MRI Cost in San Diego, CA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a mri cost in San Diego, CA?
The same mri in San Diego, CA might cost you $255 at one facility and $420 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 16 reporting hospitals is $305. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. Pick your coverage in the tabs below to see your number.
Insurance
With commercial insurance, MRI in San Diego, CA typically runs $255–$420, facility and physician fees combined. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible and coinsurance.
Medicare
Medicare pays the same national rate to every provider that accepts it, adjusted slightly for local wages, so choosing a different hospital doesn't change what Medicare pays. For MRI that rate is about $244–$356 (typically near $356). After the $257 Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the approved amount, about $71.
Read the full Medicare coverage guide →
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why the exact same scan costs $400 at one site and $2,200 at another
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ When contrast adds a charge - and when to ask if you need it
- ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that protect you from surprise bills
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
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Medicaid
Medicaid is run by each state, and it pays fixed rates to the providers that accept it, so the price doesn't change from one hospital to the next. Most people on Medicaid owe nothing or a small copay for covered care, but what's covered and what you owe depends on your state and plan. CostKits doesn't show a Medicaid price here because those rates are set by the state, not negotiated by each hospital. The question that matters is whether the provider accepts your Medicaid plan, so ask before you schedule.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why the exact same scan costs $400 at one site and $2,200 at another
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ When contrast adds a charge - and when to ask if you need it
- ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that protect you from surprise bills
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.
We'll send a sign-in link to your email — click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.
No insurance
Posted cash prices for MRI at 16 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $56–$438, with a median of $302. The lowest posted price we found is Grossmont Hospital Corporation in La Mesa, CA at $255. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for the hospital’s financial-assistance policy before you book.
Once you have a bill or an appointment on the calendar, CostKits can help you keep it all organized.
Where mri costs vary in San Diego, CA
Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby imaging centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.
26+ people checked prices near them this month.
Hospital MRI costs run 2–5× more than independent imaging centers. Most patients never knew they had a choice.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why the exact same scan costs $400 at one site and $2,200 at another
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ When contrast adds a charge - and when to ask if you need it
- ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that protect you from surprise bills
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.
We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.
Cheapest MRI Providers in San Diego, CA
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $987 | -$000 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $988 | -$000 |
| 3 | KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN DIEGO - ZION | San Diego, CA | $56 | -$249 |
| 4 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $990 | -$000 |
| 5 | Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center | Chula Vista, CA | $255 | -$50 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $992 | -$000 |
| 7 | Sharp Memorial Hospital | San Diego, CA | $255 | -$50 |
| 8 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $994 | -$000 |
Your ranked price list is on its way to your email. Open the PDF now.
Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Email me this price comparison plus what to ask before booking
Sends a PDF with all 16 facilities ranked cheapest first, plus a short checklist of questions that change what you pay. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Before you book: three questions that change the price
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost → · When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →
Quick take
- KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN MARCOS is the lowest-cost option at $56 - $249 below the state median, just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $302, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- Independent imaging centers often charge much less than hospital outpatient departments for the same scan and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $244 to $356 | $356 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 15 | $401 to $1,413 | $655 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 16 | $56 to $438 | $302 |
| Anthem Blue Cross | 11 | $302 to $2,295 | $711 |
| Aetna | 11 | $284 to $1,878 | $390 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 10 | $152 to $1,712 | $714 |
| Cigna | 10 | $327 to $1,447 | $494 |
Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.
How much does an MRI cost with Medicare in San Diego, CA?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for MRI is about $244 to $356 (typically near $356). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $71 on a $356 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.
How much does an MRI cost with insurance in San Diego, CA?
Across 15 San Diego, CA hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for MRI average $401 to $1,413 per hospital, with a median near $655. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.
Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.
How much does an MRI cost without insurance in San Diego, CA?
Cash (self-pay) prices for MRI at 16 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $56 to $438, with a median of $302. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.
Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.
How much does an MRI cost with Anthem Blue Cross in San Diego, CA?
Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for MRI at 11 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $302 to $2,295, with a median near $711. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.
Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.
How much does an MRI cost with Aetna in San Diego, CA?
Aetna negotiated rates for MRI at 11 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $284 to $1,878, with a median near $390. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does an MRI cost with UnitedHealthcare in San Diego, CA?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for MRI at 10 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $152 to $1,712, with a median near $714. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does an MRI cost with Cigna in San Diego, CA?
Cigna negotiated rates for MRI at 10 San Diego, CA hospitals range from $327 to $1,447, with a median near $494. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states. MRI pricing has some of the widest site-of-service spreads in all of imaging - hospital outpatient MRIs often cost 4–8× more than the same scan at a freestanding imaging center. With vs. without contrast and body part scanned are separate CPT codes with meaningfully different prices; confirm exactly what was ordered before scheduling. For non-urgent imaging, independent imaging centers offer the same diagnostic quality at a fraction of hospital prices.
Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →
Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
A small number of hospitals (2) report prices above $668, including Kindred Hospital San Diego at $774, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $305 versus $420 inpatient (about 1.4× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. Whether the scan happens in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a separate facility fee) or a freestanding imaging center is usually the single biggest driver of price for this procedure.
On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$305 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$61 |
| Out-of-network provider | $671+ |
Frequently asked questions: MRI costs in San Diego, CA
How much does an MRI cost in San Diego, CA?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $113, with most facilities between $30 and $200 (based on 16 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $56 to $774 across all 16 San Diego, CA hospitals that publish prices. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.
Where is the cheapest place to get an MRI in San Diego, CA?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our San Diego, CA data is KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN MARCOS in San Marcos at about $56. By metro, San Diego has the lowest median ($284). Independent imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
Why is an MRI so much cheaper at some San Diego, CA hospitals?
Prices vary up to 13.8× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In San Diego, CA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $302 versus a median negotiated rate of $655 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as 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 an MRI in San Diego, CA?
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.
Before you book
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read your medical bill
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
Other procedures in San Diego, CA
MRI, elsewhere
What matters before you schedule
Imaging center vs. hospital
Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2-4x more than independent imaging centers for the same mri - same outcome, very different bill. The ER charges the most of any setting and should only be used when the situation is medically urgent. Call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote at each setting you're considering.
With vs. without contrast
Which type your doctor orders for this mri changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard mri with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
MRI is elective and schedulable, so you have time to compare facilities before booking - hospital outpatient prices often run 2-4x higher than alternative settings for the identical clinical outcome.
What to ask before you book
Get the CPT code from your doctor, confirm every provider involved (not just the facility) is in-network, ask for the cash-pay rate if you're uninsured or haven't met your deductible, and request a written estimate for mri before you schedule.
CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).
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About the Author
John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.
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