Cosmetic surgery

Written by Saher Shodhan. Turkish prices are from clinics' own price lists and UK prices from providers' own price pages, checked 6 Oct 2026, unless a row says otherwise. Health and safety lines are quoted from the NHS, BAPRAS, BAAPS and the GMC. Sources are numbered at the end.

The headline gap

Turkish clinics publish prices well below UK prices for every operation in the table below. But a headline figure is not an all-in comparison: the two prices rarely cover the same things. This guide sets the published prices side by side, then looks at what each one buys.

For one operation in detail, see tummy tuck in Turkey, breast augmentation in Turkey or rhinoplasty in Turkey. For other countries, see best country for plastic surgery.

Turkey vs UK: cost by procedure

Turkey: clinics' own price lists, checked 6 Oct 2026 [1]. Each range is the middle half of the clinics' entry prices where we hold 6 or more price lists, and lowest to highest where we hold fewer. A clinic's entry price is the lowest it publishes for that operation. UK: providers' own price pages, checked 6 Oct 2026 [2], except the tummy tuck, re-checked on 31 Oct 2026 [3]. The UK figure is the typical range across those providers; for eyelid surgery it is the upper or the lower lids. The UK BBL figure comes from four London providers and the mummy makeover figure from three, because few UK surgeons publish these prices. The same operations in other countries are in our clinic price index.

Some Turkish prices are packages with a hotel and transfers, others are for the operation alone. Flights come on top either way. Ask for a written quote that lists what it covers before you compare.

Comparing options for your own treatment? Ask us, free →

What the UK price actually buys

BAPRAS, the UK association of plastic surgeons, says that in the UK "the consultant plastic surgeon who conducted the surgery will provide you with any necessary aftercare" [4]. It says "most clinics overseas provide only limited or no aftercare once you are back in the UK, which allows them to reduce the cost of surgery" [4].

The NHS says "All doctors must, as a minimum, be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC)", and that "All independent clinics and hospitals that provide cosmetic surgery in England must be registered with the CQC" [6]. The NHS also says two consultations with the surgeon "will give you a cooling-off period, which is normally 2 weeks in the UK" [5].

BAPRAS gives a second reason for the price gap: "the cost of living is often less than in the UK and therefore services such as staff costs and medical supplies are generally much cheaper" [4]. Our safety guide covers the checks to make on a clinic abroad.

The aftercare gap

This is the cost the price table does not show. The NHS says "Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or they may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK", and that they "may not have a healthcare professional in the UK you can go to if you have any problems" [5].

BAPRAS says "The NHS will always look after you in the event of a life threatening emergency, such as bleeding or blood poisoning", but that NHS trusts "will usually refuse treatment for less serious complications or bad outcomes following cosmetic surgery" [4]. It has noticed "an increasing number of patients turning to the NHS with problems following cosmetic surgery abroad" [4].

Before you travel, agree in writing who treats you, for how long, and who pays for flights and further surgery if something goes wrong. Our guide on how to vet a cosmetic surgeon abroad sets out the checks.

The all-in cost, not the headline

To compare fairly, add to the Turkish figure:

• return flights, for you and anyone coming with you
• hotel nights while you recover: the NHS advises not flying for "5 to 7 days after procedures such as breast surgery and liposuction" and "7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures or tummy tucks" [5]
• time off work
• anything the package leaves out, and the cost of returning if you need more treatment

BAPRAS says that if there are complications, "returning to see the surgeon could add hundreds of pounds as well as involve significant time away from work" [4]. The NHS warns that travel insurance "does not normally cover if things go wrong in surgery" [5]. Add these up for your own case before you decide.

When the UK makes sense

The published prices are only part of the choice. For some operations, and some people, the UK price may be worth paying:

• A BBL. BAAPS, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, says that in 2018, "with growing concern about the high mortality rate associated with this procedure BAAPS recommended it was not performed by its members" [7]. Its 2022 guidelines accept fat grafting to the buttocks only under strict conditions, including ultrasound during the operation [7].
• When you want your surgeon close by. BAPRAS believes "patients should be able to see the plastic surgeon who actually carried out the operation if there are any concerns" [4].
• When the gap is small. On smaller operations, flights and hotel nights take a larger share of the difference.

The General Medical Council tells UK doctors who offer cosmetic procedures to "make sure patients are given enough time and information before they decide whether to have an intervention" [8]. That is a fair test for any clinic, in Turkey or the UK. For a middle option inside the EU, see our Lithuania cost guide; for Turkey travel across treatments, the medical tourism Turkey guide.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Clinics UK patients look at

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

Lelux HospitalNonthaburi (Bangkok metropolitan area), ThailandAntalya Yaşam Hospital (Antalya Private Life Hospital)Antalya (Şirinyalı, Muratpaşa), TurkeyLokman Hekim İstanbul HospitalIstanbul (Kurtköy, Pendik — Asian side), TurkeyAvicenna Ataşehir Hospital (Avicenna International Hospital), IstanbulIstanbul (Küçükbakkalköy, Ataşehir — Asian side), Turkey

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 →