Safety in Mexico in 2023: Separating Fact from Fiction and Honest Advice

Safety tips, stereotypes and the cultural and historical context surrounding the question of safety in Mexico

Mexico is very safe for foreigners and is statistically safer for me as a tourist than most of the U.S. cities I have lived in. America also has higher rates of gun violence, sexual assault, and drug abuse than Mexico. For tourists, the murder rates are far higher in the U.S. than in Mexico.¹ Though Mexico has higher murder rates overall, and violence certainly happens in Mexico, especially in places with larger cartel presences.