Prolotherapy cost in Korea
In Korean: 증식치료 (jeungsik chiryo)
For prolotherapy, Arm or leg joints has a median price of ₩55,000 at Korean hospitals (about US$41). That is the middle of the prices reported by 1,112 hospitals, 205 of them in Seoul, to HIRA, the government’s Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, as of 23 October 2026.
Median
₩55,000
US$41
Average
₩80,337
US$61
Lowest
₩2,000
US$1.51
Highest
₩900,000
US$679
Median: half of hospitals charge less, half more. Lowest and highest are single hospitals and can include unusual cases.
Prolotherapy prices by type
| Type | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spine척추부위 | ₩72,100 | ₩95,150 | ₩5,000 – ₩800,000 | 914 |
| Arm or leg joints사지관절부위 | ₩55,000 | ₩80,337 | ₩2,000 – ₩900,000 | 1112 |
| Jaw joint (TMJ)악관절부위 | ₩60,000 | ₩76,833 | ₩10,000 – ₩160,000 | 15 |
Hospitals: how many hospitals reported a price for that type. Prices as reported.
Arm or leg joints by kind of hospital
| Kind of hospital | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertiary (university) hospitals상급종합 | ₩51,305 | ₩65,147 | ₩10,000 – ₩258,060 | 47 |
| General hospitals종합병원 | ₩50,000 | ₩68,019 | ₩5,000 – ₩740,000 | 264 |
| Hospitals병원 | ₩63,000 | ₩85,659 | ₩2,000 – ₩900,000 | 650 |
| Korean medicine hospitals한방병원 | ₩100,000 | ₩100,076 | ₩10,000 – ₩320,000 | 81 |
| Long-term care hospitals요양병원 | ₩30,000 | ₩51,430 | ₩5,000 – ₩240,000 | 68 |
University (tertiary) hospitals are the large teaching hospitals such as those of Seoul National, Yonsei and Korea universities. Small clinics (의원) are not in this data — see how to check a clinic’s price.
Arm or leg joints by region
| Region | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul서울 | ₩80,000 | ₩112,950 | ₩5,000 – ₩800,000 | 205 |
| Gyeonggi경기 | ₩60,000 | ₩74,066 | ₩2,000 – ₩600,000 | 269 |
| Incheon인천 | ₩66,000 | ₩77,299 | ₩5,000 – ₩500,000 | 66 |
| Busan부산 | ₩50,000 | ₩67,095 | ₩10,000 – ₩850,000 | 89 |
| Daegu대구 | ₩50,000 | ₩68,694 | ₩10,000 – ₩200,000 | 51 |
| Daejeon대전 | ₩52,365 | ₩71,091 | ₩10,000 – ₩280,000 | 40 |
| Ulsan울산 | ₩50,000 | ₩55,493 | ₩10,000 – ₩135,200 | 23 |
| Sejong세종시 | ₩54,600 | ₩56,533 | ₩30,000 – ₩100,000 | 3 |
| Gangwon강원 | ₩30,900 | ₩43,208 | ₩10,000 – ₩200,000 | 34 |
| Chungbuk충북 | ₩50,000 | ₩61,588 | ₩5,000 – ₩226,000 | 30 |
| Chungnam충남 | ₩50,000 | ₩68,646 | ₩10,000 – ₩280,000 | 41 |
| Jeonbuk전북 | ₩40,000 | ₩57,649 | ₩7,940 – ₩300,000 | 35 |
| Jeonnam-Gwangju전남광주 | ₩50,000 | ₩73,379 | ₩4,000 – ₩500,000 | 106 |
| Gyeongbuk경북 | ₩50,000 | ₩70,179 | ₩5,000 – ₩300,000 | 34 |
| Gyeongnam경남 | ₩50,000 | ₩82,211 | ₩5,000 – ₩900,000 | 80 |
| Jeju제주 | ₩50,000 | ₩44,286 | ₩20,000 – ₩70,000 | 6 |
Regions with no reporting hospital are left out. Jeonnam-Gwangju is the merged Gwangju–South Jeolla region (since 1 July 2026).
What it is
Prolotherapy injects an irritant solution (often a dextrose solution) into damaged ligaments or tendons to stimulate healing. In Korea it is widely offered for back, neck and joint pain.
What the price includes
Prices are per treatment of one area. A course of several sessions is common.
Health insurance
Prolotherapy is non-covered.
Ask at the hospital
증식치료 가격이 얼마예요?
How much does it cost? — jeungsik chiryo gagyeogi eolmayeyo?
Questions
Is prolotherapy the same as a steroid injection?
No. Steroid injections reduce inflammation quickly; prolotherapy aims to trigger healing over several weeks. Ask the doctor which is planned and why.
About these numbers
- Source: HIRA non-covered medical fees open data (건강보험심사평가원 비급여진료비정보), items MY1430000, MY1420000, MY1440000, updated 23 October 2026.
- Covers hospitals (병원급: university, general, dental, Korean medicine and other hospitals). Small clinics (의원) report to HIRA too but are not in the open data; their prices can be lower or higher.
- Median, average, lowest and highest are HIRA’s own figures. Hospital counts are the number of hospitals listed for each item.
- US$ amounts are rough conversions at ₩1,326 = US$1 (22 Oct 2026). Your card or exchange rate will differ.
- Prices are what hospitals report, not quotes. Always ask the hospital for a written estimate.