What international health insurance actually costs in 2026
Real premium ranges from 17 insurers, by country and age — not estimates.
The short answer
A healthy 40-year-old buying inpatient-only international health insurance (worldwide excluding the USA) pays between $1,783 and $9,989 a year across these 8 markets, depending on where they live and which insurer they choose.
Cost by country and age — inpatient only
Median annual premium across 17 insurers, with the full market range beneath it. Worldwide excluding the USA, single healthy individual. Updated 2026-07-27.
| Country | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 50 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | $2,825$920 – $4,806 | $3,458$1,382 – $5,756 | $4,739$2,009 – $8,237 | $6,796$3,507 – $15,539 |
| United Arab Emirates | $3,085$1,432 – $7,262 | $3,867$1,945 – $8,697 | $5,141$2,477 – $11,957 | $8,252$3,960 – $21,441 |
| Singapore | $3,771$1,445 – $7,157 | $4,828$1,945 – $9,993 | $6,788$2,477 – $16,171 | $11,087$3,960 – $34,940 |
| Hong Kong | $4,242$1,445 – $8,341 | $5,418$1,945 – $9,989 | $7,234$2,477 – $14,744 | $11,407$3,960 – $25,104 |
| Nigeria | $2,543$1,248 – $3,684 | $3,314$1,783 – $4,484 | $4,384$2,425 – $6,700 | $6,751$3,318 – $12,577 |
| Kenya | $2,446$1,248 – $3,684 | $3,182$1,783 – $4,484 | $4,530$2,454 – $6,700 | $6,558$3,358 – $12,577 |
| United Kingdom | $3,700$1,445 – $6,149 | $4,901$1,945 – $7,912 | $6,798$2,477 – $11,868 | $11,048$3,960 – $21,633 |
| Spain | $2,814$1,091 – $5,151 | $3,712$1,410 – $5,898 | $4,993$1,904 – $9,572 | $7,381$2,606 – $17,964 |
Cost with outpatient cover added
Outpatient is the module most people actually use — GP visits, specialists, diagnostics and prescriptions. Median first, full range beneath:
| Country | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 50 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | $3,059$1,445 – $6,294 | $3,963$1,944 – $7,541 | $5,942$2,477 – $9,575 | $10,086$3,960 – $15,539 |
| United Arab Emirates | $3,541$1,445 – $7,262 | $4,674$1,945 – $8,697 | $6,720$2,477 – $11,957 | $11,104$3,960 – $21,441 |
| Singapore | $5,013$1,445 – $10,127 | $6,434$1,945 – $12,147 | $9,213$2,477 – $16,171 | $14,804$3,960 – $34,940 |
| Hong Kong | $6,339$1,445 – $12,635 | $7,949$1,945 – $15,156 | $10,698$2,477 – $19,261 | $16,820$3,960 – $25,639 |
| Nigeria | $2,723$1,445 – $5,826 | $3,478$1,945 – $6,979 | $5,157$2,477 – $8,862 | $9,085$3,960 – $12,577 |
| Kenya | $2,826$1,445 – $5,895 | $3,500$1,945 – $7,063 | $5,257$2,477 – $8,968 | $8,898$3,960 – $12,577 |
| United Kingdom | $3,700$1,445 – $9,713 | $4,901$1,945 – $11,655 | $6,798$2,477 – $14,811 | $11,229$3,960 – $21,633 |
| Spain | $3,225$1,445 – $5,151 | $4,134$1,945 – $5,898 | $6,214$2,477 – $9,572 | $9,922$3,960 – $17,964 |
How much age costs you
Age is the single biggest driver after area of cover. In Thailand the median premium rises roughly 2.4× between 30 and 60. Premiums step up at each band rather than rising smoothly, so a birthday can move you into a materially more expensive bracket.
Why the spread is so wide
- Insurers price risk differently. Two carriers looking at the same person can land 8.8× apart. There is no single "market rate".
- Area of cover. Every figure here excludes the USA. Adding US cover typically increases the premium substantially, because American healthcare costs far more than anywhere else.
- Local healthcare costs. Hong Kong prices above Kenya because treatment there costs more, not because it is further away.
- Excess and cover level. Taking an excess, or dropping modules you will not use, moves the premium more than switching insurer for the sake of it.
How we produced these figures
IPMIcompare runs live rate engines for 17 international insurers. On 2026-07-27 we priced an identical profile — single healthy individual, British nationality, worldwide excluding USA, standard tier — across every country and age band in the table, and recorded the minimum, median and maximum annual premium returned.
We publish aggregated ranges only. Individual insurer pricing is commercially sensitive and changes frequently, so quoting a named carrier's premium would be both unfair and quickly out of date. Your own quote will depend on your medical history, the plan you choose and the excess you take.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does international health insurance cost in 2026?
Why do quotes for the same person vary so much?
How much does age increase the premium?
Does adding outpatient cover cost much more?
Where does this data come from?
Is international health insurance cheaper in some regions?
Figures are indicative annual premiums for a single healthy individual, worldwide excluding USA, standard tier, captured 2026-07-27. Premiums are confirmed by the insurer at underwriting and vary with medical history, plan and excess. This is general information, not personal or medical advice.