How to read a Korean clinic's price quote
Why two quotes for the same procedure can differ by half — consultation fees, VAT, anaesthesia, aftercare and the difference between an estimate and a settled bill.
A quote is not a price. It is a list of the things a clinic currently expects to bill you for. Two clinics can quote the same procedure and mean different sets of things, which is why comparing the headline number alone is close to meaningless.
Lines to look for
| Line | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Consultation fee | Charged separately? Deducted from the procedure price if you go ahead? Refundable if you decline? |
| Pre-operative tests | Blood work, imaging, ECG. Included or billed after the tests are done? |
| The procedure itself | Which surgeon. Quotes often differ by surgeon within the same clinic. |
| Anaesthesia | Local, sedation or general — different prices, and sometimes a separate anaesthetist's fee. |
| Facility / room | Day-surgery room, overnight stay, ward vs private room. |
| Medication and dressings | Take-home medication is frequently outside the quote and paid at a pharmacy. |
| Aftercare visits | How many are included, and what a visit past that number costs. |
| VAT | See below. Ask whether the figure quoted includes it. |
| Revision policy | What is free, what is charged, and for how long after the procedure. |
Verify before you rely on this: In Korea, medically necessary treatment is generally VAT-exempt while purely cosmetic procedures are generally taxable, and a departure-time refund scheme for foreign patients has existed for some cosmetic procedures. Both the tax treatment and the refund scheme have conditions and have changed over time. Ask the clinic in writing whether your quote includes VAT, and confirm the current refund rules with the National Tax Service or the clinic's international desk before counting on a refund.
Estimate vs settled bill
Korean clinics generally give a range before they have seen you, and a fixed figure after the in-person consultation. If a clinic gives you a firm price by email without examining you, treat that number as marketing rather than as a commitment — and ask what happens if the surgeon changes the plan on the day.
From my own visits: Korean hospitals print an itemised receipt (진료비 계산서·영수증) that separates the insured portion, the patient portion and non-covered items. Ask for it every time and keep it. It is the document insurers and tax offices want, and it is far easier to obtain at the payment desk than by email from another country three months later.
Questions worth sending before you fly
- Does this figure include VAT, anaesthesia, tests, medication and aftercare visits? Please list what is excluded.
- Which surgeon does this price correspond to?
- How many follow-up visits are included, and on which days after the procedure?
- What is the deposit, and under what circumstances is it refundable?
- If the in-person consultation changes the plan, how is the price recalculated?
- Can I have an itemised receipt and my medical records in English before I leave Korea?
A quote that is dramatically below every other quote usually means a different set of inclusions, a different surgeon, or a package that only holds if you book on the spot. Pressure to decide during the consultation is itself information.
Sources
This site is an information resource, not a medical provider, agency or broker. We do not arrange treatment, refer patients to specific hospitals, or receive commission from clinics for introductions. Nothing here is medical advice — decisions about treatment belong to you and a licensed doctor.