X-Ray Cost in Finland
What you actually pay through the public wellbeing services counties, occupational health care and private clinics such as Terveystalo, Mehiläinen and Aava. Last reviewed October 2026.
Short answer: how much does an X-ray cost in Finland?
In the public system an X-ray ordered by a health centre doctor is usually not billed separately — you pay only the doctor-visit fee of up to about €30 (€30.20 in South Karelia in 2026; health station doctor visits are free in Helsinki). At a hospital outpatient clinic or night/weekend emergency department the visit fee is €71.30, X-rays included. Paying privately, a plain X-ray (röntgen) costs roughly €165–240 per exam (about $190–280): Lääkärikeskus Aava lists €165–199 and Terveystalo €204.60–237.60, and a doctor's referral is always required.
Quick Overview
Since January 2023, public health care in Finland is organised by 21 wellbeing services counties (hyvinvointialueet) plus the City of Helsinki, funded mainly by the state. Patients pay modest, nationally capped client fees (asiakasmaksut) rather than per-test charges: imaging ordered in public care is normally covered by the fee for the visit that ordered it, and Pohjois-Pohjanmaa's wellbeing county, for example, states that public imaging examinations carry no client fee of their own. All health care client fees count towards an annual cap of €815 in 2026 (€762 in 2025). Many working Finns instead get X-rays through employer-funded occupational health care (työterveyshuolto). Private clinics — Terveystalo, Mehiläinen, Pihlajalinna, Lääkärikeskus Aava and Synlab — publish fixed self-pay prices of roughly €165–240 per plain X-ray, and since 2026 Kela reimburses almost nothing towards them.
🏥 Public (wellbeing county)
- Health centre doctor visit fee, charged for the first 3 visits a year
- Doctor visits free at Helsinki health stations
- X-ray ordered by the public doctor not billed separately
- Free for under-18s and veterans
🚑 Hospital outpatient / emergency
- Specialist outpatient visit (poliklinikkamaksu), 2026
- Joint emergency department nights, weekends, holidays
- X-rays during the visit included
- Counts towards the €815 annual cap
🏥 Private self-pay
- Per plain X-ray at Aava, Terveystalo and similar clinics
- Referral (lähete) from a doctor always required
- No Kela reimbursement when a private GP orders it
- Often paid by occupational health or private insurance
X-Ray Prices in Finland by Exam: Public vs Private
Finnish private clinics publish fixed prices per examination in their price lists (hinnasto). The private ranges below run from Lääkärikeskus Aava's list (the lowest of the published lists checked) to Terveystalo's list prices. Public patients normally pay only the visit fee for the appointment that orders the exam, not a separate charge per X-ray.
| Exam | Public (with referral) | Private self-pay (EUR) | USD (≈) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest X-ray (lungs) | Included in visit fee | €169–204.60 | $195–235 |
| Hand / wrist X-ray | Included in visit fee | €179–210.60 | $210–245 |
| Ankle X-ray | Included in visit fee | €174–210.60 | $200–245 |
| Foot / toes X-ray | Included in visit fee | €174–237.60 | $200–275 |
| Knee X-ray | Included in visit fee | €174–220.60 | $200–255 |
| Cervical spine X-ray | Included in visit fee | €184–210.60 | $215–245 |
| Lumbar spine X-ray | Included in visit fee | €184–220.60 | $215–255 |
| Shoulder / elbow X-ray | Included in visit fee | €199–237.60 | $230–275 |
| Hip / pelvis X-ray | Included in visit fee | from €174 (Aava, hip) | from $200 |
| Abdomen X-ray | Included in visit fee | Not on published lists — ask for a quote | — |
| Dental panoramic (OPG) | approx. €27.60 + dentist visit fee | approx. €123 (€113 after Kela) | ≈$32 public / ≈$145 private |
| Ultrasound (per area) | Included in visit fee | €242.50–531.50 | $280–615 |
| CT scan | Included in visit fee | approx. €400–940 | $465–1,090 |
| MRI scan | Included in visit fee | €395–970 | $460–1,125 |
Private prices from published 2026 price lists: Lääkärikeskus Aava (X-ray €165–199; MRI €395 Järvenpää to €970 Kamppi 3T with contrast; ultrasound €242.50–531.50 plus €34.90 service fee and €4 Kanta fee; cone-beam CT €398.10) and Terveystalo (X-ray €204.60–237.60; MRI €427.60–837.60; CT €407.60 cone-beam to €937.60 coronary CT; ultrasound €307.60–437.60). An independent comparison site (tutkimushinnat.fi, checked 23 August 2026) found the same €158–238 spread across four Helsinki providers. Dental prices: public tariff of South Karelia (Eksote) 2026 and Oral's private price list (whole-jaw dental X-ray). USD at approximately €1 = $1.16; exchange rates move.
