Ask HN: Xray cost – USA $200 (13000 INR), India 1000 INR – what causes 10x diff?
The xrays are probably almost identical. The difference is that dentists simply charge much more in the United States. The median dentist salary in the US is about $150,000 [1]. In India, the median dentist salary is 344,000 INR, or about $5,250.<p>Some of this can be attributed to general differences in labor costs between the US and India. With few exceptions, most service industries in India are going to charge less because it&#x27;s not as wealthy of a country. However, the biggest difference is that Americans are simply used to paying absurd amounts for medical care of any sort. There are a variety of factors at play, including strict limits on the number of dentists graduating each year, dental insurance coverage (most dental insurance plans cover x-rays, so people with insurance tend not to consider the cost), etc.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www1.salary.com&#x2F;Dentist-Salary.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www1.salary.com&#x2F;Dentist-Salary.html</a>
[2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.payscale.com&#x2F;research&#x2F;IN&#x2F;Job=Dentist&#x2F;Salary" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.payscale.com&#x2F;research&#x2F;IN&#x2F;Job=Dentist&#x2F;Salary</a>