How much does it cost to store frozen embryos each year, in Greece and elsewhere?

Storing frozen embryos comes at a cost, and this cost is incurred every year. In Greece, the cost of storing frozen embryos is generally between 200 and 350 euros per year, according to the rates published by several clinics in 2026. In the UK, the regulatory authority quotes 125 to 350 pounds per year for frozen eggs. In France, the storage of self-preserved gametes costs 40.50 euros per year.

The amount, however, is rarely the real problem. What proves costly is a bill that never arrives, an abandoned email address, or an extension that was never requested. Here is what you pay, country by country, and how to prevent your embryos from being left in limbo.

The cost of storing frozen embryos, country by country

The figures below are taken from official sources, except for Greece, where there is no national tariff: the range is based on the rates published by the clinics. Where I have been unable to find a reliable source, I have not provided a figure.

For the United States, I have not found any price range published by an official body: each clinic sets its own prices, and only the contract is binding. In Quebec, the public programme covers the first year of storage for embryos resulting from a covered IVF cycle; beyond that, the costs are borne by the patients.

What the bill covers, and what it does not cover

Two different procedures lie behind the term ‘freezing’: vitrification, carried out once in the laboratory, and storage in liquid nitrogen, which is billed annually. Depending on the clinic, vitrification and the first year’s storage are either included in the cost of the cycle or billed separately. The other items in the budget are detailed in the cost of IVF in Greece.

Before signing, ask these questions in writing:

• Does the annual fee apply to all your embryos, or to each individual straw?
• Is the first year included in the cycle price?
• Is there a multi-year package, and is part of it refunded if you use your embryos earlier?
• Can the fee increase during the contract period?
• What happens, in practical terms, in the event of a late payment?

In Greece, the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction’s code of practice requires patients to be informed of the total cost of the treatment. You are therefore entitled to receive these answers before you begin.

Paying from abroad without missing a thing

Failure to pay is rarely down to a lack of money. It’s often because a bill ends up in your spam folder, you’ve moved house and no longer use that address, or you’ve changed your phone number. A few simple steps can prevent almost all such issues:

• ask for an annual bill in your name, and keep every proof of payment;
• make a note of the due date in your diary, with a reminder one month beforehand;
• notify the clinic whenever you change your address, email or telephone number, and provide them with a second point of contact;
• in Greece, make a separate note of the five-year deadline, with a reminder six months beforehand: the extension must be requested in writing, and paying the bill does not necessarily fulfil this requirement. Ask the clinic how you should submit this request.

The legal time limit, and what has changed under the 2022 law, are explained in the article on embryo storage.

If you stop paying, or if the clinic can no longer contact you

This is the situation everyone fears, and the rules vary from country to country.

• In Greece, neither the law nor the code of practice addresses non-payment: check the terms of your contract. The legislation does, however, specify who makes the decision. If you do not respond regarding the use of your embryos within the specified timeframe, the cryopreservation bank must refer the matter to the National Authority within the following sixty days. It is the Authority, and not the clinic alone, which then decides whether to use them for research or to destroy them.
• In the United Kingdom, the regulatory authority warns that if you do not pay as agreed, the clinic may be entitled to destroy your embryos, and that without renewal of consent, they will be removed and destroyed.
• In Spain, consent must be renewed at least every two years. After two unsuccessful attempts at renewal, if the clinic can prove it has taken the necessary steps, it may decide for itself what to do with the embryos from among the options provided for by law.
• In France, individuals whose embryos are stored – whether in a couple or on their own – are consulted in writing each year, and storage may be terminated if, after being consulted on several occasions, they fail to give their views on embryos that have been stored for at least five years.

In all these cases, what best protects your embryos is not money: it is being contactable.

Storing, transferring elsewhere, or deciding to terminate

Your embryos can be transported, but only between authorised facilities: freely within the European Union, and with authorisation from the Greek National Authority for a country outside the EU. The steps involved are set out in the transport of embryos between countries. Whilst the process is ongoing, storage costs continue to be charged by the clinic of origin.

Before paying for additional years of storage, do the reverse calculation too: a frozen embryo transfer in Greece generally takes two to three days on site. And if you’re wondering whether years of storage damage your embryos, the answer can be found in how long an embryo can remain frozen.

If your treatment programme is complete, Greek regulations provide for three options, to be chosen in writing: donation to other patients, use for research or therapeutic purposes, or destruction. Donation to other people is described in embryo donation in Greece. This choice can be changed in the same written format; it is worth reviewing at each stage.

Frozen eggs: same questions, different fees

Vitrified eggs follow the same procedure: a freezing procedure, followed by annual storage, with the same statutory five-year renewable period in Greece. Ask for their storage fees separately: they are not necessarily the same as those for embryos. The recommended age and number of eggs are discussed in freezing your eggs in Greece.

My advice

Treat storage as an important contract: read it in full, make a note of the date in your diary and provide an emergency contact. Reread your consent form before each transfer, and agree together on what you want should your project come to an end. If you’d like me to ask the clinic for the number of your straws, your expiry date or details of your invoices, please email me.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/embryo-storage-cost/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook