How Much Does Top Surgery Cost in 2026? FTM and MTF Prices by Country

Female-to-male (FTM) top surgery costs from $3,800 in Thailand and from $5,000 in Turkey at Bookimed partner clinics – up to 80% less than the $10,000–$20,000 the same operation costs in the United States.

What you pay in the end depends on the technique your surgeon recommends, on what the quote covers and on how much of it your health insurance pays.

Table of Contents

1. How Much Does FTM Top Surgery Cost?
2. How Much Does MTF Top Surgery Cost?
3. What Affects the Cost of Top Surgery?
4. What Is Included in the Cost of Top Surgery?
5. Does Insurance Cover Top Surgery?
6. How to Pay for Top Surgery
7. Top Surgery Abroad: Thailand and Turkey
8. The Bottom Line on Top Surgery Cost
9. Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does FTM Top Surgery Cost?

Female-to-male (FTM) top surgery, also called chest masculinization, removes breast tissue to create a flatter, more masculine chest. It is the most common surgery performed on transgender men.

FTM top surgery costs between $3,800 and $20,000. The cost depends on several factors, not least on the country where the surgery is performed:

Based on Bookimed data, FTM top surgery costs roughly 60%–80% less in Thailand and 50%–75% less in Turkey than in the United States. At the low end, a US patient saves $6,200 in Thailand and $5,000 in Turkey, before flights and a hotel. The FTM surgery cost guide covers the other steps of a female-to-male transition.

FTM Top Surgery Techniques and Their Prices

Double incision and periareolar surgery are the two most common FTM top surgery techniques. A review of 26 studies with 3,055 patients found that double incision was used in about two-thirds of cases and periareolar surgery in nearly a quarter. The two techniques differ in the length of the cut, the scars they leave and how much tissue the surgeon can remove – and in price:

FTM top surgery cost also depends on the type of procedure. The surgeon will choose the best technique according to your contouring goals and physical condition. For smaller chests with minimal excess skin, a nipple-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy might be enough. However, patients with larger chests and bigger bodies might be better suited for a subcutaneous mastectomy with a free nipple graft. Let's look into the most common FTM top surgery techniques:

Double incision

The surgeon makes two horizontal cuts along the lower edge of the chest muscles and removes the breast tissue. The nipples may be made smaller and placed back on the chest as skin grafts (nipple grafts). Liposuction may be added to shape the sides of the chest. Some patients choose no nipple grafts and have nipples tattooed later. Liposuction and nipple grafts add to the total cost of the procedure.

• Best for. Medium to large chests.
• Pros. The surgeon has the most control over the final shape of the chest.
• Cons. Two scars stay visible, nipple sensation may be reduced, and small folds of skin may form at the ends of the scars.

Periareolar

The surgeon makes one cut around the edge of the areola (the darker skin around the nipple) and a second, larger circle outside the first. The breast tissue comes out through this opening, and the nipple stays attached.

• Best for. Small to medium chests with good skin elasticity.
• Pros. Nipple sensation is more likely to be kept, and the scars are small.
• Cons. The surgeon can remove only a limited amount of tissue, and a second, smaller operation may be needed to refine the result.

Keyhole

The surgeon removes breast tissue through a small cut along the lower edge of the areola, and the nipple stays attached. Keyhole and periareolar surgery generally cost less than double incision with nipple grafts, with a difference of up to $2,000. However, double incision without nipple grafts takes less time and technical skill than keyhole surgery and can cost less.

• Best for. Small chests with firm skin.
• Pros. This technique leaves the smallest scar, and nipple sensation can be kept.
• Cons. Only a small amount of tissue can be removed, and the surgeon has less control over where the nipple is placed.

Inverted T

The surgeon makes two horizontal cuts and one vertical cut in the center, which together form an upside-down T. The nipples stay attached to keep their sensation.

• Best for. Patients with a B cup or larger who want to keep nipple sensation.
• Pros. Nipple sensation can be kept, and no nipple grafts are needed.
• Cons. The chest may not be completely flat, because some tissue stays to keep the blood supply to the nipple.

