Which OECD countries spend the most on healthcare per capita?
Healthcare expenditures make up a substantial share of government spending. Examining spending trends can help us better understand the performance of healthcare systems and shed light on government priorities. There are several key indicators used to compare health systems globally, including total spending, total healthcare expenses as a percentage of GDP, and total healthcare expenses per capita. Using data from an OECD report entitled Health at a Glance 2025, we compare healthcare spending per capita across the organization’s 38 member states.
National healthcare expenditure figures include hospital care, doctor salaries, rehabilitative and long-term care, as well as ancillary care and medical goods. The total healthcare expenses are divided by the population to produce the per capita figure. The level of per capita health spending changes over time, influenced by a wide range of demographic, economic, social, and political factors. In 2024, the average health care spending across the OECD stood at nearly USD $6,000 per person, when adjusted for differences in purchasing power. The United States was the top spender, reaching USD $14,885 per capita, almost 2.5 times the OECD average. Switzerland, Norway, and Germany follow with per capita healthcare spending at $9,963, $9,393, and $9,365, respectively. Meanwhile, Mexico spent the least at $1,588 per capita, just over one-quarter of the OECD average.
Just under half of the OECD members (18 countries) spent above the OECD average, while 20 spent below. There are notable regional trends. A group of countries in Western Europe, including Switzerland, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Belgium, is among the top 10 spenders. Meanwhile, the group of countries among the 10 lowest spenders is scattered across Latin America and Eastern and Southern Europe.
