Moving abroad comes with a long checklist, and health insurance sits near the top for good reason. Yet ask ten expats what they pay and you’ll likely get ten different answers, because pricing in this corner of the insurance world is anything but standardized. The numbers below come from real 2025 and 2026 industry data, and they paint a clearer picture than most people expect once you understand what’s actually driving the price.
The global average premium right now
Industry pricing data from William Russell puts the 2026 average premium for a single expat at around US$3,020 before discounts and about US$2,517 in a discounted sample scenario. That figure is based on a fairly typical profile: an individual aged 41, moving from the USA to Malaysia on a mid-tier plan with a modest excess, paying annually.
Other providers land in a similar range. Expat Insurance describes a comparable global benchmark, noting that a 2025 report from a major international provider found the average annual premium for a single expat hovered around US$2,517. Averages are a starting point, not a promise. Your actual quote depends heavily on where you’re headed and how old you are.
Age is the single biggest lever on your price
Insurers treat age as the most predictable risk factor there is. As one provider puts it plainly, age is the single biggest factor, since a younger expat is typically cheaper to insure because the risk of serious illness or hospitalization is lower. That gap in pricing between a 25 year old and a 65 year old isn’t arbitrary.
It reflects genuine differences in expected medical use. William Russell frames it the same way, noting that the older you are, the more healthcare you’re likely to need, and premiums get more expensive as you get older. A retiree shopping for coverage in their sixties should expect a materially higher quote than a 30 year old digital nomad, even with identical destinations and plan tiers.
Location changes the price more than almost anything
Where you actually live drives your premium more than most other single factor. William Russell explains that location is one of the most important factors in determining cost, since private healthcare costs vary widely from country to country, even between destinations in the same region. That’s because insurers essentially price a policy to match local medical costs.
Expat Insurance uses a useful comparison here, noting that your destination country sets the baseline price, tied directly to how much medical care costs there, while age acts as a multiplier on top of that baseline. Live in a country with cheap, efficient private care and your baseline starts low. Live somewhere with expensive specialists and modern hospitals, and it starts a lot higher before age or add-ons even enter the picture.
Adding the United States changes everything
If there’s one decision that swings your premium more than any other, it’s whether the US is included in your coverage area. Wellaway is blunt about it: in the U.S., monthly premiums often range from $500 to over $1,000, and annual costs can exceed $10,000 to $28,000 or more for individuals. Family coverage climbs even higher from there.
Healthplans of NC quantifies the jump for expats with global coverage, noting a plan with U.S. coverage can cost 50 to 100 percent more than one without U.S. coverage. This isn’t a small surcharge. It’s often the single biggest line item decision in the entire policy, which is why so many expats living outside America deliberately exclude US treatment from their plan.
Why American healthcare pricing distorts the whole market
The US doesn’t just have higher premiums, it’s in a category of its own. According to Pacific Prime’s cost report, cited by William Russell, the USA was the most expensive country for expat health insurance premiums, with a shocking 53% cost increase in 2024 from the previous year. That’s a striking jump in a single year.
The underlying reason is straightforward according to William Russell, which notes the US consistently records far higher healthcare spending per person than other high-income countries, reflected in both private treatment and international medical insurance costs. Even routine procedures carry a bigger price tag there than almost anywhere else on the planet, and insurers have no choice but to build that into premiums.
Family coverage multiplies the cost fast
A single policy and a family policy are barely comparable in price. Wellaway notes that family plans cost more, sometimes a lot more, and in the U.S. can exceed $25,000 annually depending on age and coverage level. For expats with US coverage built in, that number climbs further still.
Some providers put family exposure even higher. Wellaway separately states that families can see annual costs exceeding $35,000 for comprehensive US inclusive plans. For a family relocating with children, it’s often worth running the numbers on excluding US coverage if nobody plans to seek treatment there, since the savings compound quickly across multiple family members.
Deductibles and copayments quietly reshape your premium
How much risk you’re willing to absorb yourself has a direct, measurable effect on price. AHiX explains it clearly: a deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance begins to reimburse you, and opting for a higher deductible usually lowers your premium. It’s a genuine trade off, not a gimmick.
Copayments work the same way. The same source notes that co-payment options, like paying 10 to 20 percent of each claim, can reduce your overall premium but increase your out of pocket costs. For a healthy expat who rarely visits a doctor, accepting a higher deductible can be a sensible way to trim the annual bill. For someone managing a chronic condition, it can backfire quickly.
Add-ons like dental, maternity, and mental health push costs up
Base plans rarely include everything, and every extra you bolt on adds to the premium. Expatica notes plainly that policy coverage affects the price, since basic plans are cheaper but add-ons such as dental, vision, or mental healthcare increase the premium. It’s worth asking upfront which benefits actually matter to your situation.
Maternity coverage deserves special attention if it’s relevant. Providers commonly warn that if you or your partner plans to have a child, factor in regular check ups, tests, and childbirth itself, since maternity benefits often have waiting periods that vary by insurer and plan. Waiting until you’re already pregnant to add this coverage is usually too late, so it needs planning months ahead.
Visa rules often set a legal minimum you can’t shop around
In many countries, the price conversation isn’t purely about preference, because immigration authorities set a floor. Healthplans of NC notes that within the Schengen Zone, visa applicants need a minimum €30,000 in coverage, covering medical expenses, hospitalization, repatriation, and emergency care across all Schengen countries. That’s a legal requirement, not a suggestion.
Some countries go further with specific policy terms. Wherecani.live points out that Spain’s non-lucrative visa requires a policy from an insurer authorized in Spain with no copayment, no deductible, and no coverage limit, while Portugal’s D7 visa requires comprehensive private health insurance valid in Portugal, usually with at least €30,000 of cover, though without the same no-copayment rule. These technicalities can rule out cheaper plans entirely, so it pays to check before comparing prices.
Where the cheapest and most expensive coverage actually is
Geography creates enormous swings in what you’ll pay for essentially similar coverage. Pacific Prime’s research, cited by William Russell, found the cheapest country for expat health insurance is Poland, seeing only a 1% cost increase in 2024 from the previous year. Eastern Europe generally performs well on affordability.
Wherecani.live confirms the regional pattern, noting Poland tends to rank as one of the cheapest, alongside other low-cost options in Eastern Europe including Romania, Croatia, and Slovakia, while outside Europe, Thailand is among the more affordable destinations because local healthcare costs are low. If budget is the priority and you have flexibility on location, these markets consistently come out ahead of Western Europe, the Gulf states, or North America.