Buttonhole

This technique is similar to the inverted T but has no vertical cut. More chest tissue stays in place to keep sensation.

• Best for. Smaller chests, for patients who accept a slightly fuller chest.
• Pros. The nipple keeps its position, sensation and color, and less skin is removed.
• Cons. The chest is not fully flat.

Fishmouth

In fishmouth surgery, also called batwing surgery, the cuts spread outward from the nipple to remove breast tissue while keeping sensation.

• Best for. Nonbinary and gender-nonconforming patients who are comfortable with a scar pattern that does not follow the usual chest lines.
• Pros. Nipple sensation can be kept, and the chest is flat and tight.
• Cons. The scar pattern stays visible.

At the consultation, the surgeon examines your chest and recommends a technique, so check which one each quote is for before you compare prices. The guide on how top surgery works explains the operation and recovery in more detail.

Side Effects of FTM Top Surgery

Most patients recover without complications and are satisfied with the result. A meta-analysis of 15 studies with more than 3,700 patients found complications in about 10%–11% of cases, so roughly 9 in 10 patients had none. A study in JAMA Surgery asked 139 people how satisfied they were with their decision to have top surgery: the median rating was 5 out of 5, and none of them asked for a reversal.

The side effects of FTM top surgery depend on the technique, and the surgeon explains them at the consultation. They may include:

• visible scars;
• reduced nipple sensation;
• a chest that is not fully flat;
• a second, smaller operation to refine the result.

Ask the surgeon which of these apply to your technique, how often they happen at the clinic and how the clinic manages them.

How Much Does MTF Top Surgery Cost?

Male-to-female (MTF) top surgery costs $2,800–$4,200 in Turkey and $3,200–$4,000 in Thailand. Prices start at $6,000 in the United States and $5,700 in the United Kingdom. MTF top surgery is a breast augmentation, in which the surgeon places breast implants to create a more feminine chest.

Starting prices differ by more than $3,000 between the four countries:

Based on Bookimed data, MTF top surgery costs roughly 30%–45% less in Thailand and 30%–55% less in Turkey than the US starting price. At the low end, a US patient saves $2,800 in Thailand and $3,200 in Turkey, before flights and a hotel.

Saline and Silicone Implants for MTF Top Surgery

The surgeon helps you choose between two types of breast implants, saline and silicone.

Saline implants

Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water. The surgeon may place them empty and fill them during the operation.

• Pros. They require smaller cuts and give more choice of where the cut is made.
• Cons. They may feel less natural and are more likely to show ripples under the skin.

Silicone implants

Silicone implants come filled with a silicone gel and feel soft.

• Pros. They look and feel closer to natural breasts, show fewer ripples and work well for patients with little breast tissue of their own.
• Cons. They require a longer cut, with fewer options for where it is made.

A quote may be for either implant type, so ask the clinic which type and brand the price includes.

A tissue expander is a temporary implant that the surgeon fills in stages to stretch the skin before the final implant is placed.

Top surgery may be one step of a transition, alongside facial feminization surgery and voice surgery. The MTF surgery cost guide covers the full transition.

What Affects the Cost of Top Surgery?

The country, the technique and whether the price is a package all change the cost of top surgery. In Thailand, for example, periareolar surgery starts at $4,000 and double incision surgery at $5,000.

Each of these points can change the final bill for top surgery:

• Type of surgery. FTM top surgery costs $10,000–$20,000 in the United States, while MTF breast augmentation starts at $6,000 there.
• Technique. In Turkey, periareolar surgery starts at $3,200 and double incision surgery at $3,500.
• Surgeon's experience. Ask how many top surgeries the surgeon performs each year and ask to see before-and-after photos of your technique.
• Country. FTM top surgery starts at $3,800 in Thailand, against up to $20,000 in the United States. Among Bookimed's partner surgeons in Thailand is Dr. Saran Wannachamras, who heads the rhinoplasty and sex change department at Wansiri Hospital in Bangkok.
• Hospital stay. An overnight stay adds to the facility fee, so ask whether your quote includes it.
• Aftercare. Follow-up visits, dressings and medicines may be billed separately.
• Insurance. With US health insurance, you pay a deductible, the amount due each year before the plan starts paying. You also pay co-payments, a fixed fee for each visit or service.
• Tests and consultations. Blood tests, a mental health assessment letter and consultations before surgery may add to the bill.

