Which Countries Have The Best Healthcare In The World?

Whether you’re moving abroad as an expat for the first time, trying your hand at being a digital nomad or you’ve been living overseas for a while, it’s important to think about the quality of healthcare in the country (or countries) you’re living in.

In this article, we’ve looked for the best countries worldwide for healthcare. If you’re considering moving abroad, make sure you’ve thought about international health insurance – not only can it help to cover your medical bills around the world, it can also offer you access to private healthcare abroad, meaning you’ll always benefit from the highest-quality treatment.

Which countries have the best healthcare in the world?

Quality of healthcare can vary significantly between countries, with some countries known for having under-equipped, short-staffed and low-quality state-organised healthcare systems – while others are fortunate enough to be among the best in the world.

The major themes for healthcare are:

1. the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) into diagnostics, helping healthcare professionals to recognise and treat diseases earlier and with better efficacy rates
2. the rise of virtual healthcare assistants, also powered by AI, offering better access to healthcare to people less able to reach a GP or hospital
3. improved elderly care, supported by new advances in the fields of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research

Methodology

We have used the Legatum Prosperity Index as our key source for these rankings.

The Legatum Institute is a foundation operated by global investment firm Legatum, based in Dubai. Their annually-published Legatum Prosperity Index ranks countries on a scale ranging from most prosperous to most impoverished, and is compiled from multiple sources including safety and security, personal freedom and infrastructure, through to living conditions and education.

Health is another core pillar of the index. Legatum ranks countries according to the general health of the population, which is amalgamated from six separate scores:

1. Behavioural risk factors (10%) looks at society-wide trends that increase the risk of early death such as smoking, drinking and obesity
2. Preventative interventions (15%) considers how adept a country is at spotting early risk factors in disease and treating them
3. Care systems (15%) looks at the quality of the state healthcare system and its ability to meet demand in terms of number of professionals, number of hospital beds and range of equipment
4. Mental health (10%) looks at the prevalence of mental health issues within the population
5. Physical health (20%) looks at the prevalence of physical illnesses within the population
6. Longevity (30%) looks broadly at life expectancy, including rates of premature mortality

Legatum combines data from the World Health Organisation, United Nations, OECD and other sources to arrive at each score, which is then weighted into a global ranking.

We have looked at the holistic picture of health in each country, understanding that a healthcare system is only as strong as the country-wide climate it operates within. When considering the healthcare system in this way, these are the top 10 countries Legatum lists as the best in the world for health and healthcare.

Note: In the 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index, Israel was ranked the 6th best country in the world for healthcare.

1/ Singapore

Congratulations to Singapore, which takes the coveted title for having the best healthcare in the world.

Singapore’s healthcare system is widely regarded as one of the most forward-thinking of all time, emphasising complete health and wellbeing for its 5.5 million citizens. Despite being such a small country, Singapore boasts 12 state hospitals and 10 private hospitals. In recent years, Singapore has increased the number of physicians in its country to 2.5 per 1,000 people, while life expectancy in Singapore is the 7th highest in the world, averaging at 83.4 years.

Singapore’s success is widely attributed to its universal healthcare system paid for by its innovative ‘3Ms’ system:

• MediShield Life provides citizens with coverage against large hospitals for major illnesses
• MediSave covers citizens for out-of-pocket expenses and is paid for out of income tax, usually amounting to around 8–10%
• MediFund is an additional safety net designed to help Singaporeans who are still unable to afford healthcare through MediShield and MediSave

Another factor contributing to Singapore’s position as the best country in the world for healthcare is its emphasis on preventive healthcare. Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB) emphasises the role of immunisation across the community, health screening to catch diseases early, and an anti-diabetes drive.

2/ Japan

Japan is a regular entrant on the list of the best countries for healthcare. In 2023, Japan was 10th – this year, it has soared to the number two position. This is not by coincidence: Japan has taken great strides in the field of healthcare to both extend universal coverage to its citizens, and optimise its healthcare monitoring with technology.

As the highest-ranked country in the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which is made of the world’s 38 most economically-developed countries), it is no surprise to find that Japan outperforms the OECD averages in a number of key fields.

As well as having the highest life expectancy of any major country (84.4 years), Japan has by far the lowest rate of obesity (4.6% of the population, compared to the average 25.7%), a high number of hospital beds (12.6 per person, compared to the average 4.3) and excellent quality of care, with exceptionally low rates of diabetes admissions, stroke mortality, cancer deaths and antibiotic prescriptions.

In summary, Japan is consistently ranked as a top-performer in almost every field of healthcare, which is testament to its high rate of spending on health and wellbeing, its culture of sport and exercise, and its healthy diet.

3/ South Korea

This year, South Korea enters the list of the best countries in the world for healthcare thanks to the incredible leaps and bounds it has made in recent years to improve both access to, and quality of care throughout the country.

South Korea tops the list among OECD countries for the most number of hospital beds (12.8 per 1,000 people), has the second-lowest rate of obesity, just behind Japan, at 7% of the population, and has a high life expectancy at 83.6 years. South Korea also boasts exceptionally low rates of heart disease, and a low rate of preventable mortality at just 99 per 100,000 deaths.

South Korea does fall short in a couple of areas. For instance, while South Koreans’ access to healthcare is among the best in the world, and paid for by contributions to the National Health Insurance Service, many people still find themselves paying out-of-pocket for medical expenses.

