15 Countries With The Best Healthcare in the World

Better healthcare is often a major reason many people move abroad from the UK. Whatever the purpose of your international move, learning about the healthcare system is important for your new life abroad. 

We’ve looked into the 15 best places for healthcare in the world, looking at the Overall Healthcare Index and countries with the best ‘Medicine Availability and Cost’, ‘Government Readiness’ and ‘Medical Infrastructure and Professionals’.

At 1st Move International, we specialise in international removals and can safely move you to your country of choice, where the best healthcare in the world might await. 

Rankings of the Best Healthcare in the World 

Taiwan tops the list of countries with the best healthcare in the world, with an overall Health Care Index of 78.72 out of 100, according to the 2024 CEOWORLD magazine Health Care Index.

South Korea is a close second with 77.7 and Australia comes in third with a score of 74.11. For reference, the UK ranks 27th and scores 47.15 on the healthcare index. 

The Health Care Index surveyed 110 countries and takes into consideration healthcare infrastructure, professionals, cost, medicine availability and government readiness. The survey also examines each country’s access to clean water, sanitation, and environmental factors. 

Below is a list of the 15 countries that have the best healthcare in the world:

Rank	Country	Medical Infrastructure and Professionals	Medicine Availability and Cost	Government Readiness	Health Care Index (Overall)
1	Taiwan	87.16	83.59	82.3	78.72
2	South Korea	79.05	78.39	78.99	77.7
3	Australia	90.75	82.59	92.06	74.11
4	Canada	86.18	78.99	88.23	71.32
5	Sweden	78.77	74.88	74.18	70.73
6	Ireland	92.58	96.22	67.51	67.99
7	Netherlands	77.86	71.82	55.1	65.38
8	Germany	86.28	75.81	83.82	64.66
9	Norway	72.48	68.68	64.78	64.63
10	Israel	88.63	75.61	90.25	61.73
11	Belgium	79.09	69.93	67.29	60.16
12	Switzerland	77.76	68.97	59.65	59.6
13	Japan	98.7	94.99	98.74	59.52
14	Singapore	76.39	67.47	71.33	57.96
15	United States	79.73	68.59	75.73	56.71

Best for Overall Healthcare Index: Taiwan

Taiwan is rated the best healthcare system in the world by CEOWORLD Magazine’s Health Index. The Lancet Global Health and World Health Organisation (WHO) have also accredited Taiwan’s healthcare system, particularly for efficiency, comprehensive coverage, managing health crises’ and maintaining quality. 

Taiwan implements a National Health Insurance (NHI) program. It’s a single-payer mandatory insurance that gives nationals and expats equal access to high-quality healthcare. 

It’s compulsory to enrol in the insurance if you’ve lived in Taiwan for more than 6 months. The premium you will pay is based on your income and co-payments are sometimes needed for physician visits and prescriptions. Known as ‘out-of-pocket’ payments, these remain low.

The cost of your insurance is dependent on your employment type and income, but the average monthly payment is around NT$1377 (£32). Typically it’ll cost 5.17% of your monthly salary and will be split three ways. Your employer will roughly pay 60% of the share, you’ll pay 30% and the government 10%.

The NHI you pay will cover the following:

• Primary care
• Specialists
• Prescriptions
• Dental treatment
• Home care
• Mental health care
• End-of-life care.

Main challenges of Taiwan’s healthcare: 

An ageing population and increased diagnosis of chronic diseases in Taiwan means rising healthcare costs. There are current concerns about how sustainable Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system will be long-term. 

Best for Medicine Availability and Cost: Ireland 

Ireland scores the highest for Medicine Availability and Cost, scoring 96.22 out of 100. This is followed closely by Japan with 94.99. Other countries with notable scores are Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan and Australia. 

Ireland’s healthcare system features both public and private services. Public healthcare in Ireland is managed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and provides health services to people living in Ireland. 

People with low incomes, over 70 or who have medical conditions might be eligible for a Medical Card that gives free access to GP appointments and hospital treatments. To qualify for this card and free healthcare you must meet the specific threshold for your age, marriage and living status. You can apply online or by post for your Medical Card.

For example, if you’re single, living alone and are under 66, your weekly income limit is €184 and €164 if living with family. If you earn more than this, you’re not eligible. If you’re married or live with someone else, under 66 years old and have no children, then the combined weekly income limit is €266.50.

People on higher incomes can apply for a GP Visit Card which covers the cost of appointments. The weekly threshold for those under 70 and living alone is €418 and €373 if living with family. If you’re married or living with someone, or a single parent with children, that threshold increases to €607. You’ll have to pay for prescriptions and hospital treatment. 

Main challenges of Ireland’s healthcare:

Long waiting times for public health services is the biggest challenge Ireland’s healthcare is facing at present. Capacity, allocation of resources and inefficiencies within the system contribute to this.

Best for Government Readiness: Japan 

Japan is renowned for its high-quality healthcare and accessibility to residents. In particular, Japan’s healthcare tops the bill for the best Government Readiness. The government can be praised for its commitment to enforcing health policies, particularly in preventing health crises.

Japan provides universal public healthcare to all residents, including those who have a valid visa for 3 months or more. While healthcare isn’t free, citizens and expats must have health insurance, paying monthly into the public health system. This is typically around 10% of your income and patients tend to pay around 30% of medical costs themselves, with insurance paying the remaining 70%. Your insurance will cover the cost of consultations, hospital visits, prescriptions, mental health and dental care. 

The types of health insurance schemes are Employee Health Insurance (Shakai Hoken) and National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken). Your employer will enrol you into the Employee Health Insurance scheme, but if you’re not employed, you’ll need to register for National Health Insurance. To do this, you’ll need to show your residence card, proof of income and proof of ID at your local government city/ward office.

