When you research your next travel destination, it’s always wise to consider where it ranks in terms of safety and risk to foreign travellers. The Economist Intelligence Unit has published the Safe Cities Index (SCI) for 2021, scoring international destinations on personal safety and digital, health, infrastructure and environmental security – with an overall score out of 100 – making it a handy tool for tourists. Using this data, we've ranked the 10 safest cities in the world, followed by the 10 most dangerous.
The Swedish capital is revered across the globe for its high standards of living and exceptional social welfare system. So it’s no surprise the Safe Cities Index (SCI) scores it 83.7 for environmental security and 87.3 for infrastructure this year, with an overall mark of 78 out of 100. However, petty crime does exist here and visitors should be aware of pickpockets operating in tourist-heavy areas.
Often nicknamed the 'Ice Queen', Stockholm is a glorious winter wonderland in the colder months and is a top city destination for snowy getaways and Christmas markets. Ahead of the Summer Solstice in June many Swedes leave the capital and head to islands such as Vaxholm and Sandhamn to celebrate the traditional Midsummer Eve festival. This could be a good time to enjoy a quieter city and explore the rainbow-coloured houses of the Gamla Stan, or Old Town.
Taking joint eighth spot with Hong Kong, the capital of Australia’s Victoria state has been in the top 10 of the safest cities four times in a row since the index began in 2015. This year, it continues to lead in the health security section, scoring highly for emergency services, availability and quality of public healthcare and pandemic preparedness. Unlike other cities of this size, muggings are low here and the crime rates have stayed moderate over the past three years.
Known for a mix of European-esque café culture and America-style street network, Melbourne is considered one of the world’s coolest cities. Like Sydney, it has a beautiful Botanic Garden, home to the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, and the arts scene is big here with the National Gallery of Victoria and an array of street art to explore. The food scene is second-to-none too and if you’re looking for the safest neighbourhoods to stay in, head east.
One of the world’s most populated regions, Hong Kong has long been a hectic, yet highly organised city. Over the last couple of years, the region has hit the headlines for political clashes between protesters and police, but the risk to visitors is generally low and this year, the city ranks first in the SCI for infrastructure security. It's also one of the top-performers for health security, with high scores for availability of public and private healthcare.
Known for its gravity-defying skyscrapers, glittering harbour and thronging streets packed with shops and bazaars, Hong Kong is an ultra-modern city interspersed with history and Chinese tradition. Its street food stalls, or dai pai dongs, pull in both residents and travellers and both modern and traditional teahouses embrace the art of the Chinese tea ceremony. Big-hitting sights include the Man Mo Temple, junk boat harbour tours and Victoria Peak – the city’s highest vantage point.
Wellington, the compact capital of New Zealand, scores 79 on the SCI list, topping the board for environmental security thanks to scoring highly for sustainable energy, urban forest cover and air quality. With moderate crime levels, the city draws in visitors who want the best of both worlds – a city buzz with plenty of culture and easy reach of the great outdoors. It’s no surprise it also ranks in the top 15 cities for its quality of life.
Dubbed the 'gateway to the South Island', most travellers come to Wellington to enjoy its museums, coffee and craft beer before hitting the surrounding coastline, mountains and villages for wineries, beaches and outdoor adventure. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is a great place to swot up on Māori culture, while Mountain Victoria Lookout and signature red Wellington Cable Car – which takes you from Lambton Quay to the Botanic Gardens – are key attractions.
Attracting some 20 million visitors each year (pre-pandemic), Amsterdam is one of the most popular European city destinations for both business and leisure travellers and its safety only adds to its appeal. It scores 79.3 out of 100 in this year’s SCI, achieving an especially high score for personal security, and is one of three European cities in the index’s top 10.
Known for its eccentric museums, first-class art galleries and network of canals, the Dutch capital is a popular weekend destination for many Europeans. Ranked in the top 11 cities for quality of life (joint with Sydney), this is a unique, must-see city with big-hitting sights like the Van Gogh Museum, lively Albert Cuyp Market and Rijksmuseum (dedicated to Dutch arts and history). With more bikes here than people, cycling, is of course, the transport of choice.
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Tokyo has ranked in the top 10 safest cities for all four of the SCI’s reports and this year, the Japanese capital is first in the health security category, scoring highly for the quality and availability of public and private healthcare. Although pickpocketing may occasionally occur here – especially in busy, tourist-heavy hot spots – the crime rates have been consistently falling for 14 years.
Famous for its karaoke bars and rich culinary scene, Tokyo is rarely a dull place to be and your visit can be as wacky as you want it. Explore manga-themed cafés dedicated to Japanese graphic novels, seek out whisky dens and hit the neon-lit shopping district known as Akihabara, jam-packed with shops devoted to video games, electronics, anime and manga. The Eiffel Tower-inspired Tokyo Tower and commercial centre known as Shibuya – with its iconic pedestrian crossing – are also must-see sights.
