15 hours a week of private care, renovating and staying home costs roughly $94,000 to $129,000 less than private assisted living over five years, before the residence's care fees.

How to read this guide. Every figure links to its public source, and every link was opened and checked on October 20, 2026. Residence and directory prices are as listed and can change at any time; directory figures are estimates. Adapt & Thrive is a renovation company, not a care advisor, and is not affiliated with any residence, care provider or government program named here. Always confirm prices and eligibility directly.

Option 1: Moving to a residence

Private retirement living in Victoria runs from about $3,500 to $12,500 a month, and care is usually billed on top. Of the major operators, only Berwick publishes a full suite price list; Amica and Trillium quote on request.

Levels of care, in plain terms

Independent living: a suite, meals, housekeeping and activities. No hands-on care included; extras can be added.
Assisted living: help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and medication. Registered under BC's Community Care and Assisted Living Act.
Long-term care (complex care): 24/7 nursing and personal care for people who can no longer live safely with part-time support.
Memory care: long-term care in a secure setting for people living with dementia.

What the major Victoria homes charge

Residence	Operator	Area	Levels of care	Published monthly price
The Victorian	Atria	Saanich	Retirement living; care and medication management extra	$4,795 (1-bed); includes dining, housekeeping and utilities
The Victorian at McKenzie	Atria	Saanich	Retirement living; care and medication management extra	$4,795 (1-bed); includes dining, housekeeping and utilities
Berwick Royal Oak	Berwick	Royal Oak	Independent, assisted, long-term care	$5,750 (1-bed) to $12,500 (large 2-bed + den); long-term care from $7,900; second person +$900
Berwick House	Berwick	Gordon Head	Independent, assisted, long-term care	$5,725 (1-bed) to $8,000 (2-bed); long-term care from $7,800; second person +$900
Sunrise of Victoria	Sunrise	Victoria	Retirement residence	From $8,000 (directory listing)
Amica On The Gorge	Amica	Gorge	Independent, assisted, memory care	Not published
Amica Somerset House	Amica	James Bay	Independent	Not published
Amica Douglas House	Amica	Beacon Hill Park area	Independent	Not published
Amica Jubilee House	Amica	Victoria	Personalized care, memory care, nurse on site 24/7	Not published
West Shore Village	Trillium	Colwood	Independent, short stays; a limited number of assisted living suites through Island Health	Not published
Douglas Care, Clover Point Care, Hart House	Trillium	James Bay, Fairfield, Gonzales	Long-term care in small homes, plus short stays	Not published
Alexander Mackie Lodge	Not listed	Greater Victoria	Independent	$3,975 to $4,575 (directory listing)
Abbeyfield Heritage House	Abbeyfield	Victoria	Assisted	From $3,569 (directory listing)
Ross Place	Ross Place	Victoria	Independent and assisted (183 suites in total)	Not published
Marrion Village	Not listed	Oak Bay	50 assisted living suites plus subsidized seniors housing	Not published

What "from" leaves out

At Berwick, assisted living lists medication administration, bathing and dressing help as extra fees on top of rent.
Directory prices conflict. SeniorHome.ca shows Berwick Royal Oak from $2,237 and $4,050 on the same page, while Comfort Life lists $5,750. SeniorHome.ca says its prices are its own estimates, not rates published by the communities.
City-wide starting medians on SeniorHome.ca: independent living $2,883, assisted living $3,212, long-term care $4,015, memory care $5,162. Treat these as a floor, not a budget.

Sources: Atria, The Victorian · Atria, The Victorian at McKenzie · Comfort Life, Berwick Royal Oak · Comfort Life, Berwick House · Amica, Victoria · Trillium, West Shore Village · Trillium, Victoria care homes · SeniorHome.ca, Victoria · Senior Care Path, Victoria

Option 2: Staying home with home care

Private home care in Victoria typically costs $40 to $65 an hour, so the monthly bill depends almost entirely on hours. Part-time help is far cheaper than a residence; 24/7 care at home is the most expensive option of all.

Care at home	Monthly cost (CAD)
10 hours a week	$1,733 to $2,817
20 hours a week	$3,467 to $5,633
40 hours a week	$6,933 to $11,267
Live-in caregiver (sleeps overnight)	$12,000 to $20,000
24/7 awake shift care	$28,000 to $46,000

Hourly rows are calculated at $40 and $65 an hour over 52 weeks. Live-in and 24/7 figures are as published by Comfort Keepers Victoria, a private home care provider.

