VietnamKnowledgeNewsletter

Healthcare Costs in Vietnam: Public, Mid-Private, International

Side-by-side prices for the procedures expats actually need: GP visits, blood tests, X-rays, ER, surgery.

Published 2026-05-17· 6 min read· Vietnam Knowledge

This page is a price reference. Use it to gut-check insurance claims, decide between hospitals, and budget for routine care.

GP / consultation

ServicePublic (e.g. Cho Ray, Bach Mai outpatient)Mid-private (Family Medical, City International)International (Vinmec, FV, Hanoi French)
Standard GP visit50–200k VND ($2–8)800k–1.5m ($32–60)1.5–3m ($60–120)
Specialist consult200–500k ($8–20)1.2–2.5m ($48–100)2–4m ($80–160)
Telemedicine consultn/a300–700k500k–1.5m
Follow-up (often discounted)included500k–1m800k–1.5m

Diagnostics

TestMid-privateInternational
Full blood count (CBC)200–400k350–700k
Comprehensive metabolic panel600k–1.2m1–2m
Lipid panel250–500k400–800k
Liver function250–500k400–800k
Thyroid panel400–800k700k–1.5m
HbA1c200–400k350–600k
STI screen (full)800k–2m2–4m
HIV rapid test100–300k200–500k
Pregnancy beta-hCG200–400k300–600k

Imaging

ImagingMid-privateInternational
Chest X-ray300–600k600k–1.2m
Ultrasound abdomen500k–1m1–2m
Ultrasound pelvis/OB400–800k800k–1.5m
CT scan single region2.5–4m4–8m
CT scan with contrast4–6m6–10m
MRI single region4–7m7–15m
MRI with contrast6–9m9–18m
Mammogram1–2m2–4m
DEXA bone density1.5–3m3–5m
Echocardiogram1–2.5m2–5m

Emergency room

ScenarioPublicMid-privateInternational
ER triage (no admission)200–500k1.5–3m3–7m
ER + observation 4hrs800k–2m3–7m7–15m
ER + admissionvaries, often 5–15m10–25m25–60m
Ambulance call-out (local)500k–1.5m1.5–3m (their fleet)2–5m (their fleet)

Common surgeries (inpatient, all-in)

ProcedurePublicMid-privateInternational
Appendectomy (laparoscopic)10–20m25–50m80–150m
Inguinal hernia repair8–18m25–50m70–130m
Knee arthroscopy15–30m50–100m120–250m
Cataract (one eye)5–15m25–50m60–120m
Gallbladder removal15–30m40–80m100–200m
C-section delivery (package)10–25m60–120m130–280m
Natural delivery (package)5–15m50–100m100–200m

Dental

Dental at chain clinics like Westcoast Dental, Elite Dental, 2000 Dental (mostly Western-trained dentists):

ServiceTypical cost
Cleaning + polish300–600k
X-ray panoramic300–500k
Composite filling500k–1m
Root canal (per canal)2–4m
Crown (porcelain)5–12m
Crown (zirconia)8–18m
Implant (single)25–60m
Veneer per tooth4–12m
Wisdom tooth extraction (simple)1–3m
Wisdom tooth extraction (surgical)3–6m
Invisalign / clear aligners (full course)60–180m
Traditional braces (full course)30–80m

Vietnamese dental is genuinely excellent value. Many expats fly into HCMC for dental work alone.

Optical

ServiceCost
Eye examFree–300k at most chains
Standard frames + lenses1–3m
Designer frames (RayBan, Oakley)3–8m
Progressive lenses+2–5m
Contact lenses (monthly supply)200–500k
LASIK (both eyes, FV/Vinmec)40–80m

Vaccines (private, out of pocket)

VaccinePer dose
Influenza300–500k
Hepatitis A400–800k
Hepatitis B250–500k
Tdap400–700k
Typhoid500k–1m
Japanese encephalitis (Imojev)600k–1m
Meningococcal ACWY1–1.5m
HPV (Gardasil 9), per dose2.5–4m
Rabies (post-exposure)350–500k per dose; full series ~2–4m + immunoglobulin if needed
Yellow fever800k–1.5m
COVID boostervaries, often free

Maternity packages (all-in, prenatal + delivery)

HospitalNaturalC-section
Tu Du public (HCMC)5–15m10–25m
City International50–80m80–130m
FV Hospital80–160m120–250m
Vinmec80–180m130–280m

Mental health

ServiceCost
Psychiatrist consult (Vinmec/FV)1.5–3m
Psychologist therapy (1 hr, private)1–2.5m
Online (BetterHelp, Talkspace)$40–80/wk

Insurance reimbursement reality

Vietnamese private hospitals (Vinmec, FV) can direct-bill many local insurers (Bảo Việt, Liberty, Pacific Cross) for outpatient and inpatient. International insurers (Cigna, BUPA, Allianz) often direct-bill at flagship hospitals; mid-private clinics may require you to pay then claim.

For expensive procedures, always request a written estimate first and confirm direct billing.

Honest take

Vinmec and FV charge multiples of mid-private for the same procedure, with better hotels and English service. For routine care, mid-private at half or third the cost is fine. For surgery, hospitalisation, or anything where you want the best Vietnamese option, Vinmec/FV is worth it. For the truly catastrophic, fly to Singapore.

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