Is socialism close to communism

No, it is not very close to communism at least in the way that Karl Marx envisioned both systems. Under socialism, there would be a government that would own and control the means of production and steer the economy. There would be no private ownership of property. Property would be controlled by the state. Under most socialist systems today, many goods and services, such as health care, are provided by the state, but individuals still own their own property. Some socialist regimes are actually more repressive of their people than they were under capitalist systems.

According to Marx, under communism there would be no government at all. It would wither away as being unnecessary. With government gone, the means of production would owned and controlled by everyone. There would be no social class divisions. Members of society would work for the good of the whole society rather than for individual gain. As Marx put it under communism, people would contribute toward the good of the whole according to their abilities and take according to their need.