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Cosmetic Tourism: Clinics, Procedures & Prices Abroad (2026)
Living guide · Last updated August 2026 · prices USD (local currency in parentheses)
Here's the thing nobody writing about cosmetic tourism will tell you straight: the cheap quote and the good quote are rarely the same quote. I've spent months pulling real prices from real clinics in Medellín, Seoul, and Bangkok — the actual menus, not the lead-gen sites — and cross-checking who's genuinely credentialed. This is the running result. Tap a country, then a service, to drill into venues and prices.
🇨🇴 Colombia — Medellín
South America's cosmetic capital. El Poblado is where the credible clinics cluster; non-surgical work runs 40–75% below US pricing. Conversions ~3,050 COP/$1 (Aug 2026 — the peso strengthened ~25% this year).
Be Dharma — Dr. David Delgado
Verified — SCCP + ASAPS| Procedure | For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Morpheus8 / RF microneedling | Texture, mild tightening (1–3 sessions) | $780–1,030 (COP 2.5–3.3M) |
| Ultraformer III (HIFU) | Face & neck tightening | ~$600–1,500 |
| Colormax laser | Tone, pigment, resurfacing | ~$150–600 |
| Biostimulator (Radiesse/Sculptra) | Collagen, jawline | ~$400–900 /vial |
| PRP | Texture, glow | ~$150–350 |
Also credible (verify first)
Clínica Mery Álvarez (Morpheus8, Colormax, English site) · MIA Dermatología / Dra. María Isabel Arredondo (microneedling, Ellman RF, Radiesse).
| Surgeon | Technique | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Andrés Díaz Romero | Implants + periareolar (donut) lift, ~3 hrs | ~$7,960 (COP 24,267,275) |
| Surgeon A | Implants + anchor (inverted-T) lift | ~$10,300 (COP ~31.5M) |
Clínica Antienvejecimiento (Dr. Lucia Castro)
| Package | For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Spa Glaciar Floral (ice room + flower jacuzzi) | 2 people, 2.5–3 hrs | ~$374 (COP 1,200,000) |
| Ritual Herbal de Relajación | 2 people | ~$280 (COP 899,000) |
| Oasis Spa Floral | 1 person | ~$155 (COP 499,000) |
| Spa Shiatsu Reset Floral | 1 person | ~$118 (COP 380,000) |
Moustache Barber Club
Cuts, beard, nose/ears, brows, facial cleanse. Medellín's barber and men's-grooming scene is deep and cheap, plus scalp/hair-thickening (PRP). Ear/body piercings widely available in El Poblado studios.
In 2018 I was quoted a boob job and lipo for under $4,000 here. When a fresh quote came back looking almost double, I assumed prices exploded. They hadn't — the peso had. Same COP 24,267,275 quote, by February each year:
| February of… | Rate (COP/$1) | Same quote in USD |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~3,900 | ~$6,220 |
| 2023 | ~4,850 | ~$5,000 |
| 2024 | ~3,920 | ~$6,190 |
| 2025 | ~4,130 | ~$5,880 |
| Today (2026) | ~3,048 | ~$7,960 |
Nothing about the surgery changed — a stronger peso just means it costs ~$3,000 more today than in early 2023. Always convert at the live rate.
🇰🇷 South Korea — Seoul
World leader in energy-based skin tightening (Ulthera, Thermage, Sofwave) at a fraction of US pricing, clustered in Gangnam / Sinsa. Watch for first-visit promos — real but time-limited, and 10% VAT is usually added. Conversions ~1,380 KRW/$1.
