Benchmarking the cost of fit-outs for today's outpatient care environment

As outpatient care accelerates across the U.S., medical providers, developers and investors face a rapidly shifting construction landscape. JLL’s 2026 Medical Outpatient Building Fit‑out Cost Guide explores the changing environment and how rising complexity, tightening labor capacity and evolving clinical requirements are affecting costs.

The national average for MOB fit-out costs reached $412 per square foot in 2026, representing an all-in budget from warm white box condition. Hard costs comprise more than half of this cost ($226/SF, while technology and non-medical FF&E increasingly drive cost variability.

Ground-up MOB construction starts have declined to historic lows, representing only 1% of existing inventory. This scarcity makes it challenging for medical outpatient occupiers and due to limited new construction, places increasing focus on renovations and conversions.

The shift toward higher-acuity outpatient services fundamentally changes space requirements and costs. High-acuity ambulatory projects function as mini-hospitals from power and MEP perspectives, substantially raising per-square-foot costs and increasing price variability.

Metro-level labor rates and delivery conditions create wide cost variations across regions. Northeast markets command premium pricing, while the Sunbelt region offers more affordable options.

Three key trends will shape the year ahead.

• Labor remains the primary cost escalator, with wage pressures and uneven subcontractor capacity driving bid volatility, particularly in high-growth metros.
• Renovation complexity will maintain elevated all-in costs even if construction volume remails slow.
• Technology intensity will widen cost ranges between standard clinics and higher-acuity ambulatory projects.