Quick comparison: entry package, men
| Provider | Entry package | Price | Includes gastroscopy? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul St. Mary’s | International Basic | ₩1,300,000 (~$977) | Yes |
| SNUH Gangnam Center | Standard, age 34 and under | $980 | Yes, sedated |
| Asan Medical Center | New Essential A, under 40 | ₩1,750,000 (~$1,316) | Yes, sedated, plus colonoscopy for men |
| Samsung Medical Center | Primary | ₩1,874,000 (~$1,409) | Yes, sedated |
| KMI | Comprehensive (specialty package) | ₩1,000,000 (~$752) | Depends on tier |
What we’ll cover
Why Americans fly to Seoul for a check-up
Health screening centers saw 65,000 foreign patients in 2025, 3.1 percent of Korea’s department-level foreign visits, and Americans skew more toward check-ups, internal medicine and dental than Asian visitors do. The appeal is structural: Korea’s national screening culture means every big hospital runs a dedicated check-up floor that processes a full day of imaging and endoscopy in three to seven hours, and publishes the menu. One American patient profiled in July 2026 reported a preventive evaluation in Seoul for under $600 that caught findings missed at home. The price lists below are the ones she and others are reading.
How the tiers work
Every hospital uses the same ladder, under different names. The price differences are almost entirely about imaging.
| Tier | Typical price | What is added | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (Basic, Standard, Primary, Essential) | $980–1,750 | Blood panel with tumor markers, ECG, chest X-ray, sedated gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasound; women add mammography, Pap, pelvic ultrasound | 3 hours |
| Intensive (Digestive, Heart, Cancer, Executive) | $1,900–3,000 | Sedated colonoscopy, low-dose chest CT, abdominal-pelvic CT, thyroid and carotid ultrasound, echo, coronary calcium CT | 4–6 hours |
| Platinum / Premium | $4,400–6,500 | Brain MRI and MRA, PET-CT, allergy panels, personal nurse, sometimes an overnight guestroom | 7–8 hours or overnight |
Published prices, hospital by hospital
Read on each provider’s own page or brochure on October 30, 2026. Seoul National University Hospital prints dollar prices; the others print won, converted here at 1,330 per dollar.
Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center
Gangnam-gu · Priced in USD, printed by SNUH; valid March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
| Package | Published price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (age 34 and under) | $980 men / $1,060 women | Consultation, body composition, ECG, lung function, chest X-ray, blood panel with tumor markers, hepatitis and HIV, H. pylori, urinalysis, sedated gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasound; women add gyn exam, ovarian marker and Pap. |
| Standard (35 and over) | $1,020 men / $1,140 women | Above plus fundus exam; men add prostate marker; women add mammography. |
| Intensive Digestive | $1,920 men / $2,230 women | Standard plus sedated colonoscopy, abdominal-pelvic CT, pepsinogen, FibroScan. |
| Intensive Brain | $2,400 men / $2,530 women | Standard plus brain MRI and MRA including carotid. |
| Intensive Cardiovascular | $2,410 men / $2,540 women | Standard plus coronary CT with calcium scoring, treadmill, echocardiogram, carotid ultrasound, arterial stiffness. |
| Intensive Cancer | $2,970 men / $2,920 women | Standard plus sedated colonoscopy, abdominal-pelvic CT, low-dose chest CT, thyroid ultrasound; men add laryngoscopy, FibroScan and prostate MRI; women add breast and gyn ultrasound, HPV, 3D mammography and bone density. |
| Premium (by age band) | $5,210–5,970 men / $5,510–6,500 women | Standard plus treadmill, echo, carotid ultrasound, low-dose chest CT, abdominal-pelvic CT, sedated colonoscopy, brain MRI/MRA, 108-item allergy panel; women 50–64 add breast MRI. |
- Add-ons
- Sedated colonoscopy $449; brain MRI/MRA $1,222; carotid ultrasound $313; pancreatic MRI $939 plus $283 contrast.
