FILE No. 0CFDE7 Fri, 15 May 2026 OPERATOR: CIVILIAN CLEARANCE: TRAVEL PREP
Know the risk before you go — or where you are now.
CONFIDENTIAL

Side-by-side travel safety comparison

Cluj-Napoca vs New York: Which Is Safer for Travelers?

Headline

Cluj-Napoca and New York have very similar overall risk scores (23 vs 27). The category breakdown matters more than the headline number — see below.

Category-by-category breakdown

Lower scores are safer. The "winner" column is whichever city scores lower in that category.

Category Cluj-Napoca New York Lower (safer)
Crime
Petty theft, violent crime, scams targeting tourists
20 45 Cluj-Napoca (by 25 points)
Health
Disease outbreaks, water/food safety, mosquito-borne disease
20 22 Cluj-Napoca (by 2 points)
Advisory
Government travel advisory tier
20 20 tie
Political
Civil unrest, protests, instability
25 25 tie
Disaster
Earthquakes, cyclones, floods, volcanoes
20 25 Cluj-Napoca (by 5 points)
Transport
Road traffic, public transit, route hazards
30 22 New York (by 8 points)
Environmental
Air quality, water, heat, altitude
30 30 tie
Digital security
Card skimming, public Wi-Fi, surveillance
20 22 Cluj-Napoca (by 2 points)
Money safety
Counterfeit currency, taxi scams, exchange fraud
20 18 New York (by 2 points)

Who each city may be better for

Cluj-Napoca may suit travelers focused on:

  • Crime (score 20/100) — Petty theft, violent crime, scams targeting tourists
  • Health (score 20/100) — Disease outbreaks, water/food safety, mosquito-borne disease
  • Advisory (score 20/100) — Government travel advisory tier

New York may suit travelers focused on:

  • Money safety (score 18/100) — Counterfeit currency, taxi scams, exchange fraud
  • Advisory (score 20/100) — Government travel advisory tier
  • Health (score 22/100) — Disease outbreaks, water/food safety, mosquito-borne disease

These are baseline observations from category scores, not personalized recommendations. Run a real assessment for either destination to get a briefing tailored to your specific trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cluj-Napoca safer than New York?

Cluj-Napoca has the lower composite risk score (23/100 vs 27/100), so it is rated marginally safer overall. However, the category breakdown matters: in some categories, the higher-scoring city is actually lower (safer).

What is the biggest safety difference between Cluj-Napoca and New York?

The largest gap is in Crime: Cluj-Napoca scores 20/100 and New York scores 45/100. Cluj-Napoca is materially safer in this category.

Should I trust a single composite score?

No. Always look at the category breakdown. Two cities can have the same composite but very different category profiles — one driven by petty crime, the other by natural disaster risk. The composite is useful as a shortlist filter; the category scores are useful as a planning tool. See our guide to travel risk scores for more.

How current is this comparison?

Baseline scores are reviewed at least every 90 days. Run a personalized assessment for either city to add live data (current weather, today's advisories, recent news, disaster alerts) on top of the baseline.

Methodology & disclaimer

This comparison uses our 9-category weighted scoring — crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, and money safety — against the same per-category baselines we publish on each city page. The interactive calculator adds three trip-specific categories (accommodation, arrival time, personal modifier) for a 12-category model when you submit your own trip details. Category baselines come from a mix of curated editorial signals (publicly available crime indices, WHO health-system data, current US State Department advisories, well-documented political and transport patterns) and live data feeds at assessment time. The score is an estimate — not a substitute for your country's official travel advisory.

Full methodology · Data review process · Data sources · Report a correction

Run a personalized comparison

Live weather, advisories, news, and disaster alerts layered on top of these baselines — for both cities, with your specific traveler profile.

Run a personalized comparison

Disclaimer

Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.