How much is life insurance per month on average?

For a healthy non-smoker, 20-year term runs roughly $14–$18/mo for $250,000 at 30, about $23–$30/mo at 40, and $40–$60/mo at 50. Final expense whole life ($10,000 of coverage) runs about $24–$28/mo at 50, $41/mo at 60, and $54/mo at 65. Smokers pay roughly 2–3× on term and about 40–50% more on final expense.

What determines my life insurance cost?

Five things: age at application (rates lock at your current age), coverage amount, product type (term is cheapest per dollar; whole life is permanent and costs more), health tier (tobacco use roughly doubles term rates), and state. Sex also affects final expense pricing — women pay somewhat less.

Is life insurance cheaper the younger you buy?

Yes, and the lock is permanent: premiums are priced at your age at issue and stay level for the term (or for life with whole life). Every birthday you wait adds cost for the entire length of the policy.

How Much Does Life Insurance Cost? Real Rates by Age

The honest answer: a healthy 30-year-old pays less for a month of $250,000 term coverage than for two coffees — about $12.95. A 65-year-old covers$10,000 of final expenses for about $59.53/mo. Price is driven by five things: your age, the coverage amount, the product type, your health, and your state. Here are both worlds, in real numbers.

Term life monthly rates (healthy non-smoker, 20-year)

Age	$250,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
Age 25	$11.18/mo	$17.37/mo	$29.73/mo
Age 30	$12.95/mo	$20.90/mo	$36.80/mo
Age 35	$15.16/mo	$25.32/mo	$45.63/mo
Age 40	$20.02/mo	$35.03/mo	$65.07/mo
Age 45	$27.53/mo	$50.05/mo	$95.10/mo
Age 50	$39.89/mo	$74.78/mo	$144.57/mo
Age 55	$59.33/mo	$113.65/mo	$222.30/mo
Age 60	$87.15/mo	$169.30/mo	$333.60/mo
Age 65	$129.77/mo	$254.54/mo	$504.08/mo

Tobacco users pay roughly 2–3× these figures. Estimates — final pricing depends on your health tier.

Final expense whole life — $10,000 (non-tobacco)

No medical exam, level premiums for life — the senior-market product.

Age	$10,000 level benefit	Tobacco
Age 50	$27.73/mo	$39.22/mo
Age 55	$36.57/mo	$51.58/mo
Age 60	$47.17/mo	$66.60/mo
Age 65	$59.53/mo	$84.27/mo
Age 70	$77.20/mo	$107.23/mo
Age 75	$100.17/mo	$137.27/mo
Age 80	$131.08/mo	$176.13/mo

Get YOUR number, not the average

12 quick questions. Your real rate in under a minute, no email required to see it.

Start the 60-Second Quiz

What moves your price

Age at application — the single biggest factor. Rates lock at the age you sign, so every year you wait costs more for the policy's whole life.
Coverage amount — pricing is roughly linear per $1,000 of coverage, so doubling coverage roughly doubles cost.
Product type — term is the cheapest per dollar (it expires); whole life costs more but never does, and builds cash value.
Health & tobacco — the health tier you land in moves term rates substantially; tobacco roughly doubles term and adds ~45% to final expense.
State — modest rate adjustments by state (see your state page — e.g. D.C. age 45).

Go deeper

Final expense guide Burial insurance guide No-medical-exam guide Senior (65–85) guide Saw a TV ad?All rate pages

Rate estimates are illustrative, generated by ShopVolt Works' quoting engine for comparison shopping. Final premiums are set by the carrier you choose after underwriting.