Top 11 Countries with Best Healthcare in the World for Retirees and Expats

If you are having second doubts about the country where you want to spend your hard earn retirement, or you are a person that seeks best place to start over, we bring you Top 11 countries with best healthcare in the world for retirees and expats.

For the people who are retired, healthcare is one of the most important issues. When the body ages, a lot of issues are following that process which are primarily revolving around health. Because of that, it is important to know does your country ranks high in the field of healthcare. For expats, this is an even more serious question, since if you can choose, you will surely choose a country with best conditions possible.

Healthcare is a specific issue in the whole world. There are countries that give their citizens free healthcare or under some minor conditions, and there are countries like America where healthcare has become a major problem on the national level, and there is still no light at the end of the tunnel — though America offers free healthcare for seniors through its Medicare program. Also, there is a question of quality of the healthcare. If the healthcare is free like in these 11 countries with free health care, that doesn’t make it best, if there is a lack of professionals who can do their job at its finest.

To check something about a country, the best thing is to ask its residents. They have the best knowledge about the conditions in their country and the best insight as well. To check out Top 11 countries with best healthcare in the world for retirees and expats we have done exactly that. Our source was a survey conducted by HSBC, where they collected data on various social elements in the given country, one of them being the healthcare. They have found some interesting data, and some countries on this list will surely surprise you. So let’s get started.

11. Saudi Arabia

When it comes to the overall experience, Saudi Arabia ranks 26th, but no one can say they don’t care about their healthcare. Saudis and public sector expats are entitled to the free healthcare that can be used in public hospitals. There is also a private healthcare which must be paid of course.

10. Hong Kong

The conditions in Hong Kong are great for retirees and expats in almost everything, and healthcare isn’t an exception. Although Hong Kong has only about 1.7 doctors per 1000 people, it’s considered to be one of the healthiest places in the whole world.

9. Thailand

Thailand gives a lot of attention to their healthcare since life expectancy is seventy years. Although there is a small number of private hospitals and clinics, healthcare is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Health. World Bank has estimated that 99.5% of the Thai people have health protection.

8. United Kingdom

Every country that is part of the United Kingdom has its own healthcare system, but healthcare is free to all UK residents. Besides the public sector, there is also a private sector included.

7. Malaysia

In Malaysia there is a dual healthcare system consisting of public healthcare, available to all Malaysia residents, and a private healthcare sector. The healthcare system in Malaysia proves to be efficient, since life expectancy is 74 years.

6. South Africa

Although, when it comes to overall life experience, South Africa is on 32nd place in the world, they are on a high place among Top 11 countries with best healthcare in the world for retirees and expats. Private and public system are parallel, although there is a lack of staff in the public healthcare system in the rural areas.

5. Bahrain

World Health Organization has concluded that there is a lot of improvement over the past decades when it comes to the healthcare system in Bahrain. There are public, quasi-public, philanthropic and private sectors of healthcare and Bahrain is among the healthiest countries in the area.

4. Australia

Australia is among the best ranked countries when it comes to the social experience of the people residing in it. Life expectancy in Australia is among the highest in the world and that shouldn’t surprise anyone, since there is one doctor per 322 people and one hospital bed per 244 people.

3. Taiwan

We go again to Asia, which sure knows how to take care about its citizens. Taiwan has amazing results in healthcare since there is an equal access to health care for all citizens, and the percentage of the population that has healthcare is 99%.

2. Singapore

Global consulting firm Towers Watson concluded that Singapore has “one of the most successful healthcare systems in the world, in terms of both efficiency in financing and the results achieved in community health outcomes.” There is no free healthcare, explained as an intentional plan to avoid misuse, but the costs are very small.

1. New Zealand

When you check out the benefits of the healthcare system in New Zealand, it is no surprise that this country is number one of Top 11 countries with best healthcare in the world for retirees and expats. All people that found themselves in New Zealand can count on free healthcare in case of an accident. Citizens and permanent residents of New Zealand are also provided with free of charge high-quality healthcare in public hospitals.