How much do healthcare and medical services cost in Mexico?
Sandi Vandiver
Medical care in Mexico is really inexpensive. Yesterday, I noticed a little liver spot that seemed to change very quickly. So I went to the dermatologist, who speaks very little English. It wasn’t really a necessity that he speak English. I had probably 12 or 15 little spots taken care of for 600 pesos (US $36.40).I can get a mammogram for 400 pesos (US $24.20). I can get a good teeth cleaning for 450 pesos (US $27.30). Dental work is very cheap here and of...
Medical care in Mexico is really inexpensive. Yesterday, I noticed a little liver spot that seemed to change very quickly. So I went to the dermatologist, who speaks very little English. It wasn’t really a necessity that he speak English. I had probably 12 or 15 little spots taken care of for 600 pesos (US $36.40).I can get a mammogram for 400 pesos (US $24.20). I can get a good teeth cleaning for 450 pesos (US $27.30). Dental work is very cheap here and of course there’s a dentist on every corner, so one does need to be somewhat careful. I have a great dentist. People do travel here for their dental work.
If I go to see my GP, she speaks perfect English, is very knowledgeable, and she charges me 500 pesos (US $30.30) per office visit. I have a friend who just had that Lap Band (stomach stapling) surgery and overall it cost her less than $5,000. The same surgery in the US would probably be 4 times that. Her insurance in the US wasn’t going to pay for it, so that’s why she came here to Mexico to do it.
(Offering medical tourism services, Hospital Angeles, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted September 26, 2015
Evelyne Skorczynski
Fraction of the cost in the US (from 2 - 5 times + cheaper)
Fraction of the cost in the US (from 2 - 5 times + cheaper)
Posted September 27, 2015
Richard Kemper
I do not have health insurance. Last December, I had a pacemaker put in. It was a shock because I didn’t think I needed one. My heart was stopping at night while I was sleeping.I don’t know how much it would have cost me in the US but it was $10,000 USD here in Ajijic. Ajijic is a well-known expat area. It hurt me to use that money but I didn’t have a choice. So far, this is the only healthcare I’ve had to pay for in Mexico.
I go to a...
I do not have health insurance. Last December, I had a pacemaker put in. It was a shock because I didn’t think I needed one. My heart was stopping at night while I was sleeping.I don’t know how much it would have cost me in the US but it was $10,000 USD here in Ajijic. Ajijic is a well-known expat area. It hurt me to use that money but I didn’t have a choice. So far, this is the only healthcare I’ve had to pay for in Mexico.
I go to a dentist for a cleaning every six months for between $21 USD and $24 USD. A cleaning in Mexico cost $24 USD. It used to be $21 USD.
(Medical staff at a general practitioners' office in Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted October 7, 2015
Liliana Cota - Stewart Title Baja and Stewart Title Puerto Peñasco
Many US citizens come and cross the border to Mexico every day to have their checkups and medical attention in Tijuana, since we are very close to San Diego.My mom was in the US and had a medical emergency. A medical visit in the US would have cost her a lot of money so she preferred to come back to Tijuana and get her examination here. That’s what many people do.
It is a little bit difficult to cross the border from Mexico to the US right now...
Many US citizens come and cross the border to Mexico every day to have their checkups and medical attention in Tijuana, since we are very close to San Diego.My mom was in the US and had a medical emergency. A medical visit in the US would have cost her a lot of money so she preferred to come back to Tijuana and get her examination here. That’s what many people do.
It is a little bit difficult to cross the border from Mexico to the US right now because of the long wait time due to the checks being done by the US customs but people prefer coming to Mexico and just endure the time they will spend at the border once they go back to the US because of the money that they will save on medical services here in Mexico.
A dental checkup costs around US $50 in Tijuana and Rosarito. Tijuana is a strategic location only 50 minutes away from San Diego. The costs for medical services also differ depending on which doctor you go to and their location. If you go to a pediatrician whose clinic is close to San Diego, you’ll pay around $50 to $60. If you move a little farther away from the border, a checkup will cost you only $25. If you go to a doctor in the Mazatlan area, a checkup would cost around $15.
A dental checkup costs around US $50 in Tijuana and Rosarito. Tijuana is a strategic location only 50 minutes away from San Diego. The costs for medical services also differ depending on which doctor you go to and their location. If you go to a pediatrician whose clinic is close to San Diego, you’ll pay around $50 to $60. If you move a little farther away from the border, a checkup will cost you only $25. If you go to a doctor in the Mazatlan area, a checkup would cost around $15.
(Pictured: Border crossing San Diego to Tijuana.)