The public route: Island Health home support

Subsidized home support is arranged through an Island Health assessment and charged as an income-tested daily rate.
People receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement pay $0. Clients with earned income pay no more than $300 a month.
Responding to a 2023 UBCM resolution, the Ministry of Health said about 64% of long-term home support clients pay nothing, and 14% are capped at $300 a month.
Public home support rarely covers 24-hour supervision, so families often combine public hours with private care.

Sources: Comfort Keepers Victoria · Island Health, How fees work · UBCM resolution NR5 (2023) and provincial response

Option 3: Renovating for accessibility

Most accessibility renovations are a one-time cost, from a few hundred dollars for a grab bar to $50,000 and beyond for a full accessible bathroom. Two tax credits can take up to $3,800 off. A home elevator is the outlier at $25,000 or more.

Project	Typical cost (CAD)
Basic bathroom fixture and tile update	$5,000 to $10,000
Mid-range full bathroom renovation	$10,000 to $18,000 (average about $14,500)
Shower installation, existing plumbing	$1,000 to $1,400
Shaftless home elevator	$25,000 to $50,000
Home elevator, retrofit into an existing home	$30,000 to $70,000+

Canada-wide figures from HomeStars, bathroom renovation costs and HomeStars, home elevator costs, both updated August 2026. These are general renovation prices. Accessible work such as a curbless shower, structural changes or an older Victoria home can cost more, which is why a quick conversation about your home is the best way to narrow it down.

Credits and rebates that can offset the cost

BC Home Renovation Tax Credit for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities: 10% of up to $10,000 in eligible work, so up to $1,000 a year. It is refundable, so it pays out even if no tax is owing. The Province lists eligible work such as grab bars, walk-in tubs, wheel-in showers, widened doors, ramps, stair lifts and elevators.
Federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit (line 31285): up to $20,000 in eligible expenses a year for someone 65 or older or eligible for the Disability Tax Credit. At the 2026 rate of 14%, that is up to $2,800 off federal tax. It is non-refundable, so it only reduces tax owing. Family members can sometimes claim it for a parent.
BC Rebate for Accessible Home Adaptations (BC RAHA): for low- and moderate-income households, up to $20,000 in lifetime rebates through BC Housing. Apply and get approval before any work starts; some projects need an occupational therapist assessment.

Worked examples. A $14,500 bathroom project could qualify for $1,000 from the BC credit and $2,030 from the federal credit, bringing the net cost to about $11,470. A $50,000 accessible bathroom could qualify for up to $1,000 and $2,800, bringing it to about $46,200. Eligibility depends on each household's situation, so confirm with your accountant. Our funding summary covers each program in more detail.

Sources: Province of BC, Home renovation tax credit · H&R Block, Home Accessibility Tax Credit 2026 · SCI BC, BC RAHA · HealthLink BC, BC RAHA

Side by side: five years of costs

For someone needing moderate help, renovating and bringing care in costs about $94,000 to $129,000 less than private assisted living over five years, before that residence's care fees. Even the larger $50,000 renovation costs less than assisted living from year two onward.

Cumulative cost over five years (CAD)Someone needing moderate help: 15 hours a week of private care at home, compared with private residence rates. The table below has the same figures.

Renovate ($14,500) + home care: $216,220 after 5 years
Renovate ($50,000) + home care: $250,950 after 5 years
Private assisted living: $345,000 after 5 years
Private long-term care: $474,000 after 5 years

Year	Renovate ($14,500) + home care	Renovate ($50,000) + home care	Private assisted living	Private long-term care
Year 1	$52,420	$87,150	$69,000	$94,800
Year 2	$93,370	$128,100	$138,000	$189,600
Year 3	$134,320	$169,050	$207,000	$284,400
Year 4	$175,270	$210,000	$276,000	$379,200
Year 5	$216,220	$250,950	$345,000	$474,000

Assumptions behind the model

Renovate + home care: a one-time renovation of either $14,500 (net $11,470 after both tax credits) or $50,000 (net $46,200), plus 15 hours a week of private care at $52.50 an hour, the midpoint of $40 to $65, which is $40,950 a year.
Private assisted living: Berwick Royal Oak's lowest published rent of $5,750 a month. Care services such as medication and bathing help are extra.
Private long-term care: Berwick Royal Oak's published long-term care rate from $7,900 a month.
Not included: rent increases, property tax, utilities and food at home (residence rent covers most of these), and any public subsidy. Subsidized long-term care at 80% of after-tax income would cost far less than the private line for most families.

