Cost Comparison: China vs USA
The price difference is striking
| Medical Procedure | China Price | US Price | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac Exam | $75 | $10,000 - $20,000 | Save 99% |
| MRI Scan | $70 | $1,800+ | Save 96% |
| Teeth Cleaning | $15 | $200+ | Save 92% |
| ER Visit (Full) | $150 | $10,000+ | Save 98% |
| Osimertinib (Monthly) | $764 | $18,000 | Save 96% |
Medical Tourism Hotspots
Popular destinations for international patients in China
City Highlights
Peking Union Hospital, 40 TCM packages, 19 pilot hospitals
13 pilot hospitals, 270K foreign patients/year
770K overseas visits, HKU Hospital, cross-border ambulance
865K medical tourists, special drug/device access
Hunchun/Heihe/Suifenhe, Russian patients, TCM & dental
5,000+ Central Asian patients, TCM/Uyghur/Mongolian medicine
Vietnam/Laos/Myanmar, 15-min customs, cross-border emergency
Keyword Analysis
Trending terms from social media and news coverage
Patient Origins by Region
Where are international patients coming from?
Russian Patients
Hong Kong & Macau
Central Asia → Xinjiang
Southeast Asia → Guangxi/Yunnan
Global Healthcare Cost Comparison
China vs USA, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong | Cost & Wait Times
Surgery Cost (USD)
| Procedure | 🇨🇳 China | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇬🇧 UK | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip Replacement | $3,900-8,000 | $40,000-60,000 | £12,000-15,000 | $13,000-20,000 | $15,000-25,000 |
| Knee Replacement | $3,900-8,500 | $35,000-50,000 | £10,000-14,000 | $11,000-16,000 | $13,000-22,000 |
| Heart Bypass | $15,000-25,000 | $70,000-200,000 | £15,000-25,000 | $25,000-40,000 | $30,000-60,000 |
| Cataract Surgery | $140-1,600 | $3,000-7,000 | £2,000-3,500 | $1,500-4,000 | $2,500-5,000 |
Diagnostics (USD)
| Test | 🇨🇳 China | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇬🇧 UK | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Scan | $55-210 | $1,000-5,000 | £300-900 | $400-800 | $500-1,200 |
| CT Scan | $20-80 | $500-3,000 | £200-600 | $200-500 | $300-600 |
| Full Checkup | $150-500 | $1,000-5,000 | £400-1,500 | $500-1,500 | $600-2,000 |
Dental (USD)
| Treatment | 🇨🇳 China | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇬🇧 UK | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Implant | $800-2,800 | $3,000-6,500 | £1,800-3,000 | $2,000-4,000 | $1,300-4,000 |
| Root Canal | $70-200 | $300-2,000 | £300-800 | $300-800 | $400-1,000 |
| Teeth Cleaning | $15-30 | $100-200 | £50-100 | $80-150 | $60-150 |
Wait Times
| Service | 🇨🇳 China | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇬🇧 UK NHS | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 🇭🇰 HK Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist | 1-7 days | 3-6 weeks | 4-18 weeks | 1-2 weeks | 1-12 months |
| MRI | 1-3 days | 1-4 weeks | 6-10 weeks | 1-2 weeks | 2-6 months |
| Surgery | 1-2 weeks | 2-8 weeks | 18wk-1yr | 2-4 weeks | 6mo-3yrs |
UK NHS and HK public have long waits but low costs. China International Depts offer fast English service.
Save 60-80%
vs US healthcare
80-90% Less Wait
vs UK NHS
42 Hospitals
International pilot
English Service
Full support
Popular Medical Specialties
Most sought-after treatments by international patients
Dental Care
Dental tourism has become a pillar industry in Heihe, with over a dozen clinics serving Russian patients. Dental bridge costs just 1/3 of Russian prices.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture is used in 196 countries, recommended by 40+ international clinical guidelines. Hunchun TCM Hospital receives 80+ Russian visitors daily.
Health Screening
Complete the entire process in 1 hour in Shenzhen, receive English report within 24 hours. "In the US, just making an appointment takes months."
Real Patient Stories
Authentic cross-border medical experiences
Policy & Discussion
Official policies, public debate, and industry outlook
Separate International Departments
Public hospitals' international services are capped at 10% of total capacity, operating independently without affecting basic healthcare. Pilot hospitals: Beijing (19), Shanghai (13), Shenzhen (10).
Self-Pay / Private Insurance
Foreign patients pay out-of-pocket or use commercial insurance, not drawing from China's national health insurance. International dept fees are 6-12x higher than standard rates.
Visa Policy
Visa-free policies don't include medical purposes. Foreigners seek treatment during tourism/business stays. 30-day visa limits may be insufficient for post-surgery recovery.
Hainan Boao Pilot Zone
Access to imported drugs and medical devices not yet approved elsewhere in China. Goal: become a world-class medical tourism destination by 2030.
Sources
This report is based on information from these authoritative channels
Social Media Buzz
Trending across global platforms
UK influencer Amie's endoscopy video went viral; South African Lizzy's MRI comparison got 1.4M views
French vlogger's 14-day hospital stay documentary; American couple's Shanghai checkup experience
"RedNote effect" opened foreigners' eyes to China's healthcare; Simon in China series went viral cross-platform
"China ER ¥179 all-inclusive" video: 470K views; French vlogger's hospital stay: 810K views
Cost comparison screenshots widely shared; US vs China healthcare debates continue
Medical reports and hospital environment photos; Cross-platform content from influencers
Viral Quotes
"I didn't even make an appointment"
— Common video opening line
"In China, you can see a doctor for just $0.70"
— South African vlogger Lizzy
"This would take 2 months in the UK"
— UK vlogger Simon in China
"22 American doctors couldn't figure it out. China: $50."
— Facial pain patient