Safest cities in Taiwan
15 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in TaiwanAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Taiwan, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Crisis preparedness
- The Taiwanese authorities have provided practical guidance and information (in Chinese), including a booklet, on disaster preparedness and responding to various crises.
Crime
- Crime rates are extremely low in Taiwan. However, travellers are advised to remain vigilant, monitor local media, and follow local law enforcement.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry ID such as a passport. The police will usually accept a printed copy of the photo page.
- Illegal drugs and penaltiesAvoid any involvement with illegal drugs, including cannabis, while in Taiwan. Drug laws are stricter than in the UK. Legal definitions of supply or trafficking may be different from in the UK, including the quantities of drugs involved.
- LGBT+ travellersTaiwan has some of Asia’s most progressive policies on LGBT+ rights, and discrimination on the grounds of gender and gender identity is illegal. Taiwan’s Pride parade, held annually in October, is the largest regular LGBT+ event in Asia, attracting high numbers of participants from the region and internationally.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Taiwan, see information on driving abroad.
- Driving standards and road rulesRoads and vehicles are well-maintained, but scooters and motorcycles often weave in and out of traffic. Be alert when crossing roads as vehicles might not stop at pedestrian crossings.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- TyphoonsThe typhoon season in Taiwan normally runs from May to November. There’s a risk of road blockages and landslides after typhoons, especially in central and southern Taiwan.
- EarthquakesEarthquakes are a risk in Taiwan. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has guidance about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Taiwan, updated 2026-08-28 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.8 /100k2023
- Income inequality
- Gini 33.92023
- Human development
- HDI 0.9262021
- Income
- $72,500/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- no dataWHO
- Political stability
- no dataWGI · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- no dataWGI
- Corruption perceptions
- 68/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- no dataEU INFORM · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.85GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- no dataPM2.5 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- no datahospital beds: no data
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Taiwan (as of 2025).
How Taiwan compares
| Measure | Taiwan | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.8 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.6 /100k — better for Taiwan |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.9 | 35.2 | −1.3 — better for Taiwan |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.926 | 0.763 | +0.163 — better for Taiwan |
| Road deaths | no data | 15.4 /100k | — |
| Rule of law | no data | 52/100 | — |
| Corruption perceptions | 68/100 | 39/100 | +29/100 — better for Taiwan |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | no data | 19.7 µg/m³ | — |
| Natural-hazard risk | no data | 3.8/10 | — |
| Measure | Taiwan | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.8 /100k | 1.8 /100k | −1.0 /100k — better for Taiwan |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.9 | 33.4 | +0.5 — better for Asia median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.926 | 0.766 | +0.160 — better for Taiwan |
| Road deaths | no data | 15.1 /100k | — |
| Rule of law | no data | 52/100 | — |
| Corruption perceptions | 68/100 | 35/100 | +34/100 — better for Taiwan |
| 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 15 cities, safest first
- Hualien81.8 · #1662 worldwide
- Taipei79.0 · #1992 worldwide
- Gonghuakeng79.0 · #1993 worldwide
- Taichung77.0 · #2125 worldwide
- Zhanghua City77.0 · #2126 worldwide
- Yuanlin City77.0 · #2127 worldwide
- Dazhuang77.0 · #2128 worldwide
- Nantou City77.0 · #2129 worldwide
- Tainan76.1 · #2180 worldwide
- Ô-á-liâu / Kezihliao76.1 · #2181 worldwide
- Kaohsiung74.1 · #2943 worldwide
- Pingtung City74.1 · #2944 worldwide
- Hsinchu73.0 · #3103 worldwide
- Toufen73.0 · #3104 worldwide
- Chiayi68.2 · #3624 worldwide