From UK · CT scan · Portugal
CT scan in Portugal from the UK: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For UK patients, a CT scan in Portugal costs £184–£544 at the clinic we checked, or about £414 with a rough travel estimate added.
- Clinic price
- £184–£5441 provider, one CT scan of one body area
- With travel
- £414clinic £184 + about £230 travel (rough estimate)
- Pay privately in UK
- Not verified
- Wait in UK
- 11.2% waiting over 6 weeks (August 2026)
- Cover in UK
- The NHS does CT scans when a GP or specialist refers you, at no charge; the radiologist writes to the doctor who referred you.
- Soonest booking there
- Not published: ask in writing
- Rank from UK
- 2 of 4 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in GBP
Trip total £414
Figure 2CT scan: cheapest trip from the UK, by country
How soon hospitals in Portugal can see you
At home the official figure is 11.2% waiting over 6 weeks. These hospitals run a service for international patients; the booking time is each one's own words.
Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde)
No booking time published: ask in writing
2 published pricesDetails
Published CT 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.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde)Lisbon | €220 to €650about £184–£544 · C$345–C$1,020 · $246–$728 | TACTable excludes consumables and drugs 'Preços em vigor a partir de 20 de fevereiro de 2026'. | 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 the UK
England, August 2026: 11.2% waiting over 6 weeks. Share of people on the NHS CT waiting list who had already waited 6 weeks or more (181,619 waiting; median wait 1.9 weeks, the shortest of the 15 tests). Waits and prices for a CT scan in the UK.
Can the NHS pay?
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.
Planning the trip from the UK
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for a CT scan and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goTake your referral letter, or the question your doctor wants the scan to answer.
- Before you goTell the clinic in advance about kidney problems, diabetes medicines or an allergy to contrast dye.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements).
- LanguagePortuguese; private hospitals that serve foreigners work in English.
- After you returnGive your doctor the report and the DICOM images.
- After you returnIf the scan finds something, the follow-up normally happens at home.
Compare with your wait and price at home
Compare Portugal with every other country for a CT scan from the UK: price, how soon, and the hospitals.
Related pages
CT scan in Portugal from the UK: questions
How much is a CT scan in Portugal for UK patients?
The published prices we found work out at £184–£544 at the clinic, from Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde). Adding a rough travel estimate of £230 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about £414. Your own fares and dates will change that part.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in the UK?
We have not verified a self-pay price in the UK for this, so compare the trip total with a written quote from a provider at home.
How long is the wait for a CT scan in the UK?
England: 11.2% waiting over 6 weeks (August 2026). Share of people on the NHS CT waiting list who had already waited 6 weeks or more (181,619 waiting; median wait 1.9 weeks, the shortest of the 15 tests).
How many days do I need in Portugal?
1 day for the scan and the report. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will the NHS pay for it?
Only through the S2 route, for state treatment at a public provider, approved before you travel. Private clinics like those on this page do not qualify.
Sources
- Prices. Hospital da Luz Lisboa (Luz Saúde). Read 27 October 2026.
- Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
- CT scan. NHS (nhs.uk), 8 November 2023. Read 27 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.