OBJECTIVES:  To estimate the mean cost of hospitalizations by diabetic and non-diabetic patients associated with skin and soft tissues infections. METHODS:  The Orizon database is an administrative database containing over 18 million lives of the Private Health System. Eligibility criteria were patients (≥ 18 years) with ICD-10 codes: A26, A26.0, A26.8, A26.9, A46, H60.0, H60.1, K12.2, L00, L02, L02.1, L02.2, L02.3, L02.4, L02.8, L02.9, L03, L03.0, L03.1, L03.2, L03.3, L03.8, L03.9 and L08 from May/2012 to Jun/2013. We also stratified by age (18 to 35, 36 to 59 and above 60 years) and diabetic comorbidity. Direct medical costs (DMC) per patient-year were calculated as the sum of medical claims for each patient with an exchange rate of 1 USD = 3,43 BRL. RESULTS:  A total of 1,846 patients were identified over the analysis period. In the non-diabetic group (n = 1605), the mean length of stay was 5.3 days with a mean DMC of USD 2,081.77. In contrast, the diabetic group presented a mean of 11.9 days and a DMC of USD 7,617.88 (n = 241). When stratified by age groups, the mean length of stay and DMC for the non-diabetic group were 4.4 days and USD 1,444.45 (18 to 35 years, n = 771), 5.5 days and USD 2,110.66 (36 to 59 years, n = 605) and 8.1 days and USD 4,151.21 (60 years and above, n = 229). In the diabetic group, the mean length of stay and DMC were 8.0 days and USD 3,199.38 (18 to 35 years, n = 19), 11.7 days and USDS 5,950.39 (36 to 59 years, n = 95) and 13.3 days and USD 10,216.39 (60 years and above, n = 127). CONCLUSIONS:  older and diabetic patients affected by skin and soft tissues infections clearly increase the economic burden in the Brazilian private healthcare system.