How Much Does an Ambulance Ride Cost Without Insurance in 2026?

A ground ambulance ride costs about $1,442 before mileage in 2026 for advanced life support, and the base rate in the city and county price lists we read runs from $810 to $3,572. A ride by helicopter costs far more. The U.S. Government Accountability Office, called GAO, found a median price of about $36,000 for a helicopter ambulance ride in 2017. This page uses city and county fee schedules that the local governments publish. Those are the best source, because they show the exact base rate and the charge for each mile. Here is what the schedules say. In Kennewick, Washington, a basic life support ride starts at $810 for a resident and $1,215 for a person who lives outside the city. An advanced life support ride starts at $900 for a resident and $1,350 for a non resident. Every ride adds $15 for each mile. These rates took effect January 1, 2026. In Grand Junction, Colorado, the 2025 rates list $1,056 for basic life support, $1,442 for advanced life support, and $25 for each mile. In Clark County, Nevada, the rates effective February 1, 2026 are $1,288.63 for emergency basic life support and $1,355.91 for emergency advanced life support level 1. The loaded mileage charge there is $38.35. In Los Angeles County, California, the maximum rates for the general public from July 1, 2026 are $2,385 for emergency basic life support and $3,572 for emergency advanced life support, plus $31 for each mile. The City of Los Angeles lists $1,862 for basic life support and $2,915 for advanced life support in an ordinance effective April 30, 2026. So the same kind of ride can cost about three to four times more in one place than in another. Where the ambulance picks you up matters a lot. Mileage is on top of the base rate. A 10 mile trip in Kennewick adds $150, and the same trip in Los Angeles County adds $310. Basic life support means an ambulance with trained crew who give basic care. Advanced life support means the crew can give more, such as heart monitoring and IV medicines. The crew level that the bill uses is based on the care you needed, and not only on what you got. We could not confirm a typical price for a fixed wing air ambulance, or a median ground price from a national source. This page is a cost guide only. It is not medical advice. If you need an ambulance, call for one, and sort out the bill after.