Guangzhou · 广州
MRI cost in Guangzhou: official prices in 2026
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
The MRI cost in Guangzhou is capped at ¥505 per body area in Grade 3 public hospitals, ¥454.50 in Grade 2 and ¥404 in Grade 1, under the Guangdong provincial schedule.
- MRI of one body area without contrast: at most ¥505 (about $75).
- MRI with contrast: at most ¥550 per area, plus the contrast medicine.
- CT of one body area: at most ¥231 without contrast, ¥305 with contrast.
- PET-CT, whole body: at most ¥5,000 for the scan, plus the tracer.
- Official rules: Sui Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 12 and [2026] No. 1, in force since 30 April 2025.
Guangzhou forwarded the Guangdong radiology prices on 30 April 2025, the same day as Shenzhen, and set its own three columns: Grade 3 hospitals at the provincial maximum, Grade 2 at 90% and Grade 1 at 80%. In January 2026 it added the same per-exam ceilings as Shenzhen: ¥1,515 for a plain MRI exam and ¥1,650 for a contrast MRI exam, whatever the number of body areas.
Guangzhou has many of southern China’s large teaching hospitals, and is a common entry point for visitors arriving from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. The caps below are what those hospitals may charge in their ordinary outpatient service.
Official MRI, CT and PET-CT prices in Guangzhou
Guangzhou has separate caps for Grade 3, Grade 2 and Grade 1 hospitals. The table shows Grade 3. These caps apply to the ordinary outpatient service of public hospitals. Dollar figures use the official rate of ¥6.7162 to $1 on 26 October 2026, rounded.
| Exam | Chinese item name | Unit | Maximum | About |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI without contrast | MR平扫 | per body area | ¥505 | $75 |
| MRI with contrast | MR增强 | per body area | ¥550 | $82 |
| MR angiography, no contrast | MR平扫成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥572 | $85 |
| MR angiography with contrast | MR增强成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥627 | $93 |
| CT without contrast | CT平扫 | per body area | ¥231 | $34 |
| CT with contrast | CT增强 | per body area | ¥305 | $45 |
| CT angiography (CTA) | CT造影成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥572 | $85 |
| PET-CT, one area | PET/CT（局部） | per exam, scan fee only | ¥2,500 | $372 |
| PET-CT, torso | PET/CT（躯干） | per exam, scan fee only | ¥4,000 | $596 |
| PET-CT, whole body | PET/CT 躯干 + 全身加收 | per exam, scan fee only | ¥5,000 | $744 |
Smaller hospitals charge less: Grade 2 hospital ¥454.5 for plain MRI and ¥207.9 for plain CT; Grade 1 hospital ¥404 for plain MRI and ¥184.8 for plain CT.
How Guangzhou charges for more than one area
More than three body areas are charged as three; more than two vessels as two. Since 30 January 2026 one exam is capped at ¥1,515 for plain MRI, ¥1,650 for contrast MRI, ¥693 for plain CT and ¥915 for contrast CT. A contrast scan done straight after a plain scan of the same area is charged at 50%.
| What you have done | Scan fee cap | About |
|---|---|---|
| MRI, one area, no contrast | ¥505 | $75 |
| MRI, two areas, no contrast (e.g. both knees) | ¥1,010 | $150 |
| MRI, three areas, no contrast | ¥1,515 | $226 |
| MRI, one area, plain then contrast in one visit | ¥780 | $116 |
| CT, two areas, no contrast | ¥462 | $69 |
Our arithmetic from the official rules. Excludes contrast medicine, the outpatient registration and consultation fee, and any international-department surcharge.
Other rules in the Guangzhou schedule
- These are the Guangdong provincial maximums; Guangzhou adopted them unchanged for Grade 3 hospitals.
What a visitor to Guangzhou actually pays
International and VIP services in Guangzhou hospitals set their own prices, which these caps do not cover, and we have not found one that publishes an MRI price online. Some publish consultation fees for international patients; the consultation is a separate charge from the scan.
If you do not speak Chinese, budget for help with registration and payment, whether from the hospital’s international service, a coordinator or a friend. Coordinators’ package prices that include this help start at about $250 to $450 for one MRI on their own websites.
An international department or private hospital is not bound by these caps and usually charges several times more. Always ask for the price of your exact exam in writing before you pay.
Getting a scan in Guangzhou: the practical steps
- Choose the service. The ordinary outpatient service is cheapest but works in Chinese. An international department costs more and has English-speaking staff.
- Register with your passport. A doctor at that hospital sees you and orders the scan. Read MRI without a referral in China.
- Pay, then get a scan time. Bring a way to pay; see entering China and paying as a visitor.
- Collect the report and images. Ask for the images as DICOM files: DICOM and English reports.
Compare with other cities
MRI in Beijing
¥470one-area MRI cap, about $70
MRI in Shanghai
¥430one-area MRI cap, about $64
MRI in Shenzhen
¥505one-area MRI cap, about $75
All four cities side by side: MRI, CT and PET-CT price table. Back to the China MRI cost overview.
MRI in Guangzhou: common questions
How much is an MRI in Guangzhou?
At most ¥505 per body area without contrast in a Grade 3 public hospital (about $75), ¥550 with contrast. Grade 2 hospitals may charge up to ¥454.50 and Grade 1 up to ¥404.
Are Guangzhou and Shenzhen prices the same?
For Grade 3 hospitals, yes: both use the Guangdong maximums. They differ for smaller hospitals, because Guangzhou uses 90% and 80% and Shenzhen 95%, 90% and 80%.
What is the most a Guangzhou hospital can charge for one MRI exam?
Since 30 January 2026, ¥1,515 for a plain MRI exam and ¥1,650 for a contrast exam, however many body areas are scanned, in the ordinary service.
How much is a CT scan in Guangzhou?
At most ¥231 per body area without contrast and ¥305 with contrast in a Grade 3 hospital; one plain CT exam is capped at ¥693.
Sources
- Guangzhou forwarding of the Guangdong notices on radiology and other price items, Sui Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 12 (穗医保发〔2025〕12号), Annex 3 (in Chinese). Guangzhou Healthcare Security Administration, 25 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Sui Yi Bao Fa [2026] No. 1 (穗医保发〔2026〕1号): revised charging notes for radiology items, prices unchanged (in Chinese). Guangzhou Healthcare Security Administration, 30 January 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Guangdong notice publishing radiology examination price items, Yue Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 5 (粤医保发〔2025〕5号), read in the Shenzhen and Guangzhou forwarding notices (in Chinese). Guangdong Provincial Healthcare Security Administration, 14 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- RMB central parity rates, 26 October 2026 (USD/CNY 6.7162). China Foreign Exchange Trade System (chinamoney.com.cn), 26 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.