TOKYO, Japan
The most populous (13.3 million) city in the world is also the safest. It ranks first in digital security, and in the top five for personal safety and infrastructure despite the huge population and earthquakes.
SINGAPORE
With crimes like burglary and theft at a decades-long low, Singapore is numero uno in overall personal safety. This could be because of the tough penalties for all crimes. It also has the second-lowest murder rate in the world, excluding Palau and Monaco.
OSAKA, Japan
Population: 2.6 million. The city is second in personal safety and sixth in health security. It ranks lower in digital security than Tokyo as it has fewer cyber security teams and privacy policies.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden
Population: 909,000. The only non-Asian city to hold fifth rank in personal safety, seventh in digital security and 10th in health security, with universal healthcare.
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands
Known for its legal marijuana, Amsterdam with 820,000 people ranks in the top 10 for personal safety. In infrastructure safety, it’s fourth with less car accidents and vehicular pollution.
SYDNEY, Australia
Population: 4.5 million. Ranks in the top 10 for both infrastructure security and personal safety. It, however, lags behind in digital and health security, ranking 14th and 17th, respectively.
ZURICH, Switzerland
Its excellent universal health coverage and well-designed transport systems rank Zurich the highest in the categories of health safety and infrastructure security.
TORONTO, Canada
Canada’s most populous city is the best city to live in terms of safety, business environment, democracy, food security, cost of living, and livability. It also ranks among the top 10 in the categories of infrastructure safety and personal safety.
MELBOURNE, Australia
Population: 4 million. Second-safest in terms of infrastructure and eighth in the category of personal safety. Melbourne has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, at 86 years.
NEW YORK, United States
The only US city to make it to the top 10 safest cities. Second in health security and third in digital safety. It has come a long way since 1990, when an average of six homicides occurred every day.
Source: The Economist’s Safe Index 2015. (Ranks based on digital security, health security, infrastructure, personal safety.)