If you had to create a pros and cons list titled ‘reasons to move to Dubai’ the pros outweigh the cons by a long shot. World-class entertainment and restaurants, high standards of living, sunshine all year round, fabulous beaches, and a multicultural environment are all grounds for setting up a home in the city of gold without a second thought. But you know what really tips the scales in DXB’s favour? The fact that Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world!
According to a survey by cost of living database Numbeo, Dubai is the 9th safest city in the world out of 468 cities that were polled. The ranking is based on reviews from Dubai residents who provide feedback on their perceptions of how safe the city is to walk around at night, and how worried they are about violent crimes, racial and other discrimination, and thefts.
While Dubai’s the 9th safest city overall, it’s nabbed pretty high rankings across other safety categories too. The city’s been listed as the world’s 3rd safest city for solo female travellers by British travel insurance company InsureMyTrip. Dubai recorded a score of 9.04 based on low crime rates, gender equality, the security women felt navigating the city on their own, dedicated womens’ sections in public transport and the fantastic array of things to do and see in the city that make it a worthwhile vacation.
The fact that Dubai has consistently made it to these safest cities list over the last couple of years is an upshot of the city’s low crime rates. The same Numbeo survey lists Dubai’s crime index as 16.4 which is a measly score in comparison to other global cities such as London’s 53.18, New York City 48.54 and Sydney’s 33.64.
Also see: UAE has one of the most powerful passports in the world
The city’s residents, in fact, have been taking the city’s safe rep a step further with the ultimate litmus test on social media – leaving valuables unattended around Dubai. A risky move you wouldn’t dream of making anywhere else in the world.
In fact, the trust in the city’s safety runs so deep, Secret Dubai’s followers have confessed on Instagram to leaving their houses unlocked and not worrying about it.
Turkmenistani influencer Baymammet Sarybekov (aka BaymaBay) leads the pack when it comes to these #onlyindubai videos. His viral TikTok clip of leaving his wallet on a food court table to reserve it has been blowing up with millions of views and comments backing how ironclad Dubai’s security is.
Check out his video of an unattended phone being charged in a public space inside a mall.
But it was His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai who originally kicked off the ‘Only In Dubai’ trend, sharing a post on social media about a lady who forgot her stroller overnight in a car park overnight only to find it in the exact same spot next morning, untouched.
It’s safe to say the UAE’s safety is top-notch, with other emirates such as Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah making the list too and leading the Middle East.
To see the full list of cities, click here.