According to this meme going around Facebook, the average hip replacement in the U.S. costs $40,364 while in Spain it costs $7,371

Now, I’m not sure where these stats come from, but this NY Times article quotes $13,660 for a hip replacement in Belgium vs. $65,000 not including surgeon’s fees in the U.S.

Of course, >$65,000 is probably just what the hospital and the surgeon bills your insurance. What the insurance company actually pays is going to be far less than that. But if you add up your premiums, copays, and coinsurance, it’s still possible that it will be more than $13,660 out-of-pocket even if you have good insurance.

And as far as living expenses in Spain are concerned, this site estimates that it would cost $8,570.28 for a single person to live in Madrid.