Health Insurance Cost Calculator (2026 Rates)

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Updated: July 16, 2026

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Health Insurance Cost Calculator

Estimate your health insurance costs in seconds with MoneyGeek's free health insurance cost calculator. Select your age, state, preferred plan type and metal tier to see average monthly premiums, then compare personalized quotes from top health insurance companies to get coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Select Age
Select State
Select Plan Type
Select Metal Level
Average Monthly Rate—

How to Use the Health Insurance Calculator

  1. 1
    Select your age

    Health insurance premiums increase with age. Select your age range to receive a more accurate monthly cost estimate.

  2. 2
    Choose your state

    Health insurance costs and available plans vary by state. Selecting your state allows the calculator to display average premiums based on your local individual health insurance market.

  3. 3
    Pick a plan type

    Choose the type of health plan you’re interested in. Each plan type offers a different balance of provider access, referral requirements and monthly costs:

    • HMO: Lower-cost coverage that requires you to use in-network providers and get referrals for specialist care.
    • PPO: More provider flexibility, including some out-of-network coverage, at a higher monthly cost.
    • EPO: In-network coverage without specialist referrals, but no out-of-network benefits except for emergencies.
    • POS: A mix of HMO and PPO features, with referrals required and limited out-of-network coverage available.
  4. 4
    Select a metal tier

    Metal tiers determine how you split health care costs with your insurer. Bronze plans have the lowest premiums and highest out-of-pocket costs, while Silver, Gold and Platinum plans have progressively higher premiums but cover a larger share of your medical expenses.

  5. 5
    Compare personalized quotes

    Once you've estimated your average monthly premium, click “Get Quotes” to compare personalized offers from top health insurance companies. Comparing multiple quotes helps you get the coverage that best fits your budget and healthcare needs.

How Health Insurance Premiums are Calculated

Health insurance premiums are based on several factors, including your age, where you live and the type of coverage you choose. While insurers must follow Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules for pricing marketplace plans, monthly premiums still vary widely depending on your selections.

  • calendar icon

    Age

    Age is one of the biggest factors affecting your premium. Health insurers can charge older adults up to three times more than younger adults because health care costs increase with age.

  • usMap icon

    Location

    Premiums vary by state and county based on local medical costs, policy availability, competition among insurers and state regulations. Rates in rural areas are usually higher because fewer carriers write policies there.

  • onlineForms icon

    Plan Type

    HMO plans are cheaper but require referrals and limit coverage to in-network providers. PPO plans cost more but let you see specialists and out-of-network providers without a referral. EPO plans don't require referrals but restrict coverage to in-network providers. POS plans require referrals like an HMO but cover some out-of-network care.

  • medal icon

    Metal Level

    Metal tiers determine how you share health care costs with your insurer. Bronze plans have the lowest monthly premiums but the highest deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. Silver plans offer a balance of premiums and cost sharing, while Gold and Platinum plans have higher monthly premiums but pay a larger share of covered medical expenses. 

    Catastrophic plans have the lowest premiums of any tier but are only available to adults under 30 or people who qualify for a hardship exemption. They cover three primary care visits per year before the deductible and little else until you hit the annual out-of-pocket maximum.

  • family icon

    Household size

    Adding dependents increases your premium. Family plans cover a spouse and children, with each additional enrollee raising the monthly cost.

  • cigarette icon

    Tobacco Use

    Insurers in most states can charge tobacco users up to 50% more than nonsmokers. Some states, including California and New York, prohibit the surcharge.

  • Income

    If you earn between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level ($15,960 to $63,840 in 2026), you qualify for premium tax credits through HealthCare.gov, reducing your monthly premium.

Average Health Insurance Cost by State

Health insurance costs vary widely by state and plan type. HMO plans are the least expensive option in our analysis, with average monthly premiums below $600 in states like Maryland ($490), Rhode Island ($507) and New Hampshire ($539). PPO plans are the most expensive because they offer the greatest provider flexibility, exceeding $1,000 per month in states like Florida ($1,510), Nebraska ($1,156) and West Virginia ($1,097).

Plan availability also differs by state. Many states offer only one or two marketplace plan types, so the choice between an HMO and a PPO may not exist depending on where you live. In states with limited insurer competition, HMOs are often the only option available through the marketplace.

