The Most Expensive Dog Hospitalization Fees in 'Gyeongbuk'... 1.4 Times Higher Than Jeonbuk

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Releases Veterinary Clinic Treatment Fee Status by City, County, and District

The region with the highest hospitalization fees for companion dogs nationwide was Gyeongbuk, which was 1.4 times higher than Jeonbuk. In the case of follow-up consultation fees, Jeju was twice as expensive as Sejong.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 26th that it has surveyed the current status of medical fees (lowest, highest, median, average) at animal hospitals nationwide this year and will disclose them by city, county, and district.

This survey and disclosure of medical fees is the second conducted since the mandatory posting system for animal hospital fees was implemented in 2023. Detailed regional medical fee information can be checked on the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs website or the medical fee survey and disclosure system.

The items surveyed and disclosed this time are the same 11 types as last year, including initial consultation fees, hospitalization fees, and vaccination fees, which are subject to mandatory posting. However, starting this year, with the expanded implementation of the mandatory posting system, the survey targets have increased to 4,159 animal hospitals employing at least one veterinarian (excluding farm animal treatment hospitals).

Looking at the average cost per medical item, the initial consultation fee was 10,291 KRW, dog hospitalization fee was 64,271 KRW, and comprehensive dog vaccination fee was 26,140 KRW. Since one-veterinarian animal hospitals, which generally have relatively lower fees, were included in the survey from this year, the average medical fees for most items either decreased compared to last year or showed only a slight increase.

By province, the average medical fees showed up to a twofold difference. The initial consultation fee in Daejeon was 11,878 KRW, which was 1.4 times higher than Sejong’s 8,733 KRW. For follow-up consultation fees, Jeju (13,487 KRW) was twice as expensive as Sejong (6,700 KRW). In the case of dog hospitalization fees, Gyeongbuk was 79,662 KRW, while Jeonbuk was 57,027 KRW, making it 1.4 times cheaper.

However, the gap in medical fees between regions has decreased compared to last year. A Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official stated, "The variance in average medical fees between regions (at the city/province level) was at least 1.2 times depending on the item," and added, "The reduction in regional fee disparities compared to last year is believed to be partly influenced by the medical fee disclosure system implemented since last year."