What Is Included in the Cost of Top Surgery?

A top surgery quote may include the surgeon's fee, the operating room and hospital stay, anesthesia and a compression vest.

Check that your quote lists each of these items:

• Surgeon's fee. This is the payment for the surgeon's time and work during the operation.
• Facility fees. These pay for the operating room and the hospital stay.
• Anesthesia. This includes the general anesthesia and the anesthesiologist, the doctor who gives it.
• Compression garment. This is a tight vest you wear after surgery to support healing and help the chest keep its shape.
• Tests before surgery. These may include blood tests and a chest X-ray to confirm you are fit for surgery.
• Consultations. Clinics may offer a free online consultation and charge for visits in person.

Ask the clinic to confirm in writing which of these items the price includes.

Extra Costs of Top Surgery to Plan For

These costs may not be part of the quote or paid by insurance.

• Travel and hotel. Budget for flights, local transport and a hotel for you and anyone who travels with you.
• Extra medical tests. Depending on your age and health, the surgeon may ask for extra tests. Breast screening guidance for transgender and nonbinary people advises mammograms from age 40 for patients at average risk.
• Medicines. You may need prescribed medicines for pain and nausea in the first week after surgery.
• Scar care. Silicone tape or gel may help flatten and soften scars, and steroid injections may reduce thickness, redness and itching.
• Help at home. You may need help with lifting and reaching in the first days after surgery, when arm movement is limited.
• Time off work. Your surgeon will give you a schedule for returning to work and to physical activity.
• Clothing. You may want clothes that fit the new shape of your chest.

Add these items to the quoted price to see the full cost of your trip.

Top Surgery Packages Abroad

Packages at clinics in Thailand and Turkey may include services that a standard quote does not list:

• a hotel;
• transfers between the airport, the hotel and the clinic;
• meals;
• consultations and follow-up visits;
• medicines and compression garments.

The surgeon decides when you can fly home after checking your wounds at a follow-up visit, so plan your return flight with the clinic. Ask the clinic how many hotel nights the package includes.

Does Insurance Cover Top Surgery?

In a review of 57 US health insurers, 96% covered chest masculinization and 68% included breast augmentation for transgender women.

Even when a plan pays for top surgery, the deductible and co-payments you owe depend on that plan. Ask your insurer for its written policy on gender-affirming chest surgery before you plan the trip.

What Insurers Ask for Before Covering Top Surgery

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) publishes medical criteria for chest surgery, and insurers set their own conditions using them. The WPATH criteria for chest surgery include:

• Gender dysphoria. A health professional has documented lasting distress about the mismatch between your body and your gender (gender dysphoria).
• Informed consent. You are able to make a fully informed decision and consent to treatment.
• Age. You have reached the legal adult age in your country, and younger patients follow the WPATH standards for adolescents.
• Health. Any significant medical or mental health conditions are reasonably well controlled. Until they are, surgery is not recommended.
• Letters. You have an assessment letter from a licensed mental health provider. If you take hormones, you also have a letter of support from the doctor who prescribes them.

Insurers may add conditions of their own. According to the same review, 90% of policies for transgender women and 21% of those for transgender men required hormone therapy before surgery. For breast augmentation, WPATH recommends at least 12 months of feminizing hormone therapy first, to allow as much natural breast growth as possible.

If you pay out of pocket at a clinic in Thailand or Turkey, the price does not depend on your insurer.

How to Pay for Top Surgery

Payment plans, loans, credit cards, crowdfunding and grants can all help you pay for top surgery.

