What makes Pakistan safer to travel than India
Pakistan's perceived worry about being insulted in public is significantly lower, with a score of 30.85, compared to India's 40.44 in Numbeo's 2025 Global Safety Index
Recently, a global safety ranking has sparked discussions about the travel safety of Pakistan and India.
Notably, Numbeo's 2025 Global Safety Index has placed Pakistan slightly ahead of India. Pakistan holds the 65th position in the index, while India ranks 66th.
This ranking, while showing a marginal difference, is based on crowdsourced data that considers factors such as perceived crime levels, including safety while walking during the day and night, concerns about robbery and assaults, and worries relating to harassment.
Although Numbeo's overall safety index places Pakistan ahead of India, the detailed breakdown of the specific crime perception data paints a more complex picture.
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Why is Pakistan safer to travel than India
According to user-submitted data on the Numbeo 2025 Global Safety Index, one factor contributing to Pakistan's marginally higher safety ranking is the perception that crime has increased less over the past three years compared to India.
The index shows a score of 43.69 for Pakistan in this regard, while India's score is notably higher at 56.51, suggesting a greater perceived increase in criminal activity in India.
Furthermore, the level of worry concerning residential security also favour Pakistan. The worry about having one's home broken into and belongings stolen is lower in Pakistan, with a score of 39.65, compared to India's score of 43.12.
This indicates a slightly greater sense of security regarding property within one's home in Pakistan, according to the users contributing to the index.
In terms of personal safety and the fear of direct harm, Numbeo's data suggests a lower level of worry about being physically attacked by strangers in Pakistan.
The score for this factor is 34.20 in Pakistan, while it is higher in India at 40.99, indicating a potentially greater perceived risk of physical assault in India.
Moreover, the experiences and concerns regarding public interactions also differ. Pakistan's perceived worry about being insulted in public is significantly lower, with a score of 30.85, compared to India's 40.44.
This suggests that users in Pakistan report experiencing or fearing public insults less frequently than those in India.
Finally, the Numbeo data also points to a lower level of concern in Pakistan regarding attacks motivated by discrimination. The worry about being subjected to a physical attack based on factors such as skin colour, ethnic origin, gender, or religion is reported as 22.72 in Pakistan, while it is higher in India at 29.28.
This indicates a potentially lower perceived risk of such discriminatory attacks in Pakistan, according to the data collected by Numbeo.
Areas where India is safer than Pakistan to travel
The Numbeo data also indicates areas where India is perceived as safer. The worry of being mugged or robbed is lower in India at 42.81, compared to Pakistan's higher score of 47.95.
Similarly, concerns about car theft are lower in India at 38.95, while Pakistan's score is 44.25. The worry of having things stolen from a car is also slightly lower in India at 41.28, compared to Pakistan's 43.22.
Additionally, India is perceived as having a lower problem with people using or dealing drugs, with a score of 41.29, compared to Pakistan's 45.81. The problem of violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery is also perceived to be lower in India at 41.67, compared to Pakistan's 48.78.
When assessing personal safety in public spaces, perceptions also differ. The safety of walking alone during daylight is rated higher in India at 71.89 compared to Pakistan's 68.78. Similarly, the safety of walking alone during the night is perceived to be better in India at 49.81 compared to Pakistan's 47.91.
While the Numbeo index provides a comparative snapshot, travellers should conduct thorough research and consider their individual comfort levels before making travel decisions.
Some countries that people often think of as safe, such as the United States and some countries in Europe, are ranked lower than both Pakistan and India in the index.
Global safety indices, such as the Numbeo index, indicate that crime is not geographically restricted. Certain countries, often perceived as relatively safe, did rank lower than Pakistan and India on these indices.
