Traveling alone raises important questions: Is it safe to arrive at night? What is the crime rate? Are single-occupancy room rates affordable? Is the tour worth the cost? Each destination and experience is unique. Backpacking through New Zealand differs greatly from traveling around Colombia by bus. However, some destinations are known for being both safe and affordable for solo travellers.
Taipei, Taiwan, was recently named the best city for solo travel by Ubuy, a US-based retailer. They evaluated over 300 cities based on key metrics such as safety index, meal costs, walkability score, and the number of attractions listed on Tripadvisor.
Here are some of the most affordable and safest destinations for solo travellers:
Taipei stood out with a high safety score of 84.5 out of 100 and budget-friendly dining options. According to Ubuy, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Taipei averages USD 6.17 (INR 515), and a bottle of water costs USD 0.71 (INR 14). Solo travelers can expect to pay around USD 86 (INR 7,181) on average for a single-occupancy hotel room with a view, which is quite a deal compared to the USD 221 (INR 18,454) average rate in Abu Dhabi for similar accommodations.
Taipei also scored high on walkability with a score of 86 out of 100, and its composite score was 95.7 out of 100.
Following Taipei was Hong Kong, which received a perfect walkability score of 100 but was more expensive. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Hong Kong costs around USD 8.83 (INR 699), and a hotel room with a view averages about USD 142 (INR 11,857) per night.
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Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha, Qatar, ranked third and fourth, respectively. Munich, Germany, was the first non-Asian city on the list, ranking fifth.
Ubuy also noted that solo travelers seeking an affordable vacation should consider Muscat, Oman, which offers the most budget-friendly options for both meals and hotel stays. In Muscat, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant averages USD 5.20 (INR 434), and a hotel with a view averages USD 51 (INR 4,258) per night.
The full list is as follows:
- Taipei, Taiwan – Composite Score: 95.7
- Hong Kong – Composite Score: 92.0
- Abu Dhabi, UAE – Composite Score: 90.8
- Doha, Qatar – Composite Score: 89.5
- Munich, Germany – Composite Score: 88.1
- Luxembourg, Luxembourg – Composite Score: 87.0
- Helsinki, Finland – Composite Score: 82.7
- Muscat, Oman – Composite Score: 79.8