Link to William Cooper user page William Cooper Director 15 October 2026 We’ve covered the best countries in the world for healthcare, but it’s also important to know which countries rank lower. While healthcare quality varies around the world, the differences can be more significant than many expats expect. Understanding how healthcare systems compare can help you make informed decisions about where you live, work or travel, and whether you may need additional protection through private medical cover. In this article Countries with the lowest healthcare rankings Countries with the least hospitals per person Countries with the fewest hospital beds Countries with the fewest medical professionals Governments which spend the least on healthcare Countries with the lowest healthcare rankings Healthcare systems can vary significantly between countries, from the availability of medical services to the outcomes people experience. Below, we look at the countries that ranked lowest in our analysis of healthcare quality. To compile this ranking, we reviewed popular destinations for expats using the latest available data and research from recognised health organisations, government bodies and academic institutions. We focused exclusively on state-funded healthcare services and national health indicators rather than private healthcare provision. The ranking reflects our analysis of the data sources included in this study. How did we rank these countries? There are many countries where healthcare systems face significant challenges. These include smaller and less-developed nations, as well as countries experiencing acute healthcare strain, for instance due to conflict or natural disasters. However, including these countries wouldn’t necessarily be fair, as they face unique challenges that other, more developed countries do not. Therefore, to identify the lowest-ranked healthcare systems in our analysis, we focused on OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member countries and selected partner economies. These include the 38 most economically advanced countries in the world, plus a number of other non-affiliated developed and developing nations. Using the latest OECD health data, we assessed a range of indicators relating to healthcare access, outcomes and system performance. These indicators can influence an expat’s experience of healthcare, affecting factors such as access to treatment, waiting times and overall health outcomes. The rankings reflect performance across the indicators included in our methodology and should be viewed as a comparative assessment rather than a definitive judgement of any country’s healthcare system. A lower ranking does not necessarily mean that every aspect of healthcare in that country is poor, but rather that it performed less strongly across the indicators we assessed. Which country has the fewest hospitals per person? One way to explore healthcare infrastructure is to look at the number of hospitals relative to a country’s population. While hospital numbers alone do not determine healthcare quality, they can provide useful insight into the availability and distribution of healthcare services. Costa Rica has the fewest hospitals per person Hospitals per million population: 7.9 According to the latest available complete round of OECD data from 2023, Costa Rica has the lowest number of hospitals per capita among OECD countries. While it is one of the cheapest countries to move to and a favourite among digital nomads, it records just 7.9 hospitals per million people. The ratio has fallen slightly over recent years, decreasing from 8.83 hospitals per million population in 2015 to 7.9 in 2023. However, this trend is not unique to Costa Rica. Many OECD countries have seen a decline in the number of hospitals relative to their population over the same period. Notable exceptions include South Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and the United States, which have recorded increases. Here are the 10 OECD countries with the fewest hospitals per capita: Rank Country Total hospitals Hospitals per million population 1 Costa Rica 41 7.9 2 Israel 87 9.03 3 Slovenia 29 13.68 4 Belgium 163 13.84 5 Luxembourg 10 15.01 6 Spain 753 15.57 7 Ireland 85 16 8 Chile 322 16.13 9 Hungary 158 16.47 10 Croatia 68 17.63 Are you planning on living and working abroad? Discover the benefits of international health insurance before you move Countries with the most hospitals per person At the other end of the ranking are the countries with the highest number of hospitals relative to their population. Colombia has the most hospitals per person Colombia records more than 217 