MRI scan (one body part) cost in China
MRI scan (one body part) in China: 6 published prices from ¥312 to ¥15,525, plus 3 patient reports (checked October 2026).
磁共振检查（单部位） · Data from the ChinaHealth Price Index 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Medicare national average approved amount for MRI brain without and with contrast (CPT 70553), 2026; low = ambulatory setting, high = hospital outpatient. Medicare rates are a floor.
Published prices
| Hospital tier | Entity | City | Price (CNY) | Approx USD | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public hospital standard | Anhui province public hospitals (NHSA reference) | – | ¥500 | about $70 | National Healthcare Security Admini |
| National average | Kunming hospital (patient via Yicai) | Kunming | ¥486 | about $70 | Yicai Global: overseas patients seePatient-reported |
| National average | Tier-2 city hospital (Reddit) | Not stated | ¥650 | about $100 | Reddit r/China thread (self-reportePatient-reported |
| Public hospital international/VIP | Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, international department | Shenzhen | ¥500 | about $70 | Shenzhen Health Commission article Patient-reported |
| Private hospital | Beijing United Family Hospital | Beijing | ¥5,000 to ¥6,000 | about $750 to about $900 | Beijing United Family Hospital comm |
| Private hospital | Beijing United Family Integrative Medicine Hospital | Beijing | ¥2,000 to ¥2,500 | about $300 to about $370 | Beijing United Family Integrative M |
| Private hospital | Jiahui International Hospital | Shanghai | ¥3,000 to ¥5,000 | about $450 to about $750 | Jiahui Health fee schedule for Shan |
| Private hospital | Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital | Shenzhen | ¥10,045 to ¥15,525 | about $1,500 to about $2,300 | Shenzhen New Frontier United Family |
| Public hospital standard | Shaanxi public hospitals (provincial ceiling) | Shaanxi (province) | ¥312 to ¥488 | about $50 to about $70 | Shaanxi Healthcare Security Bureau |
Prices are historical reports from named sources, not quotations. Confirm directly with the hospital.
What the price includes
- Shaanxi public-hospital ceiling (from 2025-08-31): MR plain scan per body part; digital (cloud) images are part of the service, physical film is no longer bundled.
- United Family (Beijing, DCU, Shenzhen): MR scanning of one body part, data processing and diagnostic report (Shenzhen also film printing or disc).
- Jiahui: brain MRI plain CNY 3,000; plain + contrast 5,000 (scan item price).
Not included
- United Family: disposable supplies and pharmacy (e.g. contrast) excluded.
- Shaanxi: physical film charged separately at cost if the patient wants it; price cut by CNY 5 if the hospital cannot provide compliant cloud images.
Common questions
What is the maximum price of an MRI at a Chinese public hospital?
It is set by province. Shaanxi's ceiling from 31 August 2025 is CNY 488 per body part for a plain MR scan at tier-3 hospitals, 390 at tier-2 and 312 at tier-1. In Zhongshan (Guangdong) the tier-3 plain MR price fell from an average CNY 624 to about 505 per part on 30 April 2025.
Does a private-hospital MRI price include contrast?
No. United Family's MRI price covers scanning one body part, processing and the report, and excludes disposable supplies and pharmacy.
Can foreigners use international insurance for imaging?
At Peking University Shenzhen Hospital's international department, yes: it offers direct billing with 26 insurers for foreign and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan patients, according to the Shenzhen Health Commission.