How the Finnish Public System Charges for X-Rays
1. Health centre (terveysasema / hyvinvointiasema)
- See a public GP; they write the X-ray referral
- Doctor visit fee up to about €30 (e.g. €30.20 in South Karelia, 2026), charged for the first three visits a year per health centre
- Helsinki health station doctor visits are free
- Nurse visits free; X-ray done at the county's imaging unit
- A follow-up visit to discuss results may carry the normal visit fee
2. Hospital outpatient clinic & emergency
- Outpatient visit (poliklinikkamaksu): €71.30 in 2026
- Emergency (päivystys): €71.30 on weekday nights, weekends and holidays at joint emergency departments
- Urgent daytime health centre appointments €30.20 in South Karelia
- Unused, uncancelled appointment: about €73 fee
- Fees rose by an index of 6.93% from February 2026 in Helsinki
3. The €815 annual cap (maksukatto)
- €815 per calendar year from 1 January 2026 (was €762)
- Visit fees, outpatient fees, day surgery and short-term inpatient days count
- After the cap, those services are free until year-end (a reduced daily fee of €26.80 still applies to short-term inpatient stays)
- Public imaging or lab tests on a private doctor's referral do not count
- Keep your receipts — the cap is not always tracked automatically
Where to Get an X-Ray in Finland
🏥 Public / University Hospitals
- HUS Helsinki University Hospital — HUS Diagnostic Center imaging
- Tays — Tampere University Hospital
- Tyks — Turku University Hospital
- KYS — Kuopio University Hospital
- OYS — Oulu University Hospital
- Health centre imaging units in each wellbeing services county
🏥 Private Clinics
- Terveystalo — nationwide (X-ray €204.60–237.60)
- Lääkärikeskus Aava — Helsinki region (X-ray €165–199)
- Mehiläinen — nationwide, largest private provider
- Pihlajalinna — nationwide, strong in Pirkanmaa
- Synlab — imaging and lab units
- Oral — dental chain (dental X-rays)
💡 Practical tips
- Compare hinnasto pages — the same knee X-ray is €174 at Aava and €220.60 at Terveystalo
- Check whether service (€34.90) and Kanta (€3.70–4) fees are added on top
- Imaging prices exclude a radiologist's phone review of results
- Results and images appear in OmaKanta / the clinic app
Kela, Occupational Health and Private Insurance
📋 Kela reimbursement (2026)
- Private GP or specialist visit: only €8 per visit from 1 January 2026
- X-rays ordered by a private GP: no Kela reimbursement
- Exams ordered by a dentist, psychiatrist or oral surgeon are reimbursed per Kela's tariff
- Show your Kela card at the clinic for direct deduction
🩺 Occupational health & 65+ trial
- Employer-paid työterveyshuolto often covers X-rays ordered by the occupational doctor
- 65+ choice trial (Sept 2025 – end 2027): see a participating private GP for the public fee
- Under the trial you pay half the price of certain common tests the GP orders — check whether imaging is included
💳 Private health insurance
- Health insurance (sairauskuluvakuutus) from insurers such as LähiTapiola, If, Pohjola Insurance and Fennia usually reimburses private imaging, subject to a deductible
- Some sickness funds (sairauskassat) offer direct billing for X-rays at Terveystalo, Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna
- Get a commitment (maksusitoumus) before MRI or CT
Guide by Patient Type
🇫🇮 Finnish residents
- Public route: health centre visit (€0–30) → free X-ray
- Employed: occupational health care is usually fastest
- Private self-pay €165–240 if you need it today
- Track fees towards the €815 cap
🇪🇺 EU / EEA / Swiss / UK visitors
- EHIC (UK: GHIC) gives public care at residents' client fees
- Emergency department €71.30 at nights/weekends
- Show EHIC and passport at registration
- Planned treatment not covered — self-pay
✈️ Non-EU visitors & new arrivals
- Emergency care is provided, but non-residents may be billed full cost
- Private clinics treat anyone at list prices (X-ray €165–240)
- Travel insurance strongly recommended
- Residents with a municipality of residence get public cover; students may use YTHS
Practical Details
📋 What to bring
- Referral (lähete) — usually sent electronically
- Kela card or personal identity code
- EHIC / GHIC and passport (visitors)
- Insurance or occupational health commitment
- Previous images if taken outside Finland
⏰ Typical wait times
- Emergency: triaged on arrival
- Public plain X-ray: often within days of referral
- Public MRI / CT: weeks for non-urgent cases
- Private: often same or next day
- Results: radiologist report usually within a few working days
💡 How to save money
- Use the public health centre — the X-ray is effectively free
- Check occupational health before paying privately
- Compare Aava, Terveystalo and Mehiläinen price lists
- Private MRI is cheaper outside central Helsinki (Aava Järvenpää €395 vs Kamppi €495)
FAQ
How much does an X-ray cost in Finland?
In the public system you usually pay only the health centre doctor-visit fee that produces the referral — up to about €30 (e.g. €30.20 in South Karelia in 2026, and free at Helsinki health stations) — and the X-ray itself is generally not billed separately. Paying privately, a plain X-ray (röntgen) costs roughly €165–240 per exam (about $190–280): Lääkärikeskus Aava lists €165–199 and Terveystalo €204.60–237.60.
