Which country has the highest healthcare costs?

Asked by: Kyra Nader V  |  Last update: January 6, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (69 votes)

Health Expenditure in the U.S. The United States is the highest spending country worldwide when it comes to health care. In 2022, total health expenditure in the U.S. exceeded four trillion dollars. Expenditure as a percentage of GDP is projected to increase to approximately 20 percent by the year 2031.

What country has the most expensive healthcare?

The United States: the world's highest medical expenses

The United States has the most expensive healthcare system of any country. A medical consultation with a general practitioner costs, on average, $190 or around €170. A stay in hospital can result in bills amounting to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Which country has the highest paying healthcare?

Topping our list is Luxembourg, a small yet prosperous country known for its thriving economy and high standard of living. Doctors in Luxembourg enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world, along with excellent working conditions and ample opportunities for professional growth.

Is healthcare in the US the most expensive?

In 2022, the United States spent an estimated $12,742 per person on healthcare — the highest healthcare costs per capita across similar countries.

What country is #1 in healthcare?

The Legatum Prosperity Index 2023

According to the index, Singapore ranks first for healthcare, followed by Japan in second place and South Korea in third. In contrast, the United States ranks much lower, coming in at 69th place in this assessment.

Top 10 Countries for the Best Healthcare in the World

18 related questions found

Where does the US rank in health care cost?

The report found the U.S. by and far spent the most on health care compared to other high-income nations, dedicating more than 16% of its total gross domestic product on health care in 2023 versus Australia, which spent the lowest at 9.8% of its GDP.

Why is the US ranked so low in healthcare?

The equity score reflects how income influences access to and patients' experience with health care. Australia and Germany rank highest. The United States and New Zealand rank last because low income affects access to care, and patients' racial or ethnic backgrounds can lead to unfair treatment, the report showed.

Which country has the cheapest healthcare?

Continue reading our article to learn the best cheapest countries with best healthcare that answers these criteria.
  • Azerbaijan. ...
  • Hungary. ...
  • Czech Republic. ...
  • Thailand. ...
  • Croatia. ...
  • Poland. ...
  • India. ...
  • Spain. Spain, a popular destination for medical tourism, offers affordable, high-quality healthcare services to international patients.

Why is American healthcare so ridiculously expensive?

There are many factors that contribute to the high cost of healthcare in the country including wasteful systems, rising drug costs, medical professional salaries, profit-driven healthcare centers, types of medical practices, and health-related pricing.

Is healthcare free in Canada?

In Canada's health care system, some services are free at the point of service while others require the patient to pay a fee. Roughly 70% of health care spending in Canada is covered by the government, paid for with tax dollars. (Some of those services may still require some payment from the patient.)

What country has free healthcare?

All but 43 countries in the world have free healthcare or access to universal healthcare for at least 90% of their citizens according to Hudson's Global Residence Index. However, Brazil is the only country in the world that offers free healthcare for all its citizens.

Who is the highest paid doctor in the world?

A neurosurgeon is the highest-paid doctor on our list. Neurosurgery encompasses surgery of the brain, spinal cord/column, and peripheral nerves. Aspiring neurosurgeons must complete at least a seven-year residency. The average annual compensation for neurosurgeons is $763,908, putting them at the top of our list.

What country pays nurses the most?

Switzerland

Switzerland has the highest-paying packages for jobs in the healthcare sector, specifically nursing. The average per annum package for a nurse in this country is about $90000. Most nurses earn up to $99000 as well. The Swiss Red Cross takes care of all the applications from foreign nurses for the country.

Which country has the most expensive medicine?

The U.S. has the most expensive medicines in the globe, costing 306.82 percent more than the global median, according to an analysis by Medbelle, a digital healthcare company based in London.

What is the most expensive hospital in the world?

The new Royal Adelaide Hospital opened in 2017 with a $2 billion-plus cost of construction from 2011 making it the world's most expensive hospital and reported to be the world's third most expensive building. It also was touted as the most advanced hospital in the modern world.

Which country spends the least on healthcare?

The countries with the lowest governmental health expenditure include South Sudan, Eritrea and Bangladesh. In 2021 the U.S. national health expenditure was at an all-time high. However, the projections indicate that total health expenditures will increase even more.

What happens in America if you can't afford healthcare?

Americans are no longer taxed for not carrying health insurance. Medical debt contributes to a large number of bankruptcies in America. Access to quality primary care is critical, but doctors have the right to refuse patients without insurance or who are able to pay out-of-pocket expenses.

Where does the US rank in healthcare?

The US health care system ranked last overall among 10 other high-income countries on key issues such as equity, access to care, and outcome measures, according to a new report, Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing US Health System, by The Commonwealth Fund.

Why doesn't the US have free healthcare?

Groups with significant economic resources have long been opposed to universal health insurance. We have a political system so sophisticated about finding the middle ground that we have had long periods in which the parties have been essentially even in their control of power in the national government.

Does Germany have free healthcare?

Health insurance in Germany is compulsory and provided either through statutory health insurance (SHI) or substitutive private health insurance (PHI). In 2023, the SHI system consisted of 96 sickness funds (acting as third-party payers), covering around 89% of the population.

Where is the cheapest place to retire with good healthcare?

Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Tennessee are all highly ranked retirement destinations for health care needs due to low or no income taxes, access to quality health care facilities, and access to nature and recreational activities.

Which country has the biggest average PP size?

The study found that chaps in the South American nation of Ecuador were the most well-endowed, with an average length of 17.61cm. Cameroon, Bolivia, Sudan and Haiti rounded out the top five, all averaging over 16cm.

What state is #1 in healthcare?

Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Iowa, and Connecticut are the top-ranked states according to the 2020 Scorecard, which assesses all 50 states and the District of Columbia on more than 45 measures of access to health care, quality of care, service use and costs of care, health outcomes, and income-based health care ...

Where does America rank in education?

As of now, the United States education ranking is in the 13th place with a score of 0.883, trailing behind countries like Germany (2nd) and New Zealand (3rd). In the QS World University Rankings 2023, 11 out of the top 20 universities are American, including prestigious institutions like MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.

What country has the best doctors in the world?

Here are the top 10 countries known to have the best doctors according to the World Population Review 2024:
  1. United States. The United States is often considered a global leader in the medical field. ...
  2. India. ...
  3. United Kingdom. ...
  4. Germany. ...
  5. France. ...
  6. Switzerland. ...
  7. Canada. ...
  8. Italy.