Health Checkup Prices in China's Top Hospitals (2026 Full Table)
The short answer
A full-body health checkup at a top-tier Chinese hospital costs ¥500–¥2,000 (USD 70–280) at the standard clinic, or ¥2,000–¥5,500 (USD 280–770) at the international department.
For comparison, the same scope of testing in the US typically runs USD 2,000–4,000, and in Singapore USD 800–2,000.
The price difference against Western countries is not a discount. It reflects the fact that China’s public hospital pricing is government-guided, and the diagnostic equipment is the same machines — Siemens, GE, Philips — you would find anywhere.
⚠️ But read this before you book a flight.
A basic checkup in Indonesia costs Rp400,000–800,000 (USD 22–44) at a private hospital — roughly a quarter of the Chinese price. In Malaysia and Thailand the entry price is also below China’s.
If you live in Southeast Asia, a checkup is not a reason to fly to China. A round-trip Jakarta–Guangzhou ticket costs Rp4–8 million (USD 220–440). The flight costs more than the checkup in either country.
China’s genuine price advantage is narrower than this industry usually claims, and it sits in specific procedures, not in checkups:
- MRI and advanced imaging — see our four-country comparison
- Gastroscopy and colonoscopy — where the gap is largest
- Prescription drugs, especially oncology drugs — China’s domestic PD-1 inhibitors run about USD 5,500 per year, where the imported originator costs USD 12,000+ per dose in the US. See why Chinese drug prices work the way they do
Everything below is still accurate and still useful — it is what you will be quoted. Just do not read it as “China is cheap.” Read it as “here is what this costs, so you can decide whether the trip makes sense.” Most of the time, for a checkup alone, it does not.
All prices below are as of October 2026. Chinese hospital pricing changes; verify before you commit.
What “a checkup” actually means
This is the first thing that trips people up. “Health checkup” in China (体检) is not one product — it is a menu. Three tiers matter:
| Tier | Chinese | What it is | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 基础体检 | Blood panel, ECG, abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray, basic vitals | ¥500–¥1,200 |
| Standard | 常规套餐 | The above + thyroid ultrasound, tumor markers, more bloodwork | ¥1,200–¥2,500 |
| Comprehensive | 深度/VIP | The above + CT, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, cardiac screening | ¥2,500–¥5,500 |
Most foreign patients who say “I want a full checkup” actually want the Standard tier, and add imaging separately.
Itemized prices at public tertiary hospitals
These are public-hospital prices. International departments charge 1.5× to 3× these figures.
| Test | Price (CNY) | Price (USD, approx) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete blood count (CBC) | ¥25–40 | $3.5–6 | |
| Liver function panel | ¥60–120 | $8–17 | |
| Kidney function panel | ¥50–100 | $7–14 | |
| Lipid panel | ¥40–80 | $6–11 | |
| Thyroid function (TSH, FT3, FT4) | ¥120–200 | $17–28 | |
| Tumor markers (AFP, CEA, CA19-9) | ¥150–400 | $21–56 | Per marker ¥50–130 |
| ECG | ¥30–60 | $4–8 | |
| Abdominal ultrasound | ¥120–300 | $17–42 | |
| Thyroid ultrasound | ¥120–200 | $17–28 | |
| Chest X-ray | ¥80–150 | $11–21 | |
| Low-dose chest CT | ¥300–600 | $42–84 | |
| MRI (single region) | ¥400–1,200 | $56–168 | |
| PET-CT | ¥7,000–9,500 | $980–1,330 | |
| Gastroscopy (no sedation) | ¥400–800 | $56–112 | |
| Gastroscopy (sedated) | ¥900–1,800 | $126–252 | |
| Colonoscopy (sedated) | ¥1,200–2,500 | $168–350 | |
| Bone density (DEXA) | ¥200–400 | $28–56 |
The two most requested items
- MRI: ¥400–1,200 in China vs USD 1,000–3,000 in the US, AUD 600–1,800 in Australia.
- PET-CT: ¥7,000–9,500 in China vs USD 3,000–8,000 in the US (outpatient imaging centers average USD 2,550; hospitals higher).
⚠️ Correction, added October 2026: an earlier version of this article presented PET-CT as a cost advantage for China. That is only true against Western prices. Compared with Southeast Asia, it is not.
