Malaysia has the best healthcare in the world, according to International Living magazine's 2017 Global Retirement Index, beating Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico.

In an article geared towards medical tourism among westerners, the magazine explained that the rankings were based on the cost and quality of healthcare being provided in the country.

"A stronger US dollar, cheaper air travel, mounting healthcare costs in Western countries - and long waiting lists - have all contributed to the Malaysian medical tourism boom in the past decade," author Keith Hockton wrote.

Hockton noted that Malaysian doctors were highly trained, and that numerous hospitals were highly accredited, including by the US' Joint Commission International (JCI) certification.

"Malaysia has some of the best-trained doctors in Asia, and the majority of them were trained in the US, Australia, or the UK.

"All of them speak English too, and that takes a lot of the stress away from what is already a stressful situation." he added.

Hockton lives in Malaysia under the My Second Home Programme.

He noted that one of the other considerations making Malaysia a top choice was that there was "little to no waiting time".

He said: "It is as simple as registering at the hospital of your choice and then waiting for that particular specialist to see you.

"You also don't need to be referred to that particular specialist by a general practitioner."

He added the there were also good non-profit hospitals, making a special mention of the Lam Wah Ee Hospital in Penang.

Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam said the accolade was humbling and inspiring.

"This accomplishment is a testament to Malaysia's well-developed healthcare system, which is highly accessible with competitively affordable rates, and of world-class quality," Subramaniam said in a statement.

He added that the government ensured stringent and rigorous regulation to safeguard the quality, safety and ethics of healthcare in the country, while ensuring that everyone who needs medical attention receives it.