Moving abroad involves more than choosing the right city, climate, salary, or lifestyle. Reliable healthcare can make a major difference to long-term security, particularly for families, retirees, and people who expect to need regular medical care.
The countries featured here combine strong health outcomes, broad access, skilled medical professionals, modern facilities, preventive care, and established healthcare financing.
For expats, however, the quality of the national system is only part of the decision. Residency rights, insurance rules, private care, language, specialist access, and out-of-pocket costs also matter.
What Makes Healthcare System Good?
The best healthcare system is not always the one that spends the most. A strong system also needs short waiting times, access to specialists, good patient outcomes, effective preventive care, and reasonable costs for patients.
Important measures include:
- Health outcomes and life expectancy
- Access to healthcare and medical specialists
- Quality of treatment and patient experience
- Healthcare costs and financial protection
- Preventive care, including vaccinations and screening
- Mental healthcare
- Medical technology and artificial intelligence
There is no single globally accepted ranking of the best healthcare systems. Different organizations use different methods, so this guide considers countries that perform well across several recognized measures.
Top 10 Countries With Best Healthcare Systems
1. Singapore
Singapore is consistently recognized for its advanced and forward-thinking healthcare system. The country has 11 state hospitals and 9 private hospitals, while Singapore General Hospital was ranked 9th among the world’s best hospitals in 2025.
In 2024, Singapore had 2.9 doctors and 8.3 nurses per 1,000 people. Life expectancy was 83.5 years.
Its healthcare financing is built around the 3Ms:
- MediShield Life provides basic protection against major hospital bills and illnesses.
- MediSave is a compulsory medical savings programme used for approved healthcare expenses.
- MediFund provides additional assistance to Singapore citizens who cannot afford essential care through other schemes.
Preventive care is another strength. Healthier SG promotes healthy living, screening, vaccinations, and support for important health milestones.
Singapore still has room to improve mental healthcare, but the government has been strengthening mental health infrastructure and professional training.
2. Japan
Japan combines universal healthcare coverage with high life expectancy and broad patient choice.
Life expectancy is 84.1 years, and fewer than 6% of the population is obese compared with 43% in the US. Around 80% of people report satisfaction with the availability of quality healthcare.
Japan also performs strongly on waiting times and healthcare administration. In the 2025 Ipsos survey cited in the source, only 19% were concerned about waiting times and access to treatment, while 6% were concerned about healthcare bureaucracy.
Japan’s suicide rate remains a concern at 16 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 11 across OECD countries.
3. South Korea
South Korea has made major improvements in access, medical quality, and healthcare technology.
Life expectancy is 83.5 years. Preventable mortality is 106 deaths per 100,000, compared with an average of 145, while the country has 12.6 hospital beds per 1,000 people compared with an OECD average of 4.2.
South Korea also has highly advanced medical technology and specialist expertise. Around 78% of people say they are satisfied with the national healthcare system.
The main concerns include out-of-pocket costs and an ageing population. In the 2025 Ipsos survey cited in the source, 53% were concerned about population ageing compared with a global country average of 23%.
4. Taiwan
Taiwan is known for short waiting times, broad accessibility, strong patient outcomes, and widespread healthcare coverage.
Its healthcare system performs strongly in medical technology, physician quality, cost, and government preparedness. The country has also invested heavily in artificial intelligence, AI-assisted diagnostics, connected devices, and smart hospital infrastructure.
A strong biotechnology sector supports the healthcare industry and helps keep medical services at the forefront of innovation.
The source cites CEOWorld as ranking Taiwan first for healthcare in 2025. For expats, Taiwan offers highly advanced healthcare that is widely accessible at relatively low cost.
5. Norway
Norway combines high healthcare spending with strong health outcomes and broad access.
Life expectancy is 83.3 years. The country performs above the OECD average across all 10 key indicators for access to and quality of care cited in the source.
Norway also has lower-than-average rates of smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-reported obesity. It has a strong reputation for patient safety and mental health.
One limitation is that some healthcare resources, such as pharmacists per person, remain below the OECD average.
6. Iceland
Iceland offers strong healthcare outcomes despite its small population.
Life expectancy is 83 years, while daily smoking is 5.6% compared with an OECD average of 14.8%.
