How to get plastic surgery quotes from Korean clinics before you travel

Almost every international patient asks the same first question: "How much will it cost me?" The honest answer from a good Korean clinic is a quote for your case, not a number from a price list. This guide explains how to get that quote from several clinics without flying to Korea, what it should contain, and how to compare quotes so that a lower number is actually a better deal.

What a Korean clinic quote usually contains

A proper quote (견적) from a Korean plastic surgery clinic is written for one patient after seeing photos or a video consultation. It normally lists:

• The procedure and method the doctor recommends (for example rhinoplasty with septal cartilage and a tip graft, not just "rhinoplasty")
• The surgeon who would operate
• The price in Korean won (KRW), and whether it includes 10% VAT (foreign patients can often claim a VAT refund on cosmetic surgery — see the cost guide)
• What is included: anaesthesia, pre-operative tests, post-operative checks, medication, materials such as implants
• What is billed separately: revisions, extra procedures decided on the day, aftercare treatments, accommodation
• How long the quote is valid and whether any promotion is attached

If a "quote" is a single number with no method and no surgeon, it is a price list entry, not a quote. Ask for the rest.

Three ways to get quotes from abroad

1. Message a clinic directly (free)

Open a clinic or procedure page, start a chat consultation, describe what you want and attach the photos the clinic asks for. The clinic replies in your language through real-time interpretation with a written estimate. This is the fastest way to get a first number and to ask follow-up questions.

2. Send one quote request to several clinics (free)

Write your request once — what you want to change, your photos, your travel window — and let several clinics reply with their plans and estimates. On Mimi this is the free quote request: you compare the answers side by side and continue the conversation only with the clinics you like. This is the best way to get comparable quotes, because every clinic answers the same description.

3. Video consultation with the surgeon

For surgical decisions the most reliable quote comes after the surgeon has seen you on a video call, explained the options and confirmed the plan. Some doctors charge a consultation fee, shown before you book. The quote you receive after a video consultation is the one clinics are most willing to honour when you arrive. See how online consultations work.

What to send with your request

• Clear photos: front, both sides and, for the nose or chin, a profile; for body or skin, the area of concern in natural light without makeup or filters
• What you want to change and what you want to keep — reference photos help
• Previous surgery on the same area (very important for revision cases), implants, fillers or threads still in place
• Medical history: medications, allergies, smoking, conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease or bleeding disorders
• Your travel dates and how many days you can stay in Korea
• Your budget range, if you have one — clinics can then propose the method that fits it

How to compare quotes fairly

1. Same method, same anaesthesia. A quote for local anaesthesia and one for general anaesthesia are not comparable; neither are an implant rhinoplasty and an autologous (rib cartilage) one. Ask each clinic to quote the same plan, or accept that the plans differ and compare the reasoning.
2. Same inclusions. Add up tests, anaesthesia, follow-ups, medication and materials. A quote that looks 20% cheaper often excludes items another clinic bundled.
3. Same surgeon level. Ask who operates. A quote from a clinic where the senior surgeon operates and one where "a doctor of the clinic" operates are different products.
4. Revision policy. A slightly higher price with a clear revision policy can be cheaper than a low price with none.
5. Days in Korea. Fewer required days can save more in accommodation than the difference between quotes.

Warning signs

• A large deposit requested before you have spoken to the doctor or received a written plan
• A quote that is only valid "today" or "this week" and pressure to pay to lock it
• Prices given only through an agent, a "sponsor" or a social-media account rather than by the clinic
• A quote that does not name the surgeon
• Big discounts for reviews or photos before the procedure

Timeline

Chat quotes usually arrive within the clinic's business hours (Korean time). A multi-clinic quote request typically collects replies over one to three business days. A video consultation is booked at a time slot the clinic offers, usually within a week. Plan for one to two weeks from first message to a confirmed plan and price, and book flights after that.