Choosing surrogacy is a challenging decision for any couple. It is widely acknowledged that embarking on this journey can be physically and emotionally draining, requiring significant effort and dedication from those who aspire to fulfill their dream of parenthood.
Hence, apart from mustering strength, love, and patience to confront the potential obstacles along the way, it is equally important to be financially prepared for the entirety of the surrogacy process.
It is understandable that surrogacy entails significant expenses, regardless of the selected destination. However, many intended parents are eager to explore avenues for potential cost savings along their surrogacy journey.
Within this article, you will find a curated collection of the finest surrogacy destinations, focusing on those that provide greater affordability. The selection takes into consideration the advantages and disadvantages associated with each country.
1. Colombia
Colombia has become a popular destination for surrogacy, thanks to its inclusiveness, accessibility, and affordability. Family Aims is one of the most prestigious international surrogacy agencies and takes care of managing the stay and the legal and clinical procedures of the intended parents in the country. Not only that, but it also makes the necessary arrangements to keep the costs within the initial budget agreed upon when undertaking surrogacy.
The exceptional reputation of Babynova Clinic by Novafem, an affiliated clinic with vast expertise in assisted gestation, adds further credibility to the remarkable experience provided.
Surrogacy waiting lists in Colombia are notably shorter, with an extension of 2 to 3 months compared to other clinics worldwide. This provides a significant advantage for parents who are keen to initiate the process expeditiously.
And also helps to reduce the overall cost, which starts at $65,000 USD, making Colombia an attractive option for those looking for low-cost surrogacy with greater accessibility.
2. United States
Despite being one of the countries with a thriving surrogacy industry and housing expert agencies and specialized clinics, surrogacy treatments in the United States can be financially burdensome for foreigners. Additionally, foreign intended parents often face the challenge of obtaining a specific visa, which can be expensive or, in certain cases, completely unattainable depending on their nationality.
Even for residents, surrogacy in the United States can be a costly endeavor due to the need to relocate between states. The lack of consistent regulations for surrogacy across the country results in additional expenses related to these interstate moves, ultimately inflating the overall surrogacy budget.
It is worth noting that, in addition to visa expenses and adhering to state legislation requirements, the number of attempts stipulated in each surrogacy plan and the necessity for supplementary tests can be significant factors that drive up overall expenses.
Therefore, it is to be taken into account that the costs may even exceed 200,000 USD, a figure that may increase depending on the surrogacy method chosen, as well as on the number of attempts included.
3. Georgia
Georgia offers affordable surrogacy options; however, it’s important to note that this treatment is exclusively available to heterosexual couples who have been in a relationship for at least one year. The base costs for surrogacy in Georgia is 55,000 USD. Nevertheless, the recently enacted legislation in 2024 prohibits surrogacy for foreigners, thus restricting access to this treatment to same-sex couples and foreigners who opt for surrogacy within the country.
Given the prohibitive legislation in force that involves numerous complications even for natural residents of Georgia, this destination is a possible one for its legality, but a difficult one to access for those interested.
4. Cyprus
Several European countries provide their residents with highly affordable surrogacy options. Cyprus, for instance, is host to specialized clinics that offer surrogacy procedures at approximately 65,000 USD, making it an attractive choice for individuals seeking cost-effective surrogacy within Europe.
Nevertheless, the high demand for surrogacy procedures coupled with a small local population results in limited candidate availability. As a consequence, there is often a need to expand the search beyond the country’s borders to find suitable surrogates to carry out the procedure.
This limitation forces foreigners who wish to serve as gestational carriers to travel abroad to deliver the newborn. Consequently, this increases the expenses, risks, and legal fees associated with surrogacy.
Additionally, intended parents who are not European nationals face a substantial amount of paperwork, which incurs extra costs to access certain services and ensure unrestricted mobility throughout the various stages of the surrogacy process.
Consequently, surrogacy in this country necessitates meticulous financial planning as an essential factor to consider.
5. Mexico
Among the Latin American nations, Mexico stands as one of the exceptions that permits surrogacy, although comprehensive regulations are only clearly defined in a handful of states.
This indicates that individuals interested in surrogacy must travel to these specific regions to undergo the procedure, or take the risk of attempting it in another state with uncertain legal processes.
Furthermore, the rising demand for surrogacy services, coupled with legal restrictions in other parts of the country, drives up the cost of the process to approximately 55,000 USD. Additionally, unlike other surrogacy destinations, the staff may not always possess specialized expertise.
Also, some legal aspects may be compromised to access the baby’s documentation, since the procedure is not legalized in all states, which increases expenses due to additional documentation and transportation issues.
While residents residing near states where surrogacy is allowed may have easier access, the absence of adequate training in some healthcare facilities can complicate matters for foreign parents traveling to these states for the first time. These concerns arise due to the lack of assurance regarding social security benefits, which may not be on par with those provided in other countries.
Although surrogacy is permitted in the mentioned states, the demand for this procedure is generally low since these states are not popular tourist destinations and lack significant economic investment. Consequently, this may discourage foreigners from considering these states as the ideal destination for surrogacy.
Affordable prices for everyone
When couples aspire to start a family, they often hesitate to cut corners on expenses as it is considered the most precious and fulfilling endeavor they can undertake together.
However, it’s vital to be able to have a plan and anticipate any setback that may generate complications in any of its members, as well as affect the emotional and economic stability of its members.
Therefore, although there are many options for surrogacy, it’s important to choose wisely and watch the whole picture beyond choosing the destination that offers the best prices. You should think about which offers the best opportunities to achieve the dream of having a child.
