Which country spends the most on healthcare?

Index scores calculated from WHO, World Bank and OECD data — weighted by life expectancy, universal coverage, cost of GP visit and doctors per 1,000 people.

1 Singapore 86.2/100 Life exp: 83.9 yrs GP: $100 Universal 2 Hong Kong 85.8/100 Life exp: 85.1 yrs GP: $80 Mixed 3 Switzerland 85.2/100 Life exp: 83.8 yrs GP: $130 Mixed 4 Norway 83.5/100 Life exp: 83.2 yrs GP: $20 Universal 5 Japan 83.5/100 Life exp: 84.3 yrs GP: $30 Universal 6 Australia 82.5/100 Life exp: 83.5 yrs GP: Free Universal 7 Sweden 82.3/100 Life exp: 83.1 yrs GP: $20 Universal 8 Denmark 81.8/100 Life exp: 81.4 yrs GP: $75 Universal 9 South Korea 81.8/100 Life exp: 83.6 yrs GP: $15 Universal 10 France 81.5/100 Life exp: 82.5 yrs GP: $30 Mixed 11 New Zealand 80.8/100 Life exp: 82.4 yrs GP: $35 Universal 12 Finland 80.5/100 Life exp: 82.1 yrs GP: $25 Universal 13 Austria 80.1/100 Life exp: 81.9 yrs GP: $25 Mixed 14 Germany 79.8/100 Life exp: 81.2 yrs GP: $20 Mixed 15 Canada 79.8/100 Life exp: 82.5 yrs GP: Free Universal

Lowest-cost GP visits

Country	GP Visit	Insurance/mo	System
United Kingdom	Free	$180/mo	Universal
Spain	Free	$80/mo	Universal
Canada	Free	$150/mo	Universal
Saudi Arabia	Free	$150/mo	Universal
Kuwait	Free	$120/mo	Universal
Qatar	Free	$180/mo	Universal
Australia	Free	$180/mo	Universal
Ethiopia	$5	$15/mo	Private
Tanzania	$8	$20/mo	Private
Kenya	$10	$30/mo	Private
India	$12	$35/mo	Private
Egypt	$12	$40/mo	Mixed

Frequently asked questions about global healthcare

Which country has the best healthcare in the world?

Singapore (86.2/100), Hong Kong (85.8/100) and Switzerland (85.2/100) consistently rank highest on the LifeIndexed Healthcare Quality Index, combining strong outcomes, low infant mortality, long life expectancy and accessible care. Among large nations, Japan, South Korea and France also rank in the top tier.

Which country has the cheapest healthcare for foreigners?

Thailand, India, Malaysia, Mexico and Colombia offer the lowest out-of-pocket costs for foreign patients. A GP visit in India or Vietnam costs under $15 USD, while hospital stays in Thailand run a fraction of US prices. These countries are also top medical tourism destinations.

Which countries have universal healthcare?

Countries with universal healthcare — near-100% public coverage — include the UK, Canada, Australia, most of Western Europe (Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, etc.), Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Gulf states like UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. The United States is the only high-income country without universal coverage.

How much does private health insurance cost per month internationally?

Private health insurance varies enormously: the US averages ~$580/month, Switzerland ~$550, Germany ~$450. At the lower end, Taiwan ($35), Portugal ($70), Spain ($80) and Thailand ($55) offer affordable private cover. In many universal systems, residents pay low mandatory contributions rather than market-rate premiums.

Which country has the highest life expectancy?

Hong Kong leads global life expectancy at 85.1 years, followed by Japan (84.3), Singapore (83.9), Switzerland (83.8), Italy (83.8) and Spain (83.5). All are countries with strong public health infrastructure, low obesity rates and high healthcare spending.

Which country has the most doctors per person?

Greece leads with 6.3 doctors per 1,000 people, followed by Portugal (5.5), Austria (5.3), Norway (4.7), Germany (4.5) and Spain (4.4). By contrast, Sub-Saharan African nations like Tanzania (0.04) and Ethiopia (0.1) face severe doctor shortages. The global average is around 1.8 per 1,000.

What country spends the most on healthcare as a % of GDP?

The United States spends the most at 16.8% of GDP — far ahead of any other nation — yet achieves lower quality scores than many countries spending half as much. France (11.9%), Germany (11.7%) and Switzerland (11.5%) are among the highest spenders with correspondingly top-tier outcomes.

Which countries are best for medical tourism?

Top medical tourism destinations include Thailand (dental, cosmetic, surgery), India (cardiac, orthopedic), Singapore (oncology, specialist care), Malaysia (general surgery), Turkey (hair transplants, dental), Mexico and Colombia (affordable US-adjacent care), Hungary and Czech Republic (dental tourism from Western Europe), South Korea (cosmetic surgery) and Jordan (specialist care for MENA patients).

What is the difference between universal and private healthcare?

Universal healthcare is government-funded, covering all residents regardless of ability to pay — common in Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan. Private systems rely on individual insurance, with the US being the primary example. Mixed systems (Germany, France, Netherlands) use mandatory social insurance with both public and private providers. Universal systems generally achieve better population-wide outcomes despite often lower total spending.

What is infant mortality rate and which countries perform best?

Infant mortality rate (IMR) measures deaths per 1,000 live births. Singapore leads at 1.7, followed by Norway (1.6), Sweden (1.8), Japan (1.8) and Hong Kong (1.9). High IMR countries include Nigeria (53), Ethiopia (38), Tanzania (37) and Ghana (33), reflecting gaps in prenatal care and nutrition. IMR is one of the strongest indicators of overall healthcare quality.