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5 expenses solo retirees underestimate — until it’s too late

Kat AokiDecember 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM

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5 expenses solo retirees underestimate — until it’s too late (franckreporter via Getty Images)

If you're planning to age solo — whether by choice or circumstance — you've got plenty of company. About one in four U.S. adults ages 65 and older lived alone in 2023, according to Pew Research Center. And women are far more likely to be flying solo: 31% compared to just 19% of men.

But here's something most retirement calculators won't tell you: Going it alone comes with sneaky expenses. We're talking about the hidden costs of not having a built-in support system — things that can quietly drain your savings while you're busy living your best single life.

Let's break down the retirement expenses that catch solo agers off guard, so you can actually plan for them.

1. The "I need help with that" premium

When you live alone, there's no partner to help move furniture, no spouse to drive you home from a medical procedure and no family member to feed the cat while you're away. Enter the pay-for-everything by yourself economy.

From handyman services like TaskRabbit helpers ($35+ an hour) to medical transport services ($50 to $150 per trip) to pet sitters ($25 to $100 a day) — these little jobs can add up fast. Married couples often save hundreds annually just by having someone else to split these tasks with.

⭐ Expert tip: Add $200 to $400 monthly to your retirement budget for help-for-hire services. It's not optional when you're aging solo.

🔍 Read more: Retiring soon? 7 things all smart boomers should sell first

2. Housing costs that don't split two ways

Rent, utilities, internet, home insurance, streaming services and property taxes are costs that don’t change whether one or two people are using them.

Here's what the average U.S. household pays each month:

Monthly expense

Solo ager pays

Each person in couple pays

Electricity

$142

$71

Internet

$70

$35

Water/sewer

$60

$30

Property tax (owned home)

$248

$124

Property insurance (owned home)

$202

$101

Monthly total

$722

$361

While these figures can vary significantly by location and lifestyle, the bottom line is that couples can split these costs in half — often with two incomes to boot — while solo agers shoulder the full amount.

⭐ Expert tip: Housing typically eats up more than 30% of retirees’ budgets — and when you’re solo, you’re footing the bill yourself. Consider downsizing before you retire or explore house sharing or co-living arrangements to split fixed costs. Done right, you could cut your housing expenses by 30% to 50%.

🔍 Read more: Retiring with a pet? Don’t overlook these 6 essential costs

3. The emergency backup plan

Here are some questions to ask yourself as a solo ager:

What happens if you’re too sick or injured to cook, shop or walk the dog?

What if you don’t have a family member to check on you regularly?

What happens if you fall and can't reach the phone?

Couples have built-in backup. Solo agers need to create — and often pay for — their safety net, including home care services ($25+ an hour), home delivery services for groceries and medications ($49+ a year) and medical alert systems ($20 to $60 a month).

⭐ Expert tip: Build your safety net before you need it. This means researching local homecare, transportation and home delivery services now, then save at least two phone numbers for each that you can call in a pinch. Also, arrange regular check-ins with trusted contacts — or hire a service if you don't have family nearby.

🔍 Read more: Medical debt, forgotten 401(k)s, no care plan: What to fix before retirement hits

4. Long-term care sticker shock

Everyone underestimates long-term care costs, but solo agers face an extra whammy: Without a partner to help with daily tasks (especially if and when things get tough), you may need professional support earlier in the aging process.

Consider these statistics:

70% of seniors will need long-term care at some point

Home health care costs $33 an hour — that's $35,000 yearly for part-time help

Assisted living averages $5,900 a month, or nearly $71,000 annually

Full nursing home care? You’re looking at $100,000+ a year

⭐ Expert tip: Buy long-term care insurance in your 50s when premiums are more affordable, and take the time now to understand how your state's Medicaid program works, as you may need to rely on it in the future.

🔍 Read more: 6 insurance policies that matter most after retirement

5. The loneliness tax

Here's an uncomfortable truth: loneliness can drive spending. Whether it's shopping, eating out instead of cooking for one, booking group tours for companionship or joining clubs to stay social — it adds up faster than you think.

⭐ Expert tip: Building your social circle early can pay off financially. Join a local village network — a member organization where neighbors help one another age in place — or become a regular at your local senior center before you retire.

🔍 Read more: 7 simple estate documents people regret not having sooner

The upside: You can plan for this

The good news is that knowing these costs means you can prepare ahead of time. Start building your financial cushion now by taking these steps:

Downsize before you retire to free up valuable housing equity

Build a "care team" of trusted professionals, neighbors and friends before you need them

Invest in long-term care insurance while you're healthy enough to qualify

Create a detailed advance directive and healthcare power of attorney

Going solo doesn't mean going broke, but it does mean getting realistic about costs that partnered folks split or skip entirely. The earlier you budget for these expenses, the more freedom you'll have to actually enjoy the retirement you've earned.

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About the writer

Kat Aoki is a finance writer who's written thousands of articles to empower people to better understand technology, fintech, banking, lending and investments. Her expertise has been featured on sites like Lifewire and Finder, with bylines at top technology brands in the U.S. and Australia. Kat strives to help consumers and business owners make informed decisions and choose the right financial products for their needs.

Article edited by Kelly Suzan Waggoner

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Source: “AOL Money”