5 cheapest countries to do surrogacy if you live in New Zealand

Choosing surrogacy is a decision fraught with challenges for couples in New Zealand. It’s widely acknowledged that embarking on this life-changing journey can be a strenuous and demanding process, one that rigorously tests the resilience and determination of aspiring parents.

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.

In this article, we present a selection of the best destinations to make surrogacy more affordable, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each country.

1. Colombia 

Colombia has garnered acclaim as a premier destination for surrogacy, lauded for its warm hospitality, convenient accessibility, and affordability. Family Aims, a respected international surrogacy agency, offers holistic support to prospective parents from New Zealand, managing all legal and medical procedures within Colombia. Their unwavering commitment to cost transparency ensures that expenses align with the agreed-upon budget, demonstrating their steadfast dedication to ensuring a seamless surrogacy experience.

Its great experience is also endorsed by an allied clinic with extensive experience in assisted gestation, such as Babynova Clinic by Novafem.

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.

Furthermore, the shorter waiting period in Colombia not only aids in minimizing the overall cost of surrogacy but also makes it an appealing option for individuals seeking greater accessibility and affordability. The cost of surrogacy in Colombia starts at $65,000 USD.

2. United States 

Although the United States is one of the countries with the largest surrogacy offer in the world and has expert agencies and specialized clinics, surrogacy treatments in this country are often expensive for foreigners, who must obtain a specific visa, (which can be costly or, sometimes, depending on the nationality of the intended parents, completely inaccessible).

This destination is even more expensive for residents who have to move between states, as surrogacy is not regulated throughout the country in the same way. These moves generate expenses that increase the overall surrogacy budget.

It is also important to keep in mind that, in addition to the costs related to the visa and requirements of each state legislation, the number of attempts included in each plan and the additional tests, can be factors of a high increase in 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 

Surrogacy in Georgia is affordable, but you must know that this treatment is only for heterosexual couples with more than one year of relationship.

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 cost of 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

Affordable surrogacy options are available in certain European countries for their residents. For instance, Cyprus is known for its specialized clinics that offer surrogacy procedures at prices around 65,000 USD, making it an appealing destination for individuals seeking more budget-friendly surrogacy options in Europe.

However, due to the high demand for surrogacy procedures and its scarce local population, candidates are limited, often forcing a bigger search outside the country for 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.

In addition, the amount of paperwork for those intended parents who do not have European nationality is huge, and requires additional expenses to access certain services and to move freely during the procedures.

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.

As a result, those interested in surrogacy are required to travel to these particular regions to pursue the procedure, or explore the option of attempting it in another state, which introduces uncertainty regarding the legal process.

Moreover, the growing demand for this service, combined with legal constraints in other regions of the country, results in increased expenses for the process, averaging around 55,000 USD. Furthermore, unlike other surrogacy destinations, the staff may not consistently possess specialized training or 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.

Despite surrogacy being allowed in the indicated states, the demand for this procedure there is usually quite low as they are not tourist destinations, and don’t have great economic investment, which may dissuade foreigners from choosing this destination as the ideal one for surrogacy.

Competitive pricing for residents of New Zealand

For many couples, creating a family is an incredibly meaningful endeavor, and they are willing to spare no expense, considering it the most beautiful and rewarding project they can embark on together.

Nonetheless, it is crucial to develop a well-thought-out plan and be prepared for any obstacles that may arise, potentially causing complications for individuals involved and impacting their emotional and financial well-being.

Therefore, although there are many options for surrogacy, it is important to choose wisely and look at the bigger 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 if you live in New Zealand.