Each option works differently when you repay:

• Payment plans. Clinics may let you spread the cost over time, and Bookimed offers installment plans.
• Personal loans. A bank or lender sets the amount and the interest rate based on your credit score and income.
• Credit cards. A credit card lets you pay the bill now and repay it over time, with interest on the balance you carry.
• Medical credit cards. Cards for medical bills, such as CareCredit, may offer no interest for a set period. If you do not repay the full balance within that period, interest may be charged on the whole original amount.
• A loan against your home. If you own a home, you can borrow against its value, but you may lose the property if you cannot repay the loan.
• Help from family or friends. A loan from people close to you may come without the interest a bank charges.
• Crowdfunding. Sites such as GoFundMe let you raise money from a wider community, and you do not repay it.
• Grants. Nonprofit organizations offer grants that pay for part or all of the cost and do not need to be repaid.

Organizations that offer top surgery grants include:

• Jim Collins Foundation;
• Point of Pride;
• The Loft LGBTQ+ Community Center;
• Genderbands;
• Black Trans Men Inc.

Check each grant's eligibility rules and deadlines on its website before you apply.

Top Surgery Abroad: Thailand and Turkey

Bookimed partner clinics in Thailand and Turkey perform top surgery for international patients. A trip there includes a consultation, the operation and a wound check before you fly home.

Top Surgery in Thailand

Bangkok has private hospitals that treat international patients for plastic and gender-affirming surgery. For example, Wansiri Hospital is a private hospital in Bangkok that specializes in plastic surgery. Bumrungrad International Hospital, also in Bangkok, was the first hospital in Asia accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). JCI audits hospitals against international safety standards. Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute is JCI-accredited and specializes in breast and gender affirmation surgery.

Top Surgery in Turkey

Istanbul has JCI-accredited private hospitals that perform top surgery. Among them are Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital and Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital.

A Bookimed coordinator arranges your consultation with the clinic, explains the treatment plan and stays in touch with you during the trip. You can send your medical documents in the original language, and the coordinator will have them translated for you.

The Bottom Line on Top Surgery Cost

Top surgery costs less in Thailand and Turkey than in the United States for both FTM and MTF patients. At the low end, a US patient saves $6,200 on FTM top surgery in Thailand and $5,000 in Turkey, and $2,800–$3,200 on MTF top surgery, before flights and a hotel.

• Savings on FTM top surgery. Chest masculinization costs roughly 60%–80% less in Thailand and 50%–75% less in Turkey than in the United States. Prices start at $3,800 in Thailand and $5,000 in Turkey, against $10,000–$20,000 in the US and $8,500–$15,500 at private clinics in the UK.
• Savings on MTF top surgery. Breast augmentation costs roughly 30%–45% less in Thailand and 30%–55% less in Turkey than the US starting price. Prices are $2,800–$4,200 in Turkey and $3,200–$4,000 in Thailand, against $5,700 and up in the UK.
• Technique. Periareolar surgery starts $300 below double incision surgery in Turkey and $1,000 below it in Thailand. The surgeon chooses the technique after examining your chest, so compare quotes for the same operation.
• Results. About 9 in 10 patients have no complications after FTM top surgery, and patients rate their satisfaction with the decision at a median of 5 out of 5.
• Insurance. In the US, 96% of insurers cover FTM top surgery and 68% cover breast augmentation. Insurers set their conditions using the WPATH criteria, which include an assessment letter from a licensed mental health provider.
• Extra costs. Travel, a hotel, medicines, scar care and time off work add to the quoted price. Packages in Thailand and Turkey may include the hotel, airport transfers and follow-up visits, so ask the clinic what the package covers.
• Ways to pay. Payment plans, loans, medical credit cards, crowdfunding and grants can help with the part insurance does not pay. Grants from nonprofits such as Point of Pride and the Jim Collins Foundation do not need to be repaid.
• Other procedures. Top surgery is one of several transgender surgery costs, and the guide to gender-affirming surgery explains the full process.

