Travel safety comparison · Asia
Afghanistan vs Pakistan: safety comparison
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Afghanistan vs Pakistan: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Pakistan carries a materially lower safety risk than Afghanistan on the composite Warnely score: 59/100 against 86/100, a gap of 27 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Pakistan scores 3/5 against Afghanistan's 5/5. Women's-safety rating differs: Afghanistan is Do Not Travel and Pakistan is Generally Safe. Drug law diverges sharply: Afghanistan carries a tier-severe regime against Pakistan's more permissive framework.
| 🇦🇫Afghanistan | 🇵🇰Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 86 / 100 | 59 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Do Not Travel | High Risk |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #158 | #144 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Death penalty possible |
| Women's safety rating | Do Not Travel | Generally Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | death | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | AFN | PKR |
Afghanistan vs Pakistan: common questions
Is Afghanistan or Pakistan safer to visit?
Pakistan has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 59/100 vs 86/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Afghanistan or Pakistan safer for solo female travellers?
Afghanistan is rated Do Not Travel for women's safety; Pakistan is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Afghanistan and Pakistan?
Afghanistan: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Pakistan: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).