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From Ireland · MRI scan · Portugal

MRI scan in Portugal from Ireland: what the trip costs against paying at home

Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Short answer

For Irish patients, an MRI scan in Portugal costs €490–€970 at the clinic we checked, or about €820 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about €510 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in Ireland (€310).

Clinic price
€490–€9701 provider, one body area
With travel
€820clinic €490 + about €330 travel (rough estimate)
Pay privately in Ireland
€310
Wait in Ireland
No official figure found
Cover in Ireland
Not reviewed yet
Soonest booking there
Not published: ask in writing
Rank from Ireland
3 of 7 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR

Trip total €820€510 over home

Lowest published clinic price and a rough travel estimate from Ireland (return flight and hotel); the amber line is the lowest self-pay price at home. The travel part is an estimate, not a quote.

Figure 2MRI scan: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country

Total trip in EUR: lowest to highest published price plus the same rough travel estimate. The dashed line is the lowest self-pay price at home. Click a country for its page for Irish patients.

Hospitals in Portugal that offer an MRI scan

These hospitals run a service for international patients and offer an MRI scan. Open one for how to book and what it publishes.

Published MRI scan prices in Portugal

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.

MRI scan prices in Portugal
ProviderPublished priceWhat the price is forSource
Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde)Lisbon€490 to €970about £410–£812 · C$768–C$1,520 · $548–$1,090Ressonância magnética (sem contraste)Without contrast. Price table says it excludes clinical consumables and drugs 'Preços em vigor a partir de 20 de fevereiro de 2026'; 'sujeitos a alteração sem aviso prévio'.Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde)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

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for an MRI scan in Ireland.

Paying privately in Ireland: €310, from Affidea Ireland.

Can the HSE pay?

From Ireland (HSE): Portugal is one of the EU countries listed for the Cross Border Directive scheme. You pay the provider yourself and then claim back the smaller of what you paid and what the same care would cost in the Irish public system; travel and hotels are not covered, and you need a referral from a GP or a consultant you saw as a public patient. HSE: Cross Border Directive, how much you can claim.

Planning the trip from Ireland

  1. Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for an MRI scan and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
  2. Before you goGet your home doctor's referral letter or the question they want answered; take it with you.
  3. Before you goBook the scan before the flights and ask for the appointment in writing.
  4. Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers medical procedures abroad. Many policies do not.
  5. Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
  6. LanguagePortuguese; private hospitals that serve foreigners work in English.
  7. After you returnGive your doctor the report and the DICOM images. An English report saves a translation step.
  8. After you returnIf the report finds something, the follow-up (more tests, treatment) normally happens at home.

Compare with your wait and price at home

Compare Portugal with every other country for an MRI scan from Ireland: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

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Related pages

MRI scan in Portugal from Ireland: questions

How much is an MRI scan in Portugal for Irish patients?

The published prices we found work out at €490–€970 at the clinic, from Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde). Adding a rough travel estimate of €330 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about €820. Your own fares and dates will change that part.

Is it cheaper than paying privately in Ireland?

No, not on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is €310, about €510 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to Portugal.

How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Ireland?

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for this in Ireland.

How many days do I need in Portugal?

1 day for the scan; add a day if the clinic wants a doctor to see you first. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.

Will the HSE pay for it?

Possibly in part: the Cross Border Directive scheme refunds up to what the same care costs in the Irish public system, after you have paid and with a referral.

Sources

  1. Prices. Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde). Read 27 October 2026.
  2. MRI scan. Affidea Ireland. Read 26 October 2026.
  3. Cross Border Directive: how to get healthcare abroad. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  4. Cross Border Directive: DRG codes and how much you can claim. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  5. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.