Ultrasound scan cost in Korea
In Korean: 초음파 (choeumpa)
For ultrasound scans, Thyroid has a median price of ₩90,000 at Korean hospitals (about US$68). That is the middle of the prices reported by 1,269 hospitals, 202 of them in Seoul, to HIRA, the government’s Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, as of 23 October 2026.
Median
₩90,000
US$68
Average
₩103,186
US$78
Lowest
₩10,000
US$7.54
Highest
₩339,000
US$256
Median: half of hospitals charge less, half more. Lowest and highest are single hospitals and can include unusual cases.
Ultrasound scan prices by type
| Type | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thyroid갑상선·부갑상선 | ₩90,000 | ₩103,186 | ₩10,000 – ₩339,000 | 1269 |
| Breast — standard유방 (일반) | ₩110,000 | ₩125,968 | ₩20,000 – ₩330,000 | 881 |
| Breast — detailed유방 (정밀) | ₩221,000 | ₩226,311 | ₩40,000 – ₩442,000 | 128 |
| Breast — automated (ABUS)자동유방초음파 | ₩170,115 | ₩167,804 | ₩50,000 – ₩263,000 | 56 |
| Upper abdomen (liver, gallbladder, pancreas) — standard상복부 (일반) | ₩120,000 | ₩134,765 | ₩10,000 – ₩459,000 | 630 |
| Upper abdomen — detailed상복부 (정밀) | ₩200,000 | ₩215,350 | ₩60,000 – ₩416,000 | 218 |
| Pelvic (female) — standard여성생식기 (일반) | ₩90,000 | ₩102,813 | ₩10,000 – ₩612,000 | 515 |
| Pelvic (female) — detailed여성생식기 (정밀) | ₩150,000 | ₩159,747 | ₩17,000 – ₩416,000 | 230 |
| Pelvic with saline (sonohysterography)여성생식기 (생리식염수 주입) | ₩130,000 | ₩142,753 | ₩35,000 – ₩362,000 | 130 |
| Heart (echocardiogram) — standard경흉부 심초음파 (일반) | ₩200,000 | ₩199,219 | ₩50,000 – ₩428,000 | 874 |
Hospitals: how many hospitals reported a price for that type. Prices as reported.
Thyroid by kind of hospital
| Kind of hospital | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertiary (university) hospitals상급종합 | ₩185,100 | ₩183,466 | ₩50,000 – ₩279,000 | 47 |
| General hospitals종합병원 | ₩110,000 | ₩121,784 | ₩23,000 – ₩339,000 | 324 |
| Hospitals병원 | ₩80,000 | ₩82,273 | ₩10,000 – ₩250,000 | 828 |
| Dental hospitals치과병원 | ₩165,100 | ₩165,100 | ₩165,100 – ₩165,100 | 1 |
| Korean medicine hospitals한방병원 | ₩59,400 | ₩62,446 | ₩30,000 – ₩110,900 | 28 |
| Long-term care hospitals요양병원 | ₩50,000 | ₩59,381 | ₩10,000 – ₩120,000 | 32 |
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.
Thyroid by region
| Region | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul서울 | ₩120,000 | ₩135,792 | ₩20,000 – ₩273,000 | 202 |
| Gyeonggi경기 | ₩100,000 | ₩108,048 | ₩10,000 – ₩330,000 | 269 |
| Incheon인천 | ₩100,000 | ₩113,375 | ₩30,000 – ₩259,000 | 66 |
| Busan부산 | ₩80,000 | ₩87,544 | ₩30,000 – ₩178,280 | 127 |
| Daegu대구 | ₩90,000 | ₩95,146 | ₩30,000 – ₩208,000 | 80 |
| Daejeon대전 | ₩94,225 | ₩92,356 | ₩23,000 – ₩203,700 | 31 |
| Ulsan울산 | ₩100,000 | ₩104,705 | ₩10,000 – ₩170,000 | 32 |
| Sejong세종시 | ₩158,400 | ₩135,843 | ₩60,000 – ₩203,700 | 3 |
| Gangwon강원 | ₩74,190 | ₩91,606 | ₩30,000 – ₩247,290 | 44 |
| Chungbuk충북 | ₩90,000 | ₩89,094 | ₩30,000 – ₩181,300 | 35 |
| Chungnam충남 | ₩80,000 | ₩91,628 | ₩30,000 – ₩339,000 | 48 |
| Jeonbuk전북 | ₩80,000 | ₩86,451 | ₩30,000 – ₩221,000 | 44 |
| Jeonnam-Gwangju전남광주 | ₩74,190 | ₩77,688 | ₩30,000 – ₩183,000 | 125 |
| Gyeongbuk경북 | ₩90,000 | ₩97,434 | ₩30,000 – ₩170,000 | 47 |
| Gyeongnam경남 | ₩85,000 | ₩93,515 | ₩30,000 – ₩189,000 | 107 |
| Jeju제주 | ₩125,000 | ₩119,200 | ₩80,000 – ₩150,000 | 9 |
Regions with no reporting hospital are left out. Jeonnam-Gwangju is the merged Gwangju–South Jeolla region (since 1 July 2026).
What it is
Ultrasound scans use sound waves to look at organs such as the thyroid, breasts, liver and uterus. HIRA lists standard and detailed versions for several body areas.
What the price includes
Prices are for one scan of the stated area.
Health insurance
Many ultrasounds ordered to diagnose a suspected disease are covered by National Health Insurance for insured patients. These are the prices when they are not — for example as part of a voluntary health check-up.
Ask at the hospital
초음파 가격이 얼마예요?
How much does it cost? — choeumpa gagyeogi eolmayeyo?
Questions
What is the difference between standard and detailed?
A detailed (정밀) scan looks more closely at a known or suspected problem and takes longer. Health check-up packages usually include the standard version.
About these numbers
- Source: HIRA non-covered medical fees open data (건강보험심사평가원 비급여진료비정보), items EB4140000, EB4210000, EB4230000, EB4240000, EB4410000, EB4420000 and others, 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.