Covid-19 Test Cost in India- Check the State-wise Breakup

As we all know that the RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) test is the 'gold standard test' for COVID-19 testing all over the world. In India, the State governments can decide the cost of the COVID-19 tests as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). While the cost in private centres is also optimized, in most government facilities people can get COVID testing done free of cost.

With the new unrelenting SARS-COV-2 strain i.e. B.1.617 and B.1.1.7 even the RT-PCR test reports are showing false results. It is forcing patients to undergo a CT-Scan test to locate the COVID-19 infection in their lungs. And if you test positive, a coronavirus health insurance plan can prove to be easy on the pocket and can help you avail the best COVID-19 treatment in some of the best hospitals in India.

Read on to know the Covid-19 test price in your respective State.

Covid-19 RT-PCR Test Cost in India State-wise

Check out the cost of RT-PCR tests in various states across India-

1. Delhi

If you are in Delhi, you will be glad to know that the cost of RT-PCR test in private labs has now been reduced to Rs 800. The cost of home collection samples was further reduced to Rs 1,200 from Rs 2400.

2. Haryana

The RT-PCR test cost in Haryana has also been reduced and you can yourself tested for Coronavirus infection within Rs 1200.

3. Uttar Pradesh

As per the notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Additional Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, the price of RT-PCR tests has now been fixed at Rs 700 in all the private hospitals. Though, the cost of the RT-PCR test in private labs (home collection) can go up to Rs 900.

4. Rajasthan

The average cost of the COVID-19 RT-PCR test in the state ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 1000. There have been some issues regarding the pricing of the test in the State, which will soon be rectified.

5. Maharashtra

On 1 April, the Maharashtra State government further reduced the prices of RT-PCR tests. The new RT-PCR test rates are Rs 500, Rs 600, and Rs 800.

But if you want to submit your sample at a collection Centre then Rs 500 will be charged. Swab collection cost at the testing Centre is kept at Rs 800, and at the Quarantine Centres, it will be Rs 600.

6. Andhra Pradesh

Citing the increased availability of the SARS CoV-2 testing kits, the government reduced the cost of RT-PCR tests by 40%-50%. The sample collected in government labs to be charged at Rs 475 each, and those who approach the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) shall be charged Rs 499 each.

7. Kerala

The Kerala government slashes the COVID-19 RT-PCR test prices from Rs 1700 to Rs 500. All the state-accredited and ICMR (The Indian Council of Medical Research) approved labs can conduct the test at only the new prices. While the Government hospitals are conducting Coronavirus tests free of cost.

8. West Bengal

The West Bengal government reduced the price of Covid-19 tests in the private centres from Rs 2,250 to Rs 1,500.

9. Karnataka

The State government fixed the Covid-19 RT-PCR test cost at Rs 800 if the sample is taken at a government lab. If the testing or sample collection is done at a private lab then you will be charged Rs 1,200. For the home collection of the samples, you might have to pay Rs 1600. The rates are inclusive of the screening and confirmatory tests, as well as the cost of the PPE kits.

10. Gujarat

The cost of the RT-PCR test was reduced from Rs 1100 to Rs 900 if the sample is collected from home and given to a private lab. If a person gives his swab sample in the laboratory then he/she will be charged Rs 700 instead of Rs 800.

Note: All the test rates are for reference purposes only and can be changed anytime with the discretion of the respective State Governments.

After witnessing a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 positive cases and high virus load in the infections (resulting in acute lung failure, pneumonia, and fatalities), several States in India have made a negative RT-PCR test report compulsory for the entrants.

Read More: How to register for Covid-19 vaccine in India

Carry your Negative RT-PCR Tests before Entering to these States

• Delhi- You need to carry a Negative RT-PCR Test Report if you are travelling to Delhi from Maharashtra. The report should not be older than 72-hours as per the AAP Government.
• Uttar Pradesh- If you are flying to Lucknow, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur you need a negative RT-PCR test and is valid only for 72 hours from the date of receiving the report.
• Maharashtra- A negative COVID report is a must for all the passengers arriving from Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Goa, and Kerala. Maximum 72-hours before arrival.
• Rajasthan- No matter what State or UTs you are travelling from, you need to get a negative RT-PCR test 72 hours before your travel.
• Uttarakhand- The Uttarakhand Government requires all the visitors to carry a negative RT-PCR test not earlier than 96 hours before travel. Also, you must register on the state website before you plan to visit the State.
• Himachal Pradesh- Whether you are travelling by air, rail, and buses, a negative RT-PCR report is a must to enter the State till the lockdown is over.
• Bihar- Passengers arriving from Kerala, Maharashtra, and Punjab at the Darbhanga Airport, Patna require a negative RT-PCR test. If they are unable to furnish that then they need to undergo the Rapid Antigen Test at the Airport itself.
• Goa- The Goa government requires the visitors to show a negative COVID report to complete doses of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the State.

Also, if you are planning to visit your loved ones in Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and West Bengal, then also a negative RT-PCR test is required.

Bottom-line

Amid the increasing number of the COVID-19 cases across India during the second wave, a correct RT-PCR test and adequate coronavirus health insurance can help you and your family beat this pandemic effectively. Hope you are now clear about the pricing of the RT-PCR tests in different States. Moreover, if you want to buy a COVID-19 specific health plan and need more details regarding it, then you can write to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 1800-208-8787.