Which Countries Are The Best For Mental Health?

Thinking of moving abroad? Wherever you choose to move, prioritising your mental health has never been more important.

This is easier in some places than in others, and depends on a number of factors, including work/life balance, free time to spend with family and friends, how much access you have to nature and how much the government invests in mental health services.

With that in mind, we’ve been around the world to find the countries that we consider the best for mental health.

What are the countries with the best mental health in the world?

We’ve focused on 35 developed nations that are popular with expats, using a variety of data sources to paint a picture of which countries you are most likely to enjoy a peaceful, positive lifestyle with good access to mental health resources.

Sweden was our number one country for mental health, retaining the top spot for a second year running.

Luxembourg and Norway are runners up, with Latvia and Germany also making the top five. Finland, which came third in 2023, slipped all the way to eighth in the world in 2024.

This year, we’ve also welcomed nine new countries to the leaderboard: Spain, Luxembourg and Denmark all come straight into the top 10, while Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium, Austria and the United States also make the list.

The biggest fall from 2023 is Australia, which goes from 10th in 2023 all the way to 31st in 2024.

It’s important to say that no country is perfect when it comes to mental health, and mental health problems can still affect you even in the happiest of countries. This is especially true if you experience culture shock. However, if a country’s attitude to mental wellbeing is important to you, you are likely to enjoy a great lifestyle and a positive state of mind in many of these countries.

How have we chosen the countries with the best mental health in the world?

We analysed 35 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) according to a number of factors relating to positive mental health. These include:

• The percentage of people in the country who work long hours (50 hours per week or more)
• The average number of hours people have in the day to devote to sleep, leisure and personal care
• The total area of designated green spaces within the country
• The percentage of government healthcare expenditure dedicated to mental health

Each country was given a ranked score for its work/life balance, leisure time, availability of green spaces and percentage of government health spending on mental health services. The average of these ranks contributed to that country’s overall score and position on our list of the best countries for mental health.

What are the top 3 countries with the best mental health in the world?

1/ Sweden

Positive mental wellbeing score: 31.25 out of 35

Sweden was named the best country for mental health in 2023, and in 2024 retained the top spot. Sweden scores consistently high in all four of the major categories contributing to positive mental health, with its citizens some of the least likely to work long hours, having over 15 hours of free time every day and one of the highest shares of government spending on mental health services.

Since 2016, the Swedish government has focused on delivering a world-leading mental health initiative designed around preventing the onset of mental disorders. This not only includes investing heavily in mental health resources – a policy that has made Sweden one of the highest spenders on mental healthcare services – but on cascading these services through all social strata, across all regions of the country, through the LGBTQ community, and even down to young children. Already, more than 29,000 children have benefitted from Sweden’s radical reforms.

As an expat living in Sweden, you will no doubt find your mental health improving – and better still, Sweden ranks on our list of the 10 healthiest countries in the world overall.

2/ Luxembourg

Positive mental wellbeing score: 26.75 out of 35

2024 was the first time Luxembourg made the list of the best countries for mental health. The small European nation made an instant impact by jumping straight into the number two spot. As the richest country in Europe, Luxembourg’s high ranking puts the old adage ‘you can’t buy happiness’ into question – and indeed, it is Luxembourg’s extraordinarily high spending on mental health services that carries it into the top spots.

Since the 1990s, Luxembourg has been pouring money into its mental health services, with an emphasis on community care as opposed to institutional care. As well as providing money at the state level, Luxembourg goes to great lengths to attract private-sector and third-sector investment, with all mental health services supplemented through state-funded healthcare.

In many ways, Luxembourg is a case study to the rest of the world for the positive impact a country can have by improving its mental health spending. Rates of depression in Luxembourg have fallen considerably in recent years, from 11% in 2019 to just 5% in 2023.

3/ Norway

Positive mental wellbeing score: 26 out of 35

Jumping from eighth in the world all the way onto the podium in 2024 is Norway. This should come as no surprise, considering the enormous investment the Norwegian government has recently made into its mental healthcare sector – adding NOK 53 million/US$5 million to its budget in 2023-24 through the Mental Health Escalation Plan.

This policy has been directed at a variety of mental health and psychiatric services, providing grants to counselling schemes, social rehabilitation programmes and volunteer groups. It has also pioneered some innovative approaches, including training GPs to provide cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and concentrating mental healthcare on family units as opposed to institutional care.

Norway has also taken great strides to ensure that young people are offered the same level of access to mental health services as adults, in an attempt to mitigate the risk of mental health disorders impacting their later lives.

What are the best countries for work-life balance in the world?

1/ The Netherlands

% working 50+ hours per week: 0.3%

The Netherlands once again took the top spot for work/life balance in 2024. In 2023, 0.4% of people in The Netherlands worked long hours, while in 2024 that number is even lower at 0.3%, showing that the Dutch continue to lead the way in preventing overwork. The Dutch benefit from a flexible working act, which allows anyone employed longer than 26 weeks to request changes to their shift patterns, so long as they do not end up working more than the legally-mandated 12 hours per day, with special rules for women in the case of pregnancy and maternity leave. In fact, this is just part of the reason we’ve named The Netherlands one of the best countries in the world to raise a family.

