For patients living in the UK, the US or the Gulf, the headline difference is large: a standard IVF cycle in India is commonly ₹1.5–2.5 lakh (≈ $1,550–2,600 · £1,150–1,950 · AED 5,750–9,600 at today's rate). That figure, however, is the price of the core cycle only. Medication, laboratory add-ons, frozen transfers, travel and time away from home all sit on top of it. This guide sets out each component, prices the most common treatment scenarios, and explains how to compare an Indian quote fairly with treatment where you live.
Key points
- The core IVF cycle in India is commonly ₹1.5–2.5 lakh. Stimulation medication, often billed separately, is commonly ₹60,000–1,50,000.
- ICSI, embryo freezing, PGT-A and frozen embryo transfer are separate line items at most clinics.
- Commonly quoted home-country ranges are £4,000–8,000 for a private UK cycle, $15,000–25,000 in the US and AED 18,000–35,000 in the UAE.
- Travelling patients also pay for flights, two to three weeks of accommodation for a fresh cycle, a visa where needed, and time off work.
- The fairest comparison is the full plan — the same protocol, extras and number of trips — not the headline cycle price.
Typical cost of one IVF cycle, 2026
| Where | Typical range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| India | ₹1.5–2.5 lakh | Consultations, monitoring scans, egg retrieval, lab work, one transfer; medication usually extra |
| United Kingdom (private) | £4,000–8,000 | Cycle plus medication and common add-ons; London is often higher |
| United States | $15,000–25,000 | Cycle plus medication; only a minority of states require insurers to cover IVF |
| UAE | AED 18,000–35,000 | Standard cycle; medication and extras often on top |
These are commonly quoted ranges, not quotes. Prices vary by city, clinic and protocol in every country, and the UK and US figures above already include medication while the Indian core figure usually does not. The next section corrects for that.
Funding at home also matters. In the UK, some patients qualify for NHS-funded treatment, but eligibility criteria and waiting times differ by area; see our guide to the NHS waiting list compared with treatment in India. In the US, cover depends on the state and the employer's plan. In the UAE, cover depends on the insurance policy and the emirate. Check what you are entitled to before you calculate the difference.
Cost components in India, line by line
Indian clinics generally price IVF as a core package plus separately billed items. The ranges below are the ones used across Miro's guides; any individual clinic may sit above or below them.
| Component | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core IVF cycle | ₹1.5–2.5 lakh | Consultations, scans, retrieval, lab work, one transfer |
| Stimulation medication | ₹60,000–1,50,000 | Depends on dose, protocol and brand; often billed separately |
| ICSI | ₹25,000–50,000 | Commonly recommended, particularly where sperm quality is a factor |
| Embryo freezing + first-year storage | ₹20,000–40,000 | Usually bundled together |
| Storage renewal (from year 2) | ₹15,000–30,000 per year | Relevant if embryos stay in India while you live abroad |
| Frozen embryo transfer (FET) | ₹60,000–1,20,000 | Each transfer of a frozen embryo |
| PGT-A | ₹25,000–40,000 per embryo tested | Only where it is clinically advised |
Medication
Medication is the component that varies most between patients. The dose is set by age, ovarian reserve and how you responded to any previous cycle, and the choice of brand affects the price. Ask the clinic to estimate medication separately from the cycle and to say whether the estimate assumes a standard or a higher dose. Some patients begin injections at home before travelling; if you plan to do that, read starting medication at home and flying with IVF medication, because buying drugs at home may change the cost.
ICSI
ICSI injects a single sperm into each mature egg. It is commonly recommended where there is a male factor and is offered routinely at some clinics. Ask whether it is included in the package or charged per cycle, and why it is being advised in your case. Our guide to male infertility treatment for international patients covers the related tests.
Freezing and storage
Surplus embryos are usually frozen for later use. The first year of storage is typically bundled with the freezing fee; after that, annual renewal applies. Patients who live abroad should plan for storage fees for as long as the embryos remain in India, and should understand that moving embryos out of the country is restricted. See storing embryos in India while living abroad.
