Salary Intelligence
Doctor (Physician) salaries abroad: where the pay goes furthest
Estimated doctor (physician) pay in 43 countries — gross, after-tax net, and purchasing-power-equivalent net — ranked by how far the take-home actually goes.
Where does a doctor (physician) earn the most after tax?
Key facts
- Best purchasing power: United Arab Emirates ~$186,583 PPP-equivalent net for a mid-level doctor (physician).
- Highest nominal net: Switzerland ~$235,912/yr take-home before cost of living.
- 43 countries compared each anchored to a primary-sourced national median wage.
- What you actually keep net is after income tax + social contributions (domestic resident tax, not expat regimes).
US benchmark: $230,000EstimatedWhereNext modelled estimate · scaled to each country's national median.
⚠️ Licensing & credential recognition required
Practising medicine abroad requires recognition of your medical degree plus local licensing exams (e.g. USMLE in the US, PLAB/GMC registration in the UK, or the national medical board elsewhere) and often language certification. The pay below is only attainable after you are licensed to practise.
Best countries for a doctor (physician): explore by experience & metric
Set your experience level, rank by purchasing power or nominal take-home, and highlight your country.
| # | Country | Est. gross | PPP-equiv net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | $134,617 | $186,583 |
| 2 | Switzerland | $346,233 | $177,095 |
| 3 | United States | $230,000 | $170,982 |
| 4 | Germany | $239,889 | $155,713 |
| 5 | Lithuania | $109,320 | $143,432 |
| 6 | Estonia | $117,350 | $141,603 |
| 7 | Iceland | $289,108 | $140,917 |
| 8 | Hungary | $99,934 | $140,235 |
| 9 | Australia | $246,187 | $138,896 |
| 10 | United Kingdom | $208,726 | $138,693 |
| 11 | Czechia | $98,295 | $135,355 |
| 12 | Slovakia | $109,159 | $132,587 |
| 13 | Luxembourg | $254,796 | $131,169 |
| 14 | Netherlands | $206,607 | $126,925 |
| 15 | Norway | $241,616 | $125,438 |
| 16 | Canada | $183,724 | $119,921 |
| 17 | France | $153,375 | $119,184 |
| 18 | Ireland | $205,932 | $117,522 |
| 19 | Latvia | $105,807 | $117,357 |
| 20 | Austria | $184,580 | $115,390 |
| 21 | Finland | $200,484 | $114,834 |
| 22 | Thailand | $45,013 | $114,631 |
| 23 | Poland | $80,128 | $114,622 |
| 24 | Denmark | $251,698 | $112,588 |
| 25 | Spain | $131,335 | $111,970 |
| 26 | South Korea | $121,040 | $109,308 |
| 27 | Sweden | $193,211 | $103,537 |
| 28 | Belgium | $205,638 | $102,860 |
| 29 | New Zealand | $142,168 | $99,306 |
| 30 | Italy | $140,920 | $99,190 |
| 31 | Israel | $174,883 | $93,504 |
| 32 | Singapore | $73,145 | $93,344 |
| 33 | Portugal | $101,988 | $91,177 |
| 34 | Japan | $130,397 | $89,807 |
| 35 | Greece | $106,881 | $89,127 |
| 36 | Slovenia | $128,801 | $86,295 |
| 37 | Turkey | $31,017 | $75,592 |
| 38 | South Africa | $46,825 | $71,694 |
| 39 | Chile | $47,687 | $68,302 |
| 40 | Brazil | $36,381 | $64,035 |
| 41 | Colombia | $22,990 | $61,084 |
| 42 | Mexico | $29,667 | $50,653 |
| 43 | Vietnam | $14,778 | $44,615 |
Ranked by purchasing power (after-tax pay restated in US price terms). Experience tiers scale the role's base pay and are re-taxed per country — a modelled estimate, not a survey.
Doctor (Physician) estimates · Source: National median wage surveys (OECD AV_AN_WAGE, Eurostat SES, national statistical offices) + WhereNext tax engine · Last verified Jun 22, 2026
Where the money goes: Doctor (Physician) in United Arab Emirates
Gross pay erodes to take-home after tax, then adjusts for local prices — a mid-level estimate, every step sourced.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
- Gross$134,617
- Income tax−$0
- Net (after tax)$134,617
- Local prices+$51,966
- Real value$186,583
Keep rate 100% · net $134,617 · real value $186,583 (your money goes further here)
| Step | USD/yr | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $134,617 | Estimated gross for the role. |
| − Income tax & social | −$0 | Resident tax brackets; you keep 100%. |
| Net (after tax) | $134,617 | Take-home in nominal USD. |
| + Local prices (PPP) | +$51,966 | Cheaper than the US — your net buys more. |
| Real value (PPP-equiv. net) | $186,583 | What the net is worth in US price terms. |
Nominal pay vs real value: Doctor (Physician)
Grey = take-home in nominal USD · green = what it's worth after local prices (PPP). The gap is why the highest-paying country isn't always where you keep the most.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
| Country | Nominal net | Real value | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | $134,617 | $186,583 | +$51,966 |
| Switzerland | $235,912 | $177,095 | −$58,817 |
| United States | $170,982 | $170,982 | +$0 |
| Germany | $128,236 | $155,713 | +$27,477 |
| Lithuania | $73,127 | $143,432 | +$70,305 |
| Estonia | $91,798 | $141,603 | +$49,805 |
| Iceland | $170,893 | $140,917 | −$29,976 |
| Hungary | $66,456 | $140,235 | +$73,779 |
The sweet spot: Doctor (Physician) pay vs cost
Net take-home (up) against cost of living (right). Top-left = high pay, low cost — where the money goes furthest. Lines mark the medians.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
● sweet spot (high pay, low cost) · ● other countries · cost of living = World Bank ICP 2021 price level relative to the US.
