Best countries for hip replacement surgery abroad (2026)

By Saher Shodhan·Updated 31 October 2026·All guides

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There is no single best country for a hip replacement. On 3 Polish hospitals' own price lists a hip replacement costs £5,425 to £5,891, and 2 published lists covering 15 Turkish hospitals put it at £6,000 to £13,581 (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. At a UK private hospital a hip replacement costs £13,199 to £16,874 if you pay for it yourself, on the hospitals' own pages checked on 30 Oct 2026 [2] [3]. Before you decide, the NHS says you "should discuss your plans with a GP before making any final decisions about travel or medical arrangements" [6].

Written by Saher Shodhan. Every price on this page was checked against the provider's own page on 30 Oct 2026, or against the hospitals' own price lists in our price index on 6 Oct 2026, as each row says. Sources are numbered at the end.

Whether going abroad is worth it for you depends on things a price doesn't show: the hospital, the surgeon, the flight home and who looks after you afterwards. This guide compares the countries UK patients choose for a hip: how many hospitals there publish a full price, how far away they are, and the public registers you can use to check a hospital yourself. What each hospital charges is on the hip and knee price list, hospital by hospital.

The Best Countries for Hip Surgery Abroad in Europe

In Europe, UK patients mostly choose Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, with Turkey on the edge of Europe. All four have private hospitals that treat international patients. They differ in how many hospitals publish a full price, in flight time and in how much you can check yourself.

Country	Full published hip prices we hold	Total hip replacement, price range	Flight from the UK	Where to check the hospital and surgeon
Poland (EU)	3 price lists. 3 more leave out the implant, so they are not counted.	£5,425 to £5,891	Short haul	RPWDL for hospitals; the medical chamber register for doctors (Polish, with a captcha)
Lithuania (EU)	1 price list, which leaves out the implant	Too few price lists to quote	Short haul	VASPVT licence registers for clinics and doctors
Latvia (EU)	None	No price lists held	Short haul	The Health Inspectorate's registers of institutions and practitioners (Latvian only)
Turkey	From 2 published price lists, covering 15 hospitals. The higher price is for a robotic operation.	£6,000 to £13,581	Medium haul	The Ministry of Health list of providers authorised for international patients; no public register of doctors
India	None	No price lists held	Long haul	The Indian Medical Register of doctors and the NABH hospital directory
UK private, self-pay	Hospitals' own price pages	£13,199 to £16,874	None	The CQC for hospitals and the GMC register for doctors

Abroad: Thera Travel clinic price index, hospitals' own published price lists, checked 6 Oct 2026 [1]. UK: Practice Plus Group's fixed price to Spire Bushey's treatment price, checked 30 Oct 2026 [2] [3]. Flight descriptions are general, not timed: check your own route. What each price includes varies, so compare what is included, not just the number.

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How we compare countries

We do not rank countries. We count how many hospitals in each one publish a full price for a total hip replacement on their own website, and we read what each price covers. Each price list counts once, at its entry price, converted to pounds at the European Central Bank rate of 6 Oct 2026 [1]. A price that leaves out the implant is kept on record but left out of any range, because no patient pays it: on 6 Oct 2026 that applied to hospitals including 3 in Poland, 3 in Hungary and 1 clinic in Lithuania [1].

We quote a range when at least three separate price lists stand behind it, and say how many. Below that we say there are too few to quote, except Turkey, where 2 lists cover 15 hospitals and we give the figures with that caveat [1]. The full method is on the clinic price index, and how we choose and check sources is in our editorial policy and how we check a clinic.

Poland

Three Polish hospitals' own price lists put a hip replacement at £5,425 to £5,891, and three more publish a price that leaves out the implant (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. What each includes differs. Poland is in the EU and is a short-haul flight from the UK. Its register of healthcare providers, RPWDL, is public and searchable. The FCDO's travel advice for Poland was last updated on 11 Aug 2026 [12]. Read more in hip replacement in Poland: cost and checks.

Lithuania

The one Lithuanian hip price we hold covers the operation only, with the implant priced separately, so we do not count it (round of 6 Oct 2026) [1]. One public body, VASPVT, licenses both clinics and doctors, and you can search both. Lithuania is in the EU and a short-haul flight away. Read more in hip replacement in Lithuania.

Latvia

We hold no hip replacement price from a Latvian hospital, so we don't quote a figure (round of 6 Oct 2026) [1]. Latvia's Health Inspectorate keeps public registers of institutions and practitioners; they are in Latvian only and protected against automated searches, so expect to search by hand. Read more in hip surgery in Latvia.

Turkey

Two published price lists, covering 15 Turkish hospitals, 14 of them in one group, put a hip replacement at £6,000 to £13,581, with the higher price for a robotic operation (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. Turkey publishes a list of hospitals authorised to treat international patients, but it has no public register of doctors, so you have to ask the hospital for your surgeon's details and qualifications in writing. The FCDO's travel advice, updated on 27 Oct 2026, says "We are aware of 7 British nationals having died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures" and that the GHIC and EHIC "are not valid in Turkey" [10]. Read more in hip replacement in Turkey.

