Cost of Healthcare in Mexico: Myths & Truths
One of the main reasons why many Expats and Digital Nomads decide to make Mexico their country of residence is the quality of life they can have. The cost of living is, in many ways, more affordable here than in countries like the USA, Canada, or Europe.
Speaking specifically about healthcare, much is said about how accessible medical care is in Mexico, which is partially true. Here are some examples:
- A medical consultation with a doctor in a private hospital is as cheap as $30 USD
- An outpatient nose job is around $2,000 - $3,000 USD
- Medicines are accessible
Major Medical expenses
However, the examples mentioned above are considered minor medical expenses. How different are the costs if we’re talking about what we’re all really concerned about: Major Medical Expenses? Let’s look at some examples:
- Heart attack: $40,000 - $95,000 USD
- Breast cancer: $80,000 - $130,000 USD
- Back surgery: $40,000 USD
- Stroke: $30,000 - $150,000 USD
- Severe Accidents: $10,000 - $200,000 USD
These costs were taken from the average prices provided by private hospitals in various cities of Mexico. And for the most part, these costs are only for the initial treatment, without considering subsequent expenses.
Important questions to ask ourselves
When we compare those costs against the same in a first-world country, they may not seem high. But that should lead us to answer some very important questions:
- “Do I have $40,000 – $100,000 USD lying around ready to spend on a single medical event?”
- “And if I do have them, do I want to spend it all in a couple of weeks or months?”
- “Wouldn’t it be better to have a health insurance policy whose cost would be much lower than that of a major medical event?”
Prices of Health Insurance in Mexico
Health insurance in Mexico starts somewhere around $500 USD per year depending on your age and deductible. Compared to the cost of cancer, heart attack, accidents, etc., would it be a smart move to use our savings instead of the reserves from an insurance company?
Advantages of Private Healthcare in Mexico
Also, keep in mind that private healthcare in Mexico has many crucial advantages, including:
- Immediate availability for those looking for quick access and attention to their healthcare needs
- Medical and hospital services in English
- State-of-the-art equipment available for any medical situation, treatment, or procedure
- Facilities that meet the highest standards of quality and hygiene worldwide
- There will always be a private hospital near you
- The best doctors at your disposal
Conclusion:
As we can see, although the cost of private healthcare in Mexico is not as high as in first-world countries, it would certainly represent a very strong impact on anyone’s pocket, whether national or foreign.
Being prepared with a health insurance policy is the smartest decision, both for your peace of mind and for your health and finances.
On the other hand, there is also the public health system in Mexico. However, this system is not like the one in your country, but we will talk about that in detail in the next article: Navigating the Public Healthcare in Mexico.
