Are you looking for countries that have cheap and great health care? Do you want to live abroad, but you are not sure where’s the best place to move when it comes to health care? Health care should not be considered luxury because it is a necessity and you never know when you might need medical help regardless of your current condition.
In some countries, the cost of health care is extremely high. This is one of the reasons why people are moving to other countries. On the other hand, cheap health care doesn’t always mean good health care. So, the ideal solution is to find countries that have both inexpensive and good care of this type.
- Check out the basic information about the countries with great affordable health care
- Learn more about the health care systems in these countries
- Find out why these countries are a good option for foreigners in general
We have created a list that includes countries from all over the world. Many of these countries have good infrastructure and other things that make them a good option for those planning on moving abroad. Without any further delays, let’s unveil our list of 7 countries with cheap and great health care.
1. Malaysia
Location: Asia
Population: 32.770.000
Capital city: Kuala Lumpur
Area: 330.803 square kilometers
Universal health care: Yes
Malaysia is a country located in Southeast Asia. Even though people can’t find much information about this country on the news, the fact is that this is one of the most prosperous countries in the region. Their economy is becoming stronger every year and as a result of that, the health care system in this country is improved too.
Unlike other countries in this region, Malaysia has invested a lot in the foundation of medical schools across the country. They are also supporting students to study in the United States and other Western countries. In the last few decades, many patients from around the globe are traveling to Malaysia simply because they can get high-quality, yet affordable medical treatments. In other words, medical tourism especially tourism focused on dentistry, cardiology, surgery, and gastroenterology, is thriving.
The public healthcare in Malaysia is accessible and almost free for all permanent residents and citizens of the country. In some cases, they will have to pay small fees for these services. Yet, some patients might have for a longer period of time to get access to some medical services. The situation is much better in the private health care sector where patients can get high-quality services without any delays. Even in private hospitals, the prices for medical treatments are relatively low compared to Western countries.
- The capital city Kuala Lumpur is the place where you will find the best hospitals
- Universal health care system is in place in Malaysia
- Private health care is better and not expensive
Cost of surgeries in Malaysia
Root canal treatment: 450 Euros
Hip replacement: up to 11.000 Euros
Kidney stone: up to 8.500 Euros
2. Colombia
Location: South America
Population: 48.250.000
Capital city: Bogota
Area: 1.141.748 square kilometers
Universal health care: Yes
Colombia is a relatively big country located in northwestern South America. This Spanish-speaking country was not known as a place where tourists and foreign nationals would like to be in the period between the 1960s and 1990s due to internal armed conflicts and drug wars. Luckily, the situation today has changed and many people have already started moving to Colombia because they are impressed by the country’s nature, good climate, business opportunities and low cost of living. The cost of health care is very low too and the good thing is that patients can expect great services.
Every employed person has to redirect a certain percentage of their salary to the health care system of this country. It’s worth mentioning that the health care system in the major cities can be described as very good, but the situation is much worse in the countryside. Of course, patients can always visit private health care facilities and it’s good to know that even private health care is affordable in this country. You can live on a local salary there and still be able to get cheap and great health care in Colombia. Don’t forget that medical tourism is becoming an important sector in the economy of this country.
- Colombia has been a place shaken by armed conflicts for a long time, but starting from the 2000s the situation is stabilized
- The medical tourism sector in this country is growing
- The private health care system is affordable even for many local residents
Cost of surgeries in Colombia
Root canal treatment: 230 Euros
Hip replacement: 7.300 Euros
Knee replacement: 12.000 Euros
3. Panama
Location: North America
Population: 4.000.000
Capital city: Panama City
Area: 75.417 square kilometers
Universal health care: No
Panama is a country in Central America that’s known as a tax haven among many residents of Western countries. As you are probably aware, there are many people from the United States and other Western countries that have moved to Panama in the last three decades which means that foreigners are welcomed in this country.
Even though we have listed this country in this guide of countries with cheap and great health care, we must say that not all medical facilities in this country are great. Patients have to be careful because some hospitals have low standards, but there are also many of them that meet world medical standards too. Most of them are part of the private health care sector of this countrylike Punta Pacifica for example. A few of these hospitals are directly linked with renowned hospitals in the United States.
The good thing is that many doctors in Panama are trained and formally educated in the United States and Europe. Compared to first-world countries, the cost of health care in Panama is very low. It’s sometimes five times cheaper to get treatment in this country compared to USA, Canada, the UK or another first-world country.