Röntgen hinta: what does a private X-ray cost at Terveystalo or Aava?
Published 2026 self-pay prices: Terveystalo lists lungs €204.60, wrist and ankle €210.60, cervical spine €210.60, knee and lumbar spine €220.60, shoulder and foot €237.60. Lääkärikeskus Aava lists sinuses €165, lungs €169, foot, ankle, knee or hip €174, hand or wrist €179, spine €184 and shoulder or elbow €199. A doctor's referral (lähete) is required.
Can I get an X-ray without a referral (röntgen ilman lähetettä) in Finland?
Generally no. Terveystalo, Synlab and public imaging units all state that an X-ray always requires a referral from a doctor (or a dentist for dental imaging), in line with Finnish radiation-safety rules. If you have no referral, book a private GP visit first — Terveystalo GP visits start at about €84 for 10 minutes including service and Kanta fees — and the doctor can refer you the same day.
Does Kela reimburse private X-rays?
Usually not. From 1 January 2026 Kela pays only €8 towards a private GP or specialist visit, and examinations such as X-rays are reimbursed only when ordered by a dentist, a psychiatrist, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or (for fertility treatment) a gynaecologist. X-rays ordered by other private doctors get no Kela reimbursement, so expect to pay the full price unless occupational health care or private insurance covers it.
What is the 2026 client fee cap (maksukatto) in Finland?
The annual cap on public social and health care client fees is €815 per calendar year from 1 January 2026, up from €762. Health centre visits, hospital outpatient fees, day surgery and short-term inpatient days count towards it; after you reach it, those services are free for the rest of the year. Imaging or lab tests done in the public sector on a private doctor's referral do not count towards the cap.
How much is a public hospital outpatient or emergency visit with an X-ray?
A hospital outpatient visit (poliklinikkamaksu) in specialist care costs €71.30 in 2026 in wellbeing services counties such as Helsinki, Päijät-Häme and South Karelia, and joint emergency departments charge €71.30 on weekday nights, weekends and public holidays. X-rays taken during that visit are covered by the visit fee. Under-18s and veterans pay nothing.
How much does an MRI, CT or ultrasound cost privately in Finland?
Approximate 2026 self-pay prices: MRI €395–970 (Aava Järvenpää from €395, Aava Kamppi 3T €495–970, Terveystalo €427.60–837.60), CT about €400–940 (cone-beam €398–408; Terveystalo brain CT from €631.60, abdomen €733.60) and ultrasound about €240–530 (Aava €242.50–531.50 plus fees; Terveystalo €307.60–437.60). In the public system these are covered by normal client fees with a referral.
How much does a dental panoramic X-ray cost in Finland?
At a public dental clinic a panoramic X-ray (panoraamaröntgen) costs about €27.60 and a single intraoral image about €12.30 (South Karelia 2026 tariff), on top of the dentist visit fee; it is free for under-18s. Privately, Oral lists a whole-jaw dental X-ray at €123 (€113 after Kela) and intraoral X-rays at €57.50–68, plus a €33.90 clinic fee. Dentist-ordered X-rays qualify for a small Kela reimbursement.
Can tourists and EU visitors get an X-ray in Finland?
EU/EEA and Swiss visitors with a valid EHIC (and UK visitors with a GHIC) receive medically necessary public care at the same client fees as Finnish residents — for example €71.30 at an emergency department at night. Non-EU visitors without residence-based cover can be billed the full cost, so travel insurance is recommended; private clinics such as Terveystalo, Mehiläinen and Aava treat anyone at their list prices.
Compare X-Ray Costs Across Countries
Sources
- City of Helsinki — client fee changes from 1 January 2026 (cap €762 → €815) and February 2026 index increase (6.93%)
- South Karelia wellbeing services county (Eksote) — Sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon asiakasmaksut 2026 (health centre, outpatient, emergency and dental imaging fees)
- Päijät-Häme wellbeing services county — client fee changes 2026
- Pohjois-Pohjanmaa wellbeing services county — imaging services patient information
- Kela — reimbursements for private health care (€8 visit reimbursement from 1.1.2026; examinations reimbursed only when ordered by certain specialists) and 65+ choice-of-provider trial
- Terveystalo — public price list (hinnasto): X-ray, ultrasound, MRI and CT prices, service and Kanta fees
- Lääkärikeskus Aava — price lists (hinnastot): imaging examinations
- Oral Hammaslääkärit — dental price list
- tutkimushinnat.fi — X-ray price comparison (checked 23 August 2026)
- Act on Client Fees in Social and Health Care (asiakasmaksulaki) and Decree (asiakasmaksuasetus), Finlex
Last reviewed: October 2026. Public fees are set by each wellbeing services county within national maximums and are indexed every two years; private prices change — confirm with the provider before booking.