Posted April 1, 2016
Yvon Marier - Travel Info Mexico
Mexico has a national healthcare service called IMSS. This coverage is paid by employers, or can be purchased on an individual basis, even by foreigners with resident status. Rates vary dependent on age, from $150 and up to $350 USD per year. Although the doctors are very good, in many areas is the system is overcrowded and waits are very long, sometimes 8-10 hours to see a doctor. For those who don’t have healthcare coverage, the cost of...
Mexico has a national healthcare service called IMSS. This coverage is paid by employers, or can be purchased on an individual basis, even by foreigners with resident status. Rates vary dependent on age, from $150 and up to $350 USD per year. Although the doctors are very good, in many areas is the system is overcrowded and waits are very long, sometimes 8-10 hours to see a doctor. For those who don’t have healthcare coverage, the cost of healthcare will vary from doctor, hospital, and the gravity of the condition. On average, an office visit with a doctor, specialists included, will cost 350 to 500 pesos (about US $18.50 to $26.50). Many doctors do house calls, which will cost about the same.
The cost of private insurance in Mexico varies, of course, depending of your age, deductible and where you want coverage (national or international policy), and can range from $800 US and up, per person and how much you are willing to pay. Price depends on age, hospital you choose, deductible/co-insurance levels. Private insurance in Mexico either excludes most pre-existing conditions or denies coverage to applicants with pre-existing conditions.
(Expats learning more about insurance and air evacuation with Yvon Marier, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted July 31, 2016
Andre Bellon - Bellon Insurance Agents
.PNG)
I can think of a few examples of how much medical services cost in Mexico. A hernia can cost you from 60,000 pesos -120,000 pesos (about US $3,200 to $6,400). Cataracts normally cost anywhere between 60,000 pesos – 70,000 pesos ($3,200 to $3,800). Diabetes will cost you around 5,000 pesos monthly ($270), and a hip replacement costs around 120,000 pesos – 170,1000 pesos ($6,500 - $9,200). A regular doctor’s visit costs 600 pesos –...
I can think of a few examples of how much medical services cost in Mexico. A hernia can cost you from 60,000 pesos -120,000 pesos (about US $3,200 to $6,400). Cataracts normally cost anywhere between 60,000 pesos – 70,000 pesos ($3,200 to $3,800). Diabetes will cost you around 5,000 pesos monthly ($270), and a hip replacement costs around 120,000 pesos – 170,1000 pesos ($6,500 - $9,200). A regular doctor’s visit costs 600 pesos – 800 pesos ($32 to $43), but it also depends on the specialty. Cardiologists and neurologists are the ones that charge the most. A GP (General Practitioner) will charge 400 pesos - 600 pesos ($22 to $32). This is out of pocket, without insurance.
.png)
Each physical therapy session costs about 500 pesos - 600 pesos an hour. Dental work depends- for example, a crown will cost you around 5,000 pesos ($270), and if they pull out a tooth on the back, it’s going to cost around 2,000 pesos – 2,500 pesos each ($110 to $135) . If you need it, they have a procedure where they screw in the new teeth- it’s called dental implants. That’s really expensive- around 20,000 pesos– 25,000 pesos ($1,100 to $1,350). Some places charge 30,000 pesos for each tooth ($1,600). That is also not covered by insurance.
(Jet Metier of Best Places in the World to Retire visits a dentist in Lake Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted November 9, 2016
Gary Coles - Paradise For Gringos
US $2.25 to visit a good doctor? That's right!
I could hardly believe it when I first went to a doctor here in Tijuana. And my doctor was excellent. I expected a quick prescription and she started with questions and gave me a complete exam before prescribing some allergy medicine.
I am now in Tijuana and as a veteran, I have the benefit of free medical care right across the border at the VA clinics and hospital in San Diego....
US $2.25 to visit a good doctor? That's right!
I could hardly believe it when I first went to a doctor here in Tijuana. And my doctor was excellent. I expected a quick prescription and she started with questions and gave me a complete exam before prescribing some allergy medicine.
I am now in Tijuana and as a veteran, I have the benefit of free medical care right across the border at the VA clinics and hospital in San Diego. But I usually just go to a doctor here because it is so inexpensive and I get excellent care.
.jpg)
Healthcare prices can vary immensely in Mexico. It may even be free with Mexican insurance. If you do go to a doctor, you can find a variety of costs but overall medical care is very inexpensive. It is even cheaper now with the current currency exchange rates.
This is one of the reasons that so many US citizens now live in Tijuana. In fact, there are more US citizens over 50 years old living in Tijuana than in any other city in Mexico.
