Top 10 safest cities for digital nomads

The full Top 10

#	City	Safety	Homicides /100k	Score	Monthly cost
1	Singapore Singapore	96	0.17	61.9	$3,860
2	Naha (Okinawa) Japan	94	0.23	67.9	$2,700*
3	Doha Qatar	93	0.07	56.6	$2,808
4	Macau Macau	93	0.14	65.2	no data*
5	Oranjestad Aruba	92	—	66.3	no data*
6	Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei	92	0.8	56.3	no data*
7	Lugano Switzerland	90	0.5	69	$4,000*
8	Port Vila Vanuatu	89	0.33	56.7	no data*
9	Plzeň Czechia	88	0.61	69.7	$1,600*
10	Drammen Norway	88	0.7	65.8	$3,500*

* country-level cost estimate. Lists ranked by overall score put cities with a city-level price first; country-wide estimates only fill a list with fewer than ten. Scores are 0–100 under balanced weights; open a city for every number and its source.

What the data says

These 10 cities are the best of 165 that qualify, with balanced scores from 56 to 70. The 2 with a city-level price run from $2,808 to $3,860 a month for one person. They span Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Europe and Oceania; 2 of the 10 are in countries with a digital-nomad visa.

The ten, one by one

1. 1. Singapore

   Singapore, Singapore: Orderly, expensive, exceptionally connected. It scores 62/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and quality of life and weakest on climate. About $3,860 a month for one person including rent, 52.2 Mbps measured download and 0 of 12 comfortable months.

2. 2. Naha (Okinawa)

   Naha (Okinawa), Japan: Japan's subtropical island capital. It scores 68/100 under balanced weights, best for air quality and safety and weakest on getting there & around. About $2,700 a month on the national estimate, 55.2 Mbps measured download, the Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) and 7 of 12 comfortable months.

3. 3. Doha

   Doha, Qatar: Modern Gulf hub with a metro and no income tax. It scores 57/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and healthcare and weakest on cost of living. About $2,808 a month for one person including rent, 43.5 Mbps measured download and 6 of 12 comfortable months.

4. 4. Macau

   Macau, Macau: Casino city with a Portuguese old town and a tiny footprint. It scores 65/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and internet and weakest on climate. 100.4 Mbps measured download and 5 of 12 comfortable months.

5. 5. Oranjestad

   Oranjestad, Aruba: Dutch Caribbean capital outside the hurricane belt. It scores 66/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and air quality and weakest on getting there & around. 45.5 Mbps measured download and 8 of 12 comfortable months.

6. 6. Bandar Seri Begawan

   Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: Brunei's calm, alcohol-free capital with a water village and rainforest. It scores 56/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and air quality and weakest on climate. 31.1 Mbps measured download and 0 of 12 comfortable months.

7. 7. Lugano

   Lugano, Switzerland: Italian-speaking Switzerland on a lake, an hour from Milan. It scores 69/100 under balanced weights, best for quality of life and healthcare and weakest on cost of living. About $4,000 a month on the national estimate, 99 Mbps measured download and 4 of 12 comfortable months.

8. 8. Port Vila

   Port Vila, Vanuatu: Vanuatu's harbour-side capital: duty-free, cyclone-prone and small. It scores 57/100 under balanced weights, best for air quality and safety and weakest on getting there & around. 8 of 12 comfortable months.

9. 9. Plzeň

   Plzeň, Czechia: The Pilsner brewing city of western Bohemia, cheaper than Prague. It scores 70/100 under balanced weights, best for safety and air quality and weakest on climate. About $1,600 a month on the national estimate, 50.5 Mbps measured download, the Digital Nomad Program (long-term visa for business or other purposes) and 3 of 12 comfortable months.

10. 10. Drammen

    Drammen, Norway: River city 35 min from Oslo, rebuilt around a cleaned-up waterfront. It scores 66/100 under balanced weights, best for quality of life and air quality and weakest on climate. About $3,500 a month on the national estimate, 84.1 Mbps measured download and 1 of 12 comfortable months.

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