We’re going to unveil the list in little more than a paragraph, so if you’d prefer a slower reveal, to jump down the page. Otherwise, here we go.
From top to bottom the 15 safest cities are:
1. Reykjavik
2. Copenhagen
3. Montreal
4. Amsterdam
5. Seoul
6. Singapore
7. Tokyo
8. Berlin
9. London
10. Sydney
11. Barcelona
12. Honolulu
13. Rome
14. Dubai
15. Paris
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD’S SAFEST CITIES RESEARCH
Methodology
We started with readily available lists of the most popular international and domestic cities for travelers, culled from Expedia, American Express and other sources. That gave us a list of 29 cities for survey respondents to rank.
As part of the survey process we ask our survey respondents if they’ve actually visited any of these cities, and only travelers who have actually been to the cities are allowed to rank them on a variety of safety measures, using their first-hand knowledge as a yardstick.
To the survey ratings we added the most recent safe-cities index from The Economist, city ratings from GeoSure Global, and the Current Crime Index from Numbeo, and weighted everything to get a final result.
Caveat
These ratings look back to give a picture of what’s happening now. They can’t give you a safety rating into the future, but can be your safety compass when planning.
If you use this as a guide, understand how we got here, and pay attention to the headlines you should be fine.
Okay, let’s learn a little more about the safest cities
THE TOP 15 SAFEST CITIES IN THE WORLD
1. Reykjavik
Last Year’s Ranking: Not Ranked
Survey Score: 76.0
Overall Score: 76.6
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
One of the best things about doing these rankings year after year is that we know how to spell “Reykjavik” now, because it’s been on our list two out of the last three years. And the fact that there’s so little variation between the survey score and the overall score tells you that all sources agree on Reykjavik’s safety (and its spelling).
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Closing time. According to the State Department, Reykjavik can get a little rowdy when the bars close
2. Copenhagen
Last Year’s Ranking: Not Ranked
Survey Score: 71.6
Overall Score: 74.6
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Copenhagen is one of GeoSure’s top-rated cities for overall safety. It’s a beautiful, placid Scandinavian capital with a gorgeous harbor area and the timeless Tivoli amusement park.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Drugs. According to the State Department, “Freetown Christiania, located in the Christianshavn area of Copenhagen, is known for illicit drug activity. Drug enforcement efforts have resulted in clashes between the police and Christiania residents.”
3. Montreal
Last Year’s Ranking: 1
Survey Score: 71.3
Overall Score: 73.7
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Less than a point separates Copenhagen and Montreal, which should give you an idea of Montreal’s relative safety. It’s one of The Economist’s top picks for safest cities, coming in just a tick behind … you guessed it: Copenhagen.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Firearms. You’re not allowed to bring firearms into Canada without the appropriate paperwork, including a Temporary Firearms Borrowing License. The Canadian Firearms Program website has the details.
4. Amsterdam
Last Year’s Ranking: 2
Survey Score: 75.6
Overall Score: 73.2
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Survey respondents love Amsterdam. Who doesn’t? Numbeo, which gave Amsterdam the lowest score of any top-five city.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Bicyclists. Cyclists pedal around Amsterdam year-round, in all types of weather, and when the weather turns icy, as it often does in winter, cyclists are apt to skid out in front of cars without warning.
5. Seoul
Last Year’s Ranking: 15
Survey Score: 70.0
Overall Score: 69.4
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Survey respondents liked Seoul much better than they did in 2022, when the city only mustered a survey score of 55 from respondents.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Demonstrations. According to the State Department, demonstrations are frequent in Seoul and can sometimes turn violent. The Halloween 2022 stampede is an example of what can happen when crowds get out of hand in Seoul.
Subscribing to the STEP program can help you be informed of protests, so you can head the other way.
6. Singapore
Last Year’s Ranking: 4
Survey Score: 62.7
Overall Score: 68.6
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
High scores from GeoSure, Numbeo, and The Economist. Outside sources think more highly of Singapore’s safety than American travelers.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Crimes that aren’t crimes elsewhere. Jaywalking, littering, and spitting are all arrest able crimes in Singapore. Justice is fast and sometimes harsh – and caning is still a form of punishment.
7. Tokyo
Last Year’s Ranking: 3
Survey Score: 61.6
Overall Score: 68.3
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Just like Japan in our Safest Countries ratings, Tokyo receives low scores from American travelers for some reason, but significantly higher scores from other sources.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Driving under the influence. According to the State Department, “The blood-alcohol limit in Japan is 0.03%. Punishments can be up to $10,000 in fines and up to five years in prison
8. Berlin
Last Year’s Ranking: 9
Survey Score: 65.5
Overall Score: 67.1
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Once again, Numbeo does not show Berlin any love, ranking it below Ankara, Moscow, and Bangkok. Everyone else thinks it’s safe, however.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Drunken skinheads, according to the State Department. If they’re going to attack anyone, it’s going to be people perceived as Americans, late at night on dark streets. Protect yourself by sticking to main streets and not traveling alone, especially at night.
9. London
Last Year’s Ranking: 6
Survey Score: 67.7
Overall Score: 67.045
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
There seems to be numerical consensus on London’s safety, but that’s misleading. Numbeo says it’s less safe than Algiers or Medellin. GeoSure says it’s quite safe, however.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Traffic – and looking both ways before crossing a street. Americans tend to look the wrong way before crossing, and British drivers don’t always stop for pedestrians.
10. Sydney
Last Year’s Ranking: Not Ranked
Survey Score: 61.1
Overall Score: 67.03
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Talk about close: One one-hundredth of a point separated London and Sydney. As for the latter, there’s consensus on the city’s safety from all sources – and why not? Sydney has a well-earned reputation for being as safe as it is beautiful.
11. Barcelona
Last Year’s Ranking: 7
Survey Score: 65.0
Overall Score: 66.6
WHY IT’S RANKED HIGHLY
Numbeo says Barcelona is about as safe as Dublin, which sounds right until you see that both cities are ranked below Kharkiv, Ukraine. That’s when you realize the Numbeo index measures crime specifically, not overall safety.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR
Drinking in the street. Per the State Department, “Most cities in Spain have banned the consumption of alcohol in the street, other than in registered street cafes and bars. You could be arrested or fined if you break the law.
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