Most of the pharmacies in Tijuana and Rosarito subsidize doctors who have an office attached to the pharmacy. The charges at most of those clinics are 45 or 50 pesos ($2.25 to $2.50 in US dollars today). The medicines in the pharmacies are also very inexpensive and many US citizens visit just to buy their prescriptions. I’ve also talked with pharmacists in the US and Mexico and they have all told me that the quality is similar in both countries. The only real difference is the power of the pharmaceutical industry in the US.
Here are some prices for medical procedures and some of the more common medicines in Tijuana in Dec. 2016.
.jpg)
Procedures
$2.25 Medical consultation
$2.50 Medical certificate (for marriage, work, etc.)
$ .75 Give an injection
$1.50 Check blood sugar levels
$ .75 Check blood pressure
$1.75 Remove sutures
Medicines
$5.00 Penicillin (40 capsules)
$7.15 Amoxicillin (60 capsules)
$2.50 Ampicillin (20 capsules)
$8.45 Vitamin B Complex (ampule)
$2.20 Viagra (4 tablets)
$ .95 Gelmicin cream
Posted December 18, 2016
Cathie Smith LoCicero - Cathie Smith Insurance
.jpg)
Healthcare and medical services are so affordable in Mexico. I had a sinus infection in the United States before my last trip back to Los Cabos. It was the kind of infection where I needed antibiotics. However, I was so busy getting ready for my trip and I would forget to take the medications and with antibiotics you must take them exactly as prescribed for the full length of time, which I did not do. I got to Los Cabos and I got sick again...
Healthcare and medical services are so affordable in Mexico. I had a sinus infection in the United States before my last trip back to Los Cabos. It was the kind of infection where I needed antibiotics. However, I was so busy getting ready for my trip and I would forget to take the medications and with antibiotics you must take them exactly as prescribed for the full length of time, which I did not do. I got to Los Cabos and I got sick again with a relapse of the sinus infection. I went over to the H+ Hospital near San Jose del Cabo. They had two ENTs then. One was just leaving for lunch and the other one had a patient and could take me in an hour. I didn't want to wait around so I went over to the reception in the hospital lobby and I said, "I can see this doctor in an hour, but would it be possible for me to see an emergency room doctor now?" They said, "Yes, of course you can."
I went to the emergency room and only had to wait two minutes for this doctor before to check me out. It was interesting because I felt that when he had me cough to listen to my breath sounds with a stethoscope, he listened to more places down my back and around my sides than when I get checked out here in the United States for cough.
After the doctor's examination, I told him what I had been taking and he gave me a prescription. The doctor really checked me out and asked me a bunch of questions. When I went out to pay, it was 560 pesos (US $30) for an emergency room visit. They have a pharmacy right downstairs, so I went downstairs and got my prescription filled.
I was just so surprised because I thought, "It's an emergency room visit. I was guessing that they'd charge me because I was anxious and I didn't want to wait an hour for the other doctor. I was willing to pay $100 if they're going to charge me that for the ER visit." They charged me less than $30.
The same emergency room services in the US would probably cost about $1,000. I've been to the emergency room twice in Scottsdale. One time when I walked in, the waiting room was full so I sat and waited there for two or three hours before they took me in the back. Then I laid down on the table for another two hours before a doctor came in to see me. My ER visits in Mexico and in the US were very different experiences.
(Beach House, Los Cabos Open of Surf has a charity event for children needing medical procedures at Hospital H+, Los Cabos, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted July 17, 2017
Cathie Smith LoCicero - Cathie Smith Insurance
We have all talked about how affordable health care is here in Mexico, and even Richard who paid ten thousand for his pacemaker made a good point. However, none of us want to think about catastrophic accidents or illnesses. Those that may require monumental efforts to save our lives, such as strokes or cancer, that would require weeks, months, or even years of treatments. There are various types of medical insurance available for expats and snowbirds; from government plans...
We have all talked about how affordable health care is here in Mexico, and even Richard who paid ten thousand for his pacemaker made a good point. However, none of us want to think about catastrophic accidents or illnesses. Those that may require monumental efforts to save our lives, such as strokes or cancer, that would require weeks, months, or even years of treatments. There are various types of medical insurance available for expats and snowbirds; from government plans with great doctors but overworked staff and services, where you may wait many hours to see a doctor, to private insurance policies that pay for the finest hospitals and treatments in Mexico and the world. Somewhere in there, your personal needs and budget will fit. If keeping your costs as low as possible is your priority, consider choosing the highest deductible comfortable for your budget, so you are protected from the catastrophic expenses related to devastating illnesses and accidents. If you still have medical insurance in your home country, then an affordable air ambulance evacuation insurance policy should be your top priority. I enjoy helping people find solutions.
Posted November 18, 2018