How much does surgery cost in a Spanish private hospital?

Several providers now publish fixed prices. Examples: knee or hip replacement €11,990, cataract surgery €1,800 per eye with a monofocal lens (€2,500 multifocal, €2,700 trifocal), open inguinal hernia repair €3,190, laparoscopic €3,990, and an MRI of one region €229. Wider market ranges run €9,000-15,000 for a knee and €10,000-16,000 for a hip.

How much does IVF cost in Spain?

IVF with your own eggs is quoted at €3,600-6,700 per cycle, and donor-egg IVF at €5,900-9,500. Stimulation medication of €1,000-2,200 is almost always excluded from headline prices, and initial diagnostic tests add €400-1,200 if you don't already have them.

Can I get my treatment in Spain reimbursed?

If you're insured in another EU/EEA country, possibly. With prior authorisation your insurer can issue an S2 form; alternatively you can pay and claim under the EU cross-border healthcare directive. Either way, reimbursement is capped — under the directive, at what the same treatment would have cost in your home system — and only for treatment your home system would provide.

What do Spanish fixed-price packages usually include?

For joint replacement they typically cover consultation, pre-operative tests, surgeon and anaesthetist fees, the prosthesis, a hospital stay in a private room, post-operative care and initial physiotherapy. Always ask for the inclusions in writing — medication, follow-up visits and complications are where quotes differ.

Which Spanish clinics does Wellmap verify?

Six for orthopedics, including Quirónsalud Madrid, Teknon Barcelona and Clinica CEMTRO, and seven for IVF, including Instituto Bernabeu, Institut Marquès, IVI Madrid and Clinica EUGIN.

How Much Should You Budget for Medical Treatment in Spain in 2026?

Spain is unusual among medical travel destinations: a growing number of private providers publish a fixed price on their website. A knee or hip replacement is listed at €11,990, cataract surgery at €1,800 per eye, an open inguinal hernia repair at €3,190. That makes budgeting more honest than almost anywhere else — provided you read what each price leaves out.

For IVF, the gap between headline and real cost is wider. The single most common surprise is medication: €1,000–2,200 per cycle, almost always excluded.

What Treatment Actually Costs

Treatment	Published price
Knee replacement	€11,990 fixed; market range €9,000–15,000
Hip replacement	€11,990 fixed; market range €10,000–16,000
Cataract surgery, per eye	€1,800 monofocal · €2,500 multifocal · €2,700 trifocal
Inguinal hernia repair	€3,190 open · €3,990 laparoscopic
Umbilical hernia repair	€2,990
MRI, one region	€229 · €259 with contrast · €289 two regions
IVF, own eggs	€3,600–6,700 per cycle
IVF, donor eggs	€5,900–9,500 per cycle

The Costs Headline Prices Leave Out

For IVF, these are the usual additions:

Stimulation medication — €1,000–2,200 per cycle, almost always excluded
Initial diagnostic tests — €400–1,200, depending on what you already have
First consultation — €100–300
PGT-A genetic testing — quoted at €3,000 and up for up to four embryos, or €500–800 per embryo
Embryo freezing — €300–600, then €300–600 a year in storage
Frozen embryo transfer — €1,500–3,000 if the first transfer doesn’t work

A realistic own-egg IVF budget is therefore the headline price plus roughly €1,500–3,500, before any frozen transfer.

For surgery, fixed-price packages are more complete — Spanish joint-replacement packages generally include consultation, pre-operative tests, surgeon and anaesthetist, the prosthesis, a private-room hospital stay, post-operative care and initial physiotherapy. The gaps are usually medication after discharge, further physiotherapy, and what happens if there’s a complication. Ask in writing.

The EU Route Most Patients Don’t Check

If you’re insured in another EU or EEA country, Spain has a lever no non-EU destination offers: you may be able to get some of the cost back. There are two routes.

S2 form, with prior authorisation. You ask your home insurer before travelling. If approved, they issue an S2 and cover the treatment directly. Prior authorisation is generally required for anything involving an overnight stay, complex procedures or expensive equipment, and the amount covered can depend on whether you use a public or private facility.

Pay and claim, under the cross-border directive. You pay the Spanish provider — public or private — and claim afterwards. Reimbursement is capped at what the same treatment would have cost in your home system, and only for treatment your home system actually provides.

The practical consequence: a hip replacement your home system would fund but can’t deliver promptly is a strong candidate. Elective treatment your home system doesn’t cover at all usually isn’t. Ask your national contact point for cross-border healthcare before booking — not after.

Where Care Actually Happens

Orthopedics — six verified clinics:

Quirónsalud Madrid ✓ Verified by Wellmap — flagship of Spain’s largest private hospital group, with advanced robotics and imaging. JCI, ISO 9001. Rated 4.7/5 across 1,240 reviews, premium.
Teknon Medical Center (Barcelona) ✓ Verified by Wellmap — 80+ specialists, with international patient services. JCI, ISO 9001. Rated 4.7/5 across 560 reviews, premium.
Clinica CEMTRO (Madrid) ✓ Verified by Wellmap — specialist orthopaedic and spine clinic with minimally invasive, same-day-discharge protocols. ISO 9001. Rated 4.6/5 across 245 reviews, mid pricing.

Also verified: Quirónsalud Barcelona, HC Marbella International Hospital and Clínica Juaneda Palma.

IVF — seven verified clinics:

Instituto Bernabeu (Alicante) ✓ Verified by Wellmap — pioneers in genetic diagnosis and egg donation. ISO 9001. Rated 4.9/5 across 1,567 reviews, mid pricing.
Institut Marquès (Barcelona) ✓ Verified by Wellmap — one of Europe’s largest donor programmes. ISO 9001, ESHRE member. Rated 4.8/5 across 3,100 reviews, mid.
IVI Clinic Madrid ✓ Verified by Wellmap — part of IVI-RMA, with PGT-A testing. JCI, ISO 9001. Rated 4.8/5 across 1,560 reviews, premium.
Clinica EUGIN (Barcelona) ✓ Verified by Wellmap — specialises in donor-egg IVF. ISO 9001. Rated 4.8/5 across 1,240 reviews, premium.

Also verified: Quirónsalud Madrid, Quirónsalud Barcelona and Clínica Juaneda Palma. How we verify clinics.

When Spain Isn’t the Cheapest Answer

Spain is not the low-cost option for surgery — Turkey is meaningfully cheaper for joint replacement. Spain earns its price with EU regulation, possible reimbursement, a short flight from most of Western Europe, and published prices you can compare before you travel. For IVF, the Czech Republic is slightly cheaper but treats heterosexual couples only.

What to Bring

Your specialist’s report and any imaging, on disc
Previous treatment records, including any IVF cycles and their protocols
Current medication list
Your EHIC, and — if you’re pursuing reimbursement — the S2 or your insurer’s written confirmation
Written quotes from each clinic, listing exactly what’s included

Getting Started

Ask every clinic for a written quote with inclusions itemised, and ask your home insurer about the S2 or cross-border route at the same time. See verified orthopedic clinics in Spain, verified IVF clinics in Spain, or ask our AI assistant.

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