This page shows how the six economies compare in the Health area. The charts below show where they stand relative to the EU average, the change over the previous year, and the estimated time needed to reach the EU average if the trends of the past five years continue. They show this first for the area as a whole, then for each of the six indicators in this area, together with their latest values.
Montenegro led the region in the Health area in 2025, at 85% of the EU average, followed closely by Serbia and North Macedonia, at 82% and 80%. Bosnia and Herzegovina stood at 75% and Albania at 66%, while Kosovo was furthest behind, at 56%.
4 of the 6 countries improved relative to the EU average in 2025. Albania recorded by far the largest gain, of 3.6 pp, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 1.1 pp. Serbia and Montenegro improved more modestly, by 0.7 pp and 0.2 pp. Kosovo slipped back by 0.3 pp, while North Macedonia saw the largest decline, of 1.4 pp.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia would reach the EU level in the Health area in 14-18 years. Bosnia and Herzegovina would need 45 years and Serbia more than 100 years, while Kosovo is diverging from the EU average.
Public spending on health in 2025 was highest in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, at 6.7% and 6.0% of GDP, followed by Serbia, at 5.3%. North Macedonia spent 4.3% of GDP, while Albania and Kosovo spent the least, at 3.5% and 3.1%.
Relative to the EU average, Montenegro's public health spending exceeded the EU level, at 105%, while Bosnia and Herzegovina was close to it, at 94%. Serbia stood at 83% and North Macedonia at 67%, while Albania and Kosovo were furthest behind, at 55% and 48%.
3 of the 6 countries increased public health spending relative to the EU in 2025. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded the largest gains, of 7.1 pp and 5.8 pp, while North Macedonia improved by 2.0 pp. Albania fell back by 2.6 pp, while Serbia and Montenegro saw the largest declines, of 6.4 pp and 6.7 pp.
Montenegro has already converged with the EU level of public health spending. At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Albania would need 34 years and North Macedonia around 5 decades, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia are diverging from the EU average.
Life expectancy in 2025 was highest in Albania, at 79.8 years. Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro were close together, at around 78 years, followed by North Macedonia, at 76.6 years, and Serbia, at 76 years.
Life expectancy is close to the EU level across the region. Albania was almost at the EU average, at 99%, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia stood at 95-97%. Serbia was slightly further behind, at 94%.
North Macedonia recorded the largest improvement relative to the EU in 2025, of 1.4 pp, while Montenegro improved only marginally, by 0.1 pp. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo stagnated, while Serbia fell back by 0.5 pp.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Montenegro and Kosovo would reach the EU level in 19 and 25 years, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in around 7 decades. Albania (despite being almost at the EU level), North Macedonia and Serbia are diverging from the EU average.
Infant mortality in 2025 was lowest in Montenegro, at 1.6 per 1,000 live births, followed by North Macedonia, at 2.9. Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina stood at 4.6-5.1, while Kosovo had the highest rate, at 5.9.
Montenegro and North Macedonia performed better than the EU average, at 219% and 121% of the EU level, meaning that their infant mortality rates are lower than in the EU. Serbia and Albania stood at 76% and 74%, Bosnia and Herzegovina at 69% and Kosovo at 60%.
5 of the 6 countries improved relative to the EU in 2025. Montenegro recorded the largest gain, of 61.6 pp, followed by Albania, with 20.4 pp. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia improved by 6.4 pp and 5.9 pp, and Kosovo by 2.1 pp. North Macedonia fell back sharply, by 53 pp, though it remains better than the EU average.
Montenegro and North Macedonia have already converged with the EU average. At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Albania would reach the EU level in 4 years, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo in around a decade (9 and 10 years). Serbia would need 23 years.
The number of hospital beds in 2025 was highest in Serbia, at 606 per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by North Macedonia, at 463. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania had 375-402 beds, while Kosovo had the fewest, at 236.
Relative to the EU average, Serbia exceeded the EU level, at 119%, while North Macedonia stood at 91%. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania were at 74-79%, while Kosovo was furthest behind, at 47%.
5 of the 6 countries improved relative to the EU in 2025. Albania and Montenegro recorded the largest gains, of 2.0 pp each, followed by Serbia, with 1.5 pp. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo improved only marginally, by 0.4 pp and 0.1 pp. North Macedonia was the only country to fall back, by a sizeable 7.8 pp.
Serbia has already converged with the EU average. At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, North Macedonia would reach the EU level in 4 years, and Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 9 years. Montenegro would need 32 years, while Kosovo is furthest away, at 77 years.
The number of physicians in 2025 was highest in North Macedonia and Serbia, at 33.8 and 32.3 per 10,000 inhabitants, followed by Montenegro, at 27.9. Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina had 22.7 and 21.1 physicians, while Kosovo had the fewest, at 19.
Relative to the EU average, North Macedonia and Serbia had the most physicians, at 79% and 76% of the EU level, followed by Montenegro, at 65%. Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina stood at 53% and 49%, while Kosovo was furthest behind, at 44%.
All six countries fell back relative to the EU in 2025. Bosnia and Herzegovina saw only a marginal decline, of 0.1 pp, while Albania, Serbia and Montenegro lost around 1 pp. North Macedonia fell back by 2.0 pp and Kosovo by 3.8 pp.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Albania would reach the EU level in 22 years and Serbia in 39 years. Kosovo would need 65 years and Bosnia and Herzegovina more than 100 years, while Montenegro and North Macedonia are diverging from the EU average.
Out-of-pocket health expenditures in 2025 were lowest in Montenegro, at 26.3% of total health spending, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, at 31% and 32.1%. North Macedonia stood at 39.6%, while Kosovo and Albania had the highest shares, at 46.4% and 48.3%.
Relative to the EU average, Montenegro performed best, at 75% of the EU level, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, at 63% and 61%. North Macedonia stood at 50%, while Kosovo and Albania were furthest behind, at 42% and 41%. In all six countries, households pay a considerably larger share of health costs out of pocket than in the EU.
4 of the 6 countries improved relative to the EU in 2025. Kosovo recorded the largest gain, of 3.7 pp, followed by North Macedonia, with 1.1 pp, while Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina improved marginally, by 0.3 pp each. Montenegro and Serbia fell back, by 2.0 pp and 2.2 pp.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Montenegro would reach the EU level in 7 years and Serbia in around 5 decades, while Albania is more than 100 years away. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia are diverging from the EU average.
converge2.eu is an evidence-based initiative that sheds light on how the Western Balkans are converging with EU living standards. Our goal is to support evidence-based policymaking, informed journalism, and regional dialogue. We apply rigorous methodology, use comparable data, present them raw on a dahsboard and offer informed, independent and unbiased interpretation and advice.
