With its fairytale-like castles, charming old-world neighborhoods, and the Mediterranean sunshine, Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, almost feels too good of a place to be real. It's the type of destination you find on wanderlust-inducing social media pages, highlighted in travel magazines, and often featured in movies or on TV. However, despite how dreamy the city is, it remains a real place with real problems. Not the least of which are the crimes. Though it may seem like it, Zagreb isn't exactly the safest city in the world. But according to the current crime rates, it's pretty close!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Roberta F.
The General Crime Rate of Zagreb
So, how safe of a place is Zagreb exactly? As of this writing, the city has a general crime rate of 15.57%, one of the lowest in the world. It's substantially lower than those in other more popular European capital cities. That alone says a lot! Perhaps the reason is that it is a lot less popular than said destinations? It's possible! The common thread among the European capital cities and why their general crime rates are higher than average is that they're well-known around the world. But Zagreb, a pretty underrated city, even its rate of increasing crimes is only 43.46%, just moderate!
Zagreb's Highest-Rated Crimes
Although Zagreb's low general crime rate may make you feel safe in the city, crimes still happen here. For now, the highest-rated is corruption & bribery, both at a combined 68.39%. Considered high on the spectrum, such crimes are common here since it is the central business hub of Croatia. The silver lining, however, is that it's not as violent a crime as the others, though it may affect
your working here if you or your company isn't careful. After them, vandalism & theft both follow as the second-highest rated crime at 27.60%, which is already considered low.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mark Ahsmann
Other Crimes To Watch Out For in Zagreb
Drug dealing comes as the third-highest-rated crime in Zagreb at 25.06%. There's good news and bad news to take here! The good news is that 25.06% is already considered low on the spectrum, making the problem not as big as it may seem. But the bad news is that the fact that it's among the highest-rated crimes in Zagreb means that Europe still has a huge drug problem it needs to address. After that, theft, particularly from one's own car, comes in as the fourth-highest with a rate of 21.00%. Keep this in mind the next time you plan on renting a car in Zagreb!
Walking in Zagreb - How Safe Is It?
With the Croatian capital being the tourist haven that it is, someone may question just how safe it is to walk around here. Don't worry, it is! For now, the safety rate of walking around the
many districts of Zagreb is 93.45% during the day and 80.11% at night. These are actually the highest safety rates among all of the major cities in Europe so that says a lot! You can go anywhere within the city and there's a big chance you can remain safe and return home unscathed. However, it still pays to be careful while you're here!
Tips To Say Safe in Zagreb
It probably goes without saying but always stay aware of your surroundings and of your belongings. Whether you're a tourist or a new resident of Zagreb, the moment you look vulnerable, pickpockets and other deviants will not hesitate to target you. Also, although the safety rate of walking around Zagreb is still high at night, it pays to still have company when you're out. Especially if you're taking
public transport late at night. If you are, for as much as possible, don't hang around the bus and tram stations for too long. You never know who might catch you there!
Even though Zagreb is far from the most famous city in the world, it's actually an advantage! Since it's a more underrated destination, the crime rates here are lower than those in the most famous places around the world! Not bad, right?
In order to really be safe in Zagreb, always be careful when you go out during the day and it's best if you just stay in your
luxury place at night!
