OBJECTIVES: To describe baseline healthcare resource use and costs associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) for patients and caregivers in three European countries from the GERAS study. METHODS: A prospective, multi-centre, non-interventional cohort study in France, Germany and the UK, enrolment October 2010-October 2011. Patients presenting within the normal course of care who were >55 years, diagnosed with probable AD (NINCDS-ADRDA), not institutionalised and with an informal caregiver were categorised according to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score as mild (26-21), moderate (20-15) or severe (14 or less) AD. Patient and caregiver resource use in the previous month was collected using the Resource Use in Dementia (RUD) instrument. 2010 unit costs per country were applied. RESULTS: The study cohort included 1497 AD patients (38% mild, 32% moderate and 31% severe AD) and their caregivers (n=419 France, n=552 Germany and n=526 UK) with a mean (SD) patient age of 79.4 (6.8) France, 75.2 (7.6) Germany, 78.5 (7.8) UK and 62% females in France, 50% Germany, 54% UK. One or more nights in hospital were recorded for 4% of patients in France, 7% Germany, 1% UK. One or more outpatient visits (including GP visits) were recorded for 84% of patients in France, 86% Germany, 73% UK. Total mean (SD) patient healthcare costs were €407 (970) in France, €570 (1618) in Germany, €197 (312) in the UK. Overall mean (SD) caregiver time spent on patients was highest in the UK 208.2 (189.8) hours per month [170.1 (184.8) France and 180.0 (198.4) Germany]. CONCLUSIONS: Health care resource use in the month prior to baseline was lower than expected. The UK had the fewest patients with nights spent in hospital and outpatient visits but total caregiver time was highest. Understanding differences in resource utilisation patterns between countries is necessary when examining cost of illness in AD.