Published PET-CT prices in Indonesia run Rp10.9–17.5 million (≈USD 605–972) — at or below the Chinese range. Malaysia advertises from RM1,800. If you are in Southeast Asia, flying to China for a PET-CT alone does not save you money.
MRI is a different story — there the Chinese price advantage holds up. We’ve published the full four-country comparison separately. See our MRI and scan price comparison.
What the international department adds
At a public hospital’s international department (国际医疗部), prices are higher — typically 3× to 10× the standard clinic for registration fees:
| Item | Standard clinic | International department |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | ¥10–50 | ¥300–1,000 |
| Specialist consultation | included | ¥800–3,000 |
| Ward per day | ¥200–500 | ¥1,500–5,000 |
| Tests/imaging | government price | 1.5×–3× |
What you get for that premium:
- English-speaking staff (not guaranteed at every hospital)
- Appointment scheduling in advance
- Shorter waits
- Reports translated on request
- International insurance direct billing (at partner hospitals)
What you do NOT automatically get:
- A better doctor. The same specialists work both clinics.
- Faster results. Lab turnaround is the same.
- Translated reports — you often have to ask, and sometimes pay extra.
Practical advice: If you speak functional Mandarin or travel with someone who does, the standard clinic is a legitimate option and costs a fraction. If you don’t, the international department premium is usually worth it — but confirm English capability for your specific department, not just the hospital in general.
Total cost of a checkup trip
A realistic budget for a 3-day trip from Southeast Asia:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard checkup (public hospital) | ¥1,500 |
| Round-trip flight (Jakarta–Shanghai) | ¥2,500–4,500 |
| Hotel, 3 nights | ¥900–2,400 |
| Meals & local transport | ¥400–800 |
| Visa (if needed) | ¥200–1,000 |
| Total | ¥5,500–10,200 (USD 780–1,450) |
At the international department, add ¥2,000–4,000.
Compare: a comparable private checkup in Jakarta runs IDR 5–15 million (USD 300–950) — cheaper. But it will not include a low-dose CT or a sedated gastroscopy at that price, and turnaround is often 1–2 weeks. In Singapore, the same scope runs SGD 1,200–2,800 (USD 900–2,100).
The honest framing: China is not the cheapest place for a basic checkup. It becomes competitive when you need advanced imaging, endoscopy, or specialist work — that is where the price gap opens up.
Where to go
Recommended categories, not endorsements:
| Need | Category | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| General checkup, English service | Public tertiary hospital international department | Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou |
| Comprehensive with advanced imaging | Large public tertiary hospital | Beijing, Shanghai |
| Faster scheduling, hotel-like setting | Private international hospital | Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou |
| Wellness + TCM combined | TCM hospital wellness center | Beijing, Sanya, Hunchun |
We do not recommend specific hospitals as part of this article. That is not our role, and any site that ranks hospitals by how much they pay is not giving you advice — it is selling you a referral.
Practical notes
Booking: Most top public hospitals now allow online booking, but foreign-passport registration often requires a counter visit. Bring your passport; some hospitals require a physical copy of the visa page.
Payment: Public hospitals require payment upfront (cash, UnionPay, Alipay/WeChat with a foreign card linked). International departments at some hospitals accept international credit cards; many do not. Bring a backup.
Reports: Chinese-language by default. Ask about English reports when you book, not after. If you need the report for your home doctor, budget for translation.
Fasting: Standard for bloodwork — 8–12 hours, water allowed. Gastroscopy and colonoscopy require specific prep that you should receive in writing, in your language, before you travel.
Timing: Avoid Monday mornings and the days after public holidays. Chinese hospitals handle enormous volume efficiently, but those windows are the worst.
What we do
We help patients from Southeast Asia and the Middle East plan medical trips to China — pricing, process, visa pathways, and an honest briefing on what typically goes wrong.
We charge you a flat fee. We take no money from hospitals. That is deliberate: a facilitator paid by commission earns more when you spend more. We would rather you spend less and come back.
We do not give medical advice, we do not book hospital appointments for you, and we do not handle your medical payments.
Download the full price table
We maintain a spreadsheet with itemized prices across 12 hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hainan — updated quarterly.
[Get the 2026 China Medical Price Table →]
Prices in this article reflect publicly available Chinese hospital pricing as of October 2026, converted at approximately 1 USD = 7.1 CNY. Actual charges depend on the hospital, department tier, and your specific tests. This article is informational and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified physician about your own health.