The Most Affordable Health Scan in America?
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Editor’s Note: This article is based on personal experience, independent research, and firsthand observations. Some experiences or products featured may be gifted or discounted for the purpose of review, but we select providers and experiences independently. We are not medical professionals, and nothing shared here should be taken as medical advice. Some links in this article may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you choose to book or purchase through them. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support our independent reporting.
After our full-body checkups in Türkiye went so well, we could not resist coming back to Istanbul to dig deeper into what other popular treatments cost compared to the United States.
Spoiler alert: the prices were significantly lower, the facilities were luxurious, and the doctors had credentials a mile long. Many had studied in the United States, were members of American medical societies, and had even contributed to U.S. medical textbooks.
We reached out to the same JCI accredited hospital where we had our checkups, and they graciously welcomed us back to interview doctors, tour the facilities, and get detailed pricing information.
We specifically chose a JCI accredited hospital because JCI accreditation is recognized worldwide and awarded only to facilities that meet rigorous standards of care and safety.
We find it fascinating how prices for medical services can vary around the world, and learning about opportunities abroad to access care we could not afford at home has given us hope and made healthcare feel more attainable.
While traveling for treatments is not the right choice for everyone, and Türkiye is just one of many destinations popular for health tourism, we hope you find this information as intriguing as we do.
As always, we are not medical professionals, and this article reflects our personal experiences. Remember that prices can change; while these figures were accurate as of April 2025, always confirm current pricing directly with providers if you are considering care.
Check-Up Packages
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- Location: Memorial Hospital Bahçelievler
- Service: Check-up Package
- Cost: $1,100 (Female Essential) or $3,750 (Male Premium)
We originally visited this hospital to get comprehensive checkups. At the time, the only “checkup” we were familiar with was the typical U.S. version, where they weigh you, listen to your heart, and send you on your way.
Memorial Hospital offers a variety of checkup packages, each including tests, scans, and specialist appointments that provide a holistic look at your health. For a couple of Americans, it was surprising to discover that an in-depth day at the hospital could actually fit into our budget.
If you watched our original videos, you might remember I chose the Female VIP Checkup and Cody did the Male Comprehensive Checkup. Those exact package names are no longer available, but the structure and services remain under new tiers with updated pricing. Here is everything they include:
After tallying up the tests, scans, and meetings with specialists included in our checkup packages, we determined that doing this in the United States would have cost us $30,000.
When we booked our appointment, we just filled out a contact form here.
IVF & Egg Freezing
- Location: Fertility Department at Memorial Hospital
- Service: IVF and egg freezing
- Cost: $3,600 per IVF cycle (including medication) or $1,800 for egg freezing (including medication)
We toured Memorial’s fertility department and learned that one cycle of IVF is only $3,600, including medication. Egg freezing costs $1,800, also including medication.
This is mind-blowing, considering IVF in the United States typically costs between $15,000-$30,000.
The most eye-opening and frustrating detail for me was the medication costs. In the United States, IVF medications alone can cost $4,000 to $7,000 per cycle. In Türkiye, the same medications are only around $1,000.
When comparing prices around the world, it is easy to see how differences in cost of living and the strength of the U.S. dollar play a role. But it is tough to wrap my head around why the same medication costs $3,000 to $6,000 more in the United States.
There are important caveats to consider with IVF in Türkiye. Treatment requires spending two to three weeks in the country, and there are legal and cultural requirements. IVF is only available to heterosexual, married couples, and a marriage certificate is required.
Giving Birth (Including a Luxury Hospital Suite)
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Labor and delivery with optional C-section, luxury hospital suite
- Cost: $3,300 for a birth with a two-bedroom suite or $3,700 for a C-section with a two-night stay in the suite
Giving birth in Türkiye in this two-bedroom hospital suite, with a living room, dining room, and kitchen costs $3,300, and opting for a C-section with a two-night stay in the suite costs $3,700.
The average cost of giving birth in the U.S. is $13,000, but it is not uncommon for expenses to exceed that amount. For reference, a family member of mine was recently billed $48,000 for a C-section in the United States.
Before you pack your bags for Türkiye to have your baby, it is important to know that while birth tourism is very real, it is usually popular to travel to places like Brazil, Panama, Argentina, or even Canada. In these countries, having a baby can give the child dual citizenship and, in some cases, even help fast-track citizenship for the parents. There are even entire birth tourism agencies that help parents plan these trips and handle the necessary paperwork.
I still need to learn more about birth tourism in general, but I did not find much information suggesting that Türkiye is a destination with benefits beyond price. Regardless, sharing these price differences between the United States and Türkiye is fascinating. And for any expats already living in Türkiye, now you know what to expect.
Stem Cell Treatments
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Stem cell therapies for various conditions
- Cost: Starting at $3,400, depending on the treatment and condition
Stem cell treatments at Memorial Hospital start at $3,400, with prices varying based on what patients are looking to treat. I am not a medical professional, and research into stem cell therapies is still developing, so it is important to do your own research.
In the United States, conditions commonly treated with stem cells include blood and immune system diseases.
