“How much will it cost?” is usually the first question patients ask. For some, it’s the only question they ask before booking. That’s fair. Surgery is a significant outlay, and you should understand where the money goes before you commit to anything.
The trouble is that there isn’t one number. Two women can see the same surgeon in the same week and leave with quotes thousands of dollars apart, and both quotes can be entirely reasonable. So instead of publishing a headline price that probably won’t match your situation, this guide breaks the total into its parts. You’ll see what each fee covers, what Medicare and your health fund will and won’t contribute, and what you should receive in writing before you pay a cent.
A/Prof Bish Soliman (AHPRA MED 0001679053) is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon who performs breast augmentation for patients from across Sydney, North Sydney and the North Shore.
Why there is no single price for breast augmentation
The cost of breast augmentation depends on the surgical plan you and your surgeon agree on, and that plan can only be made after an examination. A handful of variables move the total more than anything else.
- How long the operation takes. Anaesthetist and theatre fees are largely time-based. A straightforward implant procedure takes less theatre time than a combined or staged one.
- Your implant. Implants differ in manufacturer, shape, size and surface, and they aren’t all priced the same.
- Whether fat transfer is added. Harvesting and processing your own fat adds a whole extra stage to the operation.
- Whether you also need a lift. If there’s significant sagging or excess skin, an implant alone may not give the shape you want. Adding a breast lift (mastopexy) makes for a longer, more involved operation.
- The hospital. Private hospitals set their own theatre and accommodation fees.
- Day surgery or an overnight stay. A night in hospital is charged on top of theatre time.
Put simply, a quote given before anyone has examined you is a guess. It’s more useful, and more accurate, to give you a figure once the plan is clear.
What makes up the total cost
Under the Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines for cosmetic surgery, your surgeon must give you what’s called informed financial consent. In practice, that means you’re entitled to see the total cost and how it’s built up, including implants, other practitioners’ fees, facility fees and follow-up costs, before you agree to surgery. Here’s what those components usually are.
Surgeon’s fee
This is the fee for the operation itself. It generally covers surgical planning, the procedure and routine post-operative care within an agreed period. Consultation fees are charged separately. It’s worth asking exactly what the surgeon’s fee includes, for example how many post-operative reviews are covered.
Anaesthetist’s fee
Your anaesthetist is an independent specialist who bills you directly. Their fee is based mainly on how long the operation takes and how complex it is. You may receive a separate quote from their rooms. Some operations also involve an assistant surgeon, who may bill separately too, so check whether your quote mentions one.
Hospital and theatre fees
The hospital charges for operating theatre time, nursing and support staff, the recovery room, and any overnight stay. Medical Board guidelines require all cosmetic surgery to be performed in an accredited facility, which is part of what you’re paying for here.
Implants and consumables
This covers the implants themselves, surgical dressings, and the post-operative surgical bra or compression garments you’ll wear while you heal. You should also be given the patient information leaflet for your specific implant before surgery, and a patient implant card afterwards. Keep the card. It records exactly which device you have.
Follow-up care
Scheduled post-operative appointments and any medications you’re prescribed fall into this category. Pharmacy costs for medications are usually paid separately at the chemist.
It’s also sensible to think beyond the first few months. Healthdirect notes that breast implants don’t last for life and usually need replacing after 10 to 15 years. Revision surgery, or future breast implant removal, would be a separate procedure with its own costs. Your consultation will also cover the risks and complications that could lead to further treatment.
A note on GST
According to the Australian Taxation Office, cosmetic procedures for which no Medicare benefit is payable are not GST-free. In other words, GST generally applies to cosmetic breast augmentation. Your quote should make clear whether figures include GST.
Is breast augmentation covered by Medicare or private health insurance?
No, not when the surgery is cosmetic. Breast augmentation performed to change the size or shape of normal breasts has no Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item number, so Medicare pays no rebate. Private health insurers generally won’t contribute to your hospital costs either.
Things are different when there is a genuine medical reason. According to MBS Online, the relevant items are:
- Items 45524 and 45528. Augmentation mammaplasty in medically indicated situations, such as breast cancer, or a significant developmental abnormality of the breast with a measured difference in volume between the breasts. Item 45528 specifically excludes hypomastia, which means small breasts on their own don’t qualify.
- Items 45534 and 45535. Autologous fat grafting, which commenced on 1 November 2021, limited to breast cancer treatment and reconstruction or the correction of developmental disorders of the breast.
These items can’t be claimed for cosmetic augmentation. Whether a particular patient meets an item’s criteria is a clinical assessment against the MBS descriptor, and it can’t be confirmed before you’ve been examined.
If you’re considering reconstruction after breast cancer, the pathway and funding are quite separate. See breast reconstruction (DIEP flap) for more.
How the cost compares: implants, fat transfer and hybrid
A standard implant augmentation involves one surgical site. Fat transfer and hybrid procedures involve more, and that’s the main reason they tend to cost more.
Implant augmentation. The implant is placed through a single incision on each side. Theatre time is comparatively short.
Fat transfer breast augmentation. Fat is first removed from another area, such as the abdomen or thighs, using liposuction. It’s then processed and injected into the breasts in small amounts. That’s three stages instead of one, which means more theatre time. Some patients need more than one session to reach the volume they want, and each session is costed separately. When it’s done for cosmetic reasons, fat transfer counts as cosmetic surgery, so the same consultation and cooling-off rules apply. You can read more in What Is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Hybrid augmentation. This combines a smaller implant with fat transfer during the same operation. Because it includes both the implant placement and the full fat transfer process, it is usually the longest of the three options.