PGT-A
Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy is charged per embryo tested, so the total depends on how many embryos reach the stage at which they can be biopsied. It is not appropriate for everyone. If it is offered, ask why it is recommended for you. Our PGT-A guide for international patients explains the process and the questions to ask.
Costs by treatment scenario
The scenarios below add together the approved ranges above. They cover clinic charges only; travel and living costs follow in the next section. They are illustrations to help you read a quote, not prices for your treatment.
Scenario 1: standard cycle with a fresh transfer
- Core cycle: ₹1.5–2.5 lakh
- Medication: ₹60,000–1,50,000
- Clinic total: roughly ₹2.1–4.0 lakh (≈ $2,200–4,200 · £1,650–3,150 · AED 8,100–15,400)
If surplus embryos are frozen, add ₹20,000–40,000 for freezing and first-year storage.
Scenario 2: standard cycle with ICSI
- Scenario 1 plus ICSI at ₹25,000–50,000
- Clinic total: roughly ₹2.35–4.5 lakh, plus freezing if embryos are stored
Scenario 3: freeze-all, then a frozen embryo transfer
Many international patients freeze all embryos and return for a transfer later. This may be advised medically, or chosen to split the treatment into two shorter trips. The cost is typically:
- Core cycle and medication: ₹2.1–4.0 lakh
- ICSI, if advised: ₹25,000–50,000
- Freezing and first-year storage: ₹20,000–40,000
- Frozen embryo transfer: ₹60,000–1,20,000
- Clinic total: roughly ₹2.9–5.6 lakh without ICSI, or ₹3.15–6.1 lakh with ICSI (≈ $3,300–6,400 · £2,450–4,750 · AED 12,100–23,500)
Because the core package usually includes one transfer, ask whether the clinic credits the unused fresh transfer against the FET fee. Practice varies, and the answer can move the total noticeably.
Scenario 4: freeze-all with PGT-A
PGT-A results are not available in time for a fresh transfer in most cases, so testing usually means freezing all embryos and transferring later. Using the ranges above, testing three embryos would add ₹75,000–1,20,000 to Scenario 3, and testing five would add ₹1.25–2.0 lakh. The number of embryos available for testing cannot be known in advance, so ask the clinic to show the cost per embryo and a likely range for your age and history.
Scenario 5: donor egg or donor sperm programmes
Donor gametes in India must come from an ART bank registered under the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021, and donors are anonymous. Existing Miro guides give these ranges:
- Donor egg cycle (bank fee, donor stimulation and the recipient's cycle): commonly ₹2.5–5 lakh in total, with matched or premium donor profiles adding ₹50,000–1.5 lakh.
- Donor sperm: ₹15,000–40,000 per vial, with most cycles using one or two vials, added to the cost of the IVF or IUI cycle.
Waiting times for donor matching can affect how you plan travel. See our guides to donor egg IVF and donor sperm IVF for international patients.
Travel and living costs
These costs depend heavily on where you live, the city you choose and how you travel, so we describe them rather than price them. Each deserves its own line in your budget.
- Flights. One return trip for a fresh cycle, or two if embryos are frozen and transferred later. Flexible fares usually cost more but protect you if dates move. From the Gulf, flights are short and frequent; from North America, they are long and the second trip is a larger undertaking.
- Accommodation. About two to three weeks for a fresh cycle and about a week for a frozen transfer. Serviced apartments near the clinic are often more practical than hotels for a stay of this length. See where to stay during IVF.
- Local transport and meals. Monitoring scans mean repeated trips to the clinic. Our hidden costs guide lists the smaller items that add up.
- Visa. Not needed for Indian passport or OCI card holders. Most other nationalities apply for the e-Medical visa, and a travelling companion for the e-Medical Attendant visa. See the e-Medical visa guide.
- Insurance. Standard travel policies often exclude planned medical treatment. Read travel and medical insurance for IVF.