- Most people in Panama speak English
- Panama is a known tax haven
- Panama is a place where you can find trained and qualified doctors and cheap medical services even in private hospitals
Cost of surgeries in Panama
Root canal treatment: 100 Euros
Hip replacement: 5.000 Euros
Knee replacement: 11.000 Euros
4. Turkey
Location: Europe/Asia
Population: 82.000.000
Capital city: Ankara
Area: 783.356 square kilometers
Universal health care: No
Turkey is one of the rare countries that are situated in two continents, Europe and Asia in this case. Although the political situation in Turkey has not been the best in the last few years, this doesn’t stop thousands of tourists from Asia and Europe to visit different places across Turkey. Some of them are visiting this country strictly for medical reasons because Turkey is known as a place where you can expect cheap and high-quality health care services.
When we compare the cost of medical services in Turkey with the first-world countries we will notice a huge difference. On average, patients pay around half the price in Turkey. This country has a great infrastructure too which allows patients to travel to hospitals easily even when they are coming from places miles away. Doctors in Turkey are specialized in different areas including orthopedic surgery, dental surgeries, neurosurgery, heart surgery and more. Many doctors from Southeast Europe are gaining experience in hospitals in Turkey.
- Turkey is located in Asia and Europe
- They have state of the art hospitals that are offering exceptional medical services at reasonable prices
- Turkish doctors are specialized in a wide range of surgeries
Cost of surgeries in Turkey
Root canal treatment: 100 Euros
Hip replacement: 13.000 Euros
Knee replacement: 4.000 Euros
5. Mexico
Location: North America
Population: 126.500.000
Capital city: Mexico City
Area: 1.972.550 square kilometers
Universal health care: Yes
There are many things that can cross your mind when someone mentions Mexico. People from the United States and Canada often visit this country during their summer holidays. This is a place where you can enjoy tasty food, sandy beaches, and experience many new things. In the recent period, more and more people that are experiencing medical problems are interested in visiting Mexico because they know that the cost of health care there is extremely low.
The good thing is that the cost usually doesn’t affect the quality of medical service. From dental treatments and tissue transplants to diabetes treatments and heart disease treatments, people are visiting Mexico for many different reasons. Obviously, we should point out that not all doctors in this country are equally educated and experienced because there are literally hundreds of hospitals and thousands of doctors here. But, even with the best doctors, patients can expect low cost.
- Mexico is a country where you can find thousands of doctors and hundreds of hospitals
- To get the best medical services in this country patients have to conduct thorough research
- Even the best medical services are very cheap
Cost of surgeries in Mexico
Root canal treatment: 270 Euros
Hip replacement: 10.500 Euros
Knee replacement: 8.200 Euros
6. Singapore
Location: Asia
Population: 5.640.000
Capital city: Singapore
Area: 751 square kilometers
Universal health care: Yes
Singapore is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city-state located in Southeast Asia. This city-state is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Yet, due to its specific position and excellent infrastructure, Singapore has one of the leading economies in Asia and it’s regarded as one of the most influential business hubs in the world.
Medical tourism makes up to 5% of the country’s tourism sector. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), Singapore is the best Asian country for those looking for health care services. Over the years, the hardworking Singaporeans were able to create a very efficient health care system. Now, people from other Asian countries, but also from Australia and other countries of the world are going to Singapore to get medical treatments. The fact is that the cost of these treatments might not be as low as in some South American countries for example, but the quality is exceptionally high and it’s still cheaper to get treatment in Singapore than to get the same treatment in the UK, the USA or another developed country.
- Singapore is a city-state
- This is one of the most densely populated places in the world
- Singapore is often ranked as one of the countries with the best health care systems
Cost of surgeries in Singapore
Root canal treatment: 270 Euros
Hip replacement: 11.800 Euros
Knee replacement: 11.000 Euros
7. Thailand
Location: Asia
Population: 68.800.000
Capital city: Bangkok
Area: 513.120 square kilometers
Universal health care: Yes
Thailand, the land of smiles as many people call it, is a holiday hub that attracts millions of tourists that come from different parts of the world. But, the natural beauties, friendly people and low cost of living present in this country have made many foreigners think about using Thailand as their new home. There are thousands of expats living in Thailand today and in addition to the reasons we’ve mentioned, they are also impressed by the low-cost, high-quality health care offered here.
It’s good to mention that Thailand medicine is using both conventional medicine and some traditional medical treatments like massage and meditation to help patients solve their health issues. Most medical tourists that are visiting Thailand are interested in dermatological and cosmetic medical treatments and procedures, but there’s an increasing number of people that are using other types of surgeries while they are in Thailand. When we compare the cost of medical bills in Thailand with the cost of medical bills in the EU or the USA, patients can expect to pay up to 70% less.
- Thailand is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world
- This country has friendly people, natural beauties, trained and experienced doctors and good health care system
- The cost of health care is up to 70% lower compared to developed countries
Cost of surgeries in Thailand
Root canal treatment: 200 Euros
Hip replacement: 7.500 Euros
Knee replacement: 8.000 Euros