Before you choose a country, add travel and the hotel to the quoted price and compare the full cost at clinics for sex reassignment surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Top surgery prices depend on the country, the technique and your insurance, and the answers below give the figures for each.

How much does top surgery cost?

Female-to-male (FTM) top surgery costs from $3,800 in Thailand and $5,000 in Turkey, against $10,000–$20,000 in the United States.

Private clinics in the United Kingdom charge $8,500–$15,500. The price also depends on the technique. Double incision surgery costs $3,500–$6,500 in Turkey and $10,000–$15,000 in the United States. Periareolar surgery costs $3,200–$6,000 in Turkey.

Male-to-female (MTF) top surgery is a breast augmentation, and it costs $2,800–$4,200 in Turkey and $3,200–$4,000 in Thailand.

A quote may include the surgeon's fee, the operating room, anesthesia and a compression vest. Travel, a hotel, medicines and scar care may be extra, so ask the clinic to list in writing what the price includes. Clinics in Thailand and Turkey may also offer packages that add a hotel and airport transfers.

What is the cost of top surgery in the UK?

Private FTM top surgery in the United Kingdom costs $8,500–$15,500, and breast augmentation for male-to-female (MTF) patients starts at $5,700.

By technique, double incision surgery costs $8,500–$14,000 in the UK and periareolar surgery costs $8,500–$13,500. The surgeon chooses the technique based on your chest size and skin elasticity, so the final quote comes after the consultation. Double incision surgery is used for medium to large chests, and periareolar surgery for small to medium chests with good skin elasticity.

For FTM top surgery, prices start at $3,800 in Thailand and $5,000 in Turkey, below the lowest UK price of $8,500. When you compare, add flights and a hotel for the days until the surgeon checks your wounds and approves your flight home.

What does top surgery cost with insurance?

With US health insurance, you pay the share of the top surgery bill that your plan leaves to you, such as the deductible and co-payments.

In a review of 57 US health insurers, 96% covered chest masculinization and 68% included breast augmentation for transgender women. Hormone therapy before surgery was required by 90% of policies for transgender women and 21% of those for transgender men.

Ask your insurer for its written policy on gender-affirming chest surgery and the letters it requires. Keep copies of your letters and hormone therapy records, because insurers may ask for them. If you pay out of pocket abroad, FTM top surgery costs from $3,800 in Thailand and from $5,000 in Turkey.

How much is MTF top surgery?

MTF top surgery, a breast augmentation with implants, costs $2,800–$4,200 in Turkey and $3,200–$4,000 in Thailand. Prices start at $6,000 in the United States and $5,700 in the United Kingdom.

Based on Bookimed data, MTF top surgery costs roughly 30%–55% less in Turkey and 30%–45% less in Thailand than the US starting price. The surgeon helps you choose between saline implants, filled with sterile salt water, and silicone implants, filled with a soft gel. Silicone implants look and feel closer to natural breasts, while saline implants require smaller cuts.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) recommends at least 12 months of hormone therapy before breast augmentation. This allows as much natural breast growth as possible. Ask the clinic which implant type and brand the quote includes.

Which top surgery technique costs less?

Periareolar top surgery starts at a lower price than double incision surgery in Thailand and Turkey, although the two price ranges overlap.

In Thailand, periareolar surgery costs from $4,000 and double incision surgery from $5,000. In Turkey, periareolar surgery costs $3,200–$6,000 and double incision surgery $3,500–$6,500. In the United States, double incision surgery costs $10,000–$15,000 and periareolar surgery $10,000–$20,000.

The surgeon chooses the technique after examining your chest. Periareolar surgery is used for small to medium chests with good skin elasticity, and double incision surgery for medium to large chests. Ask for a quote for the technique the surgeon recommends, so you compare prices for the same operation. Keyhole, inverted T, buttonhole and fishmouth techniques are also used, and the clinic gives their price after the consultation.