If you live in Canada
From Canada: waiting at home, paying privately, or going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For each procedure: the latest official Canadian waiting figure, what private providers in Canada publish as a self-pay price, and the published price range abroad, all in CAD.
Canadian waits are national figures from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, published 25 June 2026 (CIHI). Waits differ a lot between provinces. Ask your provincial health plan whether it pays anything towards planned care abroad before you book; we have not reviewed provincial rules yet.
| Procedure | Official wait | Pay at home | Abroad, before travel |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRI scan | Median 59 days; 1 in 10 waited over 206 days2025 | C$749 to C$799 | about C$90 to C$840 |
| Colonoscopy | No official figure | Not verified | about C$90 to C$1,200 |
| Health check-up | No official figure | Not verified | about C$290 to C$4,900 |
| Cataract surgery | Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days2025 | Not verified | about C$1,250 to C$3,500 |
| Laser eye surgery | No official figure | C$980 to C$6,180 | about C$1,410 to C$4,620 |
| Dental implant | No official figure | C$3,000 to C$6,500 | about C$879 to C$4,350 |
| Veneers | No official figure | C$2,500 to C$3,000 | about C$502 to C$927 |
| Hair transplant | No official figure | Not verified | about C$2,850 to C$5,330 |
| Hip replacement | Median 120 days; 1 in 10 waited over 321 days2025 | Not verified | about C$8,910 to C$19,590 |
| Knee replacement | Median 146 days; 1 in 10 waited over 361 days2025 | Not verified | about C$9,120 to C$18,190 |
| IVF | No official figure | C$9,000 to C$13,500 | about C$2,310 to C$14,520 |
Add your flight and hotel
The calculator starts from Canada: pick a procedure and add your own flight and hotel.
Pages for readers in Canada
- Canadian MRI scan wait vs going abroad
- Canadian cataract surgery wait vs going abroad
- Laser eye surgery cost in Canada vs going abroad
- Dental implant cost in Canada vs going abroad
- Veneers cost in Canada vs going abroad
- Hair transplant cost in Canada vs going abroad
- Canadian hip replacement wait vs going abroad
- Canadian knee replacement wait vs going abroad
- IVF cost in Canada vs going abroad
From Canada: questions
Is it cheaper to have treatment abroad than to pay privately in Canada?
Often, for the procedure price alone. Whether the trip is cheaper depends on the flight, the nights you need to stay and the time off work. The table on this page shows the gap before travel; the calculator adds travel.
Which procedures can I compare from Canada?
MRI scans, cataract operations, laser eye operations, dental implants, veneers, hair transplants, hip replacements, knee replacements and IVF cycles, against published prices in up to 8 countries.
Will my health plan pay if I go abroad?
Ask your provincial plan before booking. We have not reviewed provincial out-of-country rules yet.
Are the waiting times on this site for my hospital?
No. They are national or regional statistics. Your own wait depends on your hospital, your priority and your referral date.
Sources
- Wait times for priority procedures in Canada, 2008 to 2025: data tables. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Magnetic resonance (MRI). Insight Medical Imaging (Alberta). Read 26 October 2026.
- Pricing. LASIK MD. Read 26 October 2026.
- How much do dental implants cost in Ontario?. Skymark Smile Centre (Ontario dental clinic). Read 26 October 2026.
- Veneers cost in Vancouver: what you’re actually paying for. Transcend Specialized Dentistry, Vancouver, 11 July 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Hair transplant cost (calculator). Hasson & Wong, Vancouver. Read 26 October 2026.
- Fertility treatment fees. TRIO Fertility (Toronto). Read 26 October 2026.
- Fees. CReATe Fertility Centre (Toronto). Read 26 October 2026.
- Wait times in Canada, 2026. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.