One caution. The right technique is a clinical decision based on your anatomy, available donor fat and goals. Cost is something to understand, not the thing that should decide your operation.
If you’d like a figure based on your own anatomy rather than an average, the next step is a consultation.
What you receive at your consultation
After A/Prof Bish has assessed you and you’ve agreed on a surgical plan, you’ll receive a written, itemised quote. Each component is set out, so you know what you’re paying for before you commit.
The process around that quote is set by the Medical Board of Australia and applies to anyone having cosmetic surgery in Australia:
- A referral. You need a referral, preferably from your usual GP, who must work independently of the surgeon. The practice has a GP referral page your doctor can use, and you can complete patient registration ahead of your first appointment.
- At least two pre-operative consultations. At least one must be in person with the surgeon who will operate. You won’t be asked to sign consent forms at your first consultation.
- A cooling-off period. After your two consultations and signing consent, there must be at least seven days before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid. No money is payable until after that period, apart from initial consultation fees.
Your assessment will also include questions about your reasons for surgery and a validated psychological screening questionnaire. It’s a standard requirement for every cosmetic surgery patient, not a judgement about you.
On payment, the team can tell you which payment methods are accepted. Under the guidelines, surgeons can’t offer, promote or recommend loans or commercial payment plans for cosmetic surgery, and they shouldn’t encourage patients to take on debt to have it.
A few questions worth asking about any quote, wherever you have surgery:
- Is the anaesthetist’s fee included, or will it be billed separately?
- Which hospital will I be in, and does the quote include an overnight stay?
- Which implant is quoted, and are garments included?
- What is the refund policy on deposits?
- What costs would apply if I needed revision surgery?
A good quote answers all of these in writing.
FAQs
How much does breast augmentation cost in Sydney?
No single price applies, because the cost depends on your surgical plan. Your total is made up of the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee, hospital and theatre fees, and the cost of implants, garments and follow-up care. You receive a written, itemised quote after your consultation with A/Prof Bish Soliman, once a plan is agreed.
Is breast augmentation covered by Medicare?
Generally no. Cosmetic breast augmentation to change the size or shape of normal breasts has no MBS item number, so Medicare pays no rebate and private health funds generally don’t contribute to hospital costs. Medicare may apply only where there’s a genuine medical indication, such as breast cancer or a significant developmental abnormality of the breast.
Do you offer payment plans for breast augmentation?
Medical Board of Australia guidelines don’t allow surgeons to offer, promote or recommend loans or commercial payment plans for cosmetic surgery. A/Prof Bish’s team can explain which payment methods are accepted. No payment beyond initial consultation fees is required until after the seven-day cooling-off period that follows your consent.
Why does a hybrid breast augmentation cost more than implants alone?
A hybrid procedure adds liposuction to harvest fat, fat processing and an injection stage to the implant operation. The extra theatre time and equipment usually increase the total compared with a standard implant augmentation. Your itemised quote after consultation sets out each component, so you can see where the difference comes from.
Is GST charged on breast augmentation?
Usually, yes. The ATO only treats a cosmetic procedure as GST-free if Medicare pays a benefit for it, and cosmetic breast augmentation doesn’t attract one. So in most cases GST is added. Medically indicated or reconstructive surgery can be a different story. Check that your written quote says whether GST is included.
About A/Prof Bish Soliman: breast augmentation in Sydney & North Shore
A/Prof Bish Soliman is a Sydney-based Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and an AHPRA Registered Medical Practitioner (MED 0001679053). He specialises in complex microsurgical reconstruction, including breast reconstruction, alongside aesthetic surgery of the face, breast and body, and skin cancer surgery. He currently holds two consultant microsurgery positions in major Sydney tertiary referral hospitals.
His work covers both cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery. At your consultation, he’ll talk you through the options that may suit your anatomy and goals. Sometimes that includes a lift or fat transfer, and sometimes it means deciding not to have surgery at all.
Qualifications
- FRACS (Plastic Surgery). Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
- MS (Plastic Surgery). Master of Surgery.
- MBBS (Hons 1). Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, First Class Honours.
- BCom. Bachelor of Commerce.
- AHPRA specialist registration in Plastic Surgery. MED 0001679053.
Verify his credentials independently
- Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
- Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS)
- Australian and New Zealand Board of Certified Plastic Surgeons (ANZBCPS)
Consultation locations
- The Woollahra Clinic. Level 1, 156 Edgecliff Road, Woollahra NSW 2025
- West Pennant Hills. 31 Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills NSW 2125
- North Shore Health Hub. Tower A, Level 3, Suite 5/7 Westbourne Street, St Leonards NSW 2065
To arrange a consultation and receive an itemised quote for your situation, contact the practice or call 1300 372 474. Bring your GP referral to your first appointment.
More reading from the practice
- Breast Augmentation Surgery in Sydney
- FAQs About Breast Augmentation
- Can a Breast Lift Be Covered by Medicare?
- What Is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Sources and references
- Medical Board of Australia, Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures
- MBS Online, Note TN.8.294: Augmentation mammaplasty and autologous fat grafting (items 45524, 45528, 45534, 45535)
- PrivateHealth.gov.au, Breast surgery (medically necessary) MBS items
- Australian Taxation Office, GST and medical services
- Therapeutic Goods Administration, Breast implant hub
- Healthdirect Australia, Breast augmentation (breast implants)
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Please read this article as general information, not as medical advice about your own situation. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before you go ahead, it’s a good idea to get a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Results and costs vary from person to person.
