Brain MRI Cost in San Antonio, TX (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a brain mri cost in San Antonio, TX?

Where you have a brain mri done in San Antonio, TX swings the bill from $1,379 to $3,554 for identical care. The median cash price across 19 reporting hospitals is $1,482. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files.

The same brain mri that costs $170 at PAM Specialty Hospital of San Antonio LLC in San Antonio reaches $9,342 at METHODIST HOSPITAL WESTOVER HILLS in San Antonio — a 55× gap across the 19 San Antonio, TX hospitals reporting prices. The median San Antonio, TX price is $1,482. Most facilities fall between $1,208 and $3,554. Self-pay patients are quoted more than insurers actually pay: the median cash price is $1,482 versus a median negotiated rate of $223 — about 6.6× higher, so asking for the cash or insurer-negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on your bill. Where you go inside San Antonio, TX counts as much as which plan you have: San Antonio's median ($1,594) runs 1.2× New Braunfels's ($1,379).

Where brain mri costs vary in San Antonio, TX

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

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The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.

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Lower-cost options in San Antonio, TX start around $1,208 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $1,208 and $4,247. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.

If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: Guadalupe Regional Medical Center in Seguin (cash price from $170); PAM Specialty Hospital of San Antonio LLC in San Antonio (cash price from $202); Medina County Hospital District in Hondo (cash price from $838). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

San Antonio, TX Brain MRI prices by facility

All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.

Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →

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Where you can save the most on brain mri in San Antonio, TX

These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Most expensive brain mri providers in San Antonio, TX

These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (1) report very high prices above $8,806, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Setting drives much of the gap in San Antonio, TX: the median outpatient price is $1,482 versus $3,142 inpatient — about 2.1× more, so where a procedure is performed often matters more than which hospital you choose. Of the San Antonio, TX facilities reporting prices, 5 fall in a low-cost tier (up to $1,208) while 5 sit in a high-cost tier ($4,247 and up) — a lower-priced option almost always exists within the same state.

Among the cities with the most reporting hospitals, San Antonio has a median reported price of $1,594 across 11 facilities, while facilities in New Braunfels tend to report lower prices (median: $1,379). City-level variation within a state often reflects local market structure, not procedure complexity.

The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.

Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it

How insurance changes what you actually pay

Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.

Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)

Compare brain mri costs in nearby states

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Frequently asked questions: brain mri costs in San Antonio, TX

How much does a brain mri cost in San Antonio, TX?

Across 19 San Antonio, TX hospitals that publish prices, a brain mri ranges from $170 to $9,342, with a median of $1,482. Most facilities fall between $1,208 and $3,554. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a brain mri in San Antonio, TX?

Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our San Antonio, TX data is Guadalupe Regional Medical Center in Seguin at about $170. By metro, New Braunfels has the lowest median ($1,379). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data — ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is a brain mri so much cheaper at some San Antonio, TX hospitals?

Prices vary up to 55× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In San Antonio, TX, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,482 versus a median negotiated rate of $223 — about 6.6× higher. Asking for the cash price or your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a brain mri in San Antonio, TX?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network — not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Explore all brain mri cost data

→ See brain mri costs across all states

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. If you've received a bill for this procedure:
→ Analyze your medical bill for errors
→ How to negotiate your medical bills
→ Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account)