- Time off work. For you and, if they travel, your partner. For many patients this is the largest indirect cost.
- Currency and payment costs. Clinics quote and bill in rupees. Bank transfer fees and exchange-rate margins apply; see paying an Indian clinic from abroad.
If a partner is travelling, the timing of their visit also affects cost. See travelling to India for IVF with your partner.
A worked comparison: one plan, priced two ways
The following is an illustration, not a real patient. A couple living in the UK are advised to have IVF with ICSI. They decide to freeze all embryos and return for a frozen transfer, so that each trip is shorter.
- Clinic costs in India (Scenario 3 with ICSI): roughly ₹3.15–6.1 lakh.
- Travel: two return trips for the patient, one for the partner (who needs to be present around retrieval), about two weeks of accommodation for the first trip and one week for the second, local transport and meals.
- Other: any visa costs, insurance, payment fees and unpaid leave.
- At home: a private UK cycle is commonly £4,000–8,000 including medication and common add-ons, with a frozen transfer charged separately at most clinics.
The couple would compare the Indian total, after travel, against a written quote from a UK clinic for the same plan. The Indian clinic charges are likely to be lower; how much of that difference remains after travel depends on their flights, the length of stay and their income lost to time off. Doing this arithmetic with real quotes, rather than headline ranges, is what makes the decision sound.
How to compare quotes from abroad
An Indian quote and a home-country quote are rarely structured the same way. Before comparing figures, make sure each quote describes the same treatment.
- Share your records first. A quote given without your history is a guess. Send reports before the consultation; see sending records to an Indian clinic.
- Agree a provisional protocol. Ask what the clinic would recommend and why, in a first video consultation.
- Request an itemised written estimate. Cycle, medication, ICSI, freezing, storage, FET, PGT-A and tests should each appear separately.
- Ask what is excluded. Typical exclusions include additional scans, repeat blood tests, anaesthesia fees and extra medication if the dose is increased.
- Ask about cancellation. Find out what is charged or refunded if stimulation is stopped early or no embryos are suitable for transfer.
- Compare two or three clinics on the same plan. Use the compare tool and the cost calculator.
Our guides on comparing IVF quotes and international patient packages go into more detail.
When payments fall due, and building a contingency
Clinics differ in when they ask for payment. Some take a deposit when the cycle is booked and the balance at the start of stimulation; others bill in stages around monitoring, retrieval and transfer; medication is often paid for as it is dispensed. Ask for the payment schedule in writing, because it determines how much currency you need to transfer before you travel and how much you will pay while in India.
It is sensible to hold a contingency on top of the estimate. The most common reasons for spending more than planned are a higher medication dose, additional monitoring scans, a longer stay if stimulation runs over, and a change of plan from a fresh to a frozen transfer. A contingency also absorbs exchange-rate movement between the date of the quote and the date of each payment.
Common mistakes when comparing costs
- Comparing an Indian core price with a home price that includes medication. Add medication to the Indian figure first.
- Ignoring the second trip. A freeze-all plan means two sets of flights and accommodation.
- Forgetting storage renewal. Embryos left in India incur annual fees from the second year.
- Accepting add-ons without a reason. Ask why each recommended extra applies to you.
- Choosing on price alone. A lower-priced cycle is not better value if it is not the right plan for your history. Our guide to choosing a clinic from abroad covers the other factors.
- Booking non-refundable travel before dates are confirmed. Stimulation can run a day or two longer than planned.
Do Indian clinics charge international patients differently?
Some clinics offer separate international packages that bundle coordination, airport transfers or accommodation. These can be convenient, but they make comparison harder. Ask for the same itemised breakdown you would expect for a domestic patient, so that you can see what the package adds and what it costs.
Next steps
Every clinic on Miro shows its IVF price range — marked as clinic-published, Miro-verified or estimated — with an approximate figure in your currency. Start with clinics set up for international patients, or the pages for patients from the UAE and from the UK. For planning the time you will need, read how long to stay in India for IVF.