Key takeways
Medical procedures in Thailand offer high quality at significantly lower costs compared to Western countries.
Thai hospitals provide advanced treatments, modern facilities, and care from internationally trained medical professionals.
Patients can expect quicker access to treatments and enjoy a luxurious recovery experience in Thailand’s beautiful settings.
Medical tourism has risen dramatically over the last two decades, and there are so many reasons for choosing Thailand for all your healthcare needs. You can choose an internationally accredited hospital that provides the most advanced treatments and uses cutting-edge technology. And you can do it for far cheaper than you would spend in almost any western country.
Since Thailand’s move to universal coverage for its citizens two decades ago, private healthcare in the country has become exponentially better and also more accessible to medical tourists. Read on to discover the amazing low costs of medical procedures in Thailand compared to many other countries in the world…
Table of contents
The general costs of procedures in Thailand vs Western countries
Anyone who has visited or spent time in Thailand will know that most things in Thailand are much cheaper than in many western countries. You can enjoy a luxury hotel or a beachside villa for close to the same amount that you would spend on a fairly basic hotel room somewhere like London or New York. The food is both incredibly delicious and much cheaper than dining out in many other countries.
This trend continues when it comes to medical tourism in Thailand. Not only can you find cheaper healthcare in this country, you can also enjoy the highest standards of care at the same time. On average, you can expect to pay around half of what you would pay in a country like the USA for many procedures and treatments in Thailand. This can even be more for certain operations.
According to a summary of healthcare in Thailand, some rough comparisons between this country and the USA stand as:
- An MRI scan in the US costs $2611 on average, or around 90,000 Baht compared to Thailand’s $190, or just over 6500 Baht.
- Laser eye surgery costs around $2250, or nearly 80,000 Baht in the US, while in Thailand that number is closer to half of the amount.
- Hip and knee replacements cost around $30,000, or over 1 million Baht in the US, and around a third of that in Thailand for as cheap as $11,500, or less than 400,000 Baht.
- You can save as much as 75% on more high-ticket surgeries like heart valve transplants in Thailand compared to the USA.
Everything from the hospital rooms to the medicine tends to be cheaper, or of a similar price but a far higher standard. For instance, the amount you may pay for a shared hospital room in the US could still be more than what you would spend for a private, and even luxurious, room in a Thai hospital. You can choose the same procedures as you can find in the west and at far reduced prices.
If you are looking for reasons to choose Thailand for medical reasons, you don’t have to look further than the cost. You can take time off work, fly out to Thailand and stay there for a month or more, and still spend less than you would have on a procedure like a knee replacement in a western country. And you get the experience of a trip to one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
The kind of facilities and treatments you can choose
Even if you have health insurance in a western country, or live somewhere like the UK that offers free healthcare to its citizens, Thailand may still seem like the better choice. Many of the treatments and services you can find here aren’t available in a lot of other countries. Or won’t be included in your insurance or routine health plan.
Some of the anti-aging programs on offer at ImagineHealth Thailand, for instance, are so innovative and specialised that you cannot find them anywhere else. You can get precision cancer treatments that are carefully targeted at your individual cancer, or opt for a full body check to identify any current or potential issues.
You can also choose to receive world-class care at the facility of your dreams for far less than you would spend in any hospital or clinic in a western country. Medical tourism in Thailand gives you the opportunity to choose where and how you want to be treated, a far greater choice than in most other countries.
The further benefits to choosing medical tourism in Thailand
As well as the actual cost of medical procedures in Thailand, you should consider the negative costs if you don’t decide to take that step. Even with great healthcare in a western country, ageing populations and huge demand means that most people will have to endure long waiting lists for their medical treatment.
In this way, many people are choosing private healthcare even in countries like the UK for procedures such as knee replacements to avoid waiting in agony for months or even years. You shouldn’t have to wait to see any old doctor. Not when Thailand’s often western-trained and highly qualified specialist staff are waiting to take care of you right away.
Even with the costs of travel, accommodation and so on, the reasons for choosing Thailand far outweigh any reason not to choose this wonderful country for all your healthcare needs. You can experience the most innovative and effective treatments and then relax and recover in the lap of luxury. The beauty of Thailand and the kindness of its citizens all help in getting you back on your feet.
Find Out ImagineHealth’s Exclusive Healthcare Offers in Thailand
So, is Thailand affordable?
It is clear that Thailand is not only affordable compared to western countries, but can also give you a far better experience. There is little doubt that healthcare in Thailand is affordable. The better question is whether you can afford to wait to get treatment in a western country, and how much say over it you will get while you are there.
Medical procedures in Thailand are both of the highest quality and standards, and will cost you less than in most of the countries in the western world. If you are looking for world-class healthcare that is fantastic value for money, look no further than the incredible facilities in Thailand.
