Women living in São Paulo consider the safety level to be moderate, with an overall safety rating of 2.6 out of 5.
Women living in São Paulo consider the crime rate to be moderate, with an overall crime rating of 3.3 out of 5.
On average 11.7% percentage of women in Brazil have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.
Based on 44 experiences
Safety rating: | 2.6/5 | Moderate |
Safety walking alone after dark: | 1.8/5 | Unsafe |
Safety using public transport: | 3.2/5 | Moderate |
Crime rate: | 3.3/5 | Moderate |
Worries of being sexually harassed: | 3.4/5 | Moderate |
Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped: | 3.2/5 | Moderate |
Worries of being physically attacked: | 2.7/5 | Moderate |
Worries of home broken and things stolen: | 2.4/5 | A bit worried |
Worries of being mugged or robbed: | 3.9/5 | Fairly worried |
Worries of being kidnapped or murdered: | 2.2/5 | A bit worried |
Ana
São Paulo is a moderate safe city, it really depends on which neighborhood you are and how cautious your behavior is. For example, walking alone at night and holding your phone flashily on the streets isn’t appropriate behavior in most Brazilian cities. But the public transportation system is excellent and sexual assault isn’t really that common here. You have to be smart and always a bit vigilant to robbers, but overall I feel safe on my day to day.
Posted: May 15, 2025Thais
Unsafe, you have to be very careful while visiting. There are good places and good environments but always watching your back and carefully walking around. Don't use your phone while walking. Remember to always let somebody know where you are and with whom.
Posted: May 12, 2025Lilian
São Paulo is the biggest city in Brazil, because of that, it has all the problems big cities have, such as violence, robbers, drugs, and poverty. It is also common to see dirty and garbage on the streets.
Posted: May 10, 2025If you are always aware of your surroundings you should be fine. Never easily trust people. if you do not speak the language it's safer if you are walking in groups. Do not go downtown alone. Research places before you go and you should be fine!
Posted: April 26, 2025São Paulo is a safe place, with some specific locals where you should be careful. Is not somewhere you need to be scared to walk by, but it’s important to be aware while at street. While at home, I feel 100% safe, and when I’m out, I’m always aware, but not in a way that it could prevent you from loving and enjoying the city
Posted: April 1, 2025based on 9 experiences from female travelers
Sao Paulo is a very fast-paced city, full of life and lights. It has great places to visit, such as parks and avenues. In my experience, the people were polite and I really liked it! However, many people warned me to be careful because the robbery and crime rate there is high, which made me quite worried.
Posted: May 7, 2025Experienced: April, 2025Ana
Hi, I’m Ana, a 27-year old Brazilian girl who has her heart open to what life has to offer. I’m a Sagittarius moon and sun, so you would expect me to have wheels on my feet, but I’m also a Scorpio rising, which gives me the interest to get to know people deeply. (Yes, I love astrology and would love to read you your birth chart for fun.) I’m interested in getting to know people from around the world, so hit me up if you are in São Paulo, but I’m also going to Europe in July and would love to meet up or even stay with you for a few days ☺️ I’ve done couchsurfing before and always had a wonderful experience, so I hope you feel comfortable to stay with me too!
Gabriela
I'm an environmental engeneering student in São Paulo, Brazil. I'm passionate about meeting new people, exploring new places and cultures. Mostly, I'm down for everything, I crave a lot of novelty haha. I love museums, historic sites, partying and hiking.