News
July 11, 2025

The $107K Reality Check: What It Really Costs to Live in 2025

When I started writing this blog, I knew the cost of living had gone up. However, it wasn’t until I put pen to paper and started calculating what an average single-parent working in healthcare might be spending every month that I realized what it really costs to live in 2025. Instantly, I said “I don’t know how healthcare staff are making it right now, especially CNAs.”

Since I’m in a different situation (two incomes, no kids—aka a DINK household), I decided to do some digging. I reached out to a few folks to ask about their monthly expenses, particularly childcare. The first responses I got?


(Only slightly kidding.)

What It Really Costs to Live in 2025

Based on what I heard from people in Georgia and South Carolina, here’s a realistic monthly budget:

Expense Monthly Cost
Rent $1,800
Utilities $550
Groceries $1,200
Car Payment/Insurance $525
Childcare (1 child) $2,000
Health Insurance $600
Total $6,675

That adds up to $80,100 per year just for the basics. You’d need a $107,000 annual salary just to break even. That’s between $51-57 per hour depending on your hours. In contrast, even without childcare, you’re still looking at a necessary salary of around $71,000 per year. Of course, some people may not have a car payment (because they can’t afford it) while others may save on groceries by going to food pantries or local churches. But should they have to? These are the folks taking care of our sick and elderly. They are saving lives yet are barely able to maintain a healthy lifestyle themselves.

Compare That to What Healthcare Staff Are Actually Making

Let’s look at a few average hourly wages in 2025:

  • Certified Nursing Assistant: ~$18/hour

  • Licensed Practical Nurse: ~$29/hour

  • Registered Nurse: ~$42/hour

You don’t need to be a mathematician to see the problem. The numbers simply don’t add up.

The Real-World Impact

When healthcare staff can’t afford basic expenses, the ripple effects are serious:

  • Increased burnout and job hopping

  • Declining quality of care

  • Chronic staffing shortages

  • Employees working multiple jobs to survive

  • Declining interest in healthcare careers

And for facilities already struggling to hire and retain staff, this isn’t just a worker problem. It’s a genuine patient care crisis.

So What Can Be Done?

Whether you’re a healthcare worker, facility leader, or policymaker, here’s what we need to consider:

For Workers:

  • Know your value. Advocate for fair wages.

  • Consider travel or agency roles with better pay.

  • Track expenses and know your “survival salary.”

For Facilities:

  • Pay attention to wage vs. cost-of-living gaps.

  • Offer childcare stipends, housing support, or health insurance coverage.

  • Remember, staff retention is cheaper than constant recruitment.

For Policymakers:

  • Push for childcare reform and subsidies.

  • Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement needs to go up—not down. (Looking at you, Big Beautiful Bill.)

  • Invest in workforce development and credentialing programs.

Final Thoughts

The math isn’t mathing anymore. And when the people caring for our loved ones are struggling to pay their rent or buy groceries, we’re facing a much bigger issue than wages alone. It’s time to acknowledge this reality and start making meaningful changes.

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