Emerging stem cell therapies around the world, where research is still underway, include treatments for orthopedics, neurology, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, and sports injuries.
As research progresses, more people are traveling abroad for stem cell treatments, and this is something I would like to explore on a future visit.
I recommend reading the information available from the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Vision Treatments
- Location: Ophthalmology Department at Memorial Hospital
- Service: LASIK, cataract surgery, and cornea replacement
- Cost: LASIK $1,600 for both eyes; cataract surgery $2,600 per eye; cornea replacement $8,000 per eye
We had the opportunity to tour the ophthalmology department and meet with Assoc. Prof. Nesrin Tutaş Günaydın to learn more about LASIK and other advanced eye treatments. She treats many patients who need cataract surgery and cornea replacements. One thing that stood out to me was how her office was filled with flowers from grateful patients.
We learned that LASIK in Türkiye costs $1,600 for both eyes, compared to $3,000 to $7,000 in the United States.
Cataract surgery costs $2,600 per eye in Türkiye, compared to $3,500 to $7,000 per eye in the United States.
Cornea replacement costs $8,000 per eye in Türkiye, compared to $13,000 to $28,000 per eye in the United States.
Thankfully, cataract surgery and cornea replacement are often at least partially covered by U.S. health insurance providers, but it is still helpful to know what these treatments cost abroad.
Colonoscopy & Endoscopy
- Location: Gastroenterology Department at Memorial Hospital
- Service: Colonoscopy and upper endoscopy
- Cost: Colonoscopy $1,400; upper endoscopy $1,100
While gathering information about the endoscopy experience, we were fortunate enough to get the chance to interview Prof. Salih Boğa, a gastroenterology specialist with extensive international experience, including a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University’s Transplant Center.
This is something Cody was fortunate enough to experience firsthand here (and he was a really good sport about it). The three-day premium male checkup he did included both a colonoscopy and an endoscopy, but if you were to purchase them separately, a colonoscopy costs $1,400 and an upper endoscopy costs $1,100.
In the United States, a colonoscopy can cost between $1,100 and $4,800, and an upper endoscopy ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. While there are still savings when paying out of pocket in Türkiye, these procedures are much more affordable when included in a checkup package.
Full-Body MRI
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Comprehensive full-body MRI scan
- Cost: $1,200
A full-body MRI in Türkiye costs $1,200, which is a pretty great deal when you consider that the national average for an MRI of just one body part in the United States is $1,325.
New companies offering more affordable MRIs are starting to pop up in the United States, and we recently tried a $998 lab test and MRI package from Function Health. It included 160 lab tests and an MRI that checked organs such as the brain, adrenal glands, bladder, pancreas, liver, kidneys, thyroid, gallbladder, spleen, and prostate.
While it is not quite a full-body scan like the option in Türkiye, it is still a thorough option and nice to have something closer to home.
Dental Crowns & Porcelain Veneers
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Dental crowns and cosmetic porcelain veneers
- Cost: Dental crowns $370 each; porcelain veneers $370 each
The hospital has a full dental department, and we were surprised to learn that a dental crown costs $370, and porcelain veneers are also only $370 per tooth.
This is a great deal compared to the average cost in the United States, where a dental crown can range from $500 to $3,000, and porcelain veneers can cost between $925 and $2,500 per tooth.
A word to the wise: anytime you are considering cosmetic dentistry abroad, especially veneers, make sure to ask for extensive before and after photos and videos, as well as photos of the actual process, from the dentist you are considering. This helps ensure their work matches the aesthetic you want.
Organ Transplants
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplants
- Cost: Liver transplant $55,000; kidney transplant $20,000; bone marrow transplant $32,500
While we mainly highlight health treatments and experiences that are less invasive, we thought it was important to include these prices to illustrate the stark differences in cost. You may have noticed that some treatments in Türkiye are only a few thousand dollars cheaper than in the United States, but when it comes to organ transplants, the price difference is impossible to ignore.
Liver transplant: $55,000 compared to the U.S. average of $878,400
Kidney transplant: $20,000 compared to the U.S. average of $442,500
Bone marrow transplant: $32,500 compared to the U.S. average of $193,000
It is important to note that organ transplants are tightly regulated in Türkiye. Turkish law only allows transplants from living, biologically related donors.
Neurologist Visit & Cranial MRI
- Location: Neurology Department at Memorial Hospital
- Service: Neurologist consultation and cranial MRI
- Cost: Neurologist appointment $180; cranial MRI $750
Cody’s three-day checkup package already included a meeting with a neurologist and a cranial MRI, but if you were to book these separately, an appointment with a neurologist costs $180, and a cranial MRI is $750.
Something that caught me by surprise was how quickly they handled everything. Cody had his MRI in the morning, and by the afternoon, the doctor already had the scans ready to discuss with us. I’ve rarely had a doctors appointment where results were available the same day.
EEG & Sleep Study
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: EEG testing and sleep studies
- Cost: EEG $400 for one hour, $700 for three hours, or $2,000 for a 12-hour sleep study
Memorial Hospital has a dedicated department for sleep studies, so if you need an EEG to help diagnose a neurological condition, it costs $400 for a one-hour session, $700 for three hours, or $2,000 for a full 12-hour sleep study.