- English and interpreter
- English medical reports and a CD of images are provided with package programs. Contact: en_healthcare@snuh.org.
- How to book
- Email the International Healthcare Team with your preferred package and dates; they confirm fasting and medication instructions. Packages are priced in USD for international patients. Price source ↗
Samsung Medical Center Health Promotion Center
Gangnam-gu (Irwon) · Priced in Korean won, published on the English site
| Package | Published price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary (3 hours) | ₩1,874,000 men / ₩2,323,000 women (about $1,409 / $1,747) | Body measurement, eye exam, chest X-ray, ECG, sedated gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasound, blood, urine and stool; men add PSA; women add CA-125, mammography from 35, breast ultrasound, Pap, HPV and pelvic ultrasound. |
| Executive on Cancer (5 hours) | ₩2,838,000 men / ₩3,550,000 women (about $2,134 / $2,669) | Primary plus thyroid ultrasound, low-dose chest CT, sedated colonoscopy, abdominal CT, tumor markers. |
| Executive (4 hours) | ₩2,990,000 men / ₩3,439,000 women (about $2,248 / $2,586) | Primary plus echocardiogram, carotid Doppler, sedated colonoscopy, bone density and cardiac blood markers; no CT. |
| Premium (7–8 hours) | ₩7,857,000 men / ₩8,216,000 women (about $5,908 / $6,177) | Brain MRI and MRA, carotid Doppler, echo, pulse-wave velocity, low-dose chest CT, dental, audiometry, bone density, PET-CT from age 40; men add coronary calcium CT. |
- Add-ons
- Brain MRI and MRA ₩1,500,000 ($1,128); colonoscopy ₩265,000; abdominal CT ₩290,000; echocardiogram ₩285,000; coronary calcium CT ₩185,000; low-dose chest CT ₩200,000.
- English and interpreter
- The page does not state whether an interpreter is included. International Healthcare Center: ihs.smc@samsung.com, +82-2-3410-0200. Site in English, Korean, Chinese and Russian.
- How to book
- Contact the International Healthcare Center by email with your package choice; ask explicitly whether interpreter and English report are included in the published price. Price source ↗
Asan Medical Center Health Screening & Promotion Center
Songpa-gu · Priced in Korean won, in the English brochure (no validity date printed)
| Package | Published price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| New Essential A (under 40, 3 hours) | ₩1,750,000 men / ₩1,960,000 women (about $1,316 / $1,474) | Lung function, chest X-ray, ECG, sedated gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasound, eye, hearing, dental, blood with tumor markers, hepatitis and HIV; men add carotid ultrasound and sedated colonoscopy; women add thyroid ultrasound, mammography, breast ultrasound, Pap, pelvic ultrasound and HPV. |
| New Essential B (40 and over, 3 hours) | ₩2,010,000 men / ₩2,226,000 women (about $1,511 / $1,674) | Essential A plus colonoscopy, vitamin D, bone density, spine X-ray; men add pulmonary CT. |
| Cancer Specialized (5 hours) | ₩2,630,000 men / ₩2,640,000 women (about $1,977 / $1,985) | Essential B plus abdominal-pelvic CT; men add thyroid and prostate ultrasound; women add chest CT. |
| Heart Specialized (5 hours) | ₩2,850,000 men / ₩3,190,000 women (about $2,143 / $2,398) | Coronary CT, fat CT, carotid ultrasound, echo, treadmill, pulse-wave velocity, cardiac blood markers. |
| Intensive (6 hours) | ₩3,440,000 men / ₩3,780,000 women (about $2,586 / $2,842) | Cancer and Heart Specialized combined, plus dental X-ray. |
| Platinum (7 hours) | ₩5,810,000 men / ₩6,150,000 women (about $4,368 / $4,624) | Intensive plus brain MRI and MRA, atherosclerosis marker, allergy panel, thyroid autoantibodies, bone turnover markers, personal nurse. |
| Premium overnight (2 days/1 night or 3 days/2 nights) | ₩6,650,000–8,700,000 (about $5,000–$6,541) | Premium guestroom, CT, MRI and a dedicated team. |
- Add-ons
- Not itemized in the brochure.