hospitals per million people, the highest figure in the OECD dataset. This is significantly higher than any other OECD country. By comparison, South Korea, which ranks second, records 81.88 hospitals per million population. Here are the 10 OECD countries with the highest number of hospitals per capita: Rank Country Total hospitals Hospitals per million population 1 Colombia 10,928 217.25 2 South Korea 4,220 81.88 3 Argentina 3,619 79.52 4 Japan 8,060 65.31 5 Bulgaria 341 52.9 6 Australia 1,337 49.53 7 France 2,962 43.37 8 Netherlands 724 41.67 9 Mexico 5,131 38.53 10 Germany 2,908 35.46 Looking for a world-leading tech destination? South Korea is one of the top destinations for TechPats Which countries have the fewest hospital beds per person? Another way to assess a country’s healthcare infrastructure is to look at the number of hospital beds available per 1,000 of the population. While a higher number of hospital beds can increase healthcare capacity and improve a system’s ability to respond to demand, it should be viewed alongside other healthcare measures. This data was last updated in 2024. Peru has the fewest hospital beds per person Hospital beds per 1,000 population: 0.5 Peru ranks lowest in the OECD for the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people. The next country on the list, Mexico, has almost double the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people, highlighting the gap between the two countries. One notable inclusion is Sweden, which ranks highly across several other healthcare measures, including mental healthcare outcomes, yet places fourth-lowest in the OECD for hospital beds per 1,000 people. A popular destination among intrepid expats and digital nomads, visitors to Peru should be aware that access to hospital treatment may vary depending on location and demand, and some facilities can experience capacity pressures. As a result, some expats and travellers choose to access private healthcare where it is available. Here are the 10 lowest-performing countries for ratios of hospital beds: Rank Country Total hospital beds Hospital beds per 1,000 population 1 Peru 17,270 0.5 2 Mexico 131,410 0.99 3 Costa Rica 5,943 1.14 4 Sweden 19,725.94 1.87 5 Chile 38,514 1.92 6 Colombia 102,020 1.94 7 Denmark 13,525.2 2.26 8 Canada 98,405 2.38 9 Thailand 174,336 2.43 10 Finland 13,911 2.48 = New Zealand 13,116 2.48 Countries with the most hospital beds per person At the other end of the ranking, several countries maintain significantly higher levels of hospital bed capacity than the OECD average. South Korea has the most hospital beds per person South Korea ranks first for hospital beds per 1,000 people, narrowly ahead of Japan. Both countries record substantially higher levels of hospital bed capacity than the rest of the OECD, highlighting the scale of their healthcare infrastructure. Let’s look at the full list: Rank Country Total hospital beds Hospital beds per 1,000 population 1 South Korea 646,839 12.5 2 Japan 1,542,296 12.46 3 Bulgaria 56,061 8.7 4 Germany 633,548 7.59 5 Romania 139,245 7.31 6 Moldova 17,045 7.1 7 Austria 60,126 6.55 8 Serbia 42,818 6.5 9 Czechia 69,735 6.39 10 Hungary 60,922 6.37 Thinking about moving to Japan? Check out our complete guide on living in Japan as an expat Which countries have the fewest medical professionals? Another way to assess the capacity of a country’s healthcare system is by looking at the number of people employed in the medical sector. This includes doctors, nurses, dentists and midwives, as well as other healthcare professionals who support the delivery of care. In this section, we’ve focused specifically on physicians working within the healthcare system, measured as a ratio to the population. While physician numbers alone do not determine the quality of healthcare, they can provide useful insight into workforce capacity and access to medical care. All data in this section is based on the latest available figures from 2024. Indonesia has the fewest physicians per 1,000 people Physicians per 1,000 people: 0.56 Indonesia records the lowest number of physicians per 1,000 people among the OECD and partner countries included in our analysis. With fewer doctors available relative to its population, healthcare services can face increased demand, particularly in rural and underserved areas. In response, Indonesia has been investing in healthcare infrastructure and digital solutions, including telemedicine, to help improve access to care. Interestingly, despite their strong performance across other healthcare measures, South Korea and Japan also rank below the OECD average for physicians per 1,000 people. The USA, UK and Canada also sit below average. In recent years, several countries have introduced measures aimed at strengthening their healthcare workforce, including increasing medical school places and expanding pathways for internationally trained doctors. Here are the 10 countries with the fewest physicians: Rank Country Total physicians Physicians per 1,000 people 1 Indonesia 156,881 0.56 2 Thailand 43,714 0.61 3 Costa Rica 8,685 1.66 4 South Korea 132,916 2.57 5 Japan 334,864 2.7 = Canada 111,543 2.7 6 Mexico 363,411 2.75 7 Montenegro 1,778 2.85 8 Belgium 39,610 3.34 9 Serbia 22,037 3.35 Thinking about moving to Indonesia? Discover our guide on living in Indonesia as an expat Countries with the highest number of physicians These countries, meanwhile, are not struggling to recruit and retain their doctors, providing an ample number of medical professionals throughout the country. Greece has the most physicians per 1,000 people While many of these countries are much smaller than their comparable nations, they still manage to provide a competitive number of physicians overall, with Greece being the stand-out example. Here were the 10 countries with the most physicians per 1,000 people in 2024: Rank Country Total physicians Physicians per 1,000 people 1 Greece 65,034 6.27 2 Italy 339,256 5.75 3 Austria 51,719 5.64 4 Cyprus 5,357 5.5 5 Norway 28,271 5.07 6 Germany 397,042 4.75 7 Lithuania 13,487 4.67 = Bulgaria 30,086 4.67 9 Denmark 27,878 4.66 = Switzerland 41,929 4.66 = Sweden 49,240 4.66 Finding an English-speaking doctor abroad can be stressful Here’s everything you need to know about seeing a doctor abroad Countries with the fewest nurses The number of nurses working within a healthcare system is another important measure of healthcare capacity. Nurses play a vital role in patient care, supporting treatment, coordinating services, and helping healthcare systems operate effectively. While nurse numbers alone do not determine the quality of healthcare available, a larger nursing workforce can help improve access to care and reduce pressure on healthcare services. Here is the 2024 data for nurses per 1,000 population. Costa Rica has the lowest number of nurses Nurses per 1,000 population: 0.96 Costa Rica ranks at the bottom of the table, with fewer than one nurse per 1,000 people. It is the only OECD country in this dataset to record a ratio below one nurse per 1,000 population. Here are the 10 countries with the fewest nurses: Rank Country Total nurses Nurses per 1,000 population 1 Costa Rica 4,999 0.96 2 Indonesia 603,046 2.41 3 Thailand 198,836 2.77 4 Mexico 405,829 3.07 5 Peru 159,745 4.1 6 Latvia 7,731 4.14 7 Bulgaria 28,393 4.41 8 Cyprus 5,080 5.21 9 Hungary 53,838 5.63 10 Israel 55,800 5.72 Countries with the most nurses Switzerland has the most nurses per 1,000 population At the other end of the ranking, Switzerland records more than 19 nurses per 1,000 people. This places it almost 20% ahead of the next highest-ranked country. Many of the countries with the highest nurse-to-population ratios have relatively small populations. Against that backdrop, the inclusion of larger nations such as Australia, Japan and Germany is particularly notable. Here are the 10 countries with the highest number of nurses per 1,000 population in 2024: Rank Country Total nurses Nurses per 1,000 population 1 Switzerland 171,267 19.02 2 Iceland 6,006 15.54 3 Norway 84,897 15.24 4 Ireland 76,558 14.19 5 Australia 365,030 13.42 6 Finland 72,493 12.9 7 Japan 1,555,534 12.56 8 Germany 1,045,000 12.51 9 New Zealand 65,717 12.42 10 Netherlands 202,089 11.23 Which countries have the best healthcare in the world? Find out the best countries worldwide for healthcare Countries with the fewest dentists per 1,000 inhabitants Dentistry is a specialised area of healthcare, making it an important factor when comparing healthcare provision between countries. As dental services are often delivered through the private sector, these figures may partly reflect differences in how national healthcare systems are structured. Even so, the 2024 data highlights significant variation in dentist availability around the world. Montenegro has the lowest number of dentists per 1,000 population Dentists per 1,000 population: 0.05 Among the countries included in our analysis, Montenegro records the lowest ratio of dentists relative to its population, with 31 dentists in total and 0.05 dentists per 1,000 inhabitants. This equates to approximately one dentist for every 20,000 people. Montenegro is not alone in reporting a low number of dentists relative to its population, however. Several other developed nations also rank towards the bottom of the table: Rank Country Total dentists Dentists per 1,000 population 1 Montenegro 31 0.05 2 Mexico 18,691 0.14 = Costa Rica 756 0.14 4 Peru 7,150 0.21 5 Serbia 1,774 0.27 6 Ireland 2,560 0.47 = New Zealand 2,696 0.51 8 United Kingdom 35,096 0.51 9 Malta 295 0.52 10 South Korea 28,836 0.56 Countries with the most dentists Greece has the most dentists per 1,000 population The difference between the highest and lowest-ranked countries is relatively small, but Greece narrowly tops the list. The figures also highlight that access to dental care can vary, even in countries with well-established healthcare systems, potentially resulting in longer wait times or higher treatment costs. For people living or working abroad, access to dental care can be an important consideration. Depending on where you’re based, international health insurance plans may offer the option to add dental cover as an additional benefit. Rank Country Total dentists Dentists per 1,000 population 1 Greece 13,840 1.33 2 Cyprus 1,270 1.3 3 Bulgaria 7,847 1.22 4 Luxembourg 808 1.19 5 Lithuania 3,385 1.17 6 Romania 21,647 1.14 7 Estonia 1,434 1.04 8 Portugal 11,014 1.03 9 Poland 36,965 1.01 10 Croatia 3,839 0.99 Is dental insurance worth adding to your policy? Learn more about what dental cover can offer Countries with the fewest midwives Midwives play a vital role in maternity care, supporting women throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Access to trained midwives can help improve outcomes for both mothers and babies, making them an important part of a country’s healthcare workforce. Higher numbers of midwives relative to the population can indicate greater access to specialist maternity support and care. Romania has the fewest midwives Midwives per 1,000 population: 0.15 At the lower end of the table, even some of the world’s most developed countries struggle to maintain a high number of midwives. However, Romania ranks last overall. With just one midwife for every 6,500 people, expats planning to have children there should be aware that access to maternity support may be more limited than in many other countries. Let’s look at the bottom end of the table: Rank Country Total midwives Midwives per 1,000 population 1 Romania 2,785 0.15 2 Portugal 1,843 0.17 = Serbia 1,143 0.17 4 Israel 1,983 0.2 = Moldova 481 0.2 = Slovenia 419 0.2 7 Latvia 400 0.21 8 Hungary 2,323 0.24 9 Netherlands 4,692 0.26 10 Japan 33,235 0.27 Countries with the most midwives Iceland has the most midwives per 1,000 population With the highest number of midwives relative to its population, Iceland tops the ranking in 2024. Access to maternity care professionals is often seen as an important indicator of healthcare capacity for expectant parents and newborns, and forms an important part of wider women’s health services. Beyond the top spot, however, the data reveals a broader trend. Many countries have reported falling numbers of practising midwives, reflecting the challenges healthcare systems face in maintaining and growing their workforces. The following countries recorded the highest levels of midwife availability in 2024: Rank Country Total midwives Midwives per 1,000 population 1 Iceland 321 0.83 2 Ireland 4,251 0.81 3 Poland 28,828 0.79 = Sweden 8,359 0.79 5 Australia 20,868 0.77 6 Peru 20,872 0.61 7 Malta 294 0.52 8 Bulgaria 3,254 0.51 = New Zealand 2,711 0.51 10 Norway 2,685 0.48 Are you thinking about moving abroad with your family? We rank the best countries to raise a family if you’re relocating with kids Which governments spend the least on healthcare? One of the biggest factors in deciding which countries are the best and worst for healthcare is the level of government spending. This is calculated as a percentage of the total GDP. Government spending plays an important role in shaping healthcare systems, helping to fund everything from hospitals and equipment to workforce development. While spending levels alone do not determine the quality of care available, they can provide an indication of how much priority is given to healthcare within national budgets. So, which OECD countries spend the least on healthcare? Türkiye spends the least on healthcare Government spending as a percentage of GDP: 4.7% Based on the latest available data for 2025, which covers OECD countries only, Türkiye records the lowest level of healthcare spending in the ranking. In previous years, several non-OECD countries, including Indonesia, Thailand and India, reported lower figures, but are no longer included in the dataset. As the table shows, there is a considerable difference between the highest- and lowest-spending countries, highlighting the variation in healthcare