Scoring a very respectable 80.1 points, Sydney ranks as the fourth safest city in the world this year. And with the highest score in the digital security category, Sydney has also shown to be very tech-driven. A new smart city strategic framework has been adopted by the local government to help it become one of the planet’s most 'innovative and liveable cities'.
Sydney has one of the most jam-packed arts and cultural programmes on the planet. You’ll find endless galleries, museums and cultural attractions to explore, from the Museum of Contemporary Art to the walking tours unearthing the country’s Aboriginal heritage. Sydneysiders pride themselves on their coffee and food scene, and the views of the harbour – whether from the bar of the iconic Opera house or the Royal Botanic Gardens – are incredible.
Ranking highly for digital, health and infrastructure security, Singapore has continuously scored highly in the SCI and this year, it takes third place. Thanks to the city’s abundance of CCTV cameras, tough penalties and weapons bans, the crime rate here is extremely low. The quality of life is also high, with Singapore recognised as the best city in Asia to live.
Singapore may be one of the most densely populated cities, but it’s well set up for visitors, with its super speedy light railway, providing a very handy way to get around. Eating out here ranges from the tasty dishes you'll pick up from local street hawkers to the finest Michelin-starred restaurants on Earth. Its UNESCO-listed Singapore Botanic Gardens and incredible Gardens by the Bay are just two of its unmissable sights.
Toronto often tops the charts as one of the best places to live. With dozens of nature walks and plenty of public parks, it’s one of the cleanest of the big cities, scoring highly for environmental security. This young-spirited, cosmopolitan spot has never left the top 10 of the Safest Cities Index since the report launched in 2015 and this year, it comes second, just 0.2 points behind the leader.
Known for its scenic waterfront location on Lake Ontario and impressive skyline punctuated by the spear-like CN Tower, Canada’s largest city appears on many travel wish lists. Aside from world-class museums and plenty of cultural events, the craft breweries, top restaurants and Hockey Hall of Fame are well worth a visit. With plenty of parks and an archipelago of islands close by, the great outdoors is just on its doorstep too.
With its lowest crime rate in more than a decade and ranked in the top 10 for quality of living, Copenhagen tops the list as the safest city in Europe, and the world, scoring an impressive 82.4 points out of 100 in the annual report. With violent crime very low here, it's also given top marks in the personal security category and is third for both digital and infrastructure security.
Reputed for being one of the happiest places on the planet – thanks to its excellent social security and 37-hour working week – Denmark has lots going for it. The historic sights of the historical Nyhavn harbour, with its colourful townhouses, glorious Amalienborg Palace and the magical Tivoli Gardens are just some of the sights that add to this city’s appeal.
Manila, the busy capital of the Philippines, takes the 10th spot on the dangerous cities list. With moderately high levels of crime and natural disasters likely to occur, Manila scores 52.5 points overall and is one of the lowest scorers for personal security. Although reports claim that the crime rate has dropped by nearly 50% since 2016, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) states that due to high levels of street crime, you should take sensible precautions and be particularly vigilant when taking the local jeepneys (buses) and other types of public transport.
Despite the threats the city faces, it's central to the country's economy, politics and culture. Home to an intriguing mix of attractions, from the San Augustin Church (the only building left intact during the Second World War) to Fort Santiago, Manila combines glistening shopping centres and 5-star luxury hotels with edgy art galleries, lively indie music scene and artisan markets, offering something to every traveller that visits this sprawling city.
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, has relatively low levels of crime, but it scores quite low for health security in particular. And although a peace deal was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in November 2020, tensions remain high over the disputed territory known as Nagorno-Karabakh. While the US Department of State advises its citizens not to travel to Azerbaijan, the FCDO states that most visits are trouble free.
Known for both its oil boom and UNESCO-listed fortified city known as Icheri Sheher, Baku is a trove of 12th century monuments and ancient mausoleums, flanked by ultra-modern skyscrapers. Sandwiched between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is often nicknamed the Land of Fire, hence the name given to the capital city’s trio of Flame Towers.
Kuwait City has maintained the same score since the last SCI was published in 2019 and, generally, it's safe for visitors as long as local laws and customs are adhered to. However, the index ranks Kuwait very high for threat of terrorism, military conflict and threat of civil unrest even though violence against foreigners is rare.
Founded in 1613, Kuwait City is a wealthy, relatively modern, Arab city, known for its distinct twin towers and remnants of its past found in the old souk and Dhow Harbour, once a pearl diving centre. The FCDO says that around 10,000 British nationals visit Kuwait each year without any major problems, but travellers should remain vigilant and keep up to date with the latest developments.
Due to its rapidly increasing population, Bangladesh is considered a high risk area for air pollution, posing a major risk to public health, which is one of the reasons why it's one of the most dangerous cities. The low SCI score is backed up by the Air Quality Index in 2021 that put Dhaka in second place as the world’s most polluted city, behind Kolkata in India. The FCDO advises that you should consider seeing a doctor before you travel to the city if you have a pre-existing medical condition.
