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From Ireland · Knee replacement · United Arab Emirates

Knee replacement in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: what the trip costs against the wait at home

Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Short answer

For Irish patients, a knee replacement in United Arab Emirates costs €18,250 at the clinic we checked, or about €19,700 with a rough travel estimate added.

Clinic price
€18,2501 provider, one primary total knee replacement on one side, with the implant and hospital stay. Partial knees and fees without the implant are shown but not compared
With travel
€19,700clinic €18,250 + about €1,450 travel (rough estimate)
Pay privately in Ireland
Not verified
Wait in Ireland
About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) (24 September 2026)
Cover in Ireland
Public hospitals do knee replacements, and the NTPF can arrange treatment elsewhere for public patients who have waited a long time.
Soonest booking there
Not published: ask in writing
Rank from Ireland
6 of 6 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR

Trip total €19,700

Lowest published clinic price and a rough travel estimate from Ireland (return flight and hotel). The travel part is an estimate, not a quote.

Figure 2Knee replacement: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country

Total trip in EUR: lowest to highest published price plus the same rough travel estimate. Click a country for its page for Irish patients.

How soon hospitals in United Arab Emirates can see you

At home the official figure is about 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery). These hospitals run a service for international patients; the booking time is each one's own words.

Published knee replacement prices in United Arab Emirates

Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.

Knee replacement prices in United Arab Emirates
ProviderPublished priceWhat the price is forSource
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)DubaiAED 75,000about £15,280 · €18,250 · C$28,580 · $20,420TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY SURGICAL PACKAGE FOR MEDICAL TOURISM (unilateral)Same inclusions as the hip package; 2 days inpatient; 'Gross price 84,600'. Excludes ICU, CT/MRI, take-home medication; extra days extra.Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026
Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)DubaiAED 120,000about £24,440 · €29,190 · C$45,730 · $32,680TKR bilateral surgical package for medical tourismBoth knees; 'Gross price AED145,000'; two days; take-home medication up to 7 days appears to be included ('Take home medication other than 7 days' excluded)Not comparableMediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)read 27 October 2026

Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.

Against waiting or paying in Ireland

Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026: 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. Waits and prices for a knee replacement in Ireland.

Can the HSE pay?

NHS and HSE schemes do not reach United Arab Emirates. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and the HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Treatment in United Arab Emirates is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.

Planning the trip from Ireland

  1. Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for a knee replacement and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
  2. Before you goSend recent X-rays and a list of your medicines, and ask for a written, itemised quote with the implant named.
  3. Before you goArrange physiotherapy at home for after you return before you book.
  4. Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers planned surgery abroad and a delayed flight home. Most standard policies do not.
  5. Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
  6. LanguageArabic; English is the everyday language of private hospitals.
  7. After you returnGive your GP and physiotherapist the operation note with the implant details.
  8. After you returnA hot, swollen calf, chest pain or breathlessness after the flight need emergency care straight away.

Compare with your wait and price at home

Compare United Arab Emirates with every other country for a knee replacement from Ireland: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

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Knee replacement in United Arab Emirates from Ireland: questions

How much is a knee replacement in United Arab Emirates for Irish patients?

The published prices we found work out at €18,250 at the clinic, from Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Adding a rough travel estimate of €1,450 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about €19,700. Your own fares and dates will change that part.

Is it cheaper than paying privately in Ireland?

We have not verified a self-pay price in Ireland for this, so compare the trip total with a written quote from a provider at home.

How long is the wait for a knee replacement in Ireland?

Ireland (public hospitals): About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) (24 September 2026). 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.

How many days do I need in United Arab Emirates?

About 10 to 14 days in many cases: 2 to 4 nights in hospital, then physiotherapy near the clinic until the surgeon says you can fly. Ask for the clinic’s own rule. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.

Will the HSE pay for it?

No. HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland; United Arab Emirates is outside them.

Sources

  1. Prices. Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai). Read 27 October 2026.
  2. Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
  3. Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
  4. Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  5. Options while on a waiting list. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 27 October 2026.
  6. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.