- English and interpreter
- Brochure headlines an on-call system, private translator and fast-track service. Contact: hpc_admin@amc.seoul.kr.
- How to book
- Email the center with your package and dates. The brochure is undated, so confirm the current price before paying. Price source ↗
Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital Health Promotion Center (Catholic University)
Seocho-gu · Priced in Korean won, published on the English "International" program pages
| Package | Published price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| International Basic | ₩1,300,000 men / ₩1,450,000 women (about $977 / $1,090) | Gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasound, tumor markers for colon, liver, pancreas and prostate or ovary, ECG. |
| International Digestive Intensive | ₩2,260,000 men / ₩2,410,000 women (about $1,699 / $1,812) | Abdominal-pelvic CT, gastroscopy and colonoscopy. |
| International Heart Intensive | ₩2,690,000 men / ₩2,840,000 women (about $2,023 / $2,135) | Coronary 3D CT, echo, carotid ultrasound, pulse-wave velocity, gastroscopy. |
| International Cancer Intensive | ₩2,940,000–3,040,000 men / ₩3,450,000–3,570,000 women (about $2,211–$2,286 / $2,594–$2,684) | Low-dose chest CT, abdominal-pelvic CT, sedated gastroscopy and colonoscopy, expanded tumor markers, thyroid ultrasound, bone density. The overview and detail pages print different figures; both are shown. |
| International Marian S | ₩6,320,000 men / ₩6,940,000 women (about $4,752 / $5,218) | Brain MRI and MRA, three CTs, gastroscopy and colonoscopy, echo, carotid ultrasound, personally assigned nurse. |
| International Marian P | ₩7,660,000–7,840,000 men / ₩8,260,000–8,460,000 women (about $5,759–$5,895 / $6,211–$6,361) | Marian S plus torso and brain PET-CT and spinal MRI. |
| International Kids | ₩900,000 boys / ₩980,000 girls (about $677 / $737) | Basic labs and ECG. |
- Add-ons
- Not itemized on the international pages.
- English and interpreter
- Marian S and P include a personally assigned nurse; interpreter inclusion is not stated for the lower tiers.
- How to book
- Use the international health promotion contact on the center’s English site; ask which figure applies where the pages disagree. Price source ↗
KMI Korea Medical Institute (Global program)
Jongno-gu and branches in Gangnam, Yeouido, Suwon, Busan and others · Priced in Korean won for specialty packages and add-ons on the foreigner page; the main Standard, Signature, Noble and Whole Body tiers are not priced on KMI’s own site
| Package | Published price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Youth | ₩300,000 (about $226) | Entry-level panel for younger adults. |
| Women’s Precision | ₩800,000 (about $602) | Women’s cancer and gynecologic screening set. |
| Digestive | ₩900,000 (about $677) | Five-cancer genetic test, upper and lower endoscopy, 74 further items. |
| Comprehensive / Cardio-cerebrovascular | ₩1,000,000 each (about $752) | General panel; or heart and brain vascular screening set. |
| Major Cancer | ₩1,200,000 (about $902) | Cancer-focused imaging and markers. |
| Standard / Signature / Noble (main tiers) | Not priced on KMI’s site; marketplace listings show roughly $340–380 / $650–760 / $1,330–1,520 | Standard: labs with tumor markers, chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasound, gastroscopy or alternative. Signature adds colonoscopy or M2-PK, pelvic or prostate ultrasound and two CT or ultrasound options. Noble adds thyroid, carotid and cardiac ultrasound, bone density, one MRI and a genetic panel. |
- Add-ons
- Brain MRI ₩400,000 ($301); brain MRA ₩280,000; spine MRI ₩400,000; CTs ₩130,000 each; cardiac calcium CT ₩150,000; sedated colonoscopy ₩210,000; echo ₩150,000; 118-item allergy panel ₩136,000.
