Is Guatemala Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Guatemala

Safety rating

Moderate
2.8 /5

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

Crime rating

Low
1.9 /5

Women living in Guatemala consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.9 out of 5.

Violence rating

23.5%

On average 23.5% percentage of women in Guatemala 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 4 experiences

Safety rating:

2.8/5Moderate

Safety walking alone after dark:

2.6/5Moderate

Safety using public transport:

2.3/5Unsafe

Crime rate:

1.9/5Low

Worries of being sexually harassed:

1.6/5A bit worried

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

1.4/5Not at all worried

Worries of being physically attacked:

1/5Not at all worried

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

1.4/5Not at all worried

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

1.6/5A bit worried

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

1/5Not at all worried

How safe is Guatemala?

Emily

Emily

Guatemala City

Guatemala can be safe if youbtake certain precautions, like always having your bag close to you, never walk with your headphones