Retirees Are Traveling to These 4 Countries for Healthcare — Here’s What It Costs
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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According to the Fidelity Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, the average 65-year-old who retired in 2025 will spend $172,500 on health care and medical expenses, despite the cost-saving benefits of Medicare.
That reality has compelled many retirees to look elsewhere for the medical care they need — and for an increasing number, that means searching beyond their country’s borders.
Curious if the quality and cost were worth the effort and potential risk of pursuing medical care overseas, GOBankingRates consulted ChatGPT to learn where American retirees are traveling for health care and how much they’re paying for common treatments. It used sources such as the current Global Citizens Solutions Medical Tourism Report to generate the following responses.
Mexico
Mexico is a day trip away for millions of Americans and a still-manageable visit for millions more. That proximity, coupled with rising Stateside need, has fostered a medical industry with “many clinics catering specifically to Americans,” according to ChatGPT.
Common procedures include:
- Dental implant: $1,000 to $1,500 versus $3,000 to $5,000 in the U.S.
- Gastric sleeve: $6,000 to $8,500 versus $25,000 in the U.S.
Costa Rica
The AI chatbot advised that Costa Rica is a top medical tourism hotspot because it excels at both aspects of the term — affordable, high-quality medical care in an in-demand global tourist destination.
The most commonly sought-after procedures include:
- Dental crown: $350 to $600 versus $1,200 in the U.S.
- Knee replacement: $12,000 to $16,000 versus $35,000 to $50,000 in the U.S.
India
Americans flock much farther away to India for its affordable but “large, highly experienced private hospital system,” according to ChatGPT, which reports “major cost savings even on complex surgeries.”
Examples include:
- Coronary bypass: $7,000 versus $80,000 in the U.S.
- Knee replacement: $7,000 to $12,000 versus $40,000+ in the U.S.
Thailand
Equally exotic yet exemplary is Thailand, where Americans pursue general surgery, cosmetic surgery and joint replacements. The country’s “advanced private hospitals with English-speaking staff” also excel at what ChatGPT calls “recovery tourism.” For example, a knee replacement that costs $50,000 or more in the U.S. costs just $13,000 in Thailand.
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