Canada · CT scan
Canadian CT scan waiting time vs paying privately or going abroad
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Provincial plans pay for a CT scan a doctor orders; provinces report the waits to CIHI.
Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median, and the wait that 1 in 10 people exceeded (April to September 2025): median 14.7 days; 1 in 10 waited over 144 days (Canada (national), 2025). Published prices abroad start at C$128 in Hungary, before travel.
- Official wait
- Median 14.7 days; 1 in 10 waited over 144 days (2025)
- Pay at home
- Not verified
- Abroad, before travel
- about C$128 to C$587 in 3 countries
- Paid by your province?
- Yes
How soon hospitals abroad say they can see you
Your province pays for a CT scan, so the question is time. These are each hospital's own words; ask for a date in writing before you book flights.
- Wáberer Medical Center (Budapest) (Hungary, booking): “We can make appointments for diagnostic imaging tests within 24 hours.”
The official waiting figure
- Median 14.7 days; 1 in 10 waited over 144 days — Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median, and the wait that 1 in 10 people exceeded (April to September 2025). Canada (national), 2025. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
- Median 6 days; 1 in 10 waited over 116 days — Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median and 90th percentile (April to September 2025). Ontario, 2025. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
- Median 28 days; 1 in 10 waited over 243 days — Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median and 90th percentile (April to September 2025). British Columbia, 2025. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
- Median 32 days; 1 in 10 waited over 143 days — Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median and 90th percentile (April to September 2025). Alberta, 2025. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
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.
Paying privately in Canada
We have not yet verified a published self-pay price.
Published prices abroad, in CAD
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before travel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| CT scan in Hungary | about C$128 to C$214 | — |
| CT scan in China | about C$378 to C$587 | — |
| CT scan in Japan | about C$491 | — |
Compare with your wait and price at home
See whether the trip, with a rough travel estimate, still costs less than paying in Canada.
When not to travel
- Emergencies such as chest pain, a suspected stroke or a serious injury. Go to an emergency department.
- Pregnancy, unless a doctor has decided the scan is needed.
- Scans no doctor has asked for: repeated CT adds radiation and finds harmless things that then need follow-up.
Next steps
CT scan from Canada: questions
How long is the Canadian wait for CT scans?
Median 14.7 days; 1 in 10 waited over 144 days (Canada (national), 2025). Days from the decision to scan to the CT scan: median, and the wait that 1 in 10 people exceeded (April to September 2025).
How much does a private CT scan cost in Canada?
We have not verified a published price yet.
Where abroad is a CT scan cheapest from Canada?
Before travel: Hungary about C$128 to C$214, China about C$378 to C$587 and Japan about C$491. Add travel, roughly a return flight and a hotel, to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a CT scan abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the CT scan should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
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.
- Wait times in Canada, 2026. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Accreditation. Wáberer Medical Center (Budapest). Read 27 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.