We often get questions about sleep study costs around the world, and for an in-hospital study rather than an at-home test, these prices are relatively reasonable, although $2,000 for any procedure is still a significant expense.
In the United States, you might be able to find something more affordable with insurance, but for those in places like the United Kingdom or Canada who face long wait times for sleep studies, it is helpful to know what options exist elsewhere.
Joint Replacement
- Location: Orthopedic Department at Memorial Hospital Şişli and Bahçelievler
- Service: Knee and shoulder joint replacement surgeries using robotic systems
- Cost: Knee replacement $16,000
In the United States, a two-hour knee replacement surgery can cost $50,000, and in the United Kingdom, the waitlist for this treatment can be over two years long.
While we were at the hospital for our checkups, we actually met an osteopath from the United Kingdom who had chosen Türkiye for his shoulder replacement surgery due to the long wait time back home. We met him just days after his operation, and he told us it went so well that he decided to get additional treatments while he was there.
Remember, I am not a doctor and I only share my experiences, so always do your own research. Still, it was fascinating to meet other people in Türkiye who had the exact same idea we did.
This encounter inspired us to ask if we could interview an orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, and we were lucky enough to go behind the scenes with Prof. Dr. Ufuk Özkaya to see the equipment and meet the surgical team.
We learned that they use the Stryker robotic systems for joint replacement surgeries, which are the same top-of-the-line, American-made robotics used in the United States.
Here in Türkiye, a knee replacement costs only $16,000. That is $34,000 less than the average cost in the United States, while using the same equipment.
Breast Surgery Tests and Consultation
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Breast health screening, consultation, imaging, and biopsy
- Cost: Initial screening and breast ultrasound $500; MRI $650; biopsy with pathology evaluation $3,200
We sat down with Prof. Dr. Fatih Aydoğan, one of the top breast surgery experts in Türkiye. Beyond being one of the nicest people I have ever met, he is also a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
Not only did he complete a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, but he also underwent specialized training and observerships at leading U.S. cancer centers, including MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Cornell University Presbyterian Hospital in New York; and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
The initial screening and examination with him, including a breast ultrasound, costs $500.
If further examinations are necessary, the second step is an MRI for $650.
The third step, if required, is a biopsy with pathology evaluation for $3,200.
I cannot even imagine what that would cost in the United States, and he was so kind. He even set out snacks for us while we were there.
Brain Surgery and Tumor Removal
- Location: Memorial Hospital
- Service: Brain tumor removal surgery and related hospital care
- Cost: Varies by case (Darren’s treatment was $49,000)
This was not something we officially got prices for from the hospital, because it is much more difficult to estimate the cost since each case is so different. However, during our time at the hospital last year, we met a couple who had traveled from the United Kingdom for brain surgery after the NHS refused to operate.
Darren and Anne Marie were kind enough to share their story with us. They told us they paid $49,000 for the surgery, seven nights at the hospital, and all of the required tests. In the United States, brain cancer treatment costs can easily rise to $700,000.
Their story was both heartbreaking and inspiring. In the United Kingdom, they were told Darren could not have the operation to remove his brain tumor because it would be too dangerous. Doctors warned that the operation’s risks outweighed the benefits, and that without successful chemotherapy, which had limited options, he would start deteriorating within the next twelve months.
This led them to research other options, and they reached out to Dr. Bozkurt, a neurosurgeon at Memorial with 22 years of experience. He told them the surgery was actually relatively low risk and that Darren would be up and walking the next day.
It was the opposite of what they had heard back home, but after meeting Dr. Bozkurt and some of his patients, they decided to go through with the operation, and it was a success.
When we met them, it was just three days after Darren’s surgery, and you would have never known he had just undergone brain surgery. They were able to remove 80 percent of the tumor, giving Darren more options for chemotherapy.
When we checked in on them eight months later, he was feeling much better, and they were enjoying a vacation with their family.
Final Thoughts
While this is certainly not a comprehensive list of the services and treatments available in Türkiye, I hope it gives you an idea of the price difference you can expect.
For questions and appointments, I recommend contacting the hospital directly here.
There are so many destinations worth exploring if you want to combine medical or wellness care with travel, and Türkiye is just one of many places offering amazing opportunities.
Keep in mind that no matter where you go, there will always be some services that are an exceptional deal and others that may not offer significant savings. What is most important is to do your own thorough research, gather multiple quotes ahead of time, and never be afraid to shop around.
Even internationally, there are countless destinations where you can find outstanding care, and educating yourself on the options is the key to making informed decisions about your health.
Disclosure: This article is based on personal experience, independent research, and firsthand observations. We are not medical professionals, and this content is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnose conditions, or recommend specific treatments. Every person’s health situation is different, and outcomes can vary. If you are considering any medical or cosmetic procedure, whether at home or abroad, please consult with a licensed healthcare provider or specialist to determine what is appropriate for your individual needs. All information shared here is intended for general informational purposes only.
