Rhinoplasty in Colombia: what it costs in 2026, and how long to stay

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A rhinoplasty is a short operation with a long tail. The surgery takes a day and the ASPS suggests a week to ten days before flying, but the nose keeps settling for months afterward. That shapes how to plan a rhinoplasty in Colombia: the price matters, and so does what happens if you want the result looked at once you are home.

This guide covers the published prices, what they include, how they compare with the US average, and how to plan the stay.

01What does a rhinoplasty cost in Colombia?

A Medellín plastic surgeon’s 2026 price guide lists rhinoplasty at $5,000–6,000, covering the surgeon, operating room, anesthesia, pre-op planning and follow-up, with the final quote set after a consultation¹. In Cartagena, Premium Care Plastic Surgery’s listing on Medical Tourism Co. prices a rhinoplasty package at $7,300, including a private recovery suite, airport transfers, post-op follow-ups, medications and local medical travel insurance².

02What a rhinoplasty quote should include

03Comparing with the US

The ASPS average for a rhinoplasty in the US is $7,637³. It is the surgeon’s fee only; the ASPS states that it does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses. Both Colombian figures include those, and the Cartagena package also includes lodging. US surgeons performed 43,116 rhinoplasties in 2025, according to the ASPS⁶.

On the Colombian side, add flights, about ten nights of lodging if you are not on a package, meals and supplemental insurance. And weigh one cost that does not show on a quote: a rhinoplasty revision, if you ever want one, is simpler to arrange with a surgeon you can visit.

04Are you a candidate?

05Medellín or Cartagena?

The two published rhinoplasty prices come from different cities and different models. The Medellín figure is a surgeon quote; you arrange your own lodging and transport. The Cartagena figure is a package with a recovery suite and transfers included. Price both on the same basis before choosing.

The cities themselves differ too. Medellín sits at about 1,495 m with a mild climate, averaging around 23 °C; Cartagena is at sea level and hot, around 27 °C on average. Both have nonstop flights from Florida at the time of writing. Colombia’s JCI-accredited hospitals are in Medellín, Bogotá and Cali, not Cartagena, so wherever you go, check the operating facility itself in REPS. Our Cartagena vs Medellín guide compares the two as places to stay.

06The trip and the flight home

The ASPS suggests waiting seven to 10 days after cosmetic procedures of the face — it names rhinoplasty — before flying⁴, and the CDC’s medical tourism guidance repeats that advice⁵.

1. Before you flyRemote consultation. Photos from several angles, your goals, any breathing problems. Written quote and ReTHUS and REPS checks.
2. Days 1–2Consultation and pre-op. The plan in person, labs, consent.
3. Surgery dayOperation. Ask in advance whether you go home the same day.
4. First weekEarly recovery. Swelling and bruising, head elevated, a splint, follow-up visits.
5. Day 7–10Clearance to fly. Often after the splint comes off; with your surgeon’s sign-off and your operative report in English.

07How to verify the surgeon

Ask for the surgeon’s full name and cédula number, check it on ReTHUS for a plastic surgery specialty, look for the surgeon in the SCCP member directory and confirm the operating facility in REPS. Our verification guide walks through each lookup. The plastic surgery hub compares Medellín, Cartagena, Bogotá and Cali.

08Risks, and what recourse you have

The risks of rhinoplasty include bleeding, infection, breathing difficulty, numbness, asymmetry and dissatisfaction with the shape, which can lead to a revision. The CDC notes that patients treated abroad might not have the same legal recourse as at home⁵, and the ASPS says packages give limited follow-up care, if any⁴.

Before paying, get in writing how the surgeon handles follow-up once you are home, what a revision would cost and whether it needs another trip. Standard travel insurance generally excludes trips taken for treatment; see our travel insurance guide.