Main challenges of Japan’s healthcare: 

Like Taiwan, Japan’s population is rapidly ageing, with over 30% of the population aged 65 and over. Due to this, the healthcare system is facing huge pressure with infrastructure and financial sustainability. 

Best for Medical Infrastructure and Professionals: Japan 

Japan also tops the list as having the best Medical Infrastructure and Professionals. There are around 8,000 hospitals, public and private, spread across the country, ensuring even those in rural areas have accessible healthcare. This makes Japan a country with one of the highest bed-to-population ratios globally at around 12 beds per 1,000 people. This is much better compared to the UK’s 2.5 beds per 1,000 people. 

Japan boasts cutting-edge medical technology, including widespread use of advanced MRI and CT scan machinery. All hospital staff are highly trained with many years of training and study under their belt. Doctors typically attend medical school for 6 years, followed by 1 year of interning and finally between 4 and 6 years of residency training.

1st Move International’s Winner

We are crowning Japan as having the best healthcare in the world, based on its winning score for ‘Medical Infrastructure and Professionals’ and ‘Government Readiness’. It also scores highly for ‘Medicine Availability and Cost’ at 94.99 out of 100.

Seeking healthcare in Japan as a British expat is an easy and accessible process. You’ll have access to comprehensive care, high-quality technology and a well-organised healthcare system. With an excellent bed-to-population ratio, advanced technology and low costs, Japan is leading the way in healthcare. 

If you’re thinking of booking your removals to Japan, 1st Move International can help. Get in touch to get a free tailored quote for your Japan move and we can help you move safer, faster and smarter.

Where Does the UK Rank?

The UK ranks 27th out of 110 overall and scores 47.15 out of 100 on the Healthcare Index. Out of the main ranking factors, it performs the best for ‘Medical Infrastructure and Professionals’ with 78.03. 

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) provides universal healthcare for all those considered an ‘ordinarily resident’. The NHS is funded by general taxes and National Insurance contributions from UK residents and citizens. 

The health service in the UK is facing many challenges in 2024, including underfunding and long waiting lists. Staff numbers have increased in the last 5 years, with the number of doctors up by 26% and nurses up by 24%. 

Where Do Popular Expat Countries Rank?

We’ve looked at where some of our most popular destinations for UK expats rank in global healthcare. 

Australia – 3rd

Australia comes 3rd in global healthcare rankings and provides universal healthcare coverage to Australian citizens and permanent residents. 

The system is funded through Medicare and covers the majority of costs for GP appointments, hospital visits and certain prescriptions. To access healthcare in Australia, you must pay the Medicare Levy, which is a 2% charge on taxable income. 

An ageing population and an increase in chronic issues are big challenges for Australia’s healthcare at present. Rivalled with the shortage of healthcare professionals, the Australian government hope to resolve this through the 2020–25 National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA).

To learn more, read our informative blog on healthcare in Australia.

Stand-out feature: Australians have a high life expectancy which is a testament to its high-quality standard of healthcare.

Canada – 4th

Canada has a public healthcare system known as Medicare that provides universal healthcare to permanent residents and Canadian citizens. 

It’s mainly funded through taxes at both the federal and provincial/territorial levels. Income Tax contributes to the funding of healthcare and the tax rate varies in each province and territory, but can vary between 15% to 33%. 

Canadians do however face long waiting times when it comes to diagnostic tests, specialist consultations and elective surgeries.   

To learn more, read our detailed blog post on healthcare in Canada.

Stand-out feature: Canada works hard to manage chronic conditions like diabetes. 

New Zealand  – 21st

New Zealand ranks 21st for its healthcare system. Its healthcare system is publicly funded to provide universal healthcare to New Zealand citizens and residents. 

The healthcare system is paid for via income taxes, with no specific levy solely for healthcare. The New Zealand government also helps to fund the healthcare system by allocating some of its budget paid for by Income Taxes and Goods and Services Tax. 

The biggest challenge New Zealand’s healthcare system faces is unequal access to its services. This is particularly prominent in rural and disadvantaged areas and amongst Māori people.

Stand-out feature: Preventive care and digital health innovation.

USA – 15th

The USA’s healthcare is ranked 15th out of 110 countries. Although the UK and the USA share a similar culture, one of the big differences is their healthcare systems. 

Those living in America must pay for health insurance to access facilities. Most Americans gain this through their employer or arrange it privately. Although there are public health insurance programmes for over 65s and low-income families, many Americans remain uninsured due to high costs. 

The USA is a popular expat destination, especially for 1st Move International customers! We’ve helped thousands of UK movers relocate to the States over the years. Get in touch for a free, tailored quote for your removals to the USA and we can get you on your way.

Stand-out feature: The US is leading the way in medical research, innovation, and technology.

What Countries Offer Free Healthcare?

Many countries offer free health care funded through a levy or Income Tax. Spain, Portugal and New Zealand are often praised for their low-cost healthcare systems. They provide high-standard, comprehensive care via low taxes, keeping healthcare outgoings low per capita compared to other countries.

• UK
• Canada
• Australia
• Sweden
• Norway
• Finland
• Denmark
• New Zealand
• Iceland
• Italy
• Spain
• Portugal
• Brazil
• Greece
• South Korea

Moving Overseas with 1st Move International 

If our list of countries with the best healthcare in the world has inspired you to move abroad, you’re in the right place! 1st Move International have over 25 years of experience in the international moving space, so you know you’re in good hands. 

We use a unique shrink-fast packing technique to ensure your belongings are safe and secure during your move. This also ensures speedy customs clearance and minimal handling of your items. 

Simply fill out our quick and easy form with details of your move, and our expert team will give you an accurate quote for your overseas move.