Americans Seek Affordable Healthcare Abroad Through Medical Tourism

Travelers find cheaper prices for procedures like dental work, cosmetic surgery, and preventive care in countries like Thailand, South Korea, and Mexico.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Americans are increasingly turning to medical tourism to escape high healthcare costs and insurance headaches at home. Travelers like Jordynn Ison, 27, and Charlene Wiyarand, 31, have found that procedures like dental work and cosmetic surgery can cost 50% less or more in countries like Thailand and South Korea compared to the US. Some, like retiree Akaisha Kaderli, have even pursued major treatments like cancer care abroad to preserve their retirement savings. While medical tourism carries risks, many say the quality of care is high and the convenience of bundling appointments with vacations makes it worth the effort.

Why it matters

The medical tourism industry is booming as Americans seek to escape high healthcare costs and insurance headaches at home. Millions of Americans are estimated to seek care abroad each year, with the international health insurance market expected to grow from $32 billion in 2025 to $40 billion by 2030. This trend spans generations, from Gen Z to baby boomers, as people look to save money on everything from routine checkups to major procedures.

The details

Travelers like Jordynn Ison, a 27-year-old nurse and solo traveler, and Charlene Wiyarand, a 31-year-old who splits her time between the US and Asia, have found that healthcare costs can be 50% or more cheaper abroad. Ison recently got a dental crown in Thailand for $500, about half the average US price. Wiyarand traveled to South Korea for a $13,000 rhinoplasty procedure, compared to the $30,000 price tag in Beverly Hills. Others, like retiree Akaisha Kaderli, have pursued major treatments like cancer care in Mexico, Vietnam, and Thailand to preserve their retirement savings.

  • Jordynn Ison left her full-time nursing job a year and a half ago to split time between temporary nursing positions in Ohio and travel influencing.
  • Cara West and her husband began living overseas shortly after their daughter was born in 2022, first in Portugal and then traveling around Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean.
  • Last year, Cara West and her family flew to Turkey for primary care appointments.

The players

Jordynn Ison

A 27-year-old nurse and solo traveler who gets most of her healthcare while traveling abroad.

Charlene Wiyarand

A 31-year-old who was born in Boston, grew up in Thailand, and has been a California resident for the past few years.

Cara West

A 34-year-old who is beginning to settle down in Greece with her husband and toddler, and doubts they'll ever move back to Texas due to cheaper medicine and cost of living abroad.

Akaisha Kaderli

A retiree in her early 70s who pursued breast cancer treatment in Mexico, Vietnam, and Thailand, paying $18,807 out of pocket instead of going through Medicare Advantage in the US.

Billy Kaderli

Akaisha Kaderli's husband, who traveled with her to pursue her breast cancer treatment abroad.

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What they’re saying

“It's just so convenient and so easy and so affordable. It surprises me that more people don't do it.”

— Jordynn Ison (Business Insider)

“When we're in Asia, we know everything's going to be cheaper anyway. I feel very comfortable going to hospital and just paying everything up front.”

— Charlene Wiyarand (Business Insider)

“There's this fear as an American because you know that medicine is so expensive and it's confusing. I think that's been the biggest eye opener, this feeling of relief.”

— Cara West (Business Insider)

“We've had a great life. I'm not looking to die, but I wasn't going to spend my money on hospitals and drugs.”

— Akaisha Kaderli (Business Insider)

What’s next

Cara West hopes to travel abroad for a colonoscopy soon, continuing the trend of seeking affordable healthcare outside the US.

The takeaway

Medical tourism is offering Americans a way to escape the high costs and insurance headaches of the US healthcare system, with travelers finding procedures can cost 50% or more less in countries like Thailand, South Korea, and Mexico. While the practice carries risks, many say the quality of care is high and the convenience of bundling appointments with vacations makes it worth the effort, especially as skyrocketing healthcare costs become unsustainable for household budgets.