Still, as a world-leader in terms of quality of healthcare technology and expertise of physicians, it is no wonder South Korea excels in one key metric: as many as 78% of people in the country say they are satisfied with their national healthcare scheme.

4/ Taiwan

We’ve written about how the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, is the best city in the world for healthcare – so it should come as no surprise that the wider country secures a spot among the 10 best countries in the world for healthcare.

Taiwan’s healthcare system has attracted universal praise for offering world-leading care and services to all citizens (as well as expats), paid for through a National Health Insurance scheme. The country ranks consistently high across the three major metrics that define a healthcare system – CEOWorld ranks it 14th in the world for quality of medical technology and physicians, 5th in the world for individual cost and 16th in the world for government preparedness. Being the only country to rank so high across all three metrics, CEOWorld ranked Taiwan the best country in the world for healthcare in 2023.

So, expats moving to Taiwan will find a country with a highly advanced healthcare service available to anyone across the country at an exceptionally low price.

5/ China

Thanks to its enormously successful “Healthy China 2020” policy, the Chinese government has achieved one of the greatest feats in the history of healthcare. With their basic healthcare insurance programme covering 95% of the country, it is the single largest healthcare scheme in history, providing state-funded healthcare for 1.36 billion people, with at least 70% of healthcare costs covered by the state. This also makes it the world’s most expensive healthcare programme, costing over US$1.1 trillion a year to run.

Because of the size of its healthcare programme, China faces a number of challenges. It has a low number of hospital beds and nurses, for instance. But it excels in a number of other areas – for instance, China has the second highest rate of child vaccinations in the OECD, slightly behind Hungary with 99.2% of children immunised. China also boasts over 1 million hospitals and medical facilities across its vast country, extending high-quality medical care even to people in rural and remote regions.

Having attracted many of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies to open offices and production centres in the country, China is poised to continue to develop its healthcare programme with a new wave of medical research. Already strong, China’s healthcare system could soon set the global standard for both efficiency and effectiveness.

6/ Norway

Not only is Norway the seventh-best country in the world to live as an expat, it also has one of the world’s best healthcare systems. Punching well above its weight in the global arena, Norway spends the fourth-greatest amount on healthcare in the OECD, and is 10th in the world for life expectancy at 83.1 years, putting Norway second only to Spain in Europe.

Norway is also leading the way when it comes to healthcare accessibility. In 2019, fewer than 1% of adults in Norway missed out on necessary treatment, while new telecommunications systems introduced during the pandemic have since become mainstays.

Norway also features in our list of countries with the best mental health in the world – which is probably why you’ll often see Norway listed among the happiest countries in the world.

7/ Iceland

Staying in Scandinavia, the seventh best country in the world for healthcare is the island nation of Iceland. Among Iceland’s many merits are that it has the 12th highest life expectancy in the world at 83 years, one of the lowest durations for hospital stays at 5.6 days and the best social support system in the world, with 99.9% of people receiving some degree of social support.

As many as 75% of people living in Iceland report being in good health overall. Iceland also has the lowest number of daily smokers in the OECD, thanks in part to the country’s mission to promote healthier lifestyles.

8/ Sweden

It’s three-for-three in Scandinavia as Sweden also makes the list of the best countries in the world for healthcare. Sweden is on a par with both Norway and Iceland, with an average life expectancy of 83 years. It also has one of the lowest lengths of hospital stays in Europe, at just 5.4 days, and infant mortality is less than 2.6 per 1,000 births.

For a population of 10 million, Sweden has no fewer than 100 hospitals, which ensures even people in remote parts of the country have access to high-quality healthcare. Where the Swedish really excel, however, is in the field of mental health – indeed, we named Sweden as the best country to live for mental health.

9/ Switzerland

Switzerland is universally-renowned for its exceptional healthcare system, which contributes to it having the highest life expectancy in Europe at 83.8 years.

Switzerland is the second-highest spending country in the OECD when it comes to healthcare, behind the USA, and ranks near the top in a number of other key metrics. For instance, it has the fourth-highest number of MRI units, the fifth-most mammography machines, the seventh-greatest number of doctors and the second-highest number of nurses in the OECD.

In true Swiss fashion, this exceptional level of quality commands a high price (12.1% of GDP) – still, the health outcomes in Switzerland speak for themselves, and certainly justify these costs.

10/ Netherlands

Rounding off the top 10 countries for healthcare is the Netherlands. The Dutch have a fantastic healthcare system that ranks consistently high in many major categories, with a universal healthcare system that is the envy of the world.

Despite being a small country, the Netherlands still boasts some 586 hospitals and over 53,000 hospital beds, with over half a million people employed in the healthcare sector. The Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of obesity in Europe (thanks in part to the country’s drive to promote healthy lifestyles) and one of the lowest average lengths of hospital stays, at 5.2 days.

The Dutch are also one of the lowest spenders on pharmaceuticals, which may have something to do with the fact the Netherlands is the pharmaceutical research and development epicentre for Europe, with a number of top companies based around the country.

Thinking of moving abroad?

There’s never been a better time to become an expat. As the world opens its doors to digital nomads and opportunities beckon overseas, you can think of moving abroad with complete confidence.

But if the idea of navigating a foreign healthcare system worries you, rest assured you won’t need to move abroad alone. William Russell’s international health insurance policy is tailor-made for expats, helping them access the highest-quality medical treatments anywhere in the world.

Learn more about how expat health insurance can benefit your life abroad, and get an online quote in under two minutes.

*We cannot cover expats living and working in Switzerland.