The gap narrows as home care hours rise. At roughly 25 hours a week, private care at home costs about the same as a base assisted living suite.

Public assisted living and long-term care in BC

Subsidized care is priced on income, not on the building, and placement comes through an Island Health assessment rather than by applying to a residence directly.

Public service	What you pay
Subsidized assisted living	70% of after-tax income, with a monthly minimum and maximum
Subsidized long-term care	80% of after-tax income. If after-tax income is under $19,500 a year: (income minus $3,900) divided by 12. A minimum and maximum apply, and the maximum rises each year with inflation
Subsidized home support	An income-tested daily rate. $0 for people receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement; no more than $300 a month if you or your spouse has earned income

Two things families often miss:

Waitlists for subsidized assisted living and long-term care can be long, so many people bridge the gap with private home care.
Taxes must be filed by April 30 each year to keep a subsidized rate; otherwise the maximum rate can apply.

The system-level gap is large. A 2023 UBCM resolution put home support at about $14,000 a year to the health system, compared with about $60,000 a year for publicly subsidized long-term care.

Sources: Island Health, How fees work · UBCM resolution NR5 (2023) · SeniorHome.ca, Victoria

How to decide

Start with care needs, then the house, then the money.

Get a care needs assessment. Island Health's assessment tells you whether subsidized home support, assisted living or long-term care is on the table.
Count the hours. Under about 20 hours of help a week, staying home is usually cheaper. Once care becomes 24/7, a residence or long-term care almost always costs less than care at home.
Walk the house. Can the person get in the front door, use the bathroom and reach a bedroom on one level? If a few targeted changes fix that, renovating can buy years at home. Our 5-minute home walkthrough helps.
Stack the funding. Check the BC and federal tax credits, BC RAHA if income qualifies, and Island Health home support before paying fully private.
Plan for the next stage. Choose a path that can absorb a decline, whether that is a home with a main-floor bedroom or a residence with assisted living and long-term care on site.

Questions to ask on a residence tour

What exactly does the base rent include, and what does each level of care add per month?
What is the second-person fee for a couple?
How much did rent rise last year, and how much notice do you give?
What happens if care needs exceed what you provide, and do you have memory care?
Is any of this covered by Island Health, or is it fully private pay?

Common questions

Is it cheaper to renovate than to move to assisted living in Victoria?

Usually, until care needs become round the clock. With 15 hours a week of private care, renovating and staying home costs roughly $94,000 to $129,000 less than private assisted living over five years, based on Berwick Royal Oak's lowest published rent of $5,750 a month. Once care is needed 24/7, a residence or long-term care almost always costs less.

How much does assisted living cost in Victoria, BC?

Published private rates start around $4,795 a month for a one-bedroom at Atria's The Victorian and The Victorian at McKenzie, and $5,725 to $5,750 at Berwick House and Berwick Royal Oak, before care fees. Directory listings show some residences from about $3,569. Subsidized assisted living costs 70% of after-tax income, within a minimum and maximum.

How much does home care cost in Victoria, BC?

Private home care typically costs $40 to $65 an hour, which is about $1,733 to $2,817 a month for 10 hours a week. Live-in care runs about $12,000 to $20,000 a month and 24/7 awake care $28,000 to $46,000. Island Health home support is income-tested, and people receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement pay $0.

At what point does staying home cost more than assisted living?

At roughly 25 hours a week of private care, care at home costs about the same as a base assisted living suite. Below about 20 hours a week, staying home is usually cheaper.

Talk it through with us

Tell us what has become difficult at home and what you are considering. We will give you a straight answer about next steps, with no pressure to take on work you do not need.

Ask about your home Call (778) 557-3444

Sources

Checked October 20, 2026. Programs and limits change, so confirm with the official source before you rely on a figure.