Related articles: Forehead Lift, Facelift, Breast Lift. 1  A tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, varies widely in cost from $3,000 to $8,500. 2  Patients in the northeastern United States can expect to pay higher surgeon's fees, averaging $4,995, while patients in the south central states pay much less, averaging $3,681. In a tummy tuck operation, which usually takes two to five hours, the surgeon makes a vertical and a horizontal incision to create a skin flap, which is lifted to reveal the girdle of muscles that holds in the internal organs.