Is Medellín Safe for Women? Crime Rates in Medellín

Safety rating

Moderate
2.8 /5

Women living in Medellín consider the safety level to be moderate, with an overall safety rating of 2.8 out of 5.

Crime rating

Moderate
2.5 /5

Women living in Medellín consider the crime rate to be moderate, with an overall crime rating of 2.5 out of 5.

Violence rating

12.3%

On average 12.3% percentage of women in Colombia have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.

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Crime & Safety Statistics

Based on 6 experiences

Safety rating:

2.8/5Moderate

Safety walking alone after dark:

1.9/5Unsafe

Safety using public transport:

2.9/5Moderate

Crime rate:

2.5/5Moderate

Worries of being sexually harassed:

2.3/5A Bit Worried

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

1.6/5A Bit Worried

Worries of being physically attacked:

1.5/5Not at all worried

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

1.6/5A Bit Worried

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

2.9/5Moderate

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

1.9/5A Bit Worried

Is Medellín safe for women?

Medellin is mostly a safe city, just as any other city you should be aware of your surroundings, preferably don’t walk alone after dark, and avoid some parts like downtown, the best way to get around is the metro and public buses, there’s uber and other transportation apps. If you like night life el poblado and la 10 (10 street) are the best and most touristic places to go but you should be specially aware in this area because of people trying to take advantage from crowded areas and foreigners. Other than that I feel pretty safe during the day, there’s a lot of places to visit like museums, theaters, parks and shopping malls :) There are also little towns near Medellin you can visit by bus and are not expensive, some are Guatape, Jardin, San Rafael (beautiful rivers) and Santafe de Antioquia. Feel safe to ask for directions or anything you might need, Colombians are very friendly and always willing to help, some of us speak english too :)

Posted: September 10, 2024
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Medellin is safe in general but like every Latin American city you have to be careful where are you going, some neighborhoods like laureles, el poblado, Simón bolivar etc are safer while other neighborhoods don’t go if you aren’t a local, like Manrique, Castilla etc. Always be careful with your belongings, if you are traveling alone don’t say that to people and it’s better if you know some Spanish to get around. The city is safe in general but there are more tourists in the last few years which can attract people trying to get money from them

Posted: July 11, 2024
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Alejandra

Alejandra

Been living here half of my life and I have never been robbed. Guided tourists here that enjoy and end up falling in love with the city and the food, the nature and the landscape, especially in el poblado that is to the hills

Posted: July 3, 2024
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As a local, I believe Medellín is going through some bigs changes as we adapt to taking in more tourists. Some neighborhoods are pretty much safe, others not so much. As a general recommendation, try not to walk with your phone, headphones, smart watches and similar electronics on full display, as robbery and pickpockets are still fairly common.

Posted: June 23, 2024
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If you are in Medellín you should always pay attention to what is happening around you. You must be careful when you go to the ATM and if you are on the street using your mobile phone. I would recommend using a reliable taxi service and researching the safety of the place you are visiting.

Posted: June 17, 2024
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You need to ask where to go and how. Not all neighborhoods are safe. Pickpockets as every major city. But the touristy parts are pretty much safe. The metro is safe but crowded, at night is better an Uber

Posted: May 4, 2024
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Is Medellín worth visiting?

Travel rating

4.5 /5

based on 23 experiences from female travelers

Family travel

Had a beautiful time in Medellin! Mind you if you’re coming from the states, $1 is about $4000 colombian pesos so money does go far! Stayed in a Marriott hotel in Sabaneta. So many different things to do, enjoyed my special bonding time with my little family. Definitely recommend!

Posted: September 30, 2024Experienced: August, 2024
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Offir

Offir

United States

Solo travel

Medellin was absolutely beautiful! From the people, to the food, to all of the incredible and inexpensive experiences you can have. I stayed for 6 days at an airbnb in Poblado. Beautiful condo near everything and I walked everywhere. Including the Metro station which is safe and super organized. My biggest advice is to leave your jewelry and expensive stuff at home. Be humble, respectful, polite, and tip every service worker who takes care of you 2000-5000 COP is the norm. Place I would recommend would be the Peñón, Poblado, take the metro and just explore! Food? Please try the typical dish “bandeja paisa” absolutely delicious! And every kind of pastry you can try

Posted: June 26, 2024
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Meet locals in Medellín

Rebecca

Rebecca

About Me

I am in London right now and want to go to Edinburgh! I am a single mom , career woman and love to socialize

Speaking

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Maga

Maga

About Me

I'm a Rollerskater mom who also teaches Spanish. Love adventure, nature, music, sharing knowledge. I'm NeuroDivergent just so you know ;)

Speaking

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Safety in Colombia

Frequently asked questions

Is Medellín safe?

Women living in Medellín consider the safety level to be moderate, with an overall safety rating of 2.8 out of 5.

Is Medellín safe to walk alone at night?

Women living in Medellín consider walking alone at night to be relatively unsafe, with an overall safety rating of 1.9 out of 5.

Is public transport safe in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider public transport to be moderately safe, with an overall safety rating of 2.9 out of 5.

What is the crime rate in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the crime rate to be moderate, with an overall crime rating of 2.5 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of being sexually harassed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 2.3 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.6 out of 5.

What is the risk of being physically attacked in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of being physically attacked to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.5 out of 5.

What is the risk of burglary in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of burglary to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.6 out of 5.

What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of being mugged or robbed to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 2.9 out of 5.

What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Medellín?

Women living in Medellín consider the risk of being kidnapped or murdered to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.9 out of 5.