Chiang Mai Is Safest City in Southeast Asia for 2025
Chiang Mai is the safest city in Southeast Asia in 2025, according to the Safety Index published by Numbeo. With a score of 78.2, Chiang Mai surpassed Singapore, which earned 77.4, in what many consider a symbolic shift in regional perceptions of safety and quality of life.
Top Five Safest Cities in Southeast Asia 2025
A concise view of the 2025 Safety Index scores for leading cities in the region
Safest Cities in Southeast Asia by Safety Index score for 2025
This recognition comes at a significant moment for Northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is loved for its cultural heritage, mountainous landscapes, and appeal as both a tourist destination and a residential hub for expatriates, entrepreneurs, and retirees. Its emergence as the region’s safety leader adds a new layer of credibility to the city’s growing international profile.
Regional Rankings and Thailand’s Position
The 2025 Safety Index places Chiang Mai first in Southeast Asia with a score of 78.2, followed closely by Singapore at 77.4. Hanoi, with 65.9, ranks third. Bangkok, Thailand’s bustling capital, scored 60.7 to secure fourth place, while Pattaya followed in fifth with 53.9 (Travel + Leisure Asia).
Other cities in the region trailed behind. Ho Chi Minh City scored 48.5, Jakarta 47.3, Kuala Lumpur 39.5, and Manila 35.5. The distribution of scores reflects a wide disparity in how Southeast Asian urban centers balance rapid growth with stability, security, and livability.
Thailand’s strong representation, with three cities in the top five, reinforces the country’s rising prominence as a destination where safety is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset.
What the Index Measures
The Numbeo Safety Index is based on perceptions of residents and long-term visitors. Respondents assess their sense of safety walking alone during the day and at night, the perceived risk of various crimes, and overall confidence in law enforcement. While perception-based, the index is widely used as an indicator of urban quality of life because it captures the lived experiences of those who inhabit or regularly interact with these cities.
For Chiang Mai, a city often described as a slower, more livable counterpart to Bangkok, the results validate a reputation for being secure, approachable, and welcoming. It builds on a wider pattern of recognition, as highlighted in our feature on Chiang Mai being voted Best City in Asia.
How CMBN Members Can Use This Ranking
Turn a civic milestone into measurable outcomes
Promote safety in your brand story
Add the ranking to websites proposals and newsletters. For tourism and hospitality teams start with these tourism data insights.
Win events and partnerships
Use the ranking in bids and outreach to event planners. Map your offer to the local MICE ecosystem and this overview of why the city is a rising choice in Asia read the MICE guide.
Safety is not only a matter of statistics. It has direct consequences for business development, investment, and long-term community growth.
For the tourism sector, international travelers consistently identify safety as one of their top decision-making factors. Chiang Mai’s position at the top of the regional list provides operators with a powerful, data-backed message to integrate into destination marketing campaigns. This is particularly relevant given the city’s growing role as a rising MICE destination in Asia, where safety perceptions influence both event organizers and delegates.
For investors, entrepreneurs, and companies considering expansion in Southeast Asia, safety is often viewed as a critical risk-mitigation measure. Chiang Mai’s ranking places it among the most attractive destinations for businesses seeking a secure and stable base with access to regional markets. Related insights into reasons to start a business in Chiang Mai illustrate how safety complements affordability, infrastructure, and connectivity in the city’s competitive positioning.
For residents, including families and a growing population of international retirees and remote workers, the recognition reinforces Chiang Mai’s reputation as a city where quality of life is supported by tangible assurances of safety. This is particularly relevant in the global competition among cities to attract mobile talent, as we explored in our coverage of co-working spaces in Chiang Mai.
Beyond the Numbers
Chiang Mai’s ranking is a powerful endorsement, but it should not lead to complacency. Safety is multidimensional, extending beyond crime to include traffic, infrastructure, public health, and environmental resilience. Continued progress will depend on collaboration between local authorities, community groups, and businesses.
For the private sector, there are clear opportunities to contribute. Companies can help create safer workplaces and public spaces, support sustainability initiatives, and foster inclusivity. Integrating safety into broader strategies for sustainable business practices will strengthen both community wellbeing and brand reputation.
Looking Ahead
Being named Southeast Asia’s safest city in 2025 is both a milestone and a call to action. It positions Chiang Mai not only as a tourism hub but also as a secure base for MICE investment, real estate, education, and technology.
For business leaders, the message is clear: leverage this global recognition in your growth strategies. Whether through destination marketing, attracting new talent, or building international partnerships, Chiang Mai’s safety ranking offers a competitive advantage that should be actively promoted.
As the city expands its role on the regional stage, safety will remain central to its identity. With the right mix of cultural strength, economic opportunity, and everyday security, Chiang Mai is setting a benchmark for what modern urban centers in Southeast Asia can achieve.