- English and interpreter
- Phone line has an English option; the Whole Body tier includes a dedicated one-to-one coordinator; an interpreter service guide is posted. KMI states that refusing some tests does not reduce the fee.
- How to book
- Book through the KMI Global page or by phone; marketplaces such as Creatrip also sell KMI packages in USD with an English report promised in two to three weeks. Price source ↗
Versus a US executive physical
US executive physical programs are typically quoted at $2,500 to $15,000, and the most prominent ones publish no price at all; Mayo Clinic’s program gives costs on request. More important than the headline is what is inside. A Korean intensive package at $2,000 to $3,000 bundles sedated gastroscopy and colonoscopy, abdominal and chest CT, thyroid and carotid ultrasound and tumor markers; in the US each of those is a separate order, a separate facility fee and often a separate pre-authorization fight. Compare line by line: write down what your US quote includes, then find the Korean tier that matches it. The flight and a few hotel nights, roughly $1,500 to $2,000 from the West Coast, are the real adjustment, which is why a check-up usually makes sense as part of a trip rather than the reason for one.
How to book from the US
- Pick the tier by content, not name. Decide whether you want colonoscopy, CT, cardiac imaging or brain MRI, then find the package that includes them. Add-ons are priced separately at SNUH, Samsung and KMI if a lower tier plus one scan is cheaper.
- Email the international center. SNUH: en_healthcare@snuh.org. Samsung: ihs.smc@samsung.com. Asan: hpc_admin@amc.seoul.kr. Seoul St. Mary’s and KMI take requests through their English sites. State the package, your sex and age band, and two or three dates. University hospitals book out six to eight weeks.
- Ask four questions in the same email. Is the published price current? Are an interpreter and an English report included? What is the payment method and cancellation policy? Will the results consultation happen the same day or later?
- Schedule it early in the trip. If a scan shows something, you want time for a specialist visit or repeat imaging before you fly.
- Follow the prep instructions exactly. Fasting from the night before, and bowel preparation if colonoscopy is included. Arrive at the printed start time; most centers run from 7:30 a.m.
- Leave with everything. The English report, the image CD or download, and the raw lab values. A US physician cannot act on a summary.
Caveats: overdiagnosis, follow-up and radiation
Broad screening finds things, and not all of them matter. Korea’s own experience with thyroid ultrasound screening is the textbook example: a large rise in thyroid cancer diagnoses with no change in deaths, which is why thyroid ultrasound now sits in optional tiers. Whole-body CT and PET-CT carry radiation doses that US preventive guidelines do not recommend for asymptomatic adults. Before you book a premium tier, ask yourself who will manage an incidental finding when you are home, and whether a US guideline-based screening would have ordered the scan at all. A check-up abroad is a reasonable way to get thorough baseline imaging at a published price; it is not a substitute for a primary care relationship that follows the results. Talk to your own physician before and after.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a full health check-up cost in Korea for a foreigner?▼
From published 2026 price lists: Seoul National University Hospital’s Gangnam center charges $980 to $1,140 for its Standard program and $1,920 to $2,970 for Intensive programs, priced in dollars for international patients. Samsung Medical Center’s Primary package is ₩1,874,000 for men and ₩2,323,000 for women, about $1,400 to $1,750. Asan’s Essential A starts at ₩1,750,000, about $1,320. Seoul St. Mary’s International Basic is ₩1,300,000, about $980. KMI’s specialty packages run ₩300,000 to ₩1,200,000, about $225 to $900. Premium overnight programs with brain MRI and PET-CT reach ₩6 to 8.7 million, about $4,500 to $6,500.
