Lithuania Emerges as Top Destination for UK Medical Tourists Seeking Savings

Turkey has long been a favored destination for Britons seeking medical tourism, known for affordable cosmetic surgery, dental work, and hair transplants. However, Lithuania is rapidly emerging as a new hotspot for those looking for significant savings on healthcare procedures, with some patients reporting savings of up to 70% compared to treatments in the UK.

Nordclinic, a surgical center in Kaunas, Lithuania, has reported a more than doubling of British patients booking procedures since the pandemic, with over 3,500 individuals seeking treatment there this year. Social media platforms are filled with Britons sharing their experiences of undergoing various medical treatments in the Eastern European nation.

One traveler, Corey Payne, shared that he has received a variety of private treatments in Lithuania, including urgent X-rays, blood tests, and dental work. He noted that he paid nearly double for dental treatments in Dubai compared to Lithuania. Payne also highlighted the quality of care, stating that Lithuanian doctors provided thorough preparatory information, unlike some clinics in Dubai and Turkey that he found were more focused on immediate treatment and payment.

Cost Savings and Quality of Care

Cosmetic and orthopedic surgeries in Lithuania can be between 40% and 70% cheaper than in Britain. Tom Craig, 57, opted for a hip replacement in Lithuania after being quoted £14,500 for the procedure in Northern Ireland. He paid €9,170 (approximately £7,865) to Nordorthopaedics, a subsidiary of Nordclinic, for a package that included hotel stays and physiotherapy. Craig and his wife were able to combine his treatment with sightseeing and dining, saving over £5,300.

The country's high doctor-to-patient ratio is also seen as a draw. Giedrius Stankevičius, a plastic surgeon at Gijos Clinics, noted that upper eyelid surgery is the most common facial procedure performed in Lithuania, attributing the demand to natural age-related changes.

Irish content creator Aisling Unfiltered shared her experience of breast surgery in Lithuania, contrasting it with a previous breast implant procedure in Turkey seven years prior. She described her recovery in Lithuania as positive, with staff readily available to assist her and incisions that were "perfection." While acknowledging that her Lithuanian treatment cost more than it might have in Turkey, she emphasized the perceived difference in care, stating, "They care."

Payne also commented on the difference in standards, explaining that Lithuania adheres to "European standards" in its training and treatment, while in Turkey, he observed a rapid increase in clinics promising impressive results.

Risks and Considerations

The UK Foreign Office provides advice for citizens seeking medical tourism, warning that the standard of medical facilities can vary widely both globally and within countries. In 2025, the Foreign Office was aware of seven British nationals who died in Turkey following medical procedures, and others experienced complications requiring further treatment. An audit published in the BMJ Open found that between 2011 and 2024, 655 patients received treatment from the NHS after undergoing bariatric, cosmetic, or eye surgery abroad, with Turkey being the most common origin for these procedures.