Objective To explore the direct economic loss caused by surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with hepatic echinococcosis, and provide reference for the effective implementation of infection prevention and control measures as well as the formulation of health policy. Methods Medical data of 681 surgical patients with hepatic echinococcosis in a tertiary first-class hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020 in Qinghai Province were collected retrospectively. 59 patients with SSI were included in the SSI group, and the other 622 patients without SSI were 1:1 matched with patients in SSI group. After matching, 50 patients were included in the control group. The average length of hospital stay and hospitalization expenses of patients between two groups, as well as among different types of SSI were compared. Results Compared with the control group, the average total hospitalization cost in the SSI group increased by 38 630.00 Yuan, and the average hospitalization days extended by 21.87 days. The average total hospitalization cost of abdominal infection increased by 43 045.11 Yuan, the average hospitalization days extended by 22.98 days. The average total hospitalization cost of patients with SSI increased by 34 117.69 Yuan, the average hospitalization days extended by 20.97 days. Conclusion SSI in patients with hepatic echinococcosis after operation can prolong the length of hospital stay, increase the cost of hospitalization, and bring serious economic burden. Therefore, it is of great significance to implement effective SSI intervention measures to reduce the economic burden of patients and improve the medical care quality.