₹300 to ₹600 in a tier-2 city and ₹600 to ₹1,500 in a metro for the first year, then review every six months once you know your actual patient flow. The mistake most new doctors make is anchoring on what their senior charges or what the hospital paid them, not on what the local market will bear for a doctor at their experience level.
Fee-setting is the first business decision that visibly signals your positioning. Set it too low and you attract price-sensitive patients who do not return; set it too high and you attract no patients at all. The sweet spot is below the established specialists in your area but above the "consultation free" clinics. That gap is your range.
The fee-setting formula
Three inputs, in order.
Your cost coverage
Your monthly running cost (rent + salary + consumables + your own minimum drawings) divided by the number of patients you expect to see per month. If your running cost is ₹1.5 lakh and you expect 400 patients a month, your cost-coverage floor is ₹375 per consultation. Anything below that and you subsidise the patient with your own savings.
This is the floor. Almost no doctor actually sets fees at the floor, because the patient volume calculation is usually wrong. Treat this as the absolute minimum.
Your local market's rate
What other doctors at your experience level (3-7 years post-residency, fresh private practice) charge in your city for the same speciality. Not what your training-post senior charges (they have 25 years of reputation behind them), not what the corporate hospital charges (they have the brand), not what your batch-mate in a different city charges (the market is local).
Ask three colleagues in your city what they charge. The middle of the three is your starting anchor.
Your positioning
Above-market if you bring a unique skill (a sub-specialty, a procedure the local specialists do not do, a reputation from a previous hospital). At-market if you are a competent generalist. Below-market if you are new to the city with no referral pipeline.
Most first-clinic owners should start at-market, not below. The price-sensitive patient segment you attract by going below market does not return; the at-market patient does.
What the local market will bear
City tiers and specialisation move the numbers.
| Setup | Tier-2 / tier-3 city | Metro |
|---|---|---|
| GP / family physician | ₹300 to ₹500 | ₹600 to ₹1,000 |
| First-opinion specialist | ₹400 to ₹700 | ₹800 to ₹1,500 |
| Sub-specialist (cardiology, gastro, neuro) | ₹600 to ₹1,000 | ₹1,200 to ₹2,500 |
| Specialist with procedure (ENT scope, derm) | ₹500 to ₹800 | ₹1,000 to ₹1,800 |
The tier-2 ranges are not "low" because the city is poor. They are lower because the cost base is lower (rent, salaries) and the patient pool is smaller. Charge metro rates in a tier-2 city and you price out 80% of your potential patients. Charge tier-2 rates in a metro and you signal low quality.
The procedure component is separate. A consultation that includes a quick procedure (an ENT scope view, a dermatology biopsy, an ultrasound look) can carry a procedure fee of ₹500 to ₹3,000 on top of the consultation. The procedure fee is not optional and should be quoted upfront, not at the end of the visit.
Specialty premiums that earn their keep
A few specialties genuinely command above-market rates because the patient has limited alternatives.
Sub-specialists with hospital-only skills (interventional cardiology, advanced surgical oncology, transplant). The market rate is high because the patient has no other choice.
Specialists with a unique in-clinic procedure (ENT with in-clinic endoscopy, derm with in-clinic biopsy, gastro with in-clinic scope). The procedure is the differentiator, not the consultation.
Doctors with a published clinical track record (you trained at AIIMS, you published in a peer-reviewed journal, you hold a state or national award). Reputation from the past carries into the new clinic.
If you have one of these, start above-market and stay there. If you do not, start at-market.
The free first-visit trap
A common offer from new clinics: free first consultation. The intent is to attract hesitant first-time patients. The result is that the clinic fills with people who would never have paid anyway, and they do not return because the barrier to switching back to a paid clinic is zero.
A better offer: discounted first visit (50% off the regular fee, valid once). This filters for patients who would have paid full fee but appreciate the discount, and the conversion to returning patient is much higher.
A free follow-up within 7-10 days (when the patient comes back with reports or a check-up) is also a strong retention tool. It costs you 5 minutes; it doubles the likelihood of the patient returning for the next episode.
When to raise fees
Three signals.
You are consistently booked 80% of your available slots for 4-6 weeks running. Above 80% utilisation, you have pricing power; raise by 10-15% and see if utilisation drops.
Local competitors with similar experience have raised their fees. Match them within 6 months; do not get undercut.
Your patient mix is shifting toward higher-income patients (more insurance cards, more corporate referrals, more self-pay for non-urgent consultations). The market is moving up; you should too.
Do not raise fees in the first 6 months of a new clinic. The first 6 months are about volume and reviews, not about fee optimisation. After month 6, review quarterly.
Common follow-up questions
Should I charge different fees for follow-ups vs first visits? Yes. First visit: full fee. Follow-up within 14 days for the same complaint: 50-70% of full fee. Follow-up after 14 days: full fee. This is standard and patients expect it.
What about insurance and CGHS patients? You set your cash fee as the rate; insurance patients pay whatever their insurer reimburses. CGHS rates are non-negotiable and low; you do not have to accept CGHS if the rates are below your cost-coverage floor.
How do I raise fees without losing patients? Raise by 10-15% once. Patients who leave are the most price-sensitive (often the lowest-value segment). Patients who stay are the higher-value segment. The net revenue usually rises.
Should I list my fees on the website? Yes. Hidden fees lose trust. List the consultation fee range; quote procedure fees on request. Patients who cannot afford the listed fee will not book; patients who can will book with confidence.
What about the first 30 days? Should I under-price to build volume? Yes, but only by 20-30% (not free). A "launch offer" of ₹200 instead of ₹400 is reasonable for month one. By month two, return to market rate. Under-pricing for longer than 30 days trains the local market to expect discounts.
Related reading
- How much does it actually cost to start an OPD clinic in India in 2026?: the cost flagship; consultation fees are the line that funds everything.
- How do I get my first 50 patients at a brand new clinic?: fee-setting is part of the patient-acquisition story.
- Should I start my clinic solo or with another doctor?: partner setups need a fee-split agreement upfront.
- Is starting your own clinic actually worth it in 2026?: the contrarian closer.
- FAQ: all questions about starting a private OPD in India: every follow-up question across the cluster in one place.