Spain
Medical treatment in Spain: hospitals, waiting times and prices for visitors
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Two to three hours from the UK and Ireland, with many flights. In the EU, and its big private hospital groups run international patient offices.
- Hospitals and clinics listed
- 7 in 4 cities
- Treatments with a price
- 3 of 16
- Cities
- Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and Valencia
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Spanish (and Catalan in Barcelona); international departments of private hospitals work in English.
- NHS / HSE schemes
- EU: S2 (public providers only) and Cross Border Directive (Ireland)
Hospitals in Spain for international patients, by city
We list only providers with their own service for patients from abroad and a track record they publish: a university or teaching hospital, international accreditation, or large published volumes. Open a hospital for how to book and how soon it says it can see you.
Madrid3 providers · airport MAD
Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Madrid site), HM Hospitales, Baviera's international clinic on Paseo de la Castellana, IVI Madrid clinics.
Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Madrid and Pamplona)
- Cancer care
- Check-ups
No booking time published: ask in writing
Prices on requestDetails
Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera)
- Eyes
Booking: Surgery with no waiting lists
2 published pricesDetails
HM Hospitales (International HM)
- Cancer care
- Neurology
- Heart
- Orthopaedics
Reply: “We respond within 48–72 hours (up to 4 days in oncology), along with a detailed medical assessment and a clear quote.”
Prices on requestDetails
Barcelona2 providers · airport BCN
Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre (eye) and Quirónsalud's Centro Médico Teknon, both with international pages.
Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud)
- Heart
- Orthopaedics
- Cosmetic surgery
- Cancer care
Reply: “We will respond within 48 hours”
Prices on requestDetails
Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre
- Eyes
No booking time published: ask in writing
Prices on requestDetails
Málaga1 provider · airport AGP
Vithas Xanit International Hospital (JCI claim, 16-language international service) in Benalmádena; Baviera and IVI also have Málaga clinics.
Vithas Xanit International Hospital
- Cancer care
- Heart
- Eyes
- Fertility
No booking time published: ask in writing
Prices on requestDetails
Valencia1 provider · airport VLC
IVI's registered address and Baviera's Valencia clinic; IVI also treats in Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga.
IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain)
- Fertility
Booking: “All-included with no waiting lists and a personal Patient Care Assistant.”
1 published priceDetails
How soon hospitals in Spain say they can see you
These are each hospital's own words, not our estimate. “Booking” is how soon it says you can be seen, “Department wait” is a wait it publishes for one department, and “Reply” is how fast it answers an enquiry. Few hospitals publish waiting times by department; where none is published, ask the international office for a date in writing before you book flights.
| Hospital | City | Which wait | For | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud) | Barcelona | Reply | Reply to an international enquiry | “We will respond within 48 hours” |
| Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre | Barcelona | Booking | Any treatment | Not published: ask in writing |
| Vithas Xanit International Hospital | Málaga | Booking | Any treatment | Not published: ask in writing |
| Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Madrid and Pamplona) | Madrid | Booking | Any treatment | Not published: ask in writing |
| Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera) | Madrid | Booking | Cataract surgery waiting list | Surgery with no waiting lists |
| IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain) | Valencia | Booking | Waiting list for Fly & Care treatments | “All-included with no waiting lists and a personal Patient Care Assistant.” |
| HM Hospitales (International HM) | Madrid | Reply | Second medical opinion reply | “We respond within 48–72 hours (up to 4 days in oncology), along with a detailed medical assessment and a clear quote.” |
Prices in Spain by procedure
Each range covers only prices that match the procedure's unit (for example one MRI area, or one eye). Open a procedure for every line and what it includes.
| Procedure | Providers | In GBP | In USD | UK private, for comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery in Spain | Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera) | about £1,660 | about $2,220 | about £2,000 to £3,610 |
| Laser eye surgery in Spain | Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera) | about £879 | about $1,180 | about £2,590 to £7,500 |
| IVF in Spain | IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain) | about £4,480 | about $5,990 | about £3,800 |
Not listed: MRI scans, CT scans, colonoscopies, gastroscopies, health check-ups, heart check-ups, cancer screening packages, dental implants, full-arch implant treatments, veneers, hair transplants, hip replacements and knee replacements. We did not find a published price in Spain that we could verify.
Compare with your wait and price at home
Pick where you live and a treatment to see the price in Spain and how soon hospitals say they can see you, next to your wait at home.
