This guide to costs was written by Beauty Link staff in October 2026, drawing on the sources noted after each section. It is not medical advice, and no medical reviewer is named. Ask your surgeon anything about your own health.
What goes into a cosmetic surgery quote
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists these cost items on its procedure cost pages. Ask the hospital which of them your quote includes, and what each one covers:
- The surgeon's fee. On its breast augmentation page, ASPS bases this fee on the surgeon's experience, the type of procedure and the office location. Ask how your own surgeon's fee is set.
- Hospital or surgical facility costs.
- Anaesthesia fees.
- Medical tests.
- Post-surgery garments.
- Prescriptions for medication.
ASPS also says a headline average is only part of the total price. It can leave out anaesthesia, the operating room and other related costs. So a low number on its own tells you very little. What matters is what the number includes. Ask whether your quote is one package price or a list of items, and what is in it.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons (breast augmentation, facelift and tummy tuck cost pages)
Why two quotes for the same surgery can differ
When you compare quotes for what sounds like the same operation, these are the things to ask about:
- The procedure and technique. A breast augmentation with implants is a different operation from one using your own fat. ASPS lists them with separate costs.
- The surgeon. For breast augmentation, ASPS names experience as one factor in the surgeon's fee.
- Your nights in hospital. Ask how many nights the quote covers.
- What is left out. Ask whether tests, garments and check ups are included, or extra.
- More than one procedure. If you are thinking about two procedures at once, ask for each part to be listed on its own.
healthdirect Australia suggests asking your surgeon a simple question: what will it cost, and what do those costs cover? It also suggests asking yourself if a low price has swayed you. A quote that is hard to compare is a reason to ask more questions.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, healthdirect Australia
Costs outside the hospital quote
Check which parts of your planned care the hospital quote includes, and how extra care would be handled. The whole trip also has costs of its own. The NHS accepts that going abroad can be cheaper than surgery in the UK. Still, it asks you to set any saving against the risk of lower safety standards. Australia's travel advice site, Smartraveller, notes that some elective procedures are far cheaper abroad. It also says to think about all the possible costs.
Plan for these:
- Your travel. Ask which travel costs, such as flights, a visa, or a hotel or other accommodation after you leave hospital, are part of the hospital quote, if any.
- Your stay in Vietnam before you fly home. Nights in Vietnam add up. The NHS flight wait is 5 to 7 days after a breast operation or liposuction. It suggests 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures or tummy tucks. Those are the NHS ranges; your surgeon will tell you which one applies in your case.
- A support person. Smartraveller suggests you take someone with you, in case things go wrong.
- Travel insurance. A specialised policy that names your procedure is a real cost to plan for, because Smartraveller says basic cover rarely includes medical tourism.
- Care if something goes wrong. Fixing a complication can add to the bill, so Smartraveller says to allow for it in your budget.
In its published advice, the NHS adds that a holiday straight after surgery is unrealistic. In its words, this can increase the risk of things going wrong.
Sources: Smartraveller, NHS
After you fly home
Some costs can come after you are back home. healthdirect Australia says cosmetic surgery is not usually covered by Medicare or private health funds. Smartraveller says Medicare does not cover you overseas. ASPS says most health insurance plans will not cover cosmetic breast augmentation, related complications, or a later revision.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons says adverse consequences after cosmetic surgery overseas are likely to be managed in Australian health services. So before you book, ask the hospital who handles your follow-up, and what happens if you need care once you are home. Smartraveller also says to tell your health insurer about your plans, even if they will not cover you.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Smartraveller, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
How a quote reaches you through Beauty Link
Beauty Link is a concierge, not a hospital. Patients from abroad ask us to help them choose where to have facial, nose, breast or body contouring surgery, in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Every partner holds a Ministry of Health license and registration. Our help costs you nothing, because the hospital pays our fee.
Here is how the quote comes to you:
- You answer a few short questions about your goals.
- To get a quote moving, we open a WhatsApp chat that links you, an advisor from our team and the hospital's staff.
- We ask the hospital for your plan and its quote, explaining what is included.
- You ask your questions in the group, with English speaking support from your advisor.
A treatment plan can set out each day: your assessment before surgery, the surgery, your planned nights in hospital, your check ups, and when stitches come out. The exact days depend on how you heal and on your surgeon. Each of those days is something to check against the quote.
One worry Beauty Link has heard is hidden fees or surprises. That is why the list below exists.
Sources: Beauty Link team records
Your quote checklist
You can copy these questions and send them in your WhatsApp group before you book. Ask for the answers in writing.
- Does the quote include the surgeon, the anaesthesia and the operating room?
- How many nights in hospital does it cover, and what nursing care?
- Which tests before surgery are included?
- Are garments, medication and dressings included?
- If implants are used, which type and brand are in the quote?
- Which check ups and aftercare are included, and when are stitches removed?
- What happens, and who pays, if there is a complication?
- If a problem shows up after I fly home, who is my contact, and is that in the quote?
Two more checks. The NHS suggests asking your surgeon what training and qualifications they have. Its advice is two consultations with your treating surgeon, rather than talks with sales staff alone. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons warns that overseas consults often happen with staff who are not medically trained, with payment asked for up front. Take your time.
Sources: NHS, Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
Questions
You will not find a price list here. The cost depends on your procedure, your surgeon, the hospital and what the quote includes. Each hospital sends you a quote based on your goals. Then add your travel, your stay and travel insurance to see the full cost.
None of the sources on this page rates Vietnam as a whole. A low price does not tell you the standard. Smartraveller says many overseas hospitals are of a similar standard to those in Australia, while in some countries the quality and standards can be poor. So ask about each hospital and surgeon. Our page on whether plastic surgery in Vietnam is safe explains the checks to consider.
There is no set figure on this site. Each hospital prepares its own quote for your nose. Our page on rhinoplasty Vietnam cost explains what drives nose surgery quotes.
Beauty Link works with licensed hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. You can read more in our face lift Vietnam guide, then ask for a written quote from the hospital before you book.
The sources on this page do not rank procedures by how hard they are to recover from. The NHS does suggest longer waits before flying after facial procedures and tummy tucks than after breast surgery and liposuction. A longer stay can also add to your trip cost. Ask your surgeon how long your own recovery is likely to take.
healthdirect Australia says cosmetic surgery is not usually covered by Medicare or private health funds. Smartraveller says Medicare does not cover you overseas. Check your own policy, and tell your insurer about your plans.
No. Our fee comes from the partner hospital, so you pay Beauty Link nothing. Your treatment costs are set out in the hospital's own quote. Our page on what a medical tourism coordinator does explains the role.
Sources: Smartraveller, NHS, healthdirect Australia, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Beauty Link team records