The Best Countries for Hip Surgery Abroad (Non-EU)

Further afield, UK patients also look at India for joint surgery. The NHS says the S2 and EU directive funding routes do not apply to treatment outside Europe [6].

India

We hold no hip replacement price from an Indian hospital, so we don't quote a figure (round of 6 Oct 2026) [1]. India's National Medical Commission keeps the Indian Medical Register of doctors, and NABH publishes a directory of accredited hospitals. The flight home is long haul. The FCDO's travel advice for India, updated on 7 Oct 2026, says to "discuss plans with your UK doctor before going ahead with any medical procedures abroad" [11].

Which Country is the Cheapest For Hip Surgery?

Of the countries with enough published prices to compare, Poland is lowest: 3 hospitals' own price lists put a hip replacement at £5,425 to £5,891, and 2 published lists covering 15 Turkish hospitals put it at £6,000 to £13,581 (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. Lithuania, Latvia and India have too few price lists to quote. Each hospital's own price is on the hip and knee price list. A self-pay hip at a UK private hospital costs £13,199 to £16,874 (checked 30 Oct 2026) [2] [3]. The cheapest quote is not always the cheapest trip: the NHS says to factor in "the possibility of extending your stay if necessary and the cost of possible return trips" [7].

Which Country Is Easiest to Check Before Hip Surgery?

No country is safe or unsafe as a whole; hospitals differ within every country, including the UK. What differs between countries is how much you can check before you go. Poland and Lithuania have public registers of hospitals and of doctors. Turkey lists hospitals authorised for international patients but has no public register of doctors. Whichever you choose, check the hospital and the surgeon yourself, and agree in writing what happens if you need help once you are home.

When this may not be right for you

NHS treatment is free. In August 2026, 843,419 people were waiting for trauma and orthopaedic treatment in England, 61.1% had waited under 18 weeks, and the median wait was about 14 weeks (13.8) [4] [5]. These figures cover all trauma and orthopaedic treatment, not hip replacements alone, and NHS England publishes the September 2026 figures on 12 Nov 2026. If you are likely to wait longer than the maximum time, the NHS says "You have the legal right to ask for your appointment to be moved to a different provider" [13].

Abroad, the NHS checklist says "You should stay in the country where you've had treatment for a suitable length of time to recover before travelling home" [7]. The further away the hospital, the longer that journey home. Your UK private options and prices are compared in our cost guide.

Before you pay a deposit

Shortlisted a hospital? Checks to make yourself before any money changes hands:

Registration: find the hospital on its own country's official register under the company name on your quote (the table above links each register), and look up your surgeon where the country has a public register of doctors.
Implant: ask which implant brand and model you will get, and for a written implant record with the model and serial numbers when you leave.
What the price covers: nights in hospital, physiotherapy, the implant, tests and transfers, in writing.
Aftercare plan: who sees you for your follow-up check, and how your notes reach your GP, in English.
Complications cover: what happens, and who pays, if you need help with the new hip after you are home.

The NHS says to think carefully before booking if there is "a hard sell", "pressure to make a quick decision", "no discussion of possible complications" or "no mention of aftercare" [7]. Our 15 questions to ask a hospital abroad give you the wording.

Clinics we hold, by country

Each has a free summary page: the register entry we found, the Google listings and any published prices. Thera is free for patients. No clinic can pay to change the prices we publish.

Poland12 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page
Lithuania5 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page
Latvia4 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page
Turkey65 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page
India17 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page
Spain26 orthopaedic clinics with a free summary page

Aftercare back in the UK: what the NHS will and will not do

The NHS says "You'll need to be aware of how your aftercare will be provided when you return home" [6]. After a hip replacement on the NHS, "you can usually go home around 1 to 3 days after the operation" and "You'll also have a follow-up appointment around 6 to 12 weeks after your surgery" [8]. Abroad, agree before you go who does that check and where.

Talk to your GP first. The NHS checklist says "As the doctor could be involved in your aftercare, discuss with them how to transfer medical notes to the overseas team" [7].
If things go wrong. The NHS says that, for treatment you arrange abroad, "the NHS is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment" [6]. The FCDO says it "cannot usually help if you have travelled abroad for medical treatment" [9].
Funding. Your GHIC or EHIC "does not cover going abroad for planned medical treatments" [6], and the S2 route "applies to public healthcare providers only" and "does not cover private treatment" [14].
Insurance. The NHS says "Most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad, so you may need specialist cover" [6].

Going ahead: the trip, step by step

Once you have a hospital in mind, our step-by-step guide to having a hip replacement abroad covers the quote and deposit, the flight out, the days in hospital, flying home, the first six weeks at home and what the NHS will and won't do. For the flight itself, see how long after a hip replacement you can fly. For the same comparison for a knee, see the best countries for a knee replacement abroad.

