7 of the safest counties in the world is in Europe

By Kristin Mariano On Sep 18, 2023

Guest Contributor

Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TDM, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly

Europe is home to seven of the safest countries in the world, according to a global report. The experts at William Russell analysed metrics like personal safety, public health, and digital security to reveal the safest countries for expats to live and work in 2023.

The top 10 safest countries for expats

Rank	Country	Overall Safety Score
1	Iceland	1.124
2	Denmark	1.310
3	Ireland	1.312
4	New Zealand	1.313
5	Austria	1.316
6	Singapore	1.332
7	Portugal	1.333
8	Slovenia	1.334
9	Japan	1.336
10	Switzerland	1.339

Iceland is the safest country for expats to live and work in, with an overall safety score of 1.124. The public health system in Iceland is mainly paid for by taxes and a large portion of government spending is assigned to this. Iceland is also very accepting of the rights of others. In a study conducted by the Williams Institute at UCLA School Of Law in 2019, Iceland received a score of 9.78, meaning that it ranked in first place for the social acceptance of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people.

Denmark is the second safest country, receiving an overall safety score of 1.310. Crime within the country is kept to a minimum, and around 10.4% of the country’s GDP is spent on healthcare, financed through local taxation. The country also has a very high rate of child vaccination coverage, standing at 90%.

Ireland is third, receiving an overall safety score of 1.312. According to data collected by OECD, Ireland outperforms the average in many areas, including jobs, health, safety and life satisfaction. Two of Ireland’s major cities, Dublin and Cork, are participating in Mission Cities, which aims to create at least 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by the year 2030.

The UK is the 37th safest country in the world, missing out on the top 10 by a fair amount, with an overall safety score of 1.693.

Expat insurance expert at William Russell, Willam Cooper shares his 5 tips for expats looking to move abroad in 2023:

Do your research – it’s really important that you get a good understanding of your destination before your arrival, including any potential risks and how you can either avoid or minimise the impact of them.
Be aware of different cultures – to avoid putting yourself in tricky or awkward situations, it’s a good idea to become acquainted with any cultural sensitivities in the country that you are visiting.
Be safe and secure – before heading out, make sure that all of your windows and doors are locked, and any valuables or possessions aren’t on show.
Make sure you’re medically prepared – some countries require you to have specific vaccinations before arriving at your destination, which may include the COVID-19 vaccine.
Have a safety net in case things go wrong – it is vital that you are prepared and have a backup plan in case something goes wrong whilst you are abroad. This could involve things such as international health insurance, which will allow you to receive private treatment if you fall ill or injure yourself.

William Russell

7 of the safest counties in the world is in Europe

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