Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to a baby boy April 23. Surprisingly, delivering the new prince, who is now fifth in line to the British throne, likely cost less than the average U.S. delivery, according to The Economist.
The Duchess gave birth at the Lindo Wing, a private, upscale maternity ward in London often used by royals. In 2015, the maternity ward charged £5,670 — or $8,900 — for a non-caesarean delivery and a 24-hour stay in a deluxe patient room, according to data from London-based St. Mary's Hospital, which houses the Lindo Wing.
In contrast, the average fee for the same delivery in the U.S. was $10,808 in 2015, according to The International Federation of Health Plans. When accounting for pre- and postnatal care, this figure jumps to about $30,000. Although insurance will cover most of this cost, parents are still left with an average bill of about $3,000, according to Truven Health Analytics data cited by The Economist.