How Much Does Term Life Insurance Cost by Age in 2026? $15 to $395 a Month, Age by Age
Term life insurance is the cheapest way to protect a family — and the price gap between buying at 30 and buying at 60 is staggering. A healthy 30-year-old woman pays about $15 a month for $500,000 of 20-year term coverage; the same policy for a healthy 60-year-old man costs about $195 a month. That is a 13-fold increase for identical coverage, driven almost entirely by age. This guide lays out the 2026 rates age by age, explains why two reputable studies disagree by 30% or more, and shows how term length, health class, and smoking status move your price — so you can buy at the age where the math is kindest. How Much Does Term Life Insurance Cost by Age in 2026? Two major 2026 rate studies anchor this guide, and they disagree for an honest reason: they price different applicants. NerdWallet's October 2026 table averages the three lowest quotes for applicants in preferred health (the healthiest class), while MoneyGeek's September 2026 survey averages quotes from 21 carriers ...