CT
CT scan cost in China in 2026
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
A CT scan in China costs at most ¥133 to ¥231 per body area in the ordinary service of a large public hospital, about $20 to $34, and ¥203 to ¥305 with contrast.
- Cheapest city for CT: Beijing, ¥133 per area at any public hospital.
- CT angiography (CTA): ¥276 to ¥572 per vessel.
- Private list price in Shanghai (SIMC): ¥1,500 for one site, ¥2,980 with contrast.
- Coordinator packages: from $250 (China MedPass) and $400 (MRI in China).
CT uses X-rays to build cross-sectional images. It is quicker than MRI and is used for the chest, abdomen, injuries, bleeding in the head, kidney stones and many other questions. Like MRI, the 2025 schedules price CT per body area, with separate items for vessel imaging and a few add-ons. The contrast medicine, the outpatient consultation and any printed film are charged on top.
CT price caps by city
Grade 3 public hospitals, ordinary service, scan fee only. Dollars at ¥6.7162 to $1 (26 October 2026).
| Exam | Beijing | Shanghai | Shenzhen | Guangzhou |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT without contrast per body area | ¥133 about $20 | ¥189 about $28 | ¥231 about $34 | ¥231 about $34 |
| CT with contrast per body area | ¥203 about $30 | ¥295 about $44 | ¥305 about $45 | ¥305 about $45 |
| CT angiography (CTA) per vessel | ¥276 about $41 | ¥345 about $51 | ¥572 about $85 | ¥572 about $85 |
| Two areas, no contrast (e.g. chest and abdomen) | Beijing | Shanghai | Shenzhen | Guangzhou |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scan fee cap | ¥266 about $40 | ¥283.5 about $42 | ¥462 about $69 | ¥462 about $69 |
Our arithmetic: Shanghai charges the second CT area at 50%; the other cities charge it in full. Smaller hospitals in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have lower caps.
Add-ons in the Beijing CT schedule
- Thin-slice CT adds ¥50; coronary calcium scoring adds ¥47; energy (spectral) CT adds ¥70.
- Two or more PET-CT areas are charged as whole body: the torso fee of ¥4,000 plus a ¥1,000 whole-body add-on.
CT in China compared with other countries
| Where | Price | What the figure is |
|---|---|---|
| China, public cap | ¥133 to ¥231 | one area, no contrast, Grade 3 hospital |
| China, private (SIMC) | ¥1,500 | one site, list price "for reference only" |
| USA | $1,037 | median hospital cash price, head CT (July 2021 data) |
| USA | $2,268 | median cash price, abdomen and pelvis CT with contrast |
| UK | £445 | Vista Health private CT, one part |
CT waits in public systems are usually shorter than MRI waits: in Canada the 2025 median was 14.7 days, and in England 11.2% of people waiting for CT had waited six weeks or more in August 2026. A trip abroad for CT alone rarely saves time or money once flights are added; check it in the wait vs travel calculator.
Before a CT scan
- CT uses ionising radiation. RadiologyInfo notes that doctors do not generally recommend CT for pregnant women unless it is medically necessary, so tell staff if you are or may be pregnant.
- Contrast for CT is iodine-based. Tell the hospital about earlier reactions to contrast, asthma, kidney disease and diabetes medicines.
- Bring earlier scans so the radiologist can compare and you are not scanned twice without need.
General information summarised from RadiologyInfo.org, not medical advice. The hospital decides whether a scan is safe for you. See the medical disclaimer.
Related: PET-CT cost in China, brain MRI cost, the full price table and the China MRI cost overview.
CT scan cost in China: common questions
How much is a CT scan in China?
In the ordinary service of a Grade 3 public hospital, at most ¥133 to ¥231 per body area without contrast and ¥203 to ¥305 with contrast, depending on the city. A private hospital charges more: SIMC in Shanghai lists ¥1,500 for one site.
Is a CT scan cheaper than an MRI in China?
Yes, roughly a third to a half of the MRI price per area. In Beijing a plain CT is capped at ¥133 against ¥470 for MRI.
How much is a CT angiogram (CTA) in China?
CTA is priced per vessel: up to ¥276 in Beijing and up to ¥572 in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, plus the contrast medicine.
How much is a CT in Shenzhen or Guangzhou for several areas?
More than three areas are charged as three, and since 30 January 2026 one plain CT exam is capped at ¥693 and one contrast CT exam at ¥915, however many areas are scanned.
Sources
- Notice on standardising, adjusting and adding medical service price items, Jing Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 13 (京医保发〔2025〕13号), Annex 3: radiology examinations (in Chinese). Beijing Municipal Healthcare Security Administration and Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 17 June 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Notice on standardising and adjusting radiology examination price items in Shanghai, Hu Yi Bao Jia Cai Fa [2025] No. 11 (沪医保价采发〔2025〕11号) (in Chinese). Shanghai Municipal Healthcare Security Administration and Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, 16 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Shenzhen forwarding of the Guangdong notice on radiology examination price items, Shen Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 8 (深医保发〔2025〕8号), Annex 2 (in Chinese). Shenzhen Healthcare Security Administration, 27 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Shen Yi Bao Fa [2026] No. 1 (深医保发〔2026〕1号): revised charging notes for radiology items, prices unchanged (in Chinese). Shenzhen Healthcare Security Administration, 30 January 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Guangzhou forwarding of the Guangdong notices on radiology and other price items, Sui Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 12 (穗医保发〔2025〕12号), Annex 3 (in Chinese). Guangzhou Healthcare Security Administration, 25 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Sui Yi Bao Fa [2026] No. 1 (穗医保发〔2026〕1号): revised charging notes for radiology items, prices unchanged (in Chinese). Guangzhou Healthcare Security Administration, 30 January 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Price list (service guide). Shanghai International Medical Center (SIMC). Read 26 October 2026.
- Costs. China MedPass (chinamedpass.com), a coordination service. Read 26 October 2026.
- Pricing. MRI in China (mriinchina.com), a coordination service. Read 26 October 2026.
- Comparison of US Hospital Cash Prices and Commercial Negotiated Prices for 70 Services (Jiang, Makary, Bai), JAMA Network Open 2021;4(12):e2140526. JAMA Network Open, 21 December 2021. Read 26 October 2026.
- CT scans: prices. Vista Health (UK private diagnostics). Read 26 October 2026.
- Wait Times for Priority Procedures in Canada, 2008 to 2025: data tables (MRI and CT, 50th and 90th percentile days). Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 25 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity, August 2026 Monthly Report. NHS England, 8 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- CT body. RadiologyInfo.org (American College of Radiology and RSNA), 15 June 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Contrast materials safety. RadiologyInfo.org (American College of Radiology and RSNA), 25 August 2024. Read 26 October 2026.
- RMB central parity rates, 26 October 2026 (USD/CNY 6.7162). China Foreign Exchange Trade System (chinamoney.com.cn), 26 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.