How to Get a Blood Test While Traveling Internationally

I have a unique condition that requires a blood draw every week (yes, every week) to monitor my health. I also travel internationally quite often, so I needed to figure out how to get blood tests while abroad.

I’ve found that getting blood tests overseas isn’t as daunting as it sounds — as long as you understand the local process. My lab work requests are not from a U.S. doctor, so they aren’t covered by my U.S. insurance or travel insurance. That means affordability is key.

Thank to all these services, I was able to get blood tests outside my home country and send them to my doctor in the U.S. for analysis.

In this article, I’ll share how to get a blood test while traveling — specifically in the U.S., Japan, and Australia — using self-pay options.

Contents

• US
  • Where to Get a Blood Test
  • Steps
  • Sample Prices (Self-Pay)
• Japan
  • Where to Get a Blood Test
  • Steps
  • Sample prices (self-pay):
• Australia
  • Where to Get a Blood Test
  • Steps
  • Sample Prices (Self-Pay)

US

In the U.S., the most affordable option for self-funded blood tests is using direct-to-consumer (DTC) lab services — no doctor visit required.

I went to Quest Diagnostics while visiting the Bay Area and did a Complete Blood Count (CBC).

Where to Get a Blood Test

• LabCorp: https://www.labcorp.com/
• Quest Diagnostics: https://www.questdiagnostics.com/

Steps

1. Order online — choose your test and pay with a card.
2. Visit a nearby lab location for sample collection.
3. Get results in 1–3 days via email or secure portal.

Sample Prices (Self-Pay)

Here’s what I paid for a Complete Blood Count (CBC):

• Blood test: $35 USD

Japan

Japan is surprisingly affordable for lab work — even without insurance — if you go to private internal medicine clinics (内科) or clinics that offer self-pay health screenings (健康診断, kenkō shindan).

I visited a small clinic in Shinjuku and had a CBC test. They put my blood sample into a machine and gave me the results in about 15 minutes. The price was 5,500 yen (including 10% tax). The staff didn’t speak much English, but I was able to communicate using Google Translate.

The sample blood results at a clinic in Shinjuku

Where to Get a Blood Test

Local clinics

Steps

1. Go to the clinic and get the blood test done
2. Get the results in about 15 minutes

Sample prices (self-pay):

• Blood test: 5500 Yen (including 10% tax)

Australia

In Australia, you usually need a doctor’s referral for most blood tests. Since I didn’t have a local doctor, I looked for alternatives.

Fortunately, there are online services like iMedical and PathDirect that allow you to get a referral without visiting a doctor in person.

Where to Get a Blood Test

• iMedical: https://www.imedical.com.au/
• PathDirect: https://www.pathdirect.com.au/
• (and more)

Steps

1. Go to the website and create an account
2. Search for the test you need
3. Select the test and add to cart
4. Checkout and pay
5. Get the referral code
6. Print out the referral page
7. Go to the lab listed on the referral page (eg. Australian Clinical Labs) and get the test done
8. Receive the test results in the email

Sample Prices (Self-Pay)

I had a Full Blood Count (also known as CBC) with iMedical.

Here’s what I paid:

• Blood test: $41 AUD
• Printing: $0.10 AUD

The pathology lab required a printed referral, so I went to an Officeworks store in Sydney. Similar to FedEx in the U.S., you can email documents to the store and use a self-service kiosk to print. It’s easy and cheap.

The referral sample from iMedical