Sinsa Dion / Beauterra
Unverified — confirm doctorAfter photos: sagging → Ulthera/Sofwave (SMAS lift); deeper folds → Thermage/Oligio. Prices promo/first-visit; add 10% VAT.
| Procedure | Detail | Price (+VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Ulthera 300 shots | SMAS lift | ~$709 (KRW 890,000) |
| Thermage FLX 300 | RF firmness | ~$948 (KRW 1,190,000) |
| Thermage FLX 600 | RF firmness | ~$1,427 (KRW 1,790,000) |
| Ulthera 300 + Thermage 300 (promo) | Combo + extras | ~$1,594 (KRW 2,000,000) |
| Sofwave 100 shots | Lift | ~$789 (KRW 990,000) |
| Sofwave 200 + jawline botox | Lift + contour | ~$1,395 (KRW 1,750,000) |
See @relishwithreese →
| Clinic | Focus | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Kyeol (via Himedi) | Onda/Ultherapy/Thermage; 3D analysis + consult | ~$35 consult |
| Luho Plastic Surgery (Dr. Yil Park) | Facelift — eyes/nose/lifting | pending |
| Elite Plastic Surgery | Anti-aging lifts | pending |
| Venue | What | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hair On Clinic + Lee Moon Won | Scalp/hair thickening (PRP, scalp) | pending |
| MOMO Clinic | Transplant FUT ~3,000 grafts | ~$4,400 (KRW 6.05M) |
| MOMO Clinic | Transplant FUE ~3,000 grafts | ~$6,500–7,800 (KRW 9–10.8M) |
| Venue | What | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Minish Save-Teeth | Brighter Smiles (checkup + imaging + 3 whitening) | ~$300 (vs $1,000+ SF) |
| Venue | What | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Plan S | Fat dissolving, Onda body lifting | pending |
| PRiA Clinic | Juvelook Volume/i (PDLLA booster) | ~$205+ (KRW 299,000+) |
| PRiA Clinic | Ultracol 200 (PDO booster) | ~$171+ (KRW 249,000+) |
Seoul Skin Concierge (Jen Lee)
5-day plan — Stay (Gangnam): Dormy Inn (value) · Novotel/AC (mid) · Westin Parnas / Josun Palace (splurge). Day 2 recover: Spa Gogyeol, Sisu House ($100–300). Day 3 head spa: Lee Moon Won, Hair The Beau ($100–300). Day 4 one clinic: Aquapeel/microneedling/boosters, XERF/Thermage, Botox — $1,000–3,000. Day 5 shop.
See Jen's full guide → @jen.seoulskin →🇹🇭 Thailand — Bangkok
Same device menu as Korea, often cheaper again. Conversions ~33 THB/$1.
DSK Clinic
Unverified — confirm doctor/tier| Procedure | Detail | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ulthera SPT | 300 lines | ~$904 (THB ~30,000) |
| Ulthera SPT | 600 lines | ~$1,809 (THB ~60,000) |
| Ultracel (HIFU) | 300 shots | ~$226 (THB ~7,500) |
| Oligio (RF) | 300 lines | ~$452 (THB ~15,000) |
| Thermage FLX | 900 shots | ~$1,809 (THB ~60,000) |
| Potenza (RF microneedling) | 1000 shots | ~$1,749 (THB ~58,000) |
| Sculptra | 1 bottle | ~$754 (THB ~25,000) |
How to vet any clinic before you book
Run this on every clinic here, no matter how good the price looks.
1. Confirm who's actually treating you
A plastic surgeon or dermatologist — not an aesthetician with no medical degree. Colombia: SCCP directory or Asocolderma. Korea/Thailand: confirm board certification, meet the doctor.
2. Make them show you the box
A real clinic opens the sealed Botox, filler, or device tip in front of you — box, lot number, expiry. For Morpheus8, confirm genuine InMode. Price-compare to avoid the "foreigner tax."
The insider Seoul beauty list (locked)
A friend who's done multiple Seoul beauty trips shared her full working list — the exact spas, clinics, and prices her group booked. Shared privately, so it's behind a password.
🔒 Emma Kim's Seoul beauty master list
Personal research log, not medical or financial advice. I'm a travel writer, not a doctor. Prices change constantly — confirm directly and get a written, itemized quote. Verify every credential yourself before booking.