Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Monthly COBRA premium
$714.00
Increase vs. what you used to pay
$564.00
Total cost over coverage period
$8,568
Full unsubsidized group plan premium
$700.00
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How to use this
- 1Enter employer's former monthly contribution ($).
- 2Enter your former monthly payroll deduction ($).
- 3Enter months of cobra coverage needed.
- 4Read your monthly cobra premium on the right — it updates as you type.
- 5Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
COBRA lets you keep your employer group health plan after job loss, but you pay the full premium yourself — both the portion your employer used to cover and your own share — plus a 2% administrative fee, which is why COBRA premiums often shock people who were paying a small payroll deduction before. Coverage generally lasts up to 18 months for job loss (longer for some qualifying events like disability, up to 29 months, or divorce/death, up to 36 months). This calculator adds your former employer's contribution and your own premium share, applies the 2% administrative surcharge, and shows the real monthly and total cost over your expected coverage window, so you can compare it honestly against ACA marketplace plans before deciding which to take during your open enrollment-equivalent window after a qualifying event.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Employer's former monthly contribution: 550 $
- Your former monthly payroll deduction: 150 $
- Months of COBRA coverage needed: 12
Results
- Monthly COBRA premium: $714.00
- Increase vs. what you used to pay: $564.00
- Total cost over coverage period: $8,568
- Full unsubsidized group plan premium: $700.00
What each field means
Inputs
- Employer's former monthly contribution ($)
- The employer's former monthly contribution used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 550 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Your former monthly payroll deduction ($)
- The your former monthly payroll deduction used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 150 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Months of COBRA coverage needed
- The months of cobra coverage needed used in the calculation. Starts at 12 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–36.
Results
- Monthly COBRA premium
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Increase vs. what you used to pay
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total cost over coverage period
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Full unsubsidized group plan premium
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why is COBRA so much more expensive than what I paid while employed?
While employed, your employer typically covers a large majority of the premium (often 70-80% for employer plans) and you only see your smaller payroll deduction. Under COBRA you must pay both shares yourself plus a 2% administrative fee, so the sticker shock reflects the true, previously-hidden full cost of your health coverage.
How long can I stay on COBRA?
Standard qualifying events like job loss or reduced hours provide 18 months of COBRA eligibility. A Social Security disability determination within the first 60 days can extend it to 29 months, and events like divorce, death of the covered employee, or a dependent aging out can qualify for 36 months in some cases.
Is COBRA usually cheaper or more expensive than an ACA marketplace plan?
It depends heavily on your income and marketplace subsidy eligibility — job loss is a qualifying life event for special enrollment, and if your income now qualifies for a substantial premium tax credit, a marketplace plan is very often cheaper than unsubsidized COBRA, even accounting for a different network or higher deductible.
Do I have to decide right away?
No, you generally have 60 days from your qualifying event notice to elect COBRA, and if you elect it, coverage is retroactive to your last day of employer coverage, meaning there's no actual gap even if you decide near the end of the window, as long as you pay the retroactive premiums.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). COBRA Continuation Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cobra-continuation-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cobra-continuation-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COBRA Continuation Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [COBRA Continuation Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cobra-continuation-cost) (2026).