It's thought Dhaka got its name from the dhak tree, which was once in abundance in the area, but streets filled with rickshaws and chugging traffic are more commonplace in modern-day Dhaka. Famed for hundreds of mosques and temples that have found their space in the city, Dhaka is home to some intriguing architecture, including Ahsan Manzil, otherwise known as the Pink Palace, and the Lalbagh Fort (pictured).
Casablanca, best known as the setting for the classic romantic drama film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, ranks in sixth place with 48.2 points. With a low score for environmental security in particular, the index highlights the lack of green initiatives, no sustainability masterplan and poor waste management. The overall crime rate has remained moderate since 2015 and travellers should remain vigilant, but most visits are free of any trouble.
Thanks to its proximity to sandy beaches, sunseekers have come to Casablanca for decades. A key port for North Africa through history, it has an intriguing past, from the 12th century Berber village which once stood here to the part it played as a pirate base in the 15th century. The city is home to exceptional structures too, including interesting Art Deco buildings and ornate Islamic architecture.
Internationally, Lagos ranks 212 out of 231 in terms of quality of living, with an ever-increasing population and widening income inequality. And its capital, Lagos, is now ranked the fifth most dangerous city. The index scores it low for health and personal security, while infrastructure security is deemed to be the worst out of the 60 cities considered.
Around 117,000 British nationals visit Nigeria each year without any trouble, and many suggest that Lagos is unfairly considered one of the worst cities for terrorist threats. This complicated and cosmopolitan city, has an enduring spirit, making its mark on the international fashion, arts and music scene in recent years. Interesting sights for visitors to the city include the Lekki Market, historical Freedom Park and famed Tafawa Balewa Square where Nigeria celebrated its independence in 1960.
Although Cairo is known for its magnificent Egyptian pyramids and ancient history, the crime rates here are not so appealing. A city known for high income inequality, petty crime is common and the SCI ranks Cairo one of the worst for environmental security. According to the report, there's also a heightened risk of terrorism which, is more likely to occur in religious sites and urban areas, including Cairo, despite heavy security presence.
One of the largest cities on the African continent, Cairo is considered the cultural capital of the Arab world, and its ancient wonders – seen across its archaeological sites and warren-like old town – have made it an appealing place for travellers to go. Everyone travelling to Cairo is advised to be especially cautious when in crowded places and at large gatherings, which can occur during public holidays and festivals.
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Although it is known for being an important cultural, economic and industrial hub, Venezuela's capital ranks third on the most dangerous list due to the severe level of crime. The index ranks levels of both petty and violent crime intolerable, explained by Caracas' high murder rate – an estimated 53 deaths per 100,000 people occur here. Both the US and the UK advise against essential travel to Caracas, and Venezuela generally, due to the high prevalence of crime.
Few foreign visitors come to Caracas, but its scenic mountain location, some 3,000 feet (900m) above sea level and approximately 20 miles (32km) from the Caribbean coast, make for a dramatic setting. It also plays host to some striking historical buildings such as the National Pantheon, dedicated to the city’s founder, Simón Bolívar.
Taking the second spot for the most dangerous city is Karachi, the capital of the Sindh province in southern Pakistan. Although security has improved in Pakistan in recent years, there are still serious issues of income inequality, sectarian violence and terrorism. The FCDO and US Department of State advise against all but essential travel to the region, with kidnap and attempted terrorist attacks (especially towards Westerners) deemed very likely in key cities. The city is rated worst for personal security with a score of only 33.3 points.
Pakistan's largest city, Karachi was once a major port on the Indus River in British India and today, it has a blend of eastern- and western-style architecture, from the Mohatta Palace Museum – known for its pink jodhpur structure – to the Venetian-Gothic Frere Hall (pictured). The UNESCO-listed Chaukhandi graveyard, which contains the tombs of 17th and 18th century Saloch warriors, can be found 25 miles (40km) east of the city.
The capital of Myanmar reached crisis point in February 2021, when a coup took place, and the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency and assumed control. It's not surprising then that in 2021, the city was ranked as the world’s most dangerous, scoring just 39.5 out of a possible 100 points. Prevalence of violent crime is to blame, with clashes expected to continue as protests and demonstrations against military rule occur. The UK Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Myanmar in 2021 while the US Department of State ordered some non-essential diplomats to leave the country.
Before the civil unrest, Myanmar had started to make huge improvements to its political situation after new government reforms marked an end to 60 years of authoritarian rule. After 2010, Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, became an emerging international city and commercial hub. Travellers were drawn to the city to see the Buddhist sculptures and temples, including the golden Shwedagon Pagoda (pictured), plus the high concentration of Victorian and Edwardian buildings constructed after the British colonised the region.