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Hip and Knee Replacement in Turkey: Prices, Risks and How Poland Compares for UK Patients (2026)
Marketplace listings put a knee replacement in Turkey at $6,000 to $10,300 and a hip replacement at $7,000 to $14,000, usually as a package with hotel and transfers. Turkey is the most visited country for medical treatment by residents of Great Britain, with an estimated 196,000 visits in 2024 across all types of treatment. It is also outside the EU and a four-hour flight away, which changes the risks and the rules.
Key facts
- Marketplace listings give $6,000–$10,300 for a knee replacement and $7,000–$14,000 for a hip replacement in Turkey (seen 7 October 2026); we found no price published by a Turkish hospital itself.
- The UK Foreign Office says it is aware of 7 British nationals having died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures of all kinds (GOV.UK, updated 21 September 2026).
- The GHIC and EHIC are not valid in Turkey, and neither the NHS S2 route nor the EU directive route applies to treatment outside Europe.
- Direct flights from London to Istanbul take about four hours.
- At OrthoVoyage's partner hospital in Poland, inside the EU and about two hours from London, a knee replacement is €8,620 and a hip replacement €6,940.
Checked 8 October 2026
What is published for Turkey
| Operation | Listed price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total knee replacement | $6,000 – $10,300 | Marketplace range; contents not defined |
| Total hip replacement | $7,000 – $14,000 | Marketplace range; individual hospital listings run from about $10,500 to $13,150 |
Seen 7 October 2026. These are listings on a medical-travel marketplace, not hospital price lists: we found no joint replacement price published by a Turkish hospital on its own website. Packages typically bundle the implant, hospital nights, hotel and transfers, but the contents differ from listing to listing, and one hospital's page showed three different knee prices.
Stated lengths of stay are 10 to 14 days for a knee replacement, including three to five days in hospital, and 7 to 10 days for a hip.
What the UK government says
The Foreign Office travel advice for Turkey, updated 21 September 2026, says:
- "We are aware of 7 British nationals having died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures." The figure covers procedures of all kinds, not orthopaedic surgery specifically.
- "Some British nationals have also experienced complications and needed further treatment or surgery following their procedure."
- "The European Health Insurance Card and Global Health Insurance card are not valid in Turkey."
- The Turkish Ministry of Health publishes a list of its approved medical providers; the Foreign Office does not endorse any practitioner or facility.
The NHS adds that neither the S2 route nor the EU directive route applies to treatment outside Europe, and that most travel insurance will not cover planned treatment.
Hospitals in Turkey often cite accreditation by Joint Commission International. That is a voluntary private accreditation, not a regulator, so ask for the certificate and check its date.
Turkey or Poland?
| Turkey (marketplace listings) | Poland (OrthoVoyage partner hospital) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total knee replacement | $6,000 – $10,300 | €8,620, about £7,420 |
| Total hip replacement | $7,000 – $14,000 | €6,940, about £5,970 |
| Price source | marketplace listings | hospital's own list price |
| Flight from London | about four hours | about two hours |
| EU member state | no | yes |
| GHIC valid for unrelated emergencies | no | yes, for state healthcare |
| Typical time away | 7 to 14 days | planned after the surgeon's review |
Turkey is not reliably cheaper: the top of its listed range is above the Polish price, and no Turkish hospital publishes a price list of its own to hold it to. Poland offers what Turkey cannot: a flight home half as long after surgery, EU rules on implants and patient rights, and a GHIC that works in an emergency. Before you pay a deposit anywhere, get a Polish quote to set beside it — the assessment is free and takes a minute.
See the Poland vs Turkey comparison and flying after a hip or knee replacement.
OrthoVoyage is a medical travel concierge, not a hospital, and does not give medical advice. We arrange surgery in Poland; the Turkish figures here are published listings we do not control.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a knee replacement in Turkey?
Marketplace listings give $6,000 to $10,300 (seen 7 October 2026), usually as a package with hotel and transfers. We found no price published by a Turkish hospital itself, so ask for a written quote listing exactly what is included.
Is it safe to have a joint replacement in Turkey?
Standards vary between hospitals. The UK Foreign Office says it is aware of 7 British nationals having died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures of all kinds, and that others needed further treatment. Check the hospital, surgeon and implant in writing.
Does my GHIC work in Turkey?
No. GOV.UK states that the EHIC and GHIC are not valid in Turkey, and neither card covers planned treatment anywhere.
How long is the flight home from Turkey?
About four hours from Istanbul to London. Your surgeon decides when you are fit to fly; GOV.UK warns that air travel after major surgery increases the risk of a blood clot.
Sources
- Turkey travel advice — health — GOV.UK (FCDO)
- Going abroad for medical treatment — NHS
- In hospital abroad — GOV.UK
- Estimated number of visits by residents of Great Britain to overseas countries for medical treatment, 2024 — Office for National Statistics
- About Joint Commission International — Joint Commission
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Always discuss treatment options with your GP or a specialist.
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