How we check prices and waiting times, and the full ledger
Every number on Wait or Fly lives in one ledger. This page explains the rules and lists every line. Download it as prices.csv.
The rules
- Only published prices. A price must appear on the provider's own website or price list, or in an official fee schedule. We do not use brokers, medical-travel agencies, forum posts or prices given to us privately.
- Read, not summarised. We open each page or PDF ourselves and copy the price, the item name and what it includes. Search-engine snippets are never a source.
- Dated. Each line records the date we read it (Taipei time). The site's build fails if a line has not been re-checked for six months, or if a provider's stated validity has ended.
- Comparable or not. A line counts towards the headline range only if it matches the procedure's unit (one MRI area, one eye, one finished tooth). Bundles that cannot be compared are shown but marked “not comparable”.
- Gaps stay gaps. If we found no price for a country, there is no page for it. We do not estimate.
- Waiting times are official statistics: NHS England, the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Ireland's National Treatment Purchase Fund. Each measures something different, so every figure carries its label.
- One exchange rate. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. Your bank's rate will differ.
- No paid listings. No clinic pays to appear, and listing a price is not a recommendation. The pages have not been reviewed by a doctor.
Known limits
- US home prices are 2021 hospital cash-price medians from a published study; no newer national figure was found.
- The English cataract and Irish eye-surgery waits cover all of ophthalmology, not cataract alone.
- Some Thai and Japanese prices are for residents or are silent about foreign patients; the country pages say which.
- Flights and hotels in the calculator are example figures, not prices we checked.
Found an error or a newer price? Email contact@waitorfly.com with the link. See also about us.
Prices abroad (101 lines)
Number of price lines we read for each treatment and country. Each number links to the page that lists every line with what it includes and its source; the CSV file has all of them in one table.
| Treatment | Mexico | Turkey | Poland | Hungary | South Korea | Japan | Thailand | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI | 1 | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 4 |
| Colonoscopy | – | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | 1 |
| Health check | – | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – |
| Cataract | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 2 | – |
| Laser eye | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Dental implant | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Veneers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – |
| Hair transplant | – | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Hip replacement | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – |
| Knee replacement | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – |
| IVF | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 2 | – |
Self-pay prices at home (44 lines)
| Home · procedure | Provider | Item | Price | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK · MRI | Vista HealthUK-wide | MRI scan: off-peak (249), standard (360) or fast track within 7 days (380) | £249 to £380 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Colonoscopy | St John & St Elizabeth HospitalLondon | Diagnostic colonoscopy | £1,885 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Colonoscopy | Nuffield Health Cambridge HospitalCambridge | Colonoscopy guide price, including the first consultation | £3,180 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Colonoscopy | Nuffield Health Bournemouth HospitalBournemouth | Colonoscopy guide price, including the first consultation | £3,505 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Health check | HCA Healthcare UKLondon | reAssure health assessment, levels I to IV | £385 to £1,120 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Cataract | Optical ExpressUK-wide | Cataract surgery, per eye | From £2,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Cataract | St John & St Elizabeth HospitalLondon | Cataract surgery, standard lens, one eye | £2,175 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Cataract | Nuffield HealthUK-wide | Cataract surgery, one eye, average guide price | £3,613 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Dental implant | London dental clinic (dental-implants-london.co.uk)London | Single tooth implant | From £2,950 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · MRI | Affidea IrelandDublin | MRI scan | From €310 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Cataract | Optical Express IrelandIreland | Cataract surgery, per eye | From €3,195 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Dental implant | 3DentalDublin | Implant and crown, upper tooth | From €1,540 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · MRI | Insight Medical ImagingAlberta | MRI of the knee, shoulder or spine (749) or brain (799) | C$749 to C$799 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · Dental implant | Skymark Smile CentreOntario (Toronto area) | Single implant with post, abutment and crown | C$3,000 to C$6,500 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · MRI | Hospital cash prices (JAMA Network Open study)US hospitals | Median cash price, MRI of a leg joint (CPT 73721) | $1,534 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Colonoscopy | Hospital cash prices (JAMA Network Open study)US hospitals | Median cash price, diagnostic colonoscopy (CPT 45378) | $1,635 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Cataract | Hospital cash prices (JAMA Network Open study)US hospitals | Median cash price, cataract removal with lens insertion (CPT 66984) | $3,678 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Dental