OBJECTIVES: diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is expensive complication of diabetes leading to disability. There are costly innovative drugs that can make complications more curable. It is necessary to obtain evidences of new technologies economic benefits. The aim of the study was  to determine the economic burden of DFS in health care of the Republic of Belarus. METHODS: "cost of illness" analysis for outpatient and inpatient treatment of DFS patients has been performed. A retrospective study of treatment of 15 outpatients with diabetic ulcers and 16 inpatients who underwent amputation of different levels has been made. Direct and indirect costs were estimated. Average, minimal, maximal costs were calculated. All costs are given in euros (may, 2015). RESULTS: out-patient direct medical costs are 259 (78 to 636) per patient/year. Indirect costs are 1941 (from 1022 to 4357) per patient/year. The cost of "big" amputation is 5248 (from 647 to 13,556) per hospitalization and 1099 (from 282 to 3702 euros) for "small" amputations. Indirect costs range from 352 to 978 during the period of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Amputation usually considered as emergency aid in the case of DFS makes significant financial burden for hospitals and health care system. Careful assesment of cost of illness of diabetes and it's complications allows to expand opportunities of expansive outpatient medical technologies use.