From UK · IVF · China
IVF in China from the UK: what the trip costs against paying at home
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For UK patients, an IVF cycle in China costs £2,470–£5,050 at the clinic we checked, or about £4,290 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about £492 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in the UK (£3,800).
- Clinic price
- £2,470–£5,0501 provider, one IVF or ICSI cycle with your own eggs: monitoring, egg collection, lab work and one fresh embryo transfer. Medicines count as included only where the clinic says so
- With travel
- £4,290clinic £2,470 + about £1,820 travel (rough estimate)
- Pay privately in UK
- £3,800
- Wait in UK
- No official figure found
- Cover in UK
- NICE says to offer IVF to women under 42 (3 cycles under 40, 1 cycle at 40 or 41), but each local ICB decides who it funds and may add rules on age, weight, smoking or children.
- Soonest booking there
- Not published: ask in writing
- Rank from UK
- 6 of 8 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in GBP
Trip total £4,290£492 over home
Figure 2IVF: cheapest trip from the UK, by country
How soon hospitals in China can see you
These hospitals run a service for international patients; the booking time is each one's own words.
Jiahui International Hospital
- Fertility
- Imaging
- Digestive
No booking time published: ask in writing
19 published pricesDetails
Published IVF cycle prices in China
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiahui International HospitalShanghai | CN¥42,000about £4,710 · €5,630 · C$8,810 · $6,300 | IVF-ET packagePackage; medicines not stated. | Jiahui International Hospitalread 27 October 2026 |
| Jiahui International HospitalShanghai | CN¥45,000about £5,050 · €6,030 · C$9,440 · $6,750 | ICSI packagePackage; medicines not stated. | Jiahui International Hospitalread 27 October 2026 |
| Jiahui International HospitalShanghai | CN¥22,000about £2,470 · €2,950 · C$4,620 · $3,300 | Early-bird IVF-ETContents and medicines not stated. No validity shown on page. | Jiahui International Hospitalread 27 October 2026 |
| Jiahui International HospitalShanghai | CN¥30,000about £3,360 · €4,020 · C$6,290 · $4,500 | Early-bird ICSIContents and medicines not stated. No validity shown on page. | Jiahui International Hospitalread 27 October 2026 |
| Jiahui International HospitalShanghai | CN¥15,000about £1,680 · €2,010 · C$3,150 · $2,250 | Frozen embryo transferAs listed.Not comparable | Jiahui International Hospitalread 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.
The low prices are official maximums for the ordinary service of public hospitals, where few staff speak English. International departments and private hospitals cost far more: Shanghai International Medical Center lists ¥3,500 for an MRI of one site against the city's public cap of ¥430 (SIMC, Shanghai notice).
Entry. China's Foreign Ministry announced visa-free stays of up to 30 days for holders of ordinary British and Canadian passports from 17 February 2026 (MFA, in Chinese); the Chinese embassy in Canada lists Canada, the UK and Ireland among the unilateral visa-free countries until 31 December 2026 (embassy page, in Chinese). The 240-hour transit visa-free scheme now covers 57 countries and needs a confirmed onward ticket to a third country (Xinhua). We did not find an official page confirming visa-free entry for US citizens. Rules change: check before you book.
Against waiting or paying in the UK
We have not found an official waiting-time figure for an IVF cycle in the UK.
Paying privately in the UK: £3,800, from CREATE Fertility.
Can the NHS pay?
NHS and HSE schemes do not reach China. 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 China is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.
Planning the trip from the UK
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for an IVF cycle and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goCheck what your home health service funds first. NICE in England recommends up to three cycles under 40, but local health boards decide, and the HSE in Ireland funds one round for eligible couples.
- Before you goAsk the clinic for a written plan with dates, medicines and every fee, and agree how embryos are stored if you do not use them all.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements).
- LanguageMandarin; English is reliable only in international departments and private hospitals.
- After you returnTell your GP if you are pregnant after treatment abroad, with the clinic’s report on the transfer.
- After you returnSevere tummy pain, swelling or breathlessness after egg collection can be a reaction to the hormones and needs urgent care.
Compare with your wait and price at home
Compare China with every other country for an IVF cycle from the UK: price, how soon, and the hospitals.
Related pages
IVF in China from the UK: questions
How much is an IVF cycle in China for UK patients?
The published prices we found work out at £2,470–£5,050 at the clinic, from Jiahui International Hospital. Adding a rough travel estimate of £1,820 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about £4,290. Your own fares and dates will change that part.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in the UK?
No, not on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is £3,800, about £492 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to China.
How long is the wait for an IVF cycle in the UK?
We have not found an official waiting-time figure for this in the UK.
How many days do I need in China?
About 2 to 3 weeks for a fresh cycle if you start the injections at the clinic; less if the clinic lets you start them at home and come for the last scans, egg collection and transfer. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will the NHS pay for it?
No. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU and a few other European countries; China is outside it.
Sources
- Centres and specialties. Jiahui International Hospital. Read 27 October 2026.
- IVF & fertility treatment costs: our prices. CREATE Fertility (UK). Read 26 October 2026.
- Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
- Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
- Price list (service guide). Shanghai International Medical Center (SIMC). Read 26 October 2026.
- Hu Yi Bao Jia Cai Fa [2025] No. 11 (沪医保价采发〔2025〕11号): radiology examination prices (in Chinese). Shanghai Municipal Healthcare Security Administration, 16 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Foreign Ministry spokesperson on visa-free entry for Canada and the UK from 17 February 2026 (in Chinese). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, 15 February 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Unilateral visa-free policy (单方面免签) (in Chinese). Embassy of the PRC in Canada, May 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- 240-hour transit visa-free policy extended to 57 countries (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency, 20 August 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (NG257), access criteria for IVF. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 31 March 2026. Read 27 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.