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

What does a mri cost in San Antonio, TX?

You could pay $537 or $1,075 for the same mri in San Antonio, TX - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 18 reporting hospitals is $794. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.

Where 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.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

Texas is the largest commercial hospital market in the country by revenue. HCA, Tenet, and Community Health Systems are significant for-profit players across the state. Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio have genuine multi-system competition that creates real price variation. Rural Texas - particularly West Texas and the Panhandle - has extensive critical access hospital coverage where pricing differs substantially from urban PPS hospitals. 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.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (2) report prices above $2,434, including Post Acute Medical of New Braunfels LLC at $4,686, 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 $750 versus $1,224 inpatient (about 1.6× 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.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Frequently asked questions: MRI costs in San Antonio, TX

How much does an MRI cost in San Antonio, TX?

Across 18 San Antonio, TX hospitals that publish prices, an MRI ranges from $170 to $4,686, with a median of $794. Most facilities fall between $537 and $1,075. 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 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, San Antonio has the lowest median ($696). 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 an MRI so much cheaper at some San Antonio, TX hospitals?

Prices vary up to 27.6× 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 $794 versus a median negotiated rate of $212 - about 3.7× 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 an 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.

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).