How does that compare with an executive physical in the US?▼
US executive physicals are typically quoted at $2,500 to $15,000, and the best-known programs price on request. A Korean Intensive package at $2,000 to $3,000 generally includes sedated gastroscopy and colonoscopy, CT imaging and tumor markers, items that are often extra or excluded in US programs. The comparison is only meaningful line by line, so match the Korean package contents against the US quote you were given.
What is included in a Korean comprehensive check-up?▼
Even entry tiers include a sedated gastroscopy and abdominal ultrasound, which sets them apart from a US annual physical. Mid tiers add sedated colonoscopy, low-dose chest CT, abdominal-pelvic CT, thyroid and carotid ultrasound, echocardiogram and coronary calcium scoring. Top tiers add brain MRI and MRA, PET-CT and overnight stays. Every hospital publishes the item list; read it, because the differences between packages are almost entirely which imaging is included.
How long does the screening take and when do I get results?▼
Published durations are 3 hours for entry tiers, 4 to 6 hours for intensive tiers and 7 to 8 hours or an overnight stay for premium programs. Most results are available within days; Seoul National University Hospital provides English reports and a CD of images with its packages, and marketplace sellers of KMI packages promise a full English report in two to three weeks. Ask what is delivered on the day versus later.
Do I need to fast or prepare?▼
Yes. Every package with gastroscopy or colonoscopy requires fasting and, for colonoscopy, bowel preparation the day before, so the hospital will send instructions once you book. Plan the screening for early in your trip so that any follow-up imaging or a specialist consult can happen before you fly home.
Is an English interpreter included in the price?▼
Sometimes. Seoul National University Hospital states that English reports and images are provided. Asan’s brochure advertises a private translator and fast-track service. KMI includes a dedicated coordinator only in its Whole Body tier. Samsung Medical Center’s page is silent on it. Ask in writing whether interpretation and an English report are included in the published figure or billed separately.
Do foreigners pay more than Koreans for a check-up?▼
The big hospitals publish separate international menus, so direct parity cannot be confirmed from their pages. No provider we read states a foreign-patient surcharge, and KMI’s Korean-descent program advertises discounts. Prices for foreigners are not covered by Korean national insurance, which is why they look higher than what residents pay out of pocket for an insured screening.
Can I use HSA or FSA funds for a check-up in Korea?▼
Diagnostic screening is generally a qualified medical expense under IRS Publication 502 regardless of where it is performed, but you need an itemized receipt in English and your plan administrator may ask questions. Travel costs are not covered. Our guide on using HSA and FSA funds for care abroad covers the rules and documentation.
How do I book a health screening in Seoul from the US?▼
Email the hospital’s international healthcare center or health promotion center with the package name, your sex and age band, and two or three preferred dates. They reply with a confirmation, fasting instructions and payment terms; most accept foreign cards on the day. Book six to eight weeks ahead for the university hospitals. Marketplaces such as Creatrip sell KMI and some hospital packages in USD with booking support, at a markup you can compare against the published won price.
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- Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center: international package price list (USD, valid 2026-03-01 to 2027-02-28)
- Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center: English site
- Samsung Medical Center Health Promotion Center: screening packages
- Asan Medical Center Health Screening & Promotion Center: English brochure (PDF)
- Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital Health Promotion Center: international programs
- KMI Korea Medical Institute: foreigner examination programs and prices
- KMI Korea Medical Institute: personal examination tiers
- Creatrip: health checkup in Korea (marketplace listings for KMI and others, updated 2026-07)
- OCBC: Korea Medical Institute health screening packages promotion (2025-11-01 to 2026-03-31)
- Inha University Hospital Health Promotion Center: selective exam item fees
- Haute Living: executive physical cost guide (US ranges)
- Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program: costs and insurance
- Black Enterprise: Black women traveling to South Korea for preventive health care (2026-07-21)
- Korea Biomedical Review: dermatology and plastic surgery share of foreign patient visits; health screening 3.1% (2026-10-08)
- IRS Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses