IVF abroad has a reputation for saving money. But how much money do patients actually have to spend?
We asked 1,189 patients worldwide – all actively researching IVF treatment abroad – what their maximum budget was. The answers puncture a few myths about “fertility tourists” with deep pockets.
Most patients budget under €7,000
Here’s the full picture of maximum budgets for treatment abroad:
| Maximum budget | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| €3,000–€5,000 | 31% |
| €5,000–€7,000 | 23% |
| €7,000–€9,000 | 13% |
| €9,000–€11,000 | 13% |
| €11,000–€13,000 | 4% |
| €13,000–€15,000 | 5% |
| More than €15,000 | 11% |
The most common budget, chosen by nearly one in three patients, is €3,000–€5,000. Add the next bracket and the headline writes itself: 54% of all patients – a little over half – have a maximum budget under €7,000.
At the other end, roughly one in ten patients can spend more than €15,000. There is no big middle class here. Budgets cluster at the low end, with a small high-budget group – and not much in between.
Budgets change dramatically by country
Where patients come from shapes what they can spend.
France has the tightest budgets. 42% of French patients sit in the lowest bracket, €3,000–€5,000 – the largest single budget segment of any country in the survey. Only 8% of French patients can go above €15,000.
Italy is polarised. Italians match the global average at the low end (27% in the lowest bracket) – but they also lead the world at the top. 19% of Italian patients have budgets over €15,000, the largest high-budget segment of any market.
Australia and New Zealand bring the most money. 49% of Australasian patients have maximum budgets above €9,000. It makes sense: when treatment involves a long-haul flight, patients tend to commit properly or not at all.
The big markets sit in the middle. The UK and Ireland, the DACH countries and North America all track close to the global pattern – roughly half of each market budgets under €7,000, while 9–14% can exceed €15,000.
Patients match their budget to the destination
Budgets don’t just vary by home country. They predict where patients look.
The destinations attracting the largest share of lowest-budget patients (€3,000–€5,000) were India (45%), Turkey (41%), Estonia (36%), the Czech Republic (35%) and Poland (35%).
The USA sits at the opposite pole. It attracts the highest share of big budgets of any destination – 26% of patients considering the USA can spend over €15,000 – and the lowest share of small ones, at just 20%.
And the three most popular destinations? Spain, Greece and the Czech Republic attract the full range of budgets, mirroring the global distribution. That breadth is part of why they dominate: there’s an entry point at almost every price level.
What do these budgets actually buy?
Here’s the practical question behind the numbers. Across the most popular European destinations, a basic own-egg IVF package typically costs €2,100–€3,500 in the Czech Republic or Poland, €2,500–€3,500 in Greece, and €3,600–€6,700 in Spain. A donor-egg program typically starts around €5,500 and runs to €8,500 in Western destinations.
So a €3,000–€5,000 budget is realistic for own-egg IVF in Central Europe. But remember: 51% of patients in our survey were looking for donor eggs. For them, the most common budget doesn’t cover the most common treatment – unless they consider lower-cost options like embryo donation, or destinations at the cheaper end of the donor-egg range.
One more warning from the data. Advertised prices are base packages. Medications (often €1,000–€3,000), frozen embryo transfers, embryo storage, genetic testing and initial diagnostics are usually charged on top. A realistic budget should sit €1,500–€3,500 above the headline price you see on a clinic website. It’s no accident that 55% of the patients we surveyed said they couldn’t find a detailed cost breakdown on clinic websites.
The refund package question
With budgets tight and success never guaranteed, would patients rather buy certainty?
We asked about multicycle refund packages: three IVF cycles for €18,000–€22,000, with a full refund if treatment doesn’t reach a defined milestone – usually a 12th-week pregnancy or a live birth.
39% of patients said yes, they’d be interested. Of those who said no, most (43% of all respondents) simply found it too expensive.
Interest follows both money and experience. Australasians – the biggest budgets in the survey – were most interested at 69%, followed by Scandinavians (54%) and North Americans (53%). French patients, with the tightest budgets, were least interested at 22%. And the more failed cycles patients have behind them, the more attractive a refund guarantee becomes: interest rises from 35% among first-timers to 45% among patients with four or more failed cycles.
What this means if you’re budgeting for IVF abroad
Three practical takeaways from the data.
First, you’re in good company at the low end. Most patients abroad are working with €3,000–€7,000 – you don’t need €15,000 to have real options.
Second, budget for the treatment you actually need. Own-egg IVF fits a €3,000–€5,000 budget in several countries. Donor-egg IVF usually doesn’t – plan from €5,500 upwards, or look seriously at embryo donation.
Third, always price the full journey: base package, medications, extras, travel, and a margin for a possible second attempt. The patients who get caught out aren’t the ones with small budgets. They’re the ones with incomplete ones.
FAQ
How much do patients budget for IVF abroad?
In our 2024 survey of 1,189 patients, 54% had a maximum budget under €7,000. The most common budget range was €3,000–€5,000, chosen by 31% of patients. Only 11% could spend more than €15,000.
Is €5,000 enough for IVF abroad?
Often, yes – for IVF with your own eggs. Basic packages start around €2,100–€3,500 in the Czech Republic and Poland. But medications and extras typically add €1,500–€3,500, and donor-egg programs usually start around €5,500, so match the budget to the treatment type.
Which countries attract patients with the lowest budgets?
India (45% of its interested patients budget €3,000–€5,000), Turkey (41%), Estonia (36%), the Czech Republic (35%) and Poland (35%). The USA attracts the biggest budgets – 26% of patients considering it can spend over €15,000.
Are IVF refund packages worth it?
39% of patients would take a three-cycle package at €18,000–€22,000 with a full refund guarantee. Interest is highest among patients with several failed cycles behind them (45% at 4+ cycles) – a refund package is essentially insurance against needing multiple attempts.
This article is based on “Seeking IVF Treatment Abroad: Patient Research 2024” – IVF Media’s survey of 1,189 patients worldwide, conducted January–June 2024. Read more about the research here →
Read the full series
This article is part of our five-part series based on our 2024 survey of 1,189 patients researching IVF treatment abroad:
- Why Patients Go Abroad for IVF: Cost Drives the English-Speaking World, Law Drives Europe
- The Most Popular IVF Destinations Abroad – and Who Chooses Them
- How Much Are Patients Willing to Pay for IVF Abroad? Half Budget Under €7,000 (this article)
- Google First, Clinic Websites Second: How Patients Research IVF Clinics Abroad – and What They Can’t Find
- What Makes Patients Choose an IVF Clinic Abroad? The Doctor, Not the Building
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