How Much Does an MRI Cost in Australia? (Ultrasound Too)

With a valid referral at a Medicare-licensed clinic, many patients pay about $0–$250 out of pocket; non-eligible or unlicensed scans often cost $300–$800+. Without a referral you usually pay the full private fee.

Rough Victorian ranges (2026 — always confirm with the clinic):

• Medicare-eligible MRI at a licensed clinic: often $0–$250 gap (sometimes bulk billed) • MRI that doesn’t meet Medicare criteria or isn’t on a licensed scanner: often $300–$800+ • No referral: full private fee, no rebate

Price also varies by body part (brain, spine, knee), contrast, and suburb. The only reliable figure is the quote the clinic gives when they accept your booking.

Compare MRI clinics and request a quote via booking on Radly.

Usually far less than MRI — many standard ultrasounds are $0 (bulk billed) to about $100 with a Medicare referral.

Typical out-of-pocket:

• Many standard ultrasounds: $0–$100 • Specialised MSK or vascular studies: may carry a gap • Pregnancy scans: often bulk billed; some morphology scans may have a gap

Search ultrasound clinics near you and check bulk billing on each profile.

Six things move the gap more than anything else:

• Medicare licence on that scanner — required for a rebate on eligible items • Who wrote the referral — specialist vs GP can change eligibility • Clinical indication — must match a Medicare item for rebate • Contrast dye — may add time and cost • Concession / DVA — some clinics bulk bill these patients • Suburb — outer and regional sites are sometimes cheaper than CBD

Ask your doctor whether your MRI is likely rebate-eligible, then compare Melbourne MRI clinics.

Because clinics set their own fees and bulk-billing policies on top of Medicare’s schedule. On Radly, patients comparing Victorian MRI clinics routinely see different out-of-pocket quotes for the same body-part exam a short drive apart — especially when one site is Medicare-licensed and another is not, or when one bulk bills concession patients and the other does not.

That variation is the whole point of comparing before you book. Generic “MRI costs Australia” articles can’t show you the clinic two suburbs over; Radly MRI search can.

1. Always get a referral before imaging 2. Ask the clinic for the expected out-of-pocket before you attend 3. Mention concession or DVA cards when you book 4. Compare more than one clinic on Radly — gaps for the same MRI can differ by hundreds of dollars 5. Don’t assume “bulk bill imaging” means your MRI is free — confirm for that item

Find MRI near you or read bulk billed MRI in Melbourne. Broader scan pricing: How much do medical scans cost in Australia?.