Safest Countries to Live Abroad in 2026
Safety should never be compromised when choosing a country to live in. Whether you're concerned about petty crime, violent crime, or political instability, these countries consistently rank at the top of global safety indexes — while still offering affordable living costs.
Take the full quiz →27 countries matched
1
Portugal
90%Lisbon · Portuguese
Cost/mo
$870
Rent/mo
$1.1k
Safety
9/10
English: High160 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
D7 Passive Income VisaDigital Nomad Visa (D8)
- EU access
- English widely spoken
2
Japan
90%Tokyo · Japanese
Cost/mo
$840
Rent/mo
$870
Safety
9/10
English: Low200 Mbps
Visa-free 90 days (many)Working Holiday (select countries)
- Safest country in the world
- Ultra-fast internet
3
Austria
81%Vienna · German
Cost/mo
$960
Rent/mo
$1.1k
Safety
9/10
English: High100 MbpsPR available
Schengen 90-dayRed-White-Red Card (skilled workers)
- World's most livable city (Vienna, consistently #1)
- EU + Schengen
4
New Zealand
81%Wellington · English / Māori
Cost/mo
$1.0k
Rent/mo
$1.3k
Safety
9/10
English: High140 MbpsBeachPR available
NZeTA (electronic visa waiver)Working Holiday Visa
- Some of the world's most stunning nature
- Safe and peaceful (no nuclear weapons policy)
5
Switzerland
70%Bern · German / French / Italian
Cost/mo
$1.8k
Rent/mo
$2.1k
Safety
9/10
English: High200 MbpsLow taxPR available
Schengen-area 90-dayL Permit (short-term work)
- Top 3 highest quality of life globally
- Low effective tax rates (lump-sum option)
6
Singapore
69%Singapore · English / Mandarin / Malay / Tamil
Cost/mo
$1.1k
Rent/mo
$2.4k
Safety
9/10
English: High260 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
Employment PassEntrePass (entrepreneurs)
- Safest country in Asia (world-class)
- World's fastest internet
7
Ireland
69%Dublin · English / Irish
Cost/mo
$1.2k
Rent/mo
$2.1k
Safety
9/10
English: High110 MbpsLow taxPR available
EU Freedom of MovementCritical Skills Employment Permit
- 12.5% corporate tax (lowest in EU)
- English-speaking EU country
8
Romania
93%Bucharest · Romanian
Cost/mo
$590
Rent/mo
$560
Safety
8/10
English: Medium115 MbpsPR available
Schengen 90-dayTemporary Residence
- EU member
- Very affordable
9
Bulgaria
93%Sofia · Bulgarian
Cost/mo
$560
Rent/mo
$520
Safety
8/10
English: Medium100 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
Schengen 90-day (Schengen joining 2024)Long-term Residence Permit
- Flat 10% income tax (lowest in EU)
- EU member (Schengen from 2024)
10
Taiwan
92%Taipei · Mandarin Chinese
Cost/mo
$825
Rent/mo
$700
Safety
8/10
English: Medium300 MbpsBeachLow tax
Visa-free 90 days (most Western passports)Gold Card (3-yr work/residence)
- World's fastest internet (300+ Mbps avg)
- Very safe
11
Hungary
91%Budapest · Hungarian
Cost/mo
$690
Rent/mo
$750
Safety
8/10
English: Medium100 MbpsLow taxPR available
Schengen 90-dayResidence Permit
- Flat 15% income tax
- Beautiful Budapest
12
Malaysia
91%Kuala Lumpur · Malay / English
Cost/mo
$620
Rent/mo
$600
Safety
8/10
English: High60 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
Visa-free 90 daysMM2H Long-Term Program
- English widely spoken
- Modern infrastructure
13
Poland
91%Warsaw · Polish
Cost/mo
$740
Rent/mo
$790
Safety
8/10
English: Medium120 MbpsPR available
