From US · CT scan · Hungary
CT scan in Hungary from the US: what the trip costs against paying at home
Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For Americans, a CT scan in Hungary costs $92–$153 at the clinic we checked, or about $1,150 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about $797 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in the US ($355).
- Clinic price
- $92–$1531 provider, one CT scan of one body area
- With travel
- $1,150clinic $92 + about $1,060 travel (rough estimate)
- Pay privately in US
- $355
- Wait in US
- No national waiting list
- Cover in US
- Medicare Part B covers a CT scan your provider orders; you pay 20% after the deductible. Private plans set their own rules.
- Soonest booking there
- “We can make appointments for diagnostic imaging tests within 24 hours.”Wáberer Medical Center (Budapest)
- Rank from US
- 1 of 3 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in USD
Trip total $1,150$797 over home
Figure 2CT scan: cheapest trip from the US, by country
Hospitals in Hungary that offer a CT scan
These hospitals run a service for international patients and offer a CT scan. Open one for how to book and what it publishes.
Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)
- Imaging
No booking time published: ask in writing
25 published pricesDetails
Wáberer Medical Center (Budapest)
- Imaging
- Check-ups
- Orthopaedics
Booking: “We can make appointments for diagnostic imaging tests within 24 hours.”
3 published pricesDetails
Published CT scan prices in Hungary
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)Budapest | 30,000 HUFabout £68 · €82 · C$128 · $92 | Agykoponya CT vizsgálat kontrasztanyag nélkül (natív) [head CT, without contrast]Not stated on this price page (the 'prices are indicative / exclusions' notice appears on some Semmelweis Premium price pages, not on this one) Indicative; no validity date on page. | Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)read 27 October 2026 |
| Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)Budapest | 30,000 HUFabout £68 · €82 · C$128 · $92 | Mellkas CT vizsgálat kontrasztanyag nélkül (natív) [chest CT, without contrast]Not stated on this price page (the 'prices are indicative / exclusions' notice appears on some Semmelweis Premium price pages, not on this one) Indicative; no validity date on page. | Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)read 27 October 2026 |
| Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)Budapest | 50,000 HUFabout £114 · €136 · C$214 · $153 | Has és kismedence CT vizsgálat kontrasztanyag nélkül (natív) [abdomen and pelvis CT, without contrast]Not stated on this price page (the 'prices are indicative / exclusions' notice appears on some Semmelweis Premium price pages, not on this one) Indicative; no validity date on page. | Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University)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.
Budapest clinics publish prices in forints. The Buda Eye Centre lets patients pay in euros at the National Bank of Hungary rate and runs a Fast Track programme for patients from abroad (price list, in Hungarian).
MRI: a Hungarian business paper reported in February 2026 that private providers have not been allowed to perform MRI or CT scans since 1 November 2025 and that the state bought their machines (Economx, in Hungarian). Wáberer Medical Center still listed MRI prices when we read its page on 26 October 2026. Ask the clinic in writing whether it can book your scan before you buy a flight. We have not read the legal text.
Against waiting or paying in the US
The US has no national public waiting list; what matters is the price your insurer or the hospital charges.
Paying privately in the US: $355, from Georgia Health Imaging. These are 2021 hospital cash-price medians or a dental school estimate, so today’s prices are probably higher.
Can your insurer pay?
Ask your insurer before you book. Plans rarely pay for planned treatment abroad unless they have agreed in writing first.
Planning the trip from the US
- 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: US citizens (State Department, choose the country).
- LanguageHungarian; Budapest private clinics usually have English pages and staff.
- 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 Hungary with every other country for a CT scan from the US: price, how soon, and the hospitals.
Related pages
CT scan in Hungary from the US: questions
How much is a CT scan in Hungary for Americans?
The published prices we found work out at $92–$153 at the clinic, from Semmelweis Premium (Semmelweis University). Adding a rough travel estimate of $1,060 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about $1,150. Your own fares and dates will change that part.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in the US?
No, not on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is $355, about $797 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to Hungary.
How long is the wait for a CT scan in the US?
There is no national public waiting list in the US; the question is usually the price your insurer pays.
How many days do I need in Hungary?
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 my insurer pay for it?
Ask your insurer before booking. Most plans pay little or nothing for planned treatment abroad unless they agree in advance.
Sources
- Self-pay imaging prices. Georgia Health Imaging. Read 27 October 2026.
- Árlista (price list). Budai Szemészeti Központ (Buda Eye Centre), Budapest. Read 26 October 2026.
- Minden MR- és CT-gépet megvett az állam. Economx (Hungarian business news), 4 February 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Prices. Wáberer Medical Center, Budapest. Read 26 October 2026.
- Accreditation. Wáberer Medical Center (Budapest). Read 27 October 2026.
- Diagnostic non-laboratory tests. Medicare.gov. Read 27 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.