Canadian Medical Travel Coordination
Quick Facts
Last updated: June 2026
Visa for Canadians
No visa required for medical or tourist visits. Puerto Rico is a United States territory, so U.S. entry rules apply. Canadian citizens need a valid passport that is valid for their entire visit, and no ESTA is required for Canadians. Visits of up to 6 months are generally permitted; stays beyond 30 days require registration with U.S. immigration. Government of Canada entry requirements
Official language and hospital languages
Spanish and English are both official. San Juan's medical and service sectors are heavily bilingual, and most physicians are U.S. trained, so an English-speaking patient is well supported.
Currency
United States dollar (USD). Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted; Canadian cash and cheques are not.
Flights from Canada to Puerto Rico
The main hospital city is San Juan, served by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU). Toronto and Montreal offer seasonal nonstop service, mostly in the winter months
from Toronto (YYZ)
to San Juan (SJU)
Direct: Seasonal
Flight time: About 4h25 to 4h45 nonstop
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 345 to 700 / peak CAD 700 to 1,000
from Vancouver (YVR)
to San Juan (SJU)
Direct: No, one stop
Flight time: About 10h25 to 11h total
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 700 to 1,400 / peak CAD 1,400 to 1,750
from Calgary (YYC)
to San Juan (SJU)
Direct: No, one stop
Flight time: About 9h or more total
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 600 to 1,100 / peak CAD 1,100 to 1,400
from Montreal (YUL)
to San Juan (SJU)
Direct: Seasonal
Flight time: About 4h30 to 4h40 nonstop
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 350 to 700 / peak CAD 700 to 1,000
Fares are indicative and shift with season and booking lead time. The nonstop Toronto and Montreal routes are low frequency and concentrated in winter, so outside that window patients usually connect through a U.S. hub.
Where to Stay
Most international patients base themselves in Condado or Isla Verde. Both are beachfront, flat, walkable, well served by pharmacies and clinics, and within easy reach of San Juan's main hospitals, which makes them practical for recovery.
Old San Juan is a historic, walkable alternative. San Juan stays warm year round, roughly 25 to 30 degrees Celsius with high humidity. The dry season runs November to April and is the most comfortable window for recovery. Atlantic hurricane season runs from early June to the end of November, with the highest risk from August to October, so a recovery trip is best planned outside those months to avoid storm-related flight disruption.
3-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 200 to 270
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 1,400 to 1,890
4-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 350 to 460
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 2,450 to 3,220
5-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 500 to 530
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 3,500 to 3,710
Safety and Travel
Puerto Rico falls under the Government of Canada travel advice for the United States, which currently advises travellers to take normal security precautions, the lowest of the four advisory levels. In practice, violent crime is concentrated in specific neighbourhoods and is largely linked to local gang activity, rarely involving visitors.
The realistic concern for a traveller is petty theft, mostly after dark. The districts used by medical travellers, Condado, Isla Verde, Ocean Park, and Old San Juan, are well patrolled and tourist friendly. A simple precaution is to keep valuables secured and use a taxi or ride-share at night rather than walking unfamiliar streets. You can review the current advisory at Government of Canada travel advice for the United States
Featured Treatments in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has promoted medical tourism under its own Medical Tourism Act since 2010, and physicians must pass the same United States Medical Licensing Examination required of doctors on the U.S. mainland. The specialties below have the clearest record with international patients.
Dental Care
​Dental work is the most established treatment for visiting patients, with government-certified dental tourism clinics in San Juan staffed by U.S. trained, board-certified dentists. Procedures from single implants to full-arch restorations are widely offered.
Learn more about dental care with Maple Med Global
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Cardiology​
San Juan hospital networks include centres recognized for cardiovascular care, and cardiac surgery is named among the island's featured medical tourism specialties. Care is delivered in Joint Commission accredited facilities under U.S. clinical standards
​Learn more about cardiology services with Maple Med Global
​
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is one of two specialties that the Puerto Rico Hospital Association identifies as having genuinely entered the global medical tourism market, including joint procedures and regenerative approaches delivered by U.S. trained specialists.
​Learn more about orthopedic solutions with Maple Med Global
​
Oncology​
Puerto Rico has dedicated oncology facilities, and one San Juan-area hospital operates in affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine International, giving cancer patients access to internationally connected expertise close to Canada.
​​Learn more about oncological care with Maple Med Global​​
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Costs and Canadian Wait Times
Puerto Rico is not the lowest-priced medical travel destination, but for Canadian patients its value is the combination of short flights from Toronto and Montreal, U.S.-standard accreditation, and care delivered without the long public-system waits at home. Confirmed pricing is currently available for dental treatments; surgical pricing is quoted per case.
Single dental implant (implant, abutment, crown)
Puerto Rico: CAD 2,830 to 3,035
Canada, private: CAD 3,000 to 6,000
All-on-4 dental (per arch)
Puerto Rico: CAD 24,840 to 27,590
Canada, private: CAD 20,000 to 30,000
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)
Puerto Rico: CAD 520 to 705
Canada, private: CAD 900 to 2,500
Final quotes are confirmed per case.
Leading Internationally Accredited Hospitals in Puerto Rico
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Sabanera Health, Dorado, Joint Commission accredited, operating in affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine International
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HIMA San Pablo, Caguas, Joint Commission accredited
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Hospital Pavía Santurce, San Juan, Joint Commission accredited
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This list is informational. Hospital selection for each patient depends on diagnosis, complexity, and treatment plan.
Frequently asked questions
For general questions about Canadian health insurance coverage abroad, complication insurance, follow-up care after returning to Canada, and trip planning, see our General FAQ
Plan Your Treatment in Puerto Rico with Maple Med Global
Choosing care abroad is a serious decision, and you do not have to organize it alone. As a Toronto-based coordination company, Maple Med Global helps you compare options, connect with accredited hospitals and verified doctors, and plan every step with clear information and no obligation.
Or call/text us at +1 (647) 492-2777
Explore Other Destinations
Comparing your options? Explore more of our medical travel destinations to find the right fit for your treatment.