| Country | Net take-home | Cost (US=100) | Real value | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | $134,617 | 72 | $186,583 | Sweet spot |
| Switzerland | $235,912 | 133 | $177,095 | |
| United States | $170,982 | 100 | $170,982 | |
| Germany | $128,236 | 82 | $155,713 | |
| Lithuania | $73,127 | 51 | $143,432 | |
| Estonia | $91,798 | 65 | $141,603 | Sweet spot |
| Iceland | $170,893 | 121 | $140,917 | |
| Hungary | $66,456 | 47 | $140,235 | |
| Australia | $154,852 | 111 | $138,896 | |
| United Kingdom | $133,376 | 96 | $138,693 | |
| Czechia | $72,530 | 54 | $135,355 | |
| Slovakia | $77,288 | 58 | $132,587 | |
| Luxembourg | $151,965 | 116 | $131,169 | |
| Netherlands | $116,005 | 91 | $126,925 | |
| Norway | $145,603 | 116 | $125,438 | |
| Canada | $114,737 | 96 | $119,921 | |
| France | $97,658 | 82 | $119,184 | |
| Ireland | $129,745 | 110 | $117,522 | |
| Latvia | $67,716 | 58 | $117,357 | |
| Austria | $101,155 | 88 | $115,390 | |
| Finland | $111,796 | 97 | $114,834 | |
| Thailand | $38,705 | 34 | $114,631 | |
| Poland | $48,736 | 43 | $114,622 | |
| Denmark | $121,333 | 108 | $112,588 | |
| Spain | $82,509 | 74 | $111,970 | |
| South Korea | $83,164 | 76 | $109,308 | Sweet spot |
| Sweden | $106,368 | 103 | $103,537 | |
| Belgium | $89,996 | 87 | $102,860 | |
| New Zealand | $97,433 | 98 | $99,306 | |
| Italy | $76,414 | 77 | $99,190 | |
| Israel | $110,473 | 118 | $93,504 | |
| Singapore | $69,417 | 74 | $93,344 | |
| Portugal | $60,070 | 66 | $91,177 | |
| Japan | $80,597 | 90 | $89,807 | |
| Greece | $56,905 | 64 | $89,127 | |
| Slovenia | $57,125 | 66 | $86,295 | |
| Turkey | $21,049 | 28 | $75,592 | |
| South Africa | $34,867 | 49 | $71,694 | |
| Chile | $37,634 | 55 | $68,302 | |
| Brazil | $27,126 | 42 | $64,035 | |
| Colombia | $21,151 | 35 | $61,084 | |
| Mexico | $23,768 | 47 | $50,653 | |
| Vietnam | $12,998 | 29 | $44,615 |
The cost axis is a country-level index. For a category-by-category breakdown (rent, groceries, transport…) across 95 countries and 380 cities, use the cost-of-living calculator.
Modelled estimate, not survey data. Each profession figure is the country's national median wage scaled by the role's skill premium — a directional model, not a per-role salary survey. Singapore is the exception: its figures are the Ministry of Manpower's June 2025 occupational medians. It is for a mid-level professional and varies widely by employer, seniority, bonus, equity, contract type and tax regime. Net is modelled via WhereNext's tax engine and is not tax or employment advice — verify with an employer or qualified advisor before making decisions.
Weighing an actual doctor (physician) move?
Doctor (Physician) salary questions, answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country pays a doctor (physician) the most after tax?▾
On purchasing-power-equivalent net income, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, United States lead for a mid-level doctor (physician). On raw nominal take-home, Switzerland is highest (~$235,912/yr). High nominal pay doesn't always win once local prices are factored in.
Where can a doctor (physician) save the most money abroad?▾
The countries near the top of the purchasing-power ranking — where after-tax pay buys the most locally — give a doctor (physician) the most room to save. Use the cost-of-living calculator for a city-level rent and living-cost breakdown before deciding.
How reliable are these doctor (physician) salary estimates?▾
They are a model, not a per-role salary survey. Each figure is the country's primary-sourced national median wage (OECD, Eurostat, national statistical offices) scaled by the doctor (physician) skill premium and a tradability factor, then netted through WhereNext's tax engine. Treat them as a directional planning guide and verify any specific offer with the employer.
Do these figures include bonuses, equity or expat tax breaks?▾
No. They model base salary with domestic resident tax only. Bonuses, equity and special expat regimes (e.g. Portugal's IFICI, Spain's Beckham Law, the US FEIE) can change take-home pay substantially.
Are these remote salaries or local-market salaries?▾
Local-market salaries for the role in each country — not a foreign salary paid while living abroad. If you keep your current salary and relocate, use the salary calculator's remote-worker mode and check tax residency rules.