Illustration of the atmosphere in the city of Jakarta

YOGYAKARTA - For tourists, it is very important to ensure the level of security of the city they are going to as a holiday destination. Reports on the security index of a city often become a reference for determining the destination chosen by tourists.

In the Southeast Asian region, Singapore is one of the safest cities for tourists to visit. Referring to the Global Residence Index report as of January 16, 2026, Singapore is the safest city in Southeast Asia 2026 and ranks 7th globally.

It is worth noting that the Global Residence Index is a consulting firm that provides security, quality of life, and health system analysis to help investors choose new residential locations.

The report on the list of safest cities published by the agency not only looks at low crime rates, but also considers other factors such as stability, risk levels, and overall public safety.

List of Safest Cities in Southeast Asia

Based on the Global Residence Index report of January 16, 2026, Singapore ranks first on the list of the safest cities in Southeast Asia 2026 with a security index of 0.90.

Singapore has long been known for its strict legal system, sophisticated surveillance, and very low level of criminality.

The second position on the list was occupied by Jakarta with a score of 0.72. This achievement shows a significant improvement in the perception of security in the Indonesian capital. Various efforts such as surveillance digitization, improvement of public facilities, and city planning have contributed greatly to this result.

Meanwhile, Bangkok is in third place with a score of 0.65. This city remains a favorite destination for world tourists, although its security level is still below Jakarta. Followed by Vientiane (0.61) and Hanoi (0.60) which also show fairly good security stability.

Here is the complete list of the safest cities in Southeast Asia 2026:

Singapore, Singapore — 0.90 Jakarta, Indonesia — 0.72 Bangkok, Thailand — 0.65 Vientiane, Laos — 0.61 Hanoi, Vietnam — 0.60 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — 0.57 Phuket, Thailand — 0.57 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — 0.56 Phnom Penh, Cambodia — 0.55 Manila, Philippines — 0.41

The Global Residence Index report for January 2026 shows that cities in the Southeast Asian region managed to record quite good performance in terms of security.

Security factors no longer depend solely on physical development, but also on the effectiveness of security systems, social stability, and the quality of public services that continue to be improved.