implant | University of Iowa College of DentistryIowa City | One dental implant, estimate by who treats you: student, resident or faculty | $2,000 to $6,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Laser eye | London Vision ClinicLondon (Harley St) | SMILE, LASIK, PRK/LASEK, from £2,950 up to £3,750 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | £5,900 to £7,500 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Laser eye | OptimaxUK (clinic network) | LASIK & LASEK, £1,295 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | £2,590 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Laser eye | Optical ExpressUK (clinic network) | LASIK, from £1,295 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | From £2,590 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Laser eye | Optical ExpressUK (clinic network) | LASEK, from £549 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | From £1,098 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Laser eye | Optical Express IrelandIreland (clinic network) | LASEK or LASIK, from €1,495 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | From €2,990 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Laser eye | OptilaseIreland (Dublin and other clinics) | LASIK or PRK, €2,097.50 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | €4,195 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Laser eye | OptilaseIreland | Standard Laser Eye Surgery, €795 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | €1,590 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · Laser eye | LASIK MDCanada (clinic network) | Standard LASIK from $490 per eye to Custom LASIK up to $3,090 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | From C$980 to C$6,180 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Laser eye | LasikPlusUS (clinic network) | All-laser LASIK, $2,495 to $2,895 per eye (our ×2 for both eyes) | $4,990 to $5,790 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Hair transplant | Harley Street Hair Transplant ClinicLondon (Harley Street) | 2,000 grafts, FUE or FUT | £5,500 to £6,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Hair transplant | Harley Street Hair Transplant ClinicLondon (Harley Street) | 3,000 grafts, FUE or FUT | £6,500 to £7,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · Hair transplant | Hasson & WongVancouver | FUE, 2,000 grafts, from the clinic’s cost calculator ($8 per graft up to 2,000 grafts) | C$16,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Hair transplant | Robotic Hair Restoration of Long IslandWoodbury, NY (Long Island) | Robotic follicular unit excision (ARTAS robotic FUE), one procedure | $7,500 to $14,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Veneers | Old Harlow Dental PracticeHarlow, Essex | Porcelain Veneer | £850 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · Veneers | 3DentalDublin, Limerick, Galway | Porcelain Veneers, per tooth | €600 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · Veneers | Transcend Specialized DentistryVancouver | Porcelain veneers, per tooth | C$2,500 to C$3,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Veneers | Aspen DentalUS (national chain) | Porcelain veneers, average $1,359 per tooth, range $990 to $2,169 | $990 to $2,169 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Hip replacement | Nuffield HealthUK-wide | Hip replacement, average guide price | From £16,579 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Hip replacement | Hospital cash prices (JAMA Network Open study)US hospitals | Median cash price, major joint replacement of the lower extremity without complications (DRG 470) | $29,097 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · Knee replacement | Nuffield HealthUK-wide | Total knee replacement, average guide price | £16,914 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · Knee replacement | Hospital cash prices (JAMA Network Open study)US hospitals | Median cash price, major joint replacement of the lower extremity without complications (DRG 470) | $29,097 | source26 October 2026 |
| UK · IVF | CREATE FertilityUK (16 CREATE clinics) | IVF cycle | From £3,795 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland · IVF | ReproMedDublin and Galway | IVF (in vitro fertilisation) | From €5,300 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · IVF | TRIO FertilityToronto | Non-funded IVF cycle | C$13,500 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada · IVF | CReATe Fertility CentreToronto | Non-insured IVF treatment cycle | C$9,000 | source26 October 2026 |
| US · IVF | CNY FertilityNew York State and other locations | Complete IVF cycle | $7,994 to $12,888 | source26 October 2026 |
Official waiting figures (13 lines)
| Home · procedure | Figure | What it measures | Period | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England · MRI | 22.0% waiting over 6 weeks | Share of people on the NHS MRI waiting list who had already waited 6 weeks or more (357,356 people waiting) | August 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| England · Colonoscopy | 30.9% waiting over 6 weeks | Share of people on the NHS colonoscopy waiting list who had already waited 6 weeks or more (76,686 waiting; gastroscopy 73,297 waiting, 29.9%) | August 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| England · Cataract | 72.2% within 18 weeks (all eye care) | Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (622,784 waiting) | August 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada (national) · MRI | Median 59 days; 1 in 10 waited over 206 days | Days from the decision to scan to the MRI: median, and the wait that 1 in 10 people exceeded | 2025 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada (national) · Cataract | Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days | Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark | 2025 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland (public hospitals) · Colonoscopy | About 30% waiting over 6 