Prices: Price on request, get quotes from clinics. We haven’t found a verifiable, dated public price source, so we don’t quote a figure.
Short answer: A procedure quote is only part of the cost. ASAPS advises Australian patients not to fly for 6 to 8 weeks after cosmetic surgery (ASAPS (opens official site)), flights from Sydney to Istanbul typically take about 20 hours with a stop, and Smartraveller warns that fixing a procedure that goes wrong can cost more (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
Risks and limitations to understand first
- Medicare doesn’t cover you overseas, and basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
- ASAPS says Australian patients are advised not to fly for 6 to 8 weeks after cosmetic surgery because of clot risk, and that many complications appear weeks later (ASAPS (opens official site)).
- Australia’s cosmetic surgery safeguards, including a GP referral, two consultations and a seven-day cooling-off period, often don’t exist overseas (ASAPS (opens official site); Ahpra (opens official site)).
- In some countries, surgeon titles aren’t protected, and the surgeon you meet may not be the one who operates (ASAPS (opens official site)).
- If something goes wrong, fixing it can cost more than the original procedure (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
- Specific procedure risks differ by operation - see plastic surgery in Turkey, rhinoplasty in Turkey and hair transplant in Turkey.
What affects the quote
- Procedure type and whether multiple procedures are combined in one anaesthetic
- Surgeon and hospital fees, anaesthetic, theatre time and overnight stay
- Implants or materials (check whether devices are acceptable for Australian follow-up)
- Garments, medications, follow-up visits and revision policy
- Package inclusions versus exclusions (airport transfers and hotel nights don’t replace medical aftercare)
Ask for a fully itemised written quote naming the operating surgeon.
Medicare and insurance
- Medicare generally doesn’t cover elective cosmetic surgery, and doesn’t cover you overseas (Department of Health (opens official site); Smartraveller (opens official site)).
- Private health insurance commonly excludes cosmetic surgery - check your policy.
- Basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism (Smartraveller (opens official site)). See travel insurance for cosmetic surgery.
Also: health insurance gaps and medical tourism insurance.
Add these to any quote
| Cost | Notes |
|---|---|
| Flights | Sydney to Istanbul is typically about 20 hours with a stop (AeroRoutes (opens official site)). Longer journeys raise clot risk after surgery. Price on request, get quotes from clinics |
| Accommodation | Enough nights for surgeon clearance to fly. Australians can usually stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa; medical visas via HealthTürkiye for longer stays (Smartraveller (opens official site)). ASAPS advises 6 to 8 weeks before flying (ASAPS (opens official site)). Istanbul or Antalya. Price on request, get quotes from clinics |
| Time off work | Your own estimate, including recovery at home |
| Insurance | See above |
| Follow-up in Australia | Aftercare in Australia |
| A buffer for problems | Revision surgery in Australia |
Use the trip budget planner. Related: plastic surgery costs in Thailand Price on request, get quotes from clinics. Neutral compare: Thailand vs Turkey for plastic surgery.
How to compare quotes
- Compare the same procedure (and the same implant or technique where relevant).
- Check what’s included: facility, anaesthetic, garments, follow-up and revision policy.
- Check whether the provider appears on the Ministry of Health authorised list (opens official site) or HealthTürkiye (opens official site).
- Ask who will operate and who gives the anaesthetic: how to choose a surgeon.
- Ask the questions to ask before you book.
- Get everything in writing.
Full trip cost beyond the procedure fee
Even when a hospital or clinic tariff is later verified, Australians should add:
- Flights (return; sometimes a second trip for staged work or bridge delivery)
- Hotel for the fly-safe window your clinician documents in writing
- Companion costs, time off work, garments, medications and follow-up visits
- Buffer for delayed healing, extra nights or a revision trip (Smartraveller (opens official site))
- Travel insurance that may still exclude elective or planned-procedure complications - read the PDS (travel insurance for surgery)
Use the trip budget planner and trip cost calculator for non-procedure travel maths only.
How to compare quotes without “best price” claims
- Same procedure labels and the same inclusions on every quote
- Named clinician and facility on the consent pathway
- Revision or remake policy in writing
- Total trip maths, not procedure-only marketing figures
- Soften “cheapest country” or “best country” searches - compare credentials, aftercare and risk, not inducements
We only publish AUD figures that sit in our verified price table with a source and access date. If status is pending, this page shows Price on request, get quotes from clinics.
Methodology note
We only publish AUD figures present in our verified price table with source URL and access date. Empty or pending rows show Price on request, get quotes from clinics. FX converts, when used elsewhere on this site, cite RBA indicative rates and must be rechecked on publish day. This page does not invent package discounts, holiday inducements or “cheapest country” crowns.
Related tools (non-procedure trip maths only): trip cost calculator · currency converter · savings calculator (educational; not a quote).
Guides: choosing a surgeon · questions to ask · complications overseas · aftercare in Australia · flying after surgery.
Paying without loan marketing
Cosmetic and hair cost pages on this site do not promote surgeryloans.com.au, BNPL or loan calculators. Use savings, a card you can repay, or licensed advice from your own adviser. Neutral trip maths: trip cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does plastic surgery cost in Turkey?
We only publish verified, dated prices. Price on request, get quotes from clinics.
Does Medicare cover plastic surgery in Turkey?
No. Medicare generally doesn’t cover elective cosmetic surgery and doesn’t cover you overseas.
Why is recovery stay such a big budget item?
ASAPS advises Australian patients not to fly for 6 to 8 weeks after cosmetic surgery because of clot risk, and the flight home is long.
Will travel insurance cover complications?
Basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism. Read the PDS.
What else should I budget for?
Follow-up at home, time off work, garments, and a buffer if further surgery is needed.
What should be in a written quote?
Itemised clinician and facility fees, anaesthetic, stay length, inclusions and exclusions, revision or remake policy, and what happens if you need a longer stay.
Why does the full trip cost matter more than the procedure fee?
Flights, hotel for the fly-safe window, companion costs, time off work, insurance and a revision buffer often exceed a low procedure-only figure (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
Does this site pick a best or cheapest country?
No. We soften those anchors. Compare named credentials, facility checks, aftercare at home and total trip maths.
Sources
All accessed 24 October 2026.
- ASAPS, Heading overseas for cosmetic surgery?: https://aestheticplasticsurgeons.org.au/news/heading-overseas-for-cosmetic-surgery-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
- Ahpra, Thinking about having cosmetic surgery?: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Cosmetic-surgery-hub/Information-for-the-public.aspx
- Smartraveller, Going overseas for a medical procedure: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/travel-essentials/travel-health/medical-tourism
- Smartraveller, Sun, sand and cosmetic surgery: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/sun-sand-and-surgery
- Smartraveller, Türkiye: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/turkiye
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, What Medicare covers: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/medicare/about/what-medicare-covers
- AeroRoutes, Sydney-Istanbul routing note: https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/260731-tknw26syd
- Turkish Ministry of Health, Authorised healthcare providers: https://shgmturizmdb.saglik.gov.tr/TR,69063/healthcare-providers-authorized-by-the-ministry.html
- HealthTürkiye, Certificated providers: https://healthturkiye.gov.tr/certificated-health-service-providers
Disclaimer: The information on medicaltourism.com.au is general in nature. It isn’t medical, legal, financial or insurance advice and doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. Talk to a registered health practitioner before deciding on any procedure. See our editorial policy, medical disclaimer and how we make money.