investment across OECD members. Rank Country Government spending as a % of GDP 1 Türkiye 4.7 2 Luxembourg 5.9 3 Ireland 6.1 4 Mexico 6.2 5 Hungary 6.5 6 Costa Rica 6.8 7 Israel 7 8 Lithuania 7.6 9 Estonia 8.1 = Slovakia 8.1 Which governments spend the most on healthcare? The United States government spends the most on healthcare Government spending as a percentage of GDP: 17.6% At the other end of the ranking, the United States records the highest level of healthcare spending. As one of the world’s largest healthcare markets, with significant pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology sectors, the country invests heavily in healthcare across both the public and private spheres. The gap between the United States and many other OECD nations highlights the wide variation in healthcare spending priorities around the world. These are the 10 governments that spend the most on healthcare: Rank Country Government spending as a % of GDP 1 United States 17.6 2 Germany 12.7 3 Austria 11.9 4 Switzerland 11.6 5 Canada 11.5 6 France 11.4 = United Kingdom 11.4 8 Belgium 11.2 9 Australia 11.1 10 Sweden 10.9 What is an embassy and what does it do for expats? Discover some of the services you can expect from your embassy Which countries have the lowest number of MRI scanners? A final metric we might consider is the number of MRI scanners available throughout a country. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners are among the most sophisticated – and indeed expensive – pieces of medical equipment available, and are essential in the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases. Low investment in this essential technology can often be a symptom of a healthcare sector generally lacking in funding, so let’s look at which countries provide the lowest numbers of MRI scanners for their populations as of 2024. Albania has the lowest number of MRI scanners MRI units per 1,000,000 population: 2.52 With 2.52 MRI scanners per million people, Albania records the lowest level of MRI availability in this ranking. Access to advanced diagnostic equipment can vary significantly between countries, particularly outside major cities and healthcare centres. Here’s the bottom of the table in more detail: Rank Country MRI units per 1 million population 1 Albania 2.52 2 Mexico 2.9 3 Thailand 3.99 4 Hungary 6.07 5 Israel 6.26 6 United Kingdom 9.01 7 Slovakia 9.04 8 Serbia 9.11 9 Malta 10.55 10 Belgium 11.48 Which countries have the highest number of MRI scanners? Greece has the highest number of MRI scanners At the top of the table, several countries report a high number of MRI scanners relative to their population, with dozens of units available per million people. Japan, which ranked first in previous editions of this dataset, is not included in the 2024 results due to unavailable data. As a result, Greece takes the top spot, recording the highest number of MRI scanners per million people among the countries included in this year’s ranking. Rank Country MRI units per 1 million population 1 Greece 41.35 2 South Korea 39.32 3 Germany 37.93 4 Italy 35.5 5 Norway 31.76 6 Austria 27.78 7 Latvia 24.6 8 Spain 22.12 9 Croatia 20.94 10 France 20.63 Different countries use different types of healthcare systems Learn what healthcare systems you might encounter around the world Wherever you move, go with total peace of mind At William Russell, we have over 30 years of helping expatriates to move abroad and settle into their new lives overseas by providing world-class international health insurance. Plus, we produce lots of expert material to help you and your family adapt to life abroad. If you found this list educational, you should also check out our list of the countries with the best healthcare in the world. Making the move to another country can be challenging. But no matter where you go, you can take one thing off your mind. William Russell offers international health insurance designed to support you wherever you choose to live, with a range of benefits that can include inpatient and outpatient treatment, specialist care and even emergency medical evacuations to patients who require life or limb-threatening treatment in other countries, where it’s not available locally. Terms & conditions apply to our insurance products and services. You can find full details of what our plans cover (and what they don’t cover) in our plan agreements. Discover how international health insurance can support your healthcare needs overseas Learn More Related articles Read More Health & Well-Being What Is Preventive Healthcare And How Do I Find It As An Expat? 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