Australia Retirement Village Cost Calculator | Entry & Ongoing Fees
Thinking about moving into a retirement village in Australia? Many Aussies love the independence, community, and low-maintenance living, but the costs can be confusing.
Quick Takeaways
- You pay a large upfront fee to live there, but you usually don’t fully “own” the property
- You’ll keep paying ongoing weekly or monthly fees the entire time you live there
- When you leave, a significant portion (often around 30–35%) is taken as an exit fee
- You do get money back, but it’s reduced by exit fees and other deductions
- Total cost depends heavily on how long you stay, not just the entry price
- It’s more of a lifestyle expense than an investment, so returns are not guaranteed
From upfront entry fees to ongoing service charges and the dreaded Deferred Management Fee (DMF), it can feel like you need a PhD in retirement finance.
That’s why we’ve broken it all down into simple numbers:
- What are you likely to pay upfront?
- What you can expect to shell out each week or year, and
- How much might get deducted when you exit?
Summary
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Entry costs
Includes your ingoing contribution, setup items, and any initial buffer.
Ongoing costs
Weekly service fees converted to annual costs, with annual increases applied.
Exit costs
Estimated DMF, fixed exit fees, and any gain-share deductions on departure.
Average Cost
Before committing to a retirement village, it helps to know exactly what costs to expect.
| Cost Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Entry fee (Ingoing contribution) | AUD $100,000 – $500,000+ (average around $450,000+) depending on location and village quality |
| Ongoing fees (Service/Maintenance) | Often $80–$200+ per week ($4,000–$10,000+/year), vary widely by facilities and state |
| Exit fee (Deferred Management Fee / DMF) | Typically 2.5–3.5% per year of stay, often capped 25–35% of the entry payment after 10 years |
| Other possible costs | Admin fees (e.g., $660), termination/refurbishment costs, utility bills inside unit not covered by service fees |
| Refund on exit | Refund = Entry fee − Exit/DMF − Selling/termination costs (varies by contract) |
Retirement Glossary
We aim to use as little technical jargon as possible in the information we provide to the public. This glossary was developed by our team, with input from industry experts and residents across Australia.
We add new terms to this list whenever we publish updated information about retirement village costs. Our goal is to continually expand and improve these resources, and we welcome your feedback.
The explanations in this glossary are based on information from Australian retirement village legislation, industry guidelines, and other reliable sources.