Official figures and rules for patients from abroad
- Spain was estimated to be the most visited country by residents of Great Britain in 2024 (18.2 million visits), followed by France (9.1 million) and Italy (4.9 million). ONS marks these as official statistics in development. figures
- UK residents visited Spain the most in 2023, accounting for 21% of all visits abroad; followed by France (11%), Italy (6%) and Greece (5%). figures
- Quirónsalud's international service is only for non-Spanish nationals who hold international insurance or are private patients; international patients with Spanish national insurance book at quironsalud.com. rule
Entry rules
We link to the official advice rather than restating it, because entry rules change. Check the page for your passport before you book:
- UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements)
- Canadian citizens (travel.gc.ca)
- US citizens (State Department, choose the country)
- Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country)
Can you claim the cost back?
From England (NHS): the S2 route can fund planned treatment in an EU country, but only state healthcare with a public provider, never private treatment, and only with approval before you go. NHS England must also confirm it cannot treat you in a medically acceptable time. The private clinics on this page do not qualify. NHS: the S2 funding route.
From Ireland (HSE): Spain 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 a medical trip to Spain
- Ask each clinic for a written, itemised quote and the appointment in writing before booking flights.
- Check that your travel insurance covers planned medical treatment; many policies exclude it.
- Ask for reports in English and images in a format your doctor at home can open. See how to bring your results home.
- Know who to contact if you have a problem after you fly home, and tell your own doctor before you go.
Other countries
All 20 countries we compare, or start from a procedure: MRI scans, CT scans, colonoscopies, gastroscopies, health check-ups, heart check-ups, cancer screening packages, cataract operations, laser eye operations, dental implants, full-arch implant treatments, veneers, hair transplants, hip replacements, knee replacements, IVF cycles.
Treatment in Spain: questions
What treatments have published prices in Spain?
We found prices we could check for cataract operations, laser eye operations and IVF cycles. We have no verified price for MRI scans, CT scans, colonoscopies, gastroscopies, health check-ups, heart check-ups, cancer screening packages, dental implants, full-arch implant treatments, veneers, hair transplants, hip replacements and knee replacements yet.
Which hospitals in Spain take international patients?
We list 7 in Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and Valencia: Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud), Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre, Vithas Xanit International Hospital, Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Madrid and Pamplona), Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera), IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain) and HM Hospitales (International HM). Each runs its own service for patients from abroad. Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud), Vithas Xanit International Hospital and Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Madrid and Pamplona) name JCI accreditation.
How long do you wait for treatment in Spain?
Hospitals publish their own booking times, for example Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera) (cataract surgery waiting list): Surgery with no waiting lists; IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain) (waiting list for fly & care treatments): “All-included with no waiting lists and a personal Patient Care Assistant.”. Ask for a date in writing before booking flights.
Is it safe to have treatment in Spain?
We cannot judge the safety of a clinic, and listing a price is not a recommendation. Ask the clinic about the doctor's qualifications, how complications are handled, and who looks after you when you are home, and talk to your own doctor first.
Do I need a visa for medical treatment in Spain?
It depends on your passport and how long you stay. Use the official pages linked on this page: the FCDO for UK citizens, travel.gc.ca for Canadians, the State Department for US citizens and the Department of Foreign Affairs for Irish citizens.
Can I claim the cost back from the NHS or HSE?
From England, only for state treatment at a public provider approved in advance through the S2 route. From Ireland, the Cross Border Directive scheme can repay up to the Irish public cost of the same care.
What language do clinics in Spain use?
Spanish (and Catalan in Barcelona); international departments of private hospitals work in English.
Sources
- Appointments for international patients. Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera). Read 27 October 2026.
- Prices. Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera). Read 27 October 2026.
- Centres and specialties. IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain). Read 27 October 2026.
- Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
- Cross Border Directive: how to get healthcare abroad. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
- Cross Border Directive: DRG codes and how much you can claim. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- International patients. Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud). Read 27 October 2026.
- About the hospital. Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud). Read 27 October 2026.
- International patients. Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre. Read 27 October 2026.
- International patients. Vithas Xanit International Hospital. Read 27 October 2026.
- International patients. Baviera (formerly Clínica Baviera). Read 27 October 2026.
- International patients. IVI Fertility (clinics in Spain). Read 27 October 2026.
- International patients. HM Hospitales (International HM). Read 27 October 2026.
- Appointments for international patients. HM Hospitales (International HM). Read 27 October 2026.
- Official figures. ons.gov.uk. Read 27 October 2026.
- Official figures. ons.gov.uk. Read 27 October 2026.
- How to book as an international patient. Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud). Read 27 October 2026.