Far from Grim up North — Helsinki
While the Finnish capital only shares rank 30 out of 230 with another Nordic city — that is, Oslo — when it comes to the overall quality of life, it ranks among the global top five for safety. The German Foreign Office doesn’t issue any specific travel warning for the entire country, and Helsinki isn’t much of an exception.
Finland’s largest city merely has a population of 630,000 and a comparatively low population density of 2,930 residents per km/2. (By the way, it’s over 4,500 per km/2 in Munich and a staggering 14,070 in London.) This factor might contribute to a more relaxed and less conflict-ridden way of life.
Of course, Helsinki is not a (pretty icy) paradise. Travelers and expats should take heed of aggressive beggars, petty theft, and drunken party-goers looking for a fight. I guess the latter simply cannot hold their vodka. Additionally, the changing of the seasons is an actual risk for those unused to the climate.
In summer, the famous “white nights” with their long daylight hours are lots of fun, but never forget that winter is coming. And it’s usually very long and very cold. Even if you don’t suffer from seasonal depression or vitamin D deficiency, you might join some other winter “casualties” if you’re not careful. Helsinki’s slippery sidewalks and rooftop avalanches cause several accidents every year.
Austrian Gemütlichkeit — Vienna
As mentioned above, Vienna comes out on top of the Mercer Quality of Living ranking for the third year running. But it’s not just international managers and foreign assignees that enjoy the charms of the cozy capital: according to the most recent “Eurobarometer”, a 2015 study organized by the European Commission, 96% of local residents are satisfied or even very satisfied with their home town.
With regard to personal safety, the city is not far behind, on a very respectable fifth place. Again, this doesn’t mean that life is all beer and skittles (or Gewürztraminer wine and Sacher cake): as a solo female traveler, I preferred to avoid the public parks after dark, even parts of the celebrated Prater, and I’ve heard from friends who had trouble shaking off some very creepy panhandlers.
However, such issues don’t affect everyday life in Vienna very much. The most careful expats can always check out the onlineVienna Crime Mapbefore settling in a particular neighborhood. Just take care when you leave the city for a mini-break in the Alps. Accident-prone hikers and wintersports enthusiasts often underestimate the very real risks of mountaineering.
The following five cities round out the top ten of the safety ranking: Geneva (6), Stockholm (also on 6), Singapore (8), Auckland and Wellington (both tied on place 9).
