Sober living costs in Los Angeles depend on location, room type, staffing, how often residents are tested and what support is included. Westside homes near work, meetings and transit usually cost more than homes in outlying areas. Ask every home exactly what the monthly amount covers, then compare like with like. Call Blackburn Recovery Services for current pricing.
Key facts
- We do not publish prices on this site. Call (888) 305-5422 for current pricing for sober living or the sober apartments.
- Six things drive the cost of any sober living: location, room type, staffing, testing, support services and what is bundled into the monthly amount.
- Blackburn sober living includes drug testing 3 times a week, daily alcohol testing, full-time staff, medication management systems, food provided by the house at the Venice, Mar Vista and Cheviot Hills homes, and furnishings, utilities and WiFi.
- Blackburn Sober Apartments are furnished and month to month, with utilities, WiFi and weekly random testing included.
- Sober living is housing, not treatment, so health insurance usually does not pay for it.
What makes sober living cost more or less?
Two homes can look alike online and be very different in practice. These six factors explain most of the gap.
- Location. Housing costs more in some neighborhoods than others. A home close to jobs, colleges, meetings and transit costs more to run than one far from all of them.
- Room type. Shared rooms and private rooms are priced differently almost everywhere.
- Staffing. A home with full-time staff costs more than a home run by one resident on a volunteer basis. Staff are the people who notice trouble early.
- Testing. Frequent drug and alcohol testing takes time and supplies. A house that tests three times a week is doing more work than one that tests when someone seems off.
- Support services. Meetings in the house, goal setting, medication systems and family updates all take staff time.
- What is bundled. Some homes include food, utilities and WiFi. Others charge for them on top. Always ask.
Why do Westside sober livings cost more?
The Westside of Los Angeles is an expensive place to live, and a sober living home pays those same housing costs. What you get for it is location. A man living in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills or Mid City can reach work, school, meetings and the beach without a long commute. That makes it easier to build a full day that keeps him busy and connected.
If you are comparing a Westside home with one farther out, ask how long the drive or bus ride is to work, meetings and any outpatient care. A cheaper home with a two hour round trip every day may cost more in other ways.
What is included in Blackburn sober living?
Our sober living homes are for men only, in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills and Mid City. Here is what is part of every home:
- Full-time staff.
- Drug testing 3 times a week and daily alcohol testing.
- Weekly 12 Step meetings and goal setting.
- Medication management systems, with Vivitrol supported.
- Food provided by the house at the Venice, Mar Vista and Cheviot Hills homes.
- Furnishings, utilities and WiFi.
- Weekly updates to families, providers and treatment teams, with the resident’s permission.
- A free virtual family support group every other Tuesday, 6 to 7 PM Pacific, led by a licensed therapist from Blackburn Clinical Services.
Read more on our sober living page.
What is included in Blackburn Sober Apartments?
The apartments are a different kind of housing with a different set of inclusions. They are for men who are ready for independent living but still want to live sober with real accountability.
- Fully furnished.
- Month to month.
- Utilities and WiFi included.
- Weekly random drug and alcohol testing.
- No curfew and no overnight permission.
See the sober apartments page for details.
How do the two compare?
| What you get | Blackburn sober living | Blackburn Sober Apartments |
|---|---|---|
| Testing | Drug testing 3 times a week, daily alcohol testing | Weekly random drug and alcohol testing |
| Staff | Full-time staff | Independent living |
| Food | Provided by the house in Venice, Mar Vista and Cheviot Hills | On your own |
| Furnishings, utilities, WiFi | Included | Included |
| Curfew and overnights | Part of the house structure | None |
| Family and provider updates | Weekly, with permission | Not part of the apartment model |
| Pricing | Call (888) 305-5422 | Call (888) 305-5422 |
Does insurance pay for sober living?
Usually not. Health insurance pays for treatment, and a sober living home is a place to live, not a treatment program. Some men pay for sober living while their insurance covers outpatient therapy or psychiatry at the same time. Our guide on whether insurance pays for sober living in California goes into more detail.
What should you ask before you compare prices?
A lower number is not a better deal if it covers less. Ask each home the same questions:
- What exactly does the monthly amount include?
- Is food included? Utilities? WiFi?
- How often are residents tested for drugs and for alcohol?
- Is there staff on site, and how many hours a day?
- Do you send updates to families and treatment teams?
- Are there any fees on top of the monthly amount?
- How do you handle medications?
Our guide on how to choose a sober living home in West LA has more questions to bring to a tour.
For the bigger picture, including how many people in Los Angeles County need substance use treatment and what research says about recovery housing outcomes, see recovery housing in Los Angeles County: the facts.
Sober living cost questions
Why do Westside sober livings cost more?
Housing on the Westside costs more, and sober living homes pay the same costs as anyone else. In return, residents are close to work, colleges, meetings and transit. Shorter commutes leave more of the day for recovery.
Does insurance pay for sober living?
Most health insurance does not pay for sober living, because it is housing and not treatment. Insurance may still cover outpatient care a resident gets while living in the home. Check your plan for the details.
What is usually included in the monthly cost?
It varies a lot from home to home, so ask in writing. At Blackburn, sober living includes full-time staff, frequent drug and alcohol testing, weekly 12 Step meetings, goal setting, medication management systems, furnishings, utilities and WiFi, plus food at the Venice, Mar Vista and Cheviot Hills homes. The apartments include furnishings, utilities, WiFi and weekly random testing.
Are sober apartments cheaper than sober living?
They are built differently, so it is not a simple comparison. Both include furnishings, utilities and WiFi. Sober living adds full-time staff and more frequent testing, plus food at the Venice, Mar Vista and Cheviot Hills homes, while the apartments are independent living with weekly random testing. Call us for current pricing on both.
Get current pricing
Call us and we will tell you what sober living or the apartments cost right now, what is included and whether there is an opening.
For the apartments, schedule an apartment tour.