COBRA Cost Calculator
Replacing employer health insurance is often the single largest new cost after you quit, and the one people most often leave out of the plan. Enter your premium and the months you need cover to see what COBRA continuation will cost, then compare it with a marketplace plan before you commit.
Fill in your numbers, results update as you type. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Reading your result
The big number is what one month of COBRA continuation costs: your full plan premium plus the admin fee. The total below it multiplies that by the months you expect to need cover, which is the figure that belongs in your runway. If you entered what you pay now, the result also shows the monthly jump, the part your employer was covering and you now take on.
COBRA keeps your exact plan, same doctors, same deductible progress, which is its real advantage. The trade-off is price. Before you accept it by default, put a marketplace quote in the comparison field, because a plan bought on the open market can be far cheaper once your income drops.
How to get an honest number
- Find the full premium, not your payslip figure. Your payslip shows your share. The full premium, your share plus the employer contribution, is what COBRA charges. Your benefits summary or HR can give you the total.
- Match the months to your real gap. Use the time between your cover ending and a new plan starting, whether that is a new job, a partner's plan, or marketplace coverage. Round up rather than down.
- Get a marketplace quote before deciding. A lower post-quit income can qualify you for a subsidy that makes a marketplace plan cheaper than COBRA. Price it, then choose on cost and coverage, not habit.
- Mind the deadlines. COBRA has an election window and a special enrolment period applies to losing job-based coverage. Note both so a gap does not open by accident.
A worked example
Dana's family plan has a full premium of 1,400 a month, of which she currently pays 350 through payroll. She needs cover for an expected four-month gap. COBRA charges the full premium plus a 2 percent fee, so her monthly cost is 1,400 times 1.02, about 1,428 a month, and 5,712 across four months.
That is roughly 1,078 a month more than she paid as an employee, the share her employer was funding. When she prices a marketplace plan at 900 a month, the four-month total drops to 3,600, a saving of more than 2,000. Same family, same gap, and the comparison is worth a few thousand dollars, which is exactly why it belongs in the plan before she chooses.
Methodology, in plain English
COBRA monthly cost equals the full premium multiplied by one plus the admin fee. The total equals that monthly figure multiplied by the months of cover you need. The monthly jump equals the COBRA monthly cost minus your current share. The marketplace comparison multiplies your quoted monthly premium by the same months and shows the difference. The tool does not model subsidies, deductibles, or out-of-pocket maximums, price those into your own quotes. Educational estimate, not financial or insurance advice. COBRA is a United States rule; in countries with residency-based public health, use the premium field for any private cover you choose to replace. Full assumptions on the methodology page.
The mistakes that distort the cost
Budgeting your old payslip figure
Your share was a fraction of the premium. COBRA charges the whole thing, so a budget built on your payslip number will be far too low. Health insurance guide
Defaulting to COBRA without comparing
COBRA is convenient, not always cheap. A subsidised marketplace plan is often less, so get a quote before you elect. Health insurance checklist
Letting a coverage gap open
Missing the election window or the special enrolment period can leave you uninsured. Note both deadlines the week you resign.
Forgetting it belongs in your runway
Health cover is a monthly cost like rent. Add it to your burn before you decide whether your savings are enough. Runway calculator
Read next
Health Insurance After Quitting
COBRA, marketplace plans, a partner's plan, and how the picture changes outside the US.
Runway Calculator
Fold this monthly cost into your burn and see how many months your savings cover.
How Much to Save Before Quitting
Build the savings number that has to cover cover and everything else.
Frequently asked questions
How much does COBRA cost per month?
COBRA usually costs the full health insurance premium plus a small administration fee, commonly up to two percent. The full premium is what you and your employer were paying combined, so your monthly cost often jumps sharply because you take on the share your employer used to cover. Enter your full premium above to see the figure for your plan.
Why is COBRA so much more than I paid before?
While employed, your employer typically paid most of your premium and you only saw your share on your payslip. COBRA lets you keep the same plan, but you now pay the entire premium yourself plus the administration fee. The coverage is the same, the price difference is the part your employer was quietly funding.
Is COBRA cheaper than a marketplace plan?
Often not. COBRA keeps your exact plan but at full price, while a marketplace plan may qualify for an income-based subsidy that makes it significantly cheaper, especially once your income drops after leaving. Price both before defaulting to COBRA. The trade-off is that a marketplace plan may use a different network or change your deductible mid-year.
How long can I stay on COBRA?
COBRA continuation typically lasts up to eighteen months after qualifying events such as leaving a job, and longer in certain circumstances. For planning a job-exit gap, treat it as cover you can rely on for the months you need, while confirming the exact duration and election deadline for your own plan.
People also ask
What if I am not in the United States?
COBRA is a United States rule. If you are in a country with residency-based public health, such as the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland, leaving a job does not remove your basic cover, and you only need to replace any private insurance your employer subsidised. Use this tool to price that private cover instead, by entering its monthly premium.
Should I include health cover in my runway?
Yes. In countries where leaving a job means paying for your own cover, replacement health insurance is often the largest new cost and the most commonly forgotten one. Add the monthly figure from this calculator to your essential expenses before you size your runway, so your plan is built on a real number.
Is this calculator free and private?
Yes. It is free with no signup, and every calculation runs in your browser, so nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. The PDF summary is generated locally on your device.
Replace your cover with no gap
The Health Insurance Checklist walks you through pricing COBRA, a marketplace plan, and a partner's plan, then starting new cover the day your old plan ends.
Get the free checklist