International Living: Latest Top 5 Healthcare Systems
International Living’s surveys offer regular snapshots of how popular expat destinations compare across areas such as quality of life, cost of living, healthcare, and overall ease of settlement. Following the publication of its latest round-up, we are now taking a closer look at the results. In International Living’s ranking of the Top 5 Healthcare Systems for Expats in 2026, the countries were listed as follows: France, Portugal, Spain, Panama, and Costa Rica. Here is why these nations were rated so highly.
France
- universal healthcare system available to legal residents after meeting qualifying residence requirements.
- high-quality care with a mix of public and private providers.
- costs are partly reimbursed by the state, with optional supplementary insurance (“mutuelle”) covering most remaining expenses.
France proves particularly attractive to retirees and expats seeking comprehensive coverage and good outcomes. However, expats sometimes mention downsides to the French system, including bureaucracy, paperwork, and the need for patience when navigating the system.
Portugal
- universal National Health Service (SNS) with broad coverage
- generally regarded as affordable compared with North America and many Northern European countries
- a strong combination of public healthcare and reasonably priced private healthcare options
Portugal is popular with retirees because local healthcare costs tend to remain manageable on fixed incomes.
Spain
- well-developed public healthcare system with extensive coverage
- strong reputation for doctors, hospitals, and specialist care
- widely used by both local residents and expatriates
- private healthcare is available and often relatively affordable by international standards
Panama
- modern private hospitals are available in major cities
- medical care is often available at a fraction of US prices
- there is a strong expat infrastructure and English-speaking medical professionals in some areas
Panama is popular among North American retirees due to lower costs and proximity to the United States.
Costa Rica
- long-established reputation for affordable healthcare and medical tourism
- public healthcare system (Caja) combined with growing private healthcare options
- procedures and treatments are often significantly cheaper than in the United States
Costa Rica has proved appealing for retirees seeking a lower cost of living alongside accessible healthcare.
Saudi Arabia: Changes to Medical Examinations
Saudi Arabia is tightening checks on medical examinations for foreign workers as part of a nationwide drive to improve healthcare standards and protect public health. The Ministry of Health says the campaign is designed to ensure that medical screening results are accurate and reliable, while also making sure that clinics and healthcare providers follow official regulations.
Inspectors will check that healthcare facilities are carrying out examinations correctly, using properly maintained and calibrated laboratory equipment, and employing suitably qualified staff. The authorities will also be looking for any practices that could compromise the accuracy of test results.
Healthcare providers that fail to meet the required standards could face fines of up to SAR100,000 (around £20,000), temporary closure for up to 60 days, or even the loss of their operating licences.
The Ministry says inspections will continue as part of its wider efforts to improve confidence in the medical screening process and safeguard public health.
Czechia: “At The Doctor”
As organisations and businesses in the region become increasingly international, many employers in Czechia are looking beyond traditional onboarding processes and considering how best to support the practical well-being of employees and their families. Providing guidance on healthcare access can help reduce uncertainty, improve the employee experience, and enable new arrivals to settle more quickly into both their workplace and their new country of residence. Czechia is ahead of the curve here: healthcare platform uLékaře.cz (“At The Doctor”) has now been running for nearly 20 years.
It began as an online medical advice service and has expanded into a broader healthcare navigation and employee well-being platform. It now combines:
- online medical consultations
- health advice
- appointment booking
- healthcare coordination
- preventive health monitoring
- employer health programmes
The company’s main growth area now lies in employer-sponsored healthcare support. A significant recent development is that uLékaře.cz has entered a strategic partnership with Mavie, a European healthcare and well-being group backed by the UNIQA Insurance Group. Mavie became the platform’s majority shareholder in late 2025, with founder interests and CEO Martin Pospíšil retaining minority stakes. The partnership is intended to support expansion across Central and Eastern Europe.
According to company information, uLékaře.cz works with more than 270 companies and supports over 150,000 employees across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Clients reportedly include major employers such as:
- IKEA
- Deloitte
- EY
- Mastercard
- Tesco
The company has recently been promoting its English-language support for expatriates.
Services include:
- access to a network of doctors
- assistance in booking appointments in Czech
- explanations of how the Czech healthcare system works
- support for employees’ spouses and children
Martin Pospíšil told the healthcare press that:
“Czech healthcare is genuinely good, but it’s also structured in a way that assumes you grew up knowing how it works: that you register with a GP first, that specialists require referrals, that preventive checkups happen on a schedule, and that you know which ones are covered. None of this is obvious if you arrived from abroad.”
ITIJ: Latin America
The International Travel and Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) issued its report on Latin America this month. Dr Andrés Sánchez, Assistant Vice President of Operations LatAm, Global Excel, said that Latin America has become an increasingly important healthcare destination for international travellers, expatriates, and cross-border patients.
According to Dr Sánchez, access to healthcare is no longer the main challenge. Instead, the focus has shifted to managing cost, quality, and transparency. He described Latin America as a highly fragmented region, where healthcare provision varies widely between major cities, tourist hotspots, and emerging medical destinations. The report states that
“…for travellers and expatriates in Latin America, access to private healthcare is not optional – it is the operational reality.”
Private care across the region is, nonetheless, around 30-50% lower than in the USA.