The country performs well on 7 of 10 key OECD indicators for healthcare access and quality. Iceland has more doctors and nurses per 1,000 people than the OECD average, although it has fewer hospital beds.
Healthcare spending is around 9% of GDP.
7. Sweden
Sweden performs above the OECD average across all 10 key indicators for access to and quality of care cited in the source.
Life expectancy is 83.4 years. Sweden also has one of the lowest average hospital stays in Europe at 5.4 days.
The country has around 100 hospitals serving a population of 10.6 million, supporting access even in more remote areas.
Sweden also performs strongly in mental healthcare. Its population has lower-than-average smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-reported obesity, while physical activity levels are higher than the OECD average.
8. Switzerland
Switzerland is known for exceptional medical infrastructure and strong health outcomes.
Life expectancy is 84.3 years. The country spends 11.8% of GDP on healthcare, making it one of the highest healthcare spenders in the OECD.
Switzerland has 4.5 doctors per 1,000 people compared with an OECD average of 3.9, and 18.8 nurses compared with 9.2.
It also has 72 CT, MRI, and PET scanners per million people, compared with an OECD average of 51.
The main disadvantage is cost, but the country’s strong health outcomes support its reputation for high-quality care.
9. Netherlands
The Netherlands has a highly regarded universal healthcare system and performs well across major healthcare categories.
The source states that the country has more than 733 hospitals serving a population of over 18 million. Life expectancy is 81.9 years.
The Netherlands is also one of Europe’s major pharmaceutical research and development centres and has relatively low pharmaceutical spending.
Access to local pharmacies is strong, with 87% of Ipsos respondents saying they found it easy to access a pharmacy, compared with a global country average of 78%.
10. Spain
Spain completes the list with universal healthcare coverage, strong health outcomes, and relatively low out-of-pocket costs.
Life expectancy is 84 years. Spain’s decentralised healthcare system provides universal coverage to its population of around 50 million.
A strong culture of sport and fitness also supports public health.
However, smoking and alcohol consumption remain concerns because they contribute to behavioural health risks. Spain is also working to improve digitisation and recruit more primary-care staff.
Healthcare Trends to Watch
According to William Russell, Healthcare systems worldwide are increasingly focusing on four areas:
Artificial intelligence: AI is being used to support diagnosis and help doctors identify diseases earlier.
Virtual healthcare: AI-powered virtual assistants and digital services can improve access for people who have difficulty reaching doctors or hospitals.
Elderly care: Advances in areas such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research are supporting better care for ageing populations.
Mental health: Prevention and treatment are becoming increasingly important priorities across healthcare systems.
What Expats Should Check Before Moving
A country’s strong healthcare ranking does not automatically mean an expat will have the same access as a citizen.
Before moving, expats should check whether public healthcare is available, whether private insurance is required, and how emergency medical services work.
It is also useful to compare public and private hospitals. Information can be obtained through an embassy, consulate, or local expat community.
People with ongoing medical needs should also check access to specialists, hospitals, medicines, and appropriate emergency services.
International health insurance can help cover medical bills abroad and may provide access to private healthcare, depending on the policy.
Final Thoughts
The best healthcare country is not simply the one with the highest ranking. The right choice depends on access, quality, cost, specialist availability, preventive care, and how easily an expat can use the system.
Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Spain all demonstrate different approaches to delivering high-quality healthcare.
For anyone planning to settle abroad, understanding the healthcare system before moving can make the transition safer and more manageable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the best healthcare in the world?
There is no single globally accepted answer because healthcare rankings use different methodologies. The countries in this guide consistently perform strongly across major healthcare measures.
Which country is best for expat healthcare?
The best choice depends on access, cost, residency status, medical needs, and whether the expat prefers public or private healthcare.
Is healthcare free in countries with the best healthcare systems?
Not always. Healthcare can be funded through taxes, insurance, personal contributions, or a combination of these.
Do expats need private health insurance?
Not necessarily, but private or international insurance can help cover medical costs and provide access to private healthcare abroad.
Does better healthcare mean people live longer?
Healthcare plays an important role, but life expectancy is also affected by lifestyle, preventive care, behaviour, and wider public-health conditions.
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