2/ Switzerland

% working 50+ hours per week: 0.4%

Hanging on to the second spot on our list is Switzerland. Despite there being no legal requirement for employers to facilitate work-life balance, Swiss culture plays a strong role in ensuring workers clock in and out at a reasonable time. But then, with its generous policies on parental leave, childcare benefits and holiday pay, Switzerland still goes above and beyond. Better still? Expats in Switzerland can expect high salaries as well as a fantastic culture, with Switzerland topping our index for expat salaries.

3/ Sweden

% working 50+ hours per week: 0.9%

Sweden once again finished third in the world for work/life balance in 2024, with an improved score – down from 1.1% in 2023 for the percentage of people working long hours. Since 2017, Sweden has adopted a six-hour workday, which helps to prevent overwork while still offering employees excellent salaries and benefits. It’s this policy that has helped to make Stockholm one of our best cities in the world for new expat parents.

Where do people devote the most time to leisure and personal care in the world?

1/ Italy

Leisure/free time per day: 16.5 hours

The Italians kept the top spot for leisure time in 2024, enjoying an unmatched 16.5 hours per day of free time. With a slower pace of life, workers in Italy often take two hours for lunch and devote much of their free time to their families.

2/ France

Leisure/free time per day: 16.2 hours

France once again finishes second in the world for free time, although with a slightly lower number of hours (down from 16.4 hours in 2023) this year. Nevertheless, the effects of France’s 35-hour working week, coupled with its law preventing larger companies from sending emails after-hours, continues to show its benefits. We’ve even named Paris one of the friendliest cities in the world for expats.

3/ Spain, Norway and Denmark

Leisure/free time per day: 15.7 hours

A joint third-place finish in 2024 saw Spain, Norway and Denmark overtaking The Netherlands for the countries offering the most free time to their citizens. All three countries score consistently high across a number of work/life balance metrics, so it’s no wonder the competition for the third-place spot was so fierce. And did you know Denmark is also one of the safest countries in the world?

What are the countries with the most green spaces in the world?

1/ Finland

% of land area: 73.7%

Being in nature can have many psychological benefits and Finland tops the list with 73.7% of its land devoted to its green spaces. This is thanks to its lush green woodlands, vast swathes of which are still untouched by human activity.

2/ Sweden

% of land area: 68.7%

Taking second place is Finland’s neighbour Sweden. With over two-thirds of its land covered by trees, the country has doubled its green space over the last hundred years, providing the perfect locations for Swedes to relax in nature.

3/ Japan

% of land area: 68.4%

Japan takes third place for green space, with nearly 70% of its land taken up by tree cover. Japan’s mild and humid climate provides the perfect conditions for growing trees, giving Japanese people plenty of opportunities to destress by connecting with the wilderness.

What are the countries with the most government spending on mental healthcare in the world?

1/ Luxembourg

% of total government health spend on mental healthcare: 13.4%

In spite of its diminutive size, Luxembourg punches well above its weight when it comes to mental health spending. With a total government health budget of around US$4.6 billion, Luxembourg designates a substantial 13.4% to mental health facilities, initiatives and care – the largest share of any country in the EU. Did you know Luxembourg also has the best-paid nurses in the world?

2/ France

% of total government health spend on mental healthcare: 12.91%

Despite dropping down from the number one position in 2023, France maintains its place on the leaderboard for mental health spending. With the second-highest health budget in the EU at €281 billion/US$300 billion, France designates a substantial 12.91% to mental health spending.

3/ Germany

% of total government health spend on mental healthcare: 11%

Also maintaining its place in the top 3 in 2024, Germany – with the EU’s highest overall health budget of €432 billion/US$468 billion, puts around 11% into mental health spending, with much of this budget going to research into Alzheimer’s disease.

Wherever you move, make mental health a priority

As an expat, we know it’s incredibly important to look after your mental health when living abroad.

That’s why at William Russell, we’re proud to offer mental health benefits as part of our international health insurance policies.

Our mental health benefits are tailor-made for expats living and working abroad, and cover you for a number of essential treatments and conditions you may need while navigating expat life.

It offers you cover against major mental illnesses including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Psychosis
• Bipolar disorder
• Dissociative disorder
• Suicidal thoughts
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Trauma

With access to inpatient and day patient treatment, mental health consultations with trained specialists and medication as and when you need them.

This ensures you’ll always have access to the best-quality mental health facilities anywhere in the world when you become a William Russell member. You’ll also have access to our award-winning customer service team and medical evacuations if you need emergency treatment that’s not available locally. Terms and conditions apply.

Wherever you move abroad, move with total peace of mind. Speak to us today to see how William Russell could help protect you and your family.

Methodology

Employees working very long hours

The percentage of employees working fifty hours a week or more, according to the OECD Better Life Index.

Hours devoted to leisure and personal care

The average number of hours per day spent on leisure and personal care, including sleeping and eating according to the OECD Better Life Index.

The most green spaces

The forest area of a country, as a percentage of its land area, according to the World Bank.

Government spending on mental health

Estimated government expenditures on mental health facilities, initiatives and patient care as a percentage of total government health expenditure according to the World Health Organization and a variety of country-specific sources.