Schengen 90-dayTemporary Residence
- EU member
- Fast-growing economy
14
Croatia
91%Zagreb · Croatian
Cost/mo
$720
Rent/mo
$780
Safety
8/10
English: High100 MbpsBeachPR available
Digital Nomad Residence Permit (1 yr)Temporary Residence
- Stunning Adriatic coastline
- EU + Schengen member
15
Spain
88%Madrid · Spanish
Cost/mo
$830
Rent/mo
$1.1k
Safety
8/10
English: Medium200 MbpsBeachPR available
Digital Nomad VisaNon-Lucrative Visa
- Excellent lifestyle
- Great food and culture
16
Estonia
88%Tallinn · Estonian
Cost/mo
$870
Rent/mo
$860
Safety
8/10
English: High130 MbpsPR available
Digital Nomad Visa (D-Visa 1 yr)EU Long-term Residence
- World's most digital country
- Official Digital Nomad Visa
17
Italy
88%Rome · Italian
Cost/mo
$950
Rent/mo
$1.0k
Safety
8/10
English: Medium85 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
EU Freedom of MovementElective Residency Visa
- World-class food and wine
- Stunning art and history
18
South Korea
88%Seoul · Korean
Cost/mo
$950
Rent/mo
$750
Safety
8/10
English: Medium280 MbpsBeachLow tax
K-ETA + Visa-free 90 days (most)D-1 Culture Arts Visa
- World's fastest internet
- Ultra-safe
19
Czech Republic
87%Prague · Czech
Cost/mo
$800
Rent/mo
$920
Safety
8/10
English: Medium120 MbpsPR available
Schengen 90-dayLong-term Residence
- Prague — one of Europe's most beautiful cities
- EU + Schengen
20
Greece
87%Athens · Greek
Cost/mo
$850
Rent/mo
$780
Safety
8/10
English: High80 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
Digital Nomad Visa (1 yr, extendable)EU citizen (free movement)
- Digital Nomad Visa with 50% income tax reduction
- Mediterranean climate 300 days of sun
21
Cyprus
87%Nicosia · Greek / English
Cost/mo
$910
Rent/mo
$950
Safety
8/10
English: High100 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
EU citizen (free movement)Digital Nomad Visa
- 12.5% corporate tax — lowest in EU
- 340 sunny days per year
22
France
78%Paris · French
Cost/mo
$1.1k
Rent/mo
$1.1k
Safety
8/10
English: Medium100 MbpsBeachPR available
EU Freedom of MovementTalent Passport
- World-renowned culture and cuisine
- Excellent healthcare (top-ranked)
23
Germany
72%Berlin · German
Cost/mo
$1.1k
Rent/mo
$1.2k
Safety
8/10
English: High90 MbpsPR available
EU Freedom of MovementJob Seeker Visa
- Strongest EU economy
- Excellent healthcare and education
24
Canada
72%Ottawa · English / French
Cost/mo
$1.0k
Rent/mo
$1.4k
Safety
8/10
English: High95 MbpsPR available
Express Entry (skilled workers)Provincial Nominee Program
- World-class immigration pathways
- Multicultural and welcoming
25
UAE (Dubai)
67%Abu Dhabi · Arabic / English
Cost/mo
$1.1k
Rent/mo
$1.9k
Safety
8/10
English: High200 MbpsBeachLow tax
Freelancer/Remote Work Visa (1 yr)Golden Visa (10 yrs)
- Zero income tax
- World-class infrastructure
26
United Kingdom
67%London · English
Cost/mo
$1.1k
Rent/mo
$1.6k
Safety
8/10
English: High105 MbpsPR available
Skilled Worker VisaGlobal Talent Visa
- Global financial hub (London)
- English-speaking
27
Netherlands
67%Amsterdam · Dutch (English widely spoken)
Cost/mo
$1.2k
Rent/mo
$1.5k
Safety
8/10
English: High125 MbpsBeachLow taxPR available
EU Freedom of MovementHighly Skilled Migrant Permit
- English spoken everywhere
- 30% ruling — huge tax break for expats
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