Surrogacy Costs in Europe and Beyond: The Real Numbers
Last updated: March 2026
“Surrogacy in Spain” gets searched hundreds of times per month. Surrogacy in Spain is illegal. So is surrogacy in Germany, France, and Italy. Italy made it a criminal offence for its citizens to arrange surrogacy anywhere in the world in November 2024 (Law 169/2024). Greece restricted surrogacy to residents only in May 2025 (Law 5197/2025). The European Parliament condemned the practice in November 2025.
If you’re looking for surrogacy in Europe, here’s what’s actually available, what it costs, and why the options are shrinking.
For full legal details, see our surrogacy laws page.
What’s Left in Europe
UK: Altruistic Only
The UK is the most accessible European option. Surrogacy agreements are legal but not enforceable (Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985). Commercial surrogacy is prohibited. The surrogate is legally the mother at birth. Parentage transfers via Parental Order 6 weeks to 6 months after birth.
| Cost component | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Surrogate “reasonable expenses” | GBP 12,000-18,000 (up to 35,000) |
| IVF cycle (clinic fees) | GBP 4,900-6,300 per cycle |
| Legal fees (Parental Order) | Under GBP 12,000 |
| Screening and counselling | GBP 1,000-3,000 |
| Total | GBP 15,000-50,000+ |
Sources: Brilliant Beginnings (2025), SENSIBLE Surrogacy (2025).
The range is wide because surrogate expenses vary. The law says “reasonable expenses” but doesn’t define them. Some surrogates claim GBP 12,000. Others claim GBP 35,000. Courts have approved both.
Finding a surrogate is the hard part. There is no paid matching. You either know someone willing, join Surrogacy UK or COTS (non-profit organisations that facilitate introductions), or use Brilliant Beginnings (the only licensed non-profit surrogacy agency in the UK). Waiting times: 6-18 months for matching.
Greece: Residents Only (Since May 2025)
Greece had the most developed surrogacy framework in the EU. Past tense is deliberate.
Law 5197/2025, Article 46 (effective 16 May 2025) added two restrictions: both intended mother and surrogate must be permanent legal residents of Greece, and the inability to carry a pregnancy “does not refer to an inability arising from one’s gender” (excluding single men and male same-sex couples) (Karpouzis Lianou, 2025).
Pre-restriction costs (for context, no longer available to non-residents):
| Cost component | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Surrogate compensation (expenses only) | ~EUR 12,000 |
| IVF cycle | EUR 3,000-5,000 |
| Legal fees (court authorisation) | EUR 5,000-10,000 |
| Agency/coordination | EUR 10,000-20,000 |
| Total | EUR 75,000-97,000 |
Source: The Surrogacy Insider (2025).
If you’re a Greek resident and qualify, the framework still works. If you’re not, Greece is no longer an option.
Belgium and Netherlands: Possible but Difficult
Belgium has no surrogacy law. University hospitals (UZ Brussel, UZ Ghent) run surrogacy programmes under internal ethics committee oversight. Approval rates are low: UZ Ghent approved 6 cases between 2004 and 2007. UZ Brussel received 231 requests between 1997 and 2020, of which 77 were accepted (EmbryMama, 2025). You need a genetic link to the child, and foreign applicants are accepted only if surrogacy legislation exists in their country of origin.
The Netherlands has a surrogacy bill (“Wet kind, draagmoederschap en afstamming”) introduced June 2023 but not yet enacted. In the meantime, surrogacy occurs at approved centres under existing medical frameworks.
Neither country is a practical option for most international patients.
Republic of Cyprus: Altruistic, Court-Approved
Gestational surrogacy is legal under Law 69(I)/2015. Altruistic only. Requires committee and court approval. Available to heterosexual couples and single women with medical need. Commercial surrogacy is a criminal offence (up to 1 year or EUR 50,000 fine). The surrogate must be 21-40. No published cost data for Cyprus surrogacy is available. Contact clinics directly.
Outside Europe
If European options are too limited or you don’t qualify, here’s where people go:
| Country | Typical total cost | Who can access | Legal framework |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | GBP 30,000-50,000 | Heterosexual married couples | Legal, regulated. Intended parents on birth certificate from birth. |
| Georgia | EUR 40,000-60,000 | Heterosexual married couples | Legal, regulated. Similar framework to Ukraine. |
| US | USD 100,000-200,000 | Anyone (state-dependent) | Most permissive. California, Connecticut, Nevada most established. |
| Colombia | USD 50,000-80,000 | Anyone | Legal, growing market. Less established than US. |
| Mexico | USD 40,000-70,000 | Varies by state | Tabasco state has framework. Legal landscape evolving. |
Ukraine was the most popular non-European destination before the 2022 invasion. It remains operational but with significant logistical and safety risks. Intended parents have reported difficulties with birth certificate issuance, embassy processing, and travel during active conflict.
The US is the most reliable option if budget allows. California’s surrogacy law (Family Code §7960-7962) establishes intended parents’ legal parentage before birth. No genetic link required. Available to any individual or couple regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or nationality. The price reflects this: $100,000-200,000 including agency fees ($15,000-30,000), surrogate compensation ($35,000-60,000), IVF ($15,000-25,000), legal ($10,000-15,000), insurance, and medical expenses.
The Legal Parentage Problem
Getting a baby through surrogacy is step one. Getting your home country to recognise you as the legal parent is step two, and it’s often harder.
UK citizens using surrogacy abroad: Must apply for a Parental Order upon return. The child enters the UK on a passport issued by the birth country. The process takes approximately 1 year.
German citizens: Surrogacy is illegal in Germany. A child born through surrogacy abroad may face difficulties with German birth registration. The surrogate (and possibly her husband, if married) may be recorded as parents under German law.
Italian citizens: Law 169/2024 criminalises Italian nationals arranging surrogacy abroad. Penalty: up to 2 years imprisonment and EUR 1 million fine. This is the most aggressive anti-surrogacy law in Europe.
French citizens: Surrogacy abroad is not criminalised (unlike Italy), but French courts have historically refused to transcribe foreign birth certificates listing two fathers. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in Mennesson v France (2014) that France must recognise the legal parent-child relationship, but implementation remains contested.
Your citizenship determines your risk. Get legal advice in your home country before starting.
Surrogacy laws in Europe → | IVF for LGBT couples → | Find your clinic →
Sources
- UK Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/49
- Brilliant Beginnings. UK surrogate expenses (2025): https://brilliantbeginnings.co.uk/how-much-can-a-uk-surrogate-get-paid/
- SENSIBLE Surrogacy. UK surrogacy costs: https://www.sensiblesurrogacy.com/surrogacy-uk/
- Greek Law 5197/2025. Karpouzis Lianou analysis: https://karpouzislianou.gr/en/new-legal-framework-for-surrogacy-in-greece-2025/
- Italian Law No. 169, 4 November 2024. Italian Consulate Houston: https://conshouston.esteri.it/en/news/dal_consolato/2024/12/maternita-surrogata/
- The Surrogacy Insider. Greece surrogacy costs: https://www.thesurrogacyinsider.com/surrogacy-in-greece
- EmbryMama. Surrogacy in Belgium: https://embrymama.com/surrogacy-in-belgium/
- Brussels IVF surrogacy programme: https://www.brusselsivf.be/en/treatment/draagmoederschap/
- Mennesson v France (2014), European Court of Human Rights, Application no. 65192/11.