The cost of a kidney varies widely depending on context—legal transplant costs, market estimates, or black market prices. Legal Kidney Transplant Costs:

• The average cost for a kidney transplant in the U.S. is approximately $442,500 to $446,800, which includes surgery, hospital admission, and post-transplant care

• This cost reflects the full medical procedure and not just the organ itself.

Market Value of a Kidney:

• Estimates for the market value of a healthy kidney from a living donor range from $10,000 to $262,000, with some sources citing around $262,000 specifically for a kidney

• Some studies suggest a fair compensation range between $50,000 and $100,000 to cover donor expenses and incentivize donation

• Proposals for donor compensation include tax breaks or direct payments around $50,000 to offset lost wages and other costs

Black Market Prices:

• On the black market, kidney prices vary dramatically, from as low as $1,300 to over $150,000, depending on quality and location

• In some countries with legal organ markets, like Iran, kidneys sell for $28,000 to $45,000, but black market intermediaries often inflate prices to over $100,000

• Donors on the black market typically receive a small fraction (around $1,000 to $5,000), while middlemen capture most of the profit

Summary:

• For a legal transplant, the total cost including surgery is roughly $440,000 to $450,000 in the U.S.
• The kidney organ's estimated value for compensation or market purposes ranges from $10,000 to over $260,000.
• Black market prices are highly variable and risky, often involving exploitation.

Thus, while a kidney's "cost" depends on the perspective—transplant procedure cost, donor compensation, or illicit trade—the commonly cited figure for the organ itself in legal contexts is around $262,000, with total transplant costs near $445,000