Safest cities in Macao
1 city with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in MacaoAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Macao, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Crime
- Protecting your belongingsCrime levels are low but pickpocketing and other street crime does happen. You should take particular care of:
Laws and cultural differences
- Safeguarding National Security LawYou could face criminal charges if you take part in activities that the authorities believe threaten national security. This includes activities in and outside the Macao SAR, including in the UK. The Safeguarding National Security Law (NSL) outlines the types of activities that are illegal, such as preparing for or carrying out treason, secession…
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesDo not become involved with drugs. Possession of drugs can lead to imprisonment.
- Taking photos in secure areasDo not take photos of military installations.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Macao, see information on driving abroad.
- Car hireSome car hire companies have additional requirements, such as at least a year of driving experience and a minimum age of 21.
- Unlicensed taxisUber is illegal in Macao. The Macao police will take action against drivers and passengers of unlicensed taxi services, including Uber.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- TyphoonsTyphoon season normally runs from May to November. Typhoons very occasionally hit Macao and could cause flooding and landslides. Public offices will shut down when the ‘Typhoon 8’ signal is issued. Be aware of local warning signals issued in advance and follow advice issued by the local authorities.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Macao, updated 2025-12-11 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.14 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- no data
- Human development
- no data
- Income
- $125,630/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- no dataWHO
- Political stability
- 84/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 72/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- no dataTransparency Intl · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- no dataEU INFORM · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- no dataGIWPS · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- no dataPM2.5 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 100%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.6 doctors /1k5.3 hospital beds per 1,000
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Macao (as of 2025).
How Macao compares
| Measure | Macao | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.1 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −2.2 /100k — better for Macao |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 35.2 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | no data | 0.763 | — |
| Road deaths | no data | 15.4 /100k | — |
| Rule of law | 72/100 | 52/100 | +20/100 — better for Macao |
| Corruption perceptions | no data | 39/100 | — |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | no data | 19.7 µg/m³ | — |
| Natural-hazard risk | no data | 3.8/10 | — |
| Measure | Macao | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.1 /100k | 1.8 /100k | −1.6 /100k — better for Macao |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 33.5 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | no data | 0.766 | — |
| Road deaths | no data | 15.1 /100k | — |
| Rule of law | 72/100 | 52/100 | +20/100 — better for Macao |
| Corruption perceptions | no data | 35/100 | — |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | no data | 27.6 µg/m³ | — |
| Natural-hazard risk | no data | 3.7/10 | — |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 1 cities, safest first
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