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How much does Obamacare cost per month?

The sticker price and what you actually pay are usually very different numbers. Here is everything that determines your cost.

Updated August 17, 2026 · 2 min read

There is no single answer, and anyone who gives you one without asking about your income and household size is making it up. What you pay depends on several things, and the subsidy usually changes the number dramatically.

What sets the sticker price

• Your age. Older enrollees pay more, up to a federally limited ratio.
• Where you live. Rates are set by rating area, and South Texas has its own.
• Tobacco use, which can add a significant surcharge.
• The metal level you choose.
• How many people are on the plan.

Notice what is not on that list. Your health, your gender and your medical history cannot affect your premium at all.

Then the subsidy is applied

The premium tax credit is based on your household income relative to the federal poverty level and household size, measured against a benchmark plan in your area.

This is why the sticker price is close to meaningless for most people. The number that matters is what you pay after the credit, and for many households in this area that is a fraction of the full premium.

The costs beyond the premium

Premium is not the whole cost. Four other numbers matter.

• The deductible, what you pay before the plan starts sharing most costs
• Copays and coinsurance after that
• The out of pocket maximum, your worst case for the year
• Whether your doctors and your medications are covered

A bronze plan with a low premium and a high deductible can cost more across a year than a silver plan with a higher premium. See deductibles and out of pocket maximums.

The savings people miss

If your income falls in a certain range and you choose a silver plan, you can also get cost sharing reductions. These lower your deductible, copays and out of pocket maximum, not just your premium.

They are only available on silver. Choosing bronze to save on premium forfeits them entirely, which is a costly mistake for anyone eligible.

How to find your actual number

1. Estimate your household income for the coming year, not last year's.
2. Count everyone in your tax household.
3. Go to HealthCare.gov and enter both to see plans with the credit already applied.
4. Compare the total picture: premium plus deductible plus out of pocket maximum.
5. Check your doctors and medications on each plan you are considering.

Or call us and we will run it with you. As an independent agency we can compare across the carriers available here, and it costs you nothing extra. See how broker pricing works.