From UK · Knee replacement · Mexico
Knee replacement in Mexico from the UK: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For UK patients, a knee replacement in Mexico costs £9,720 at the clinic we checked, or about £11,320 once an example return flight and 10 hotel nights are added. That is about £5,590 less than the lowest self-pay price we found in the UK (£16,910).
- Clinic price
- £9,7201 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
- Example trip
- £11,320clinic £9,720 + flight £800 + 10 hotel nights £800
- Pay privately in UK
- £16,910
- Wait in UK
- 61.1% within 18 weeks (all orthopaedics) (August 2026)
- Time there
- 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
- Rank from UK
- 4 of 4 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in GBP
Trip total £11,320£5,590 under home
Figure 2Knee replacement: cheapest trip from the UK, by country
Published knee replacement prices in Mexico
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico Orthopedic Center (at Hospital Azar)Tijuana | $12,995about £9,720 · €11,610 · C$18,190 | Total knee replacement, all-inclusive packageSurgeon and anaesthetist fees, pre-operative tests, US implants, 2 nights at Hospital Azar, 2 hotel nights, transport from San Diego airport, post-op nurse visits, walker or crutches and take-home medicines. A cost page on the same site gives “$13,000+” in a “Mexico Average” column. | Mexico Orthopedic Center (Tijuana)read 26 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.
Tijuana and Los Algodones sit on the US border, and the clinics here quote in US dollars. Hospital MAC's list is a general public price list valid to 31 December 2026; the dental and eye clinics do not date their pages.
Against waiting or paying in the UK
England, August 2026: 61.1% within 18 weeks (all orthopaedics). Trauma and orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (843,419 waiting; 4 trusts did not submit data). Waits and prices for a knee replacement in the UK.
Paying privately in the UK: £16,910, from Nuffield Health.
Can the NHS pay?
NHS and HSE schemes do not reach Mexico. 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 Mexico 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 a knee replacement and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goSend recent X-rays and a list of your medicines, and ask for a written, itemised quote with the implant named.
- Before you goArrange physiotherapy at home for after you return before you book.
- Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers planned surgery abroad and a delayed flight home. Most standard policies do not.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: UK citizens (FCDO entry requirements).
- LanguageSpanish; border clinics that serve US patients usually work in English.
- After you returnGive your GP and physiotherapist the operation note with the implant details.
- After you returnA hot, swollen calf, chest pain or breathlessness after the flight need emergency care straight away.
Add your flight and hotel
Put in your real fare from the UK and your hotel to see the total for Mexico next to every other country.
Related pages
Knee replacement in Mexico from the UK: questions
How much is a knee replacement in Mexico for UK patients?
The published prices we found work out at £9,720 at the clinic, from Mexico Orthopedic Center (at Hospital Azar). With an example return flight of £800 and 10 hotel nights at £80, the trip comes to about £11,320. Your own fares and dates will change the total.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in the UK?
Yes, by about £5,590 on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is £16,910. The gap shrinks if your flight costs more or you need extra nights.
How long is the wait for a knee replacement in the UK?
England: 61.1% within 18 weeks (all orthopaedics) (August 2026). Trauma and orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: share of people waiting who were within 18 weeks of referral (843,419 waiting; 4 trusts did not submit data).
How many days do I need in Mexico?
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 NHS pay for it?
No. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU and a few other European countries; Mexico is outside it.
Sources
- Knee replacement procedure. Mexico Orthopedic Center (Tijuana). Read 26 October 2026.
- Knee replacement. Nuffield Health. Read 26 October 2026.
- Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times statistical press notice, August 2026. NHS England, 8 October 2026. 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.
- Lista de precios público general, Hospital MAC Tijuana (valid 1 Sep to 31 Dec 2026). Hospitales MAC, 1 September 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.