The safest cities to move to
Safety is the one variable most people will not trade away. This ranking weights it at maximum and lets cost fall where it may — which is informative in itself.
The ranking
| # | City | Match | Monthly cost | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 85% | $3,676 | Safety scores 94/100Healthcare scores 92/100Family friendliness scores 86/100Getting around scores 93/100No remote-work visa route |
| 2 | Stockholm Sweden | 83% | $2,723 | Safety scores 84/100Healthcare scores 88/100Family friendliness scores 94/100English usability scores 96/100No remote-work visa route |
| 3 | Copenhagen Denmark | 83% | $3,274 | Safety scores 88/100Healthcare scores 90/100Family friendliness scores 92/100English usability scores 94/100No remote-work visa route |
| 4 | Dubai United Arab Emirates | 80% | $3,417 | Safety scores 88/100Healthcare scores 80/100Family friendliness scores 76/100English usability scores 88/100 |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates | 79% | $2,960 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 80/100Family friendliness scores 80/100English usability scores 86/100 |
| 6 | Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR | 79% | $3,435 | Safety scores 86/100Healthcare scores 84/100Getting around scores 96/100No remote-work visa route |
| 7 | Valencia Spain | 79% | $1,912 | Safety scores 80/100Healthcare scores 84/100Family friendliness scores 84/100Getting around scores 83/100 |
| 8 | Tokyo Japan | 78% | $2,588 | Safety scores 94/100Healthcare scores 88/100Family friendliness scores 84/100Getting around scores 94/100 |
| 9 | Osaka Japan | 77% | $2,202 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 86/100Family friendliness scores 82/100Getting around scores 91/100 |
| 10 | Tallinn Estonia | 77% | $1,840 | Safety scores 84/100Healthcare scores 76/100Family friendliness scores 84/100Getting around scores 82/100 |
| 11 | Melbourne Australia | 76% | $3,119 | Healthcare scores 88/100Family friendliness scores 84/100English usability scores 100/100No remote-work visa route |
| 12 | Seoul South Korea | 76% | $2,363 | Safety scores 86/100Healthcare scores 88/100Family friendliness scores 80/100Getting around scores 93/100 |
| 13 | Amsterdam Netherlands | 76% | $3,440 | Safety scores 76/100Healthcare scores 86/100Family friendliness scores 80/100English usability scores 96/100No remote-work visa route |
| 14 | Doha Qatar | 76% | $2,777 | Safety scores 92/100Healthcare scores 78/100Family friendliness scores 76/100English usability scores 80/100No remote-work visa route |
| 15 | Toronto Canada | 76% | $3,435 | Safety scores 76/100Healthcare scores 84/100Family friendliness scores 82/100English usability scores 98/100No remote-work visa route |
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.
Zero income tax and a remote-work visa; housing, schooling and the car you will need eat most of the tax saving.
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 safest cities to move to 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 (Safety score; Healthcare; Family friendliness; Total monthly cost), 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 safest cities to move to?
Singapore, Singapore, with a 85% 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.