Treatment prices in China by 2025
The most common myth about China in general, and about treatment in particular, is that it's cheap there.
Why is it a myth? Because everything in China has not been cheap for a long time! This is a developed country with an average salary of 8,000 to 15,000 yuan, depending on the city (which is 97,000 – 181,000 rubles in rubles at the February 2025 exchange rate).
You should not expect to receive quality service cheaply in China. Although some clinics in border China are characterized by relatively low prices (we will not discuss the quality of medical services), but in general, if you take the whole of China and treatment in it, the cost will vary greatly.
What determines the cost of treatment in China?:
- 1/ Hospital location
- 2/ a public or private hospital provides treatment
- 3/ Hospital level and doctor level
- 4/ types of diseases and appointments
Consider the location. Thus, clinics in Beijing and Shanghai will be on average 30-40 percent more expensive than clinics in other cities. This is influenced by the cost of rent, the doctor's salary, and the general standard of living of the population in these cities.
It should be borne in mind that prices for treatment are set in China, and all public and some private clinics operate under the health insurance system. The state covers most of the patient's hospital expenses. The amount of coverage depends on the insurance purchased by the Chinese. This is something like the Russian equivalent of compulsory medical insurance, but it is very well implemented. So treatment in China is not too expensive for the Chinese themselves.
As for patients from other countries, the prices are set according to the tariff, which can be jokingly called "Chinese without insurance." And since the prices for medical treatment in China are regulated by the state, this tariff will be the same for you, no matter where you come from.
You can always ask public hospitals for a printout of the services provided to you, where each procedure will be described in detail (but most likely in Chinese).
If we consider hospitals with traditional Chinese medicine services, the situation here will also be similar. It will be more expensive to receive medical treatment in Beijing than, for example, in popular tourist cities offering the same services.
So, for example, a 14-day course of TCM treatment (excluding accommodation) In a Beijing clinic, it will cost about 3,500-4,000 US dollars (this always includes medications that the patient takes with him and continues treatment at home).
Approximately the same course of treatment in Dalian will cost you from 1800 to 2500 US dollars, and on the island of Hainan it will cost from 1400 to 2300 dollars.
Although prices in hospitals are regulated by the state, the price of procedures in a public clinic in Beijing will be higher than the price of the same procedure in Dalian, for example, or on. Hainan is in the same state hospital. Because it is influenced by the very level of the hospital, which is assigned by the state. The highest level of hospitals is number 3.
But even at this level there are categories: 3A, 3B and 3C. Obtaining each subsequent level requires the hospital to fulfill and comply with certain conditions and standards.
The price may also be influenced by which doctor conducts the treatment. China has the highest level of doctors - famous doctors. That's what they're called – "famous", it's harder and more prestigious to get to him. They can mostly be found in the major cities of Beijing and Shanghai.
There used to be and still exist today - "military doctors". It was believed that military hospitals and doctors were the most professional, but now this is not so clear.
Many former military doctors are no longer working in military hospitals, and many NON-military Chinese doctors publish brilliant research papers in the field of inventing new medicines for complex diseases and receive appointments in prestigious international clinics in China.
And, of course, the most obvious thing: the price is influenced by the diagnosis with which the patient goes for treatment and the treatment methods that doctors will use.
It is impossible to compare the treatment of a patient who has come to treat joints using TCM methods and a patient who has arrived with a severe form of cancer - their receipts will be different.
But, for example, the rehabilitation of a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy in Beijing and Harbin can be compared. Obviously, a rehabilitation course in Harbin will cost parents much less (about 1300 dollars in Harbin compared to 5500 dollars for the same period in Beijing). And it is still unknown where the result will be better - everything will also depend on the initial data and the treatment methods used.
Therefore, when you are looking for treatment in China and comparing the final prices, specify the hospital level and whether you will get to the doctors of the highest categories.