Questions people ask

What is the cheapest country for a hip replacement?

Of the countries with enough published prices, Poland: 3 hospitals' own price lists put it at £5,425 to £5,891, against £6,000 to £13,581 on 2 lists covering 15 Turkish hospitals (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. Lithuania, Latvia and India have too few price lists to quote. Each hospital's own price is on the hip and knee price list. Add flights, hotel nights and any physio the price leaves out.

What is the best country for a hip replacement?

There is no single best country: the hospital, the surgeon and the plan for afterwards matter more than the flag. On 3 Polish hospitals' own price lists a hip replacement costs £5,425 to £5,891 (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are in the EU, a short-haul flight from the UK, and have public registers you can search.

How much cheaper is a hip replacement in Europe?

In Poland, 3 hospitals' own price lists put a hip replacement at £5,425 to £5,891 (checked 6 Oct 2026) [1]. In the UK, self-pay prices run from £13,199 to £16,874 (checked 30 Oct 2026) [2] [3]. Travel, hotel nights and anything the price leaves out come on top, so compare each quote line by line with what a UK hospital includes.

Is it worth going abroad for a hip replacement?

It depends on the hospital, the surgeon, the flight home and your aftercare plan, so check those before you pay a deposit. A UK private hip costs £13,199 to £16,874 self-pay (checked 30 Oct 2026) [2] [3], and NHS treatment is free. The NHS says to discuss your plans with a GP before you decide [6].

Is it safe to have a hip replacement abroad?

The NHS describes a hip replacement as "a common and safe procedure. However, as with any type of surgery there are risks" [15]. The FCDO says standards of medical facilities and treatments abroad "can vary widely and may differ from UK standards" [9]. Check the hospital and surgeon on their registers, get the price and aftercare plan in writing, and talk to your GP before you book.

Does the NHS cover a hip replacement abroad?

Not if you go privately. The NHS says your GHIC or EHIC "does not cover going abroad for planned medical treatments" [6], and the S2 route "applies to public healthcare providers only" and needs approval before you travel [14].

Sources

Thera Travel, clinic price index (hip replacement rows; each hospital's price on the hip and knee price list): hospitals' own published price lists, converted at the European Central Bank rate of 6 Oct 2026. Poland £5,425 to £5,891, 3 price lists; Turkey £6,000 to £13,581, 2 lists covering 15 hospitals; lists that leave out the implant kept out of the range. Checked 6 Oct 2026.
Practice Plus Group, private patient prices: hip replacement £13,199. Checked 30 Oct 2026.
Spire Healthcare, Spire Bushey, hip replacement: from £16,874. Checked 30 Oct 2026.
NHS England, referral to treatment waiting times, August 2026, statistical press notice, table 1, Trauma and Orthopaedic Service (excludes 4 trusts that did not send data). Published 8 Oct 2026.
NHS England, incomplete pathways by commissioner, August 2026, national sheet, Trauma and Orthopaedics median wait 13.8 weeks (an estimate from grouped data). Published 8 Oct 2026.
NHS, Going abroad for medical treatment (page last reviewed 13 Oct 2023). Read 31 Oct 2026.
NHS, Treatment abroad checklist (page last reviewed 19 Nov 2023). Read 31 Oct 2026.
NHS, Recovering from a hip replacement (page last reviewed 6 Mar 2024). Read 31 Oct 2026.
GOV.UK (FCDO), Medical emergencies, treatment and hospitalisation abroad, section "Going abroad for medical treatment and planned elective surgery" (updated 7 Jun 2024). Read 31 Oct 2026.
GOV.UK (FCDO), Turkey travel advice: health, section "Medical tourism". Updated 27 Oct 2026. Read 31 Oct 2026.
GOV.UK (FCDO), India travel advice: health. Updated 7 Oct 2026. Read 31 Oct 2026.
GOV.UK (FCDO), travel advice for Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, each updated 11 Aug 2026. Read 31 Oct 2026.
NHS, Your choices in the NHS. Read 30 Oct 2026.
NHS, The Planned Treatment Scheme (S2 funding route). Read 31 Oct 2026.
NHS, Possible complications of a hip replacement (page last reviewed 6 Mar 2024). Read 31 Oct 2026.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Clinics UK patients look at

The four with the most Google reviews among the orthopaedic clinics we hold. Each has a free page with its records.

Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, ChennaiChennai, India

KIMS-Sunshine Hospitals, BegumpetHyderabad (Begumpet), India

Yashoda Hospitals, SomajigudaHyderabad (Somajiguda, Raj Bhavan Road), India

Yashoda Hospitals, MalakpetHyderabad (Malakpet, Nalgonda X Roads), India

Written by Saher Shodhan

Saher Shodhan is the founder of Thera Travel, which publishes what the official records show about clinics abroad, each fact with the date it was checked, and answers patients' enquiries, free. More about Thera → How we write and check our guides →