X-ray cost 2026: X-ray fees compared at 13 private hospitals and medical centres, and public fees
At the 13 Hong Kong private hospitals and medical centres Book a Doctor checked, a chest X-ray (1 film) costs about HK$255 to HK$560 (mostly the outpatient price; inpatient charges are calculated separately by room class). X-rays are a Basic item of non-emergency radiology services (Hospital Authority Chief Executive, March 2025); from 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay nothing for non-emergency X-ray examinations at public hospitals.
How much do hospitals charge for X-ray examinations?
The table lists the X-ray fees published on the websites of the 13 Hong Kong private hospitals and medical centres this site checked, not all institutions in Hong Kong.
Compiled by this site: chest (1 film) about HK$255 to HK$560. Pricing bases differ between hospitals (outpatient, standard room or a single fee), so go by the notes when comparing.
How this list was put together: an institution is listed when it publishes this fee on its own website and this site has checked the figures against that fee schedule. The rows are in a fixed order, not in order of price; this site does not recommend any institution, the order says nothing about quality, and the list is not every institution in Hong Kong.
| Institution | Chest (1 film) | Lumbar spine | Knee joint | Pricing basis and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUHK Medical Centre | HK$285 | HK$570 (2 films) | — | Outpatient price |
| Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong | HK$400 | — | HK$790 (one side, frontal and lateral) | Outpatient price; 30% off the outpatient fee for patients with a Hospital Authority referral |
| Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital | HK$490 | HK$490 per film | HK$490 per film | Outpatient / general ward price |
| Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road | HK$397 | HK$765 (2 films) | HK$632 (upper or lower limb, 2 films) | Outpatient price |
| Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan | HK$280 | — | HK$560 | Outpatient price |
| St. Paul's Hospital | HK$260 per film | HK$260 per film | HK$260 per film | Outpatient price |
| Hong Kong Baptist Hospital | HK$280 | HK$560 | HK$560 (each side) | Outpatient / standard room price |
| HKBH East Kowloon Medical Centre | HK$260 | HK$520 | HK$520 (each side) | Fee schedule lists only one price |
| Canossa Hospital (Caritas) | HK$355 per film | HK$355 per film | — | Outpatient price |
| Union Hospital | HK$290 | HK$870 (lumbar spine and sacrum, 3 films) | — | Fee schedule lists only one price |
| Matilda International Hospital | HK$560 (Matilda Medical Centre (Central)) | — | HK$1,000 (2 films, standard room) | The chest price is the Matilda Medical Centre (Central) price; the knee price is the hospital standard room price |
| Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas) | HK$255 | — | HK$510 (one side, frontal and lateral) | Outpatient price |
| St. Teresa's Hospital | HK$260 | HK$520 (2 films) | HK$520 (2 films) | Outpatient price |
X-ray fees, hospital by hospital
CUHK Medical Centre X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$285; Lumbar spine: HK$570 (2 films) (outpatient price; effective 1 November 2025).
Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$400; Knee joint: HK$790 (one side, frontal and lateral) (outpatient price; 30% off the outpatient fee for patients with a Hospital Authority referral; effective 1 January 2026).
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$490; Lumbar spine: HK$490 per film; Knee joint: HK$490 per film (outpatient / general ward price; effective 1 August 2026).
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$397; Lumbar spine: HK$765 (2 films); Knee joint: HK$632 (upper or lower limb, 2 films) (outpatient price; effective 1 January 2026).
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$280; Knee joint: HK$560 (outpatient price; effective 1 June 2026).
St. Paul's Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$260 per film; Lumbar spine: HK$260 per film; Knee joint: HK$260 per film (outpatient price).
Hong Kong Baptist Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$280; Lumbar spine: HK$560; Knee joint: HK$560 (each side) (outpatient / standard room price; revised 1 January 2026).
HKBH East Kowloon Medical Centre X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$260; Lumbar spine: HK$520; Knee joint: HK$520 (each side) (fee schedule lists only one price; revised 1 April 2026).
Canossa Hospital (Caritas) X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$355 per film; Lumbar spine: HK$355 per film (outpatient price; effective 1 April 2026).
Union Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$290; Lumbar spine: HK$870 (lumbar spine and sacrum, 3 films) (fee schedule lists only one price; effective 10 June 2026).
Matilda International Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$560 (Matilda Medical Centre (Central)); Knee joint: HK$1,000 (2 films, standard room) (the chest price is the Matilda Medical Centre (Central) price; the knee price is the hospital standard room price; effective 1 February 2026).
Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas) X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$255; Knee joint: HK$510 (one side, frontal and lateral) (outpatient price; effective 10 June 2025).
St. Teresa's Hospital X-ray fees: Chest (1 film): HK$260; Lumbar spine: HK$520 (2 films); Knee joint: HK$520 (2 films) (outpatient price; revised 1 July 2026).
What do the fees include?
The table shows hospitals' fees for tests. Most hospitals list separate prices for outpatients and for each ward class, and the higher the room class for inpatients, the higher the fee; some hospitals state that fees for tests done outside office hours or in emergencies are adjusted separately.
X-rays are charged by body part and number of films, and the fee differs with the number of films taken of the same body part.
How much is an X-ray at a public hospital?
From 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons receiving non-emergency radiology services at the Hospital Authority are charged by item: Basic items (for example X-rays) are free, Intermediate items HK$250 per item and Advanced items HK$500 per item. The Hospital Authority's Chief Executive stated, when announcing the reforms, that X-ray examinations are Basic items, that is, free.
What should I ask before booking?
Which body part will be imaged? How many films are needed? Is the fee charged by number of films or by body part?
Does the fee include the radiologist's report?
Will the fee differ if the examination is done outside office hours or on holidays?
Can medical insurance pay the hospital directly?
For arrangements for paying with medical insurance, see using medical insurance to see a private specialist; for health check package fees, see health check package fees; for fees for other tests: mammogram, bone density test, blood test, ultrasound, CT, MRI.
For the procedure, radiation and what to know in pregnancy, see What is an X-ray?; for booking private imaging, see Booking private imaging.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a chest X-ray?
At the 13 Hong Kong private hospitals and medical centres Book a Doctor checked, a chest X-ray (1 film) costs about HK$255 to HK$560 (mostly the outpatient price; inpatient charges are calculated separately by room class); for each hospital's fee and pricing basis, see the table above.
Why do X-ray fees at private hospitals differ so much?
Each hospital sets its own fees, outpatient and ward-class prices differ, and some hospitals also adjust fees for tests done outside office hours or in emergencies.
Do public hospitals charge for an X-ray?
X-rays are a Basic item of non-emergency radiology services (Hospital Authority Chief Executive, March 2025); from 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay nothing for non-emergency X-ray examinations at public hospitals.
Is there a cheaper option?
Some private hospitals offer a discount to patients with a Hospital Authority referral, for example Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong takes 30% off its outpatient X-ray fee. X-rays are a Basic item of non-emergency radiology services (Hospital Authority Chief Executive, March 2025); from 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay nothing for non-emergency X-ray examinations at public hospitals.