From Canada · Cataract surgery · Thailand
Cataract surgery in Thailand from Canada: what the trip costs against the wait at home
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
For Canadians, cataract surgery in Thailand costs C$1,700–C$3,470 at the clinics we checked, or about C$3,860 once an example return flight and 4 hotel nights are added.
- Clinic price
- C$1,700–C$3,4702 providers, one eye, standard
- Example trip
- C$3,860clinic C$1,700 + flight C$1,600 + 4 hotel nights C$560
- Pay privately in Canada
- Not verified
- Wait in Canada
- Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (2025)
- Time there
- 3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly
- Rank from Canada
- 3 of 5 countries by total trip cost
Figure 1Where the money goes, in CAD
Trip total C$3,860
Figure 2Cataract surgery: cheapest trip from Canada, by country
Published cataract surgery prices in Thailand
Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.
| Provider | Published price | What the price is for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bumrungrad International HospitalBangkok | ฿83,640about £1,850 · €2,210 · C$3,470 · $2,480 | Phacoemulsification of cataract, day caseFrom a 2025 package sheet hosted by an insurer (FWD Thailand). Lens type and whether the price is per eye are not stated. 2025 package sheet. | Bumrungrad International Hospitalread 26 October 2026 |
| Ratchaphruek HospitalKhon Kaen | ฿41,000 to ฿43,000about £909–£953 · €1,090–€1,140 · C$1,700–C$1,780 · $1,210–$1,270 | Cataract extraction package, one eyeStandard (hard lens) 41,000, ultrasound (soft lens) 43,000. Prior diagnostics excluded. Khon Kaen is in north-east Thailand. Valid 1 March to 31 December 2026. | Ratchaphruek Hospitalread 26 October 2026 |
Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.
Some Bangkok hospitals publish lower package prices that are only for Thai nationals and foreigners living in Thailand. MedPark Hospital's colonoscopy package, for example, says “The price is exclusively for Thai nationals and expatriates residing in Thailand” (MedPark). We leave such prices out. The Bumrungrad surgical prices here come from a 2025 sheet hosted by an insurer, so ask the hospital for its current price.
Against waiting or paying in Canada
Canada (national), 2025: Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days. Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark. Waits and prices for cataract surgery in Canada.
Can your provincial plan pay?
Ask your provincial health plan before you book. We have not reviewed provincial rules for planned care abroad yet, and they differ by province.
Planning the trip from Canada
- Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for cataract surgery and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
- Before you goAsk your optician or eye doctor for your latest prescription and any eye reports.
- Before you goPlan for the clinic's rules on flying after surgery, and bring someone with you if you can.
- Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Canadian citizens (travel.gc.ca).
- LanguageThai; the large Bangkok private hospitals work in English and many other languages.
- After you returnYou will use eye drops for several weeks. Tell your optician you had surgery abroad and bring the operation note with the lens details.
- After you returnSudden pain, worsening vision or flashing lights after surgery need urgent care at home.
Add your flight and hotel
Put in your real fare from Canada and your hotel to see the total for Thailand next to every other country.
Related pages
Cataract surgery in Thailand from Canada: questions
How much is cataract surgery in Thailand for Canadians?
The published prices we found work out at C$1,700–C$3,470 at the clinic, from Bumrungrad International Hospital and Ratchaphruek Hospital. With an example return flight of C$1,600 and 4 hotel nights at C$140, the trip comes to about C$3,860. Your own fares and dates will change the total.
Is it cheaper than paying privately in Canada?
We have not verified a self-pay price in Canada for this, so compare the trip total with a written quote from a provider at home.
How long is the wait for cataract surgery in Canada?
Canada (national): Median 66 days; 1 in 10 waited over 222 days (2025). Days from the decision to operate to cataract surgery: median and 90th percentile; 69.7% were treated within the national benchmark.
How many days do I need in Thailand?
3 to 5 days: assessment, the operation, and a check-up the next day before you fly. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.
Will my provincial plan pay for it?
Ask your provincial health plan before booking; we have not reviewed provincial rules for planned care abroad.
Sources
- Bumrungrad International Hospital: top surgical packages 2025 (sheet hosted by FWD Insurance Thailand). Bumrungrad International Hospital, via FWD Insurance, 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Cataract extraction package. Ratchaphruek Hospital, Khon Kaen. Read 26 October 2026.
- Wait times for priority procedures in Canada, 2008 to 2025: data tables. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Colonoscopy package. MedPark Hospital, Bangkok. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.