The cheapest cities that are also safe
Any cost list will hand you cities you would not actually move to. Weighting safety as heavily as cost changes the answer substantially, and the cities that survive both filters are the interesting ones.
The ranking
| # | City | Match | Monthly cost | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 80% | $3,676 | Safety scores 94/100Healthcare scores 92/100Connectivity scores 100/100No remote-work visa route |
| 2 | Stockholm Sweden | 80% | $2,735 | Safety scores 84/100Healthcare scores 88/100English usability scores 96/100No remote-work visa route |
| 3 | Copenhagen Denmark | 79% | $3,261 | Safety scores 88/100Healthcare scores 90/100English usability scores 94/100No remote-work visa route |
| 4 | Valencia Spain | 78% | $1,909 | Safety scores 80/100Affordability scores 79/100Healthcare scores 84/100Getting around scores 83/100 |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates | 77% | $2,960 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 80/100Connectivity scores 96/100 |
| 6 | Dubai United Arab Emirates | 77% | $3,417 | Safety scores 88/100Healthcare scores 80/100Connectivity scores 100/100 |
| 7 | Tokyo Japan | 77% | $2,588 | Safety scores 94/100Healthcare scores 88/100Getting around scores 94/100 |
| 8 | Osaka Japan | 77% | $2,202 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 86/100Getting around scores 91/100 |
| 9 | Tallinn Estonia | 77% | $1,855 | Safety scores 84/100Affordability scores 80/100Healthcare scores 76/100Getting around scores 82/100 |
| 10 | Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR | 76% | $3,435 | Safety scores 86/100Healthcare scores 84/100Getting around scores 96/100No remote-work visa route |
| 11 | Seoul South Korea | 76% | $2,363 | Safety scores 86/100Healthcare scores 88/100Getting around scores 93/100 |
| 12 | Porto Portugal | 75% | $1,927 | Safety scores 80/100Affordability scores 79/100Getting around scores 77/100 |
| 13 | Taipei Taiwan | 75% | $1,747 | Safety scores 88/100Affordability scores 82/100Healthcare scores 86/100Getting around scores 89/100 |
| 14 | Doha Qatar | 75% | $2,777 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 78/100English usability scores 80/100No remote-work visa route |
| 15 | Lisbon Portugal | 75% | $2,425 | Safety scores 78/100Getting around scores 82/100 |
The top five, in detail
Capped childcare fees and universal healthcare make family costs unusually low relative to the headline tax rate.
High taxes buy near-free childcare, healthcare and one of the best cycling cities on earth.
Beach, bike lanes and Barcelona weather at roughly two-thirds the cost — the current value pick of coastal Spain.
Dubai’s tax profile at roughly 20% lower housing cost, with a quieter, more family-oriented and more car-dependent city.
Other guides
Frequently asked
How was this the cheapest cities that are also safe list produced?
It is a calculation, not an opinion. Each of the 70 cities in the dataset is scored 0–100 on ten dimensions, weighted by the criteria for this guide (Total monthly cost; Safety score; Healthcare quality; Air quality via climate fit), and ranked on the weighted average. Cost is scored relative to the rest of the shortlist.
What household does this price?
1 adult, in a 1-bed, city centre, at a moderate lifestyle, without a car. You can change all of that in the live tool.
What is the number one cheapest cities that are also safe?
Singapore, Singapore, with a 80% match and a modelled monthly cost of $3,676 for this household. The best-run city in Asia with low taxes and top-tier healthcare — housing and car ownership are the exceptions.