Healthcare in China

China runs a dual system: public Grade-3A (三甲) hospitals dominate care and mainly serve locally-insured patients, but nearly all of them run a cash-pay 'special needs' (特需) / VIP or international department for foreigners and medical travelers; a smaller number of fully private international hospitals (expat/joint-venture chains) sit alongside them at materially higher self-pay rates. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy makes short in-and-out trips logistically easy but is a visa/entry matter only, unrelated to how care is billed.

• Doctor visitest

  $150($60–$280)

  Single GP consultation, no labs, at the foreign-patient 'special needs' (特需)/VIP department of a public Grade-3A (三甲) hospital, or at a private international clinic. Local range roughly RMB 500-2,000 registration/consult fee; converted at ~RMB 7.1/USD. · via China Neighbor -- Healthcare Costs for Foreigners in China (2026)

• MRI scan

  $550($200–$900)

  MRI of one region (brain or knee-type scan) with contrast and radiologist read, self-pay for an international patient. Low end is a single-region scan at a public-hospital VIP department or lower-cost partner facility (~$200-250); high end is a fully private expat-focused hospital (e.g. Beijing United Family-tier, ~$600-900). Bookimed's China brain-MRI figures ($460-650, avg $555) sit in the middle. Roughly RMB 1,400-6,400. · via Bookimed -- Brain MRI in China: Cost, Top Clinics

• Dental crown

  $450($200–$900)

  Single porcelain/ceramic crown (PFM up to all-ceramic/E.max), including prep, impression and fitting, at a verified private dental clinic serving foreign patients; excludes root canal or core buildup if separately needed. Local range roughly RMB 1,500-6,500 (~RMB 7.1/USD); premium imported-brand ceramic crowns run higher still. · via Travel of China -- Dental Crown Cost in China 2026

• ER visitest

  $400($100–$900)

  Moderate, non-critical A&E visit (registration/facility fee + physician + basic workup such as ECG or bloodwork), self-pay for a foreign patient. Public-hospital ER workups run roughly RMB 500-900 (~$70-140); the same workup at an international/private hospital runs roughly RMB 1,000-6,000 (~$140-840). Life-threatening emergencies are treated without upfront payment under Chinese law. · via China Neighbor -- Healthcare Costs for Foreigners in China (2026)

• Colonoscopy

  $950($350–$1,510)

  Diagnostic/screening colonoscopy with sedation and gastroenterologist read at an international-patient-focused hospital; Bookimed's real-invoice range is $940-$1,510 (e.g. quoted at Yanda International Hospital). Lower end reflects self-pay pricing for the same procedure at a public Grade-3A hospital gastroenterology department, without a medical-tourism package markup. Roughly RMB 2,500-10,700. · via Bookimed -- Colonoscopy in China: Cost, Top Clinics