> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://beyond-borders-1.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Florida Wanted $40,000 for One Round of IVF. Greece Did It for $12,000 - URL: https://beyond-borders-1.ghost.io/florida-wanted-40-000-for-one-round-of-ivf-greece-did-it-for-12-000/ - Published: 2026-10-21T11:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T21:10:26.000Z - Description: A Florida couple hid their trip to an Athens fertility clinic from everyone they knew. A year later they had a son, and a bill less than a third of the US quote. - Author: Beyond Borders - Tags: Trending | US → EU IVF US IVF Cycle IVF Needs Met +37% $29K+ 24% in 2025 insured avg. in the US | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Price Check Summer, 2024. Emilie and Justin Solomon flew to Greece, and as far as their friends knew, it was just another trip for an adventure-loving couple. It wasn’t. They had switched off location sharing on their phones so nobody would see them visiting a fertility clinic in Athens. IVF was their only chance at a biological child together, because Justin had testicular cancer in his late teens. Then they found out their insurance wouldn’t cover it. The IVF quote in Florida, where they live, was $40,000 for one round. So they looked abroad… and landed at Pelargos IVF Medical Group in Athens. The first trip covered the hormone shots and the egg retrieval. Between injections, they spent a weekend on the island of Milos, rented a boat, and swam in the Aegean. “It was one of the best summers that we’ve had.” — Emilie Solomon, Florida, via KFF Health News Was it hard? Of course. Two trips, a language barrier, and a secret from everyone they knew. The bill? Medication, fertilization, embryo storage, and the transfer came to about $12,000, not counting travel. That’s less than a third of the Florida quote. And it included a Greek summer. One IVF cycle: Florida vs. Athens $40,000 vs. $12,000 Solomons’ Florida quote Pelargos IVF, Athens (incl. meds) Average US cycle, insured patients (Axene study) $29,000+ Low-cost US chain (CNY Fertility) \~$8,000 Serum IVF, Athens (no embryo freezing) under $6,000 Typical Greek cycle, own eggs (no medication) $3,000–$4,000 Source: KFF Health News, Aug. 2026\. Travel not included. They went back in October 2025 for the embryo transfer and squeezed in two days in Croatia on the way. Their son was born in Florida this summer. The Solomons aren’t unusual anymore. Jakub Dejewski, who chairs the European Fertility Society, says the number of Americans choosing European clinics jumped more than 37% in 2025. Why? A July study by Axene Health Partners found one IVF cycle for insured Americans costs over $29,000 — about 35% of the median household income. Most patients need two or three cycles. In Greece, a cycle using your own eggs typically runs $3,000 to $4,000 before medication. Serum IVF in Athens charges just under $6,000. In other words, the Solomons’ entire Greek bill, medication included, was less than half of what an insured American pays on average for one cycle at home. But it’s not a magic fix. Greece limits how long embryos can be stored, keeps donors anonymous, and restricts sex selection and surrogacy for nonresidents. Moving embryos between Greece and the US takes paperwork. It’s also worth checking home first. CNY Fertility runs IVF for around $8,000 at 18 US locations, which is why more than half its patients cross state lines. And ask the hard question before you go: how many cycles might you need? If the answer is two or three, the gap between Athens and home gets even wider. Compare both. Then book. | | | | Reader Review Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain IVF · Google review · [eggdonationfriends.com](https://www.eggdonationfriends.com/clinics/instituto-bernabeu/) Ana L. and her husband spent years trying for a baby in the United States. They went through three rounds of IVF with no success, and she says she came away feeling like just another number, with little hope from her doctors.She kept researching and found Instituto Bernabeu in Alicante, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Her doctor there was Dr. Juan Carlos Castillo, and patient coordinator Esther supported them throughout. She describes the whole staff as caring and attentive at every step.The result: she is now holding a healthy baby girl. Her only regret, she wrote, is not going sooner instead of spending so much time, energy, and hope at home.The clinic lists its basic own-egg IVF package at €5,000, about $5,630 at today’s exchange rate, with medication extra. That’s less than a fifth of the $29,000 average cycle for insured Americans. — Ana L., Google review via EggDonationFriends Published review | | | | Quick Reads Trend IVF Drug Prices Are Up 90% Since 2014 That’s according to GoodRx. The White House says its TrumpRx site can save cash-paying patients up to $2,200 per IVF cycle on some medications. That helps. But it doesn’t touch the clinic fees, which make up most of the bill. A rule proposed in May to make it easier for employers to offer fertility coverage still isn’t final. In other words, the cheap part got a little cheaper. Until something bigger changes, expect more couples to keep running the numbers on Europe. Safety Note Before You Book IVF Abroad, Ask About Your Records Tarita Pakrashi, a fertility doctor at CNY Fertility in Virginia, told KFF Health News that some patients come home from overseas treatment and struggle to transfer records or understand a diagnosis they were given. Many end up repeating tests. Ask any foreign clinic, in writing, for full records in English. Ask how temperature-sensitive drugs will travel. Then find a US clinic willing to handle your follow-up before you fly. Savings Spotlight The Greek IVF Package That Includes Island-Hopping Serum IVF in Athens charges just under $6,000 a cycle, not counting embryo freezing. Almost all its patients are foreigners, and the clinic sees about a dozen Americans a month. It also offers to arrange airport pickup and island-hopping tours. Co-founder Penny Ampatzi says patients come first for personalized treatment plans, with price a close second. Ask exactly what “a cycle” includes, especially medication and freezing, before you compare it with anything at home. | | You’re reading Beyond Borders, published five days a week, Monday to Friday. This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making treatment decisions. We are not affiliated with any hospital, clinic, or practitioner mentioned. |