Urine culture cost in Durham, NC — inpatient
In Durham, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for urine culture for bacteria, with colony count as an inpatient: from $36.99 to $36.99, with a median of $36.99. Across North Carolina, the median is $82.32 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87086, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Durham, NC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University Hospital lowest Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Cult/Colony Count Quant Urine | $36.99 | $137.00 | $7.64–$89.05 | 73% | — source file |
| Duke University Hospital lowest Durham, NC · (919) 684-8111 Cult/Colony Count Quant Urine | $36.99 | $137.00 | $7.91–$146.00 | 73% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $36.99, median $36.99, highest $36.99.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $36.99 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
A urine culture grows bacteria from a urine sample in the lab and counts how many colonies appear. It is used to confirm a urinary tract infection, especially when symptoms return or first treatment does not work.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the culture and colony count. If bacteria grow, identifying them and testing which antibiotics work are separate codes with their own charges.