AK

N/A
N/A
N/A
$1,039

AL

N/A
N/A
$709
$622

AR

N/A
$805
N/A
$839

AZ

$660
N/A
N/A
N/A

CA

$586
N/A
$868
$822

CO

$628
N/A
$594
N/A

CT

N/A
$925
N/A
$729

DC

$607
N/A
N/A
$676

DE

$764
N/A
$719
$849

FL

$764
$983
$914
$1,510

GA

$735
N/A
N/A
$646

HI

$545
N/A
N/A
$695

IA

$563
N/A
$650
$588

ID

$520
$542
N/A
$554

IL

$717
$587
N/A
$1,078

IN

$557
N/A
$601
N/A

KS

N/A
N/A
$861
N/A

KY

$714
N/A
N/A
N/A

LA

$650
$676
$620
$1,060

MA

$683
N/A
$961
N/A

MD

$490
N/A
N/A
$663

ME

$760
N/A
N/A
$789

MI

$636
N/A
$473
$810

MN

$552
N/A
$605
$551

MO

N/A
N/A
$720
N/A

MS

$756
N/A
$692
N/A

MT

N/A
$663
$754
$716

NC

$748
$727
$661
$865

ND

$643
N/A
N/A
$731

NE

N/A
N/A
$926
$1,156

NH

$539
N/A
$455
$747

NJ

N/A
N/A
$691
N/A

NM

$759
N/A
N/A
N/A

NV

$717
N/A
$599
N/A

NY

$1,101
N/A
$1,123
N/A

OH

$713
N/A
N/A
N/A

OK

$695
N/A
N/A
$713

OR

N/A
N/A
$610
N/A

PA

$663
N/A
$638
$863

RI

$507
$597
N/A
$704

SC

$611
$572
$660
$754

SD

$546
N/A
$740
$765

TN

N/A
N/A
$761
N/A

TX

$745
$858
$764
N/A

UT

$775
N/A
$770
N/A

VA

$599
N/A
$526
$1,060

VT

$1,144
N/A
$1,334
N/A

WI

$738
$1,009
$813
$619

WV

$1,087
N/A
N/A
$1,097

WY

N/A
N/A
$1,170
$1,070
Your Next Step:

Get your real quotes from trusted insurance providers.

* Rates shown are averages for nonsmoking 40-year-olds with Silver plans. “N/A” indicates that no plan of that type is available in the state.

How to Lower Your Health Insurance Costs

There are several ways to reduce what you pay for health insurance without sacrificing the coverage you need:

  1. 1
    Compare plans during open enrollment

    Premiums vary by hundreds of dollars per month across plans with similar coverage. Review all available options on HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace during open enrollment rather than auto-renewing your current plan.

  2. 2
    Check your subsidy eligibility

    Enrollees earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($63,840 for a single person in 2026) qualify for premium tax credits. Update your income estimate each year. A change in earnings can increase or eliminate your subsidy.

  3. 3
    Consider a high-deductible plan

    Bronze and Catastrophic plans have the lowest monthly premiums, but they require you to pay more out of pocket before coverage begins. If you're healthy and rarely visit the doctor, a high deductible plan can reduce your total insurance costs. If you expect to need regular medical care, though, a Silver or Gold plan with higher premiums but lower deductibles and copays will likely cost less overall.

  4. 4
    Open an HSA

    HSA contributions are tax-deductible, grow tax-free and can be withdrawn tax-free for qualified medical expenses. In 2026, individuals can contribute up to $4,400 and families up to $8,750.

  5. 5
    Apply for cost-sharing reductions

    If you choose a Silver-tier plan and earn between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, you can qualify for cost-sharing reductions that lower your deductibles and copays.

Compare Health Insurance Rates

Get the best rate for your insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Frequently Asked Questions

MoneyGeek's Health Insurance Cost Calculator uses individual marketplace health insurance data from the 2026 Open Enrollment period. Our premium estimates are based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Marketplace Exchange data released in October 2025, supplemented with plan information collected directly from state-based health insurance marketplaces in the 22 states not included in the CMS dataset. We update this data annually to reflect the latest available plans, premiums and coverage options.

About Patrick Bryant

Patrick Bryant, Vertical Lead, Life & Health Insurance, MoneyGeek

Patrick Bryant is the Vertical Lead for Health Insurance at MoneyGeek, where he researches insurance products, writes consumer guides and maintains the scoring methodologies behind our provider comparisons. He analyzed more than 100 health insurance carriers across all 50 U.S. states and multiple policy types. His methodologies are reviewed quarterly to reflect current market conditions and carrier data.

Read Full Bio »