months | Adults on the inpatient/day-case list for GI endoscopy (colonoscopy and gastroscopy): 42,875, of whom about 30% had waited over 6 months | 24 September 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland (public hospitals) · Cataract | About 42% waiting over 6 months (all eye surgery) | Ophthalmology as a whole, not cataract alone: 14,382 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, about 42% waiting over 6 months; another 41,898 waiting for a first outpatient appointment | 24 September 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| England · Hip replacement | 61.1% within 18 weeks (all orthopaedics) | Trauma and orthopaedics as a whole, not hip replacement alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (843,419 waiting; 4 trusts did not submit data) | August 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada (national) · Hip replacement | Median 120 days; 1 in 10 waited over 321 days | Days from the decision to operate to hip replacement: median and 90th percentile; 69.2% were treated within the national benchmark (28,463 cases, April to September 2025) | 2025 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland (public hospitals) · Hip replacement | About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) | Orthopaedics as a whole, not hip replacement alone: 14,988 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, 5,275 (35.2%) waiting over 6 months; another 82,991 waiting for a first orthopaedic outpatient appointment, 46.4% of them over 6 months | 24 September 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| England · Knee replacement | 61.1% within 18 weeks (all orthopaedics) | Trauma and orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (843,419 waiting; 4 trusts did not submit data) | August 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
| Canada (national) · Knee replacement | Median 146 days; 1 in 10 waited over 361 days | Days from the decision to operate to knee replacement: median and 90th percentile; 62.8% were treated within the national benchmark (45,459 cases, April to September 2025) | 2025 | source26 October 2026 |
| Ireland (public hospitals) · Knee replacement | About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) | Orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: 14,988 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, 35.2% waiting over 6 months; 82,991 waiting for a first orthopaedic outpatient appointment, 46.4% over 6 months | 24 September 2026 | source26 October 2026 |
The source of every price abroad is on its treatment-and-country page and in the CSV file.
Sources for waits and prices at home
- MRI scans. Vista Health (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Colonoscopy. St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, London. Read 26 October 2026.
- Colonoscopy, Cambridge Hospital. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- Colonoscopy, Bournemouth Hospital. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- Health screening (reAssure). HCA Healthcare UK. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, London. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- What are the dental implants cost in the UK? Price guide. dental-implants-london.co.uk (London dental clinic). Read 26 October 2026.
- MRI scan. Affidea Ireland. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract surgery. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
- The cost of dental implants in Ireland. 3Dental (Dublin). Read 26 October 2026.
- Magnetic resonance (MRI). Insight Medical Imaging (Alberta). Read 26 October 2026.
- How much do dental implants cost in Ontario?. Skymark Smile Centre (Ontario dental clinic). Read 26 October 2026.
- Price transparency in hospitals: cash prices for common services (Jiang, Makary, Bai), JAMA Network Open. JAMA Network Open, via PubMed Central, 21 December 2021. Read 26 October 2026.
- Dental implants: patient care. University of Iowa College of Dentistry. Read 26 October 2026.
- Prices. London Vision Clinic. Read 26 October 2026.
- Our eye surgery costs. Optimax. Read 26 October 2026.
- Laser eye surgery pricing. Optical Express (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Laser eye surgery pricing. Optical Express (Ireland). Read 26 October 2026.
- Optilase Price Guide, Ireland, September 2026 (PDF). Optilase, 29 September 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Pricing. LASIK MD. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cost of LASIK. LasikPlus. Read 26 October 2026.
- Hair transplant cost and pricing. Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinic, London. Read 26 October 2026.
- Hair transplant cost (calculator). Hasson & Wong, Vancouver. Read 26 October 2026.
- The cost of hair restoration treatment. Robotic Hair Restoration of Long Island, 3 November 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Private fees 2026. Old Harlow Dental Practice, Essex. Read 26 October 2026.
- Price list. 3Dental (Dublin, Limerick, Galway). 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.
- Veneers cost. Aspen Dental. Read 26 October 2026.
- Hip replacement. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- Knee replacement. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- IVF & fertility treatment costs: our prices. CREATE Fertility (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Treatment costs. ReproMed (Dublin and Galway). Read 26 October 2026.
- Fertility treatment fees. TRIO Fertility (Toronto). Read 26 October 2026.
- Fees. CReATe Fertility Centre (Toronto). Read 26 October 2026.
- IVF cost 2026: breakdown of prices, add-ons and how to save. CNY Fertility. Read 26 October 2026.
- Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times statistical press notice, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- 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.
- Open data: inpatient/day case GI endoscopy waiting list by hospital, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.