Without insurance, the same treatment in Korea costs 5 to 10 times more. Foreigners staying 6 months or more must enroll in National Health Insurance (NHIS), so health insurance isn't optional but essential.
Real hospital costs with vs without insurance
NHIS covers about 70% of hospitalization and a large share of outpatient costs, so the same care feels completely different in price depending on whether you're insured.
| Service | With NHIS | Without insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Cold visit (internal medicine) | about 7,000 won | 20,000 to 30,000 won |
| ER (minor) | 30,000 to 50,000 won | 200,000 to 500,000 won |
| Fracture (with hospitalization) | 300,000 to 800,000 won | 1.5M to 4M won |
| MRI | 100,000 to 200,000 won | 500,000 to 800,000 won |
| Appendix surgery | 500,000 to 1M won | 3M to 5M won |
Enrolling in NHIS
Enrollment is mandatory after 6 months; employees are handled by their company, and the self-employed register at a local NHIS branch. Without it you pay the full cost, and a single ER visit can run 200,000 to 500,000 won.
Private insurance
NHIS covers the basics, but co-payments and non-covered items (some MRIs, dental, premium materials) remain, so adding indemnity insurance (silson) sharply cuts the burden of major treatment.
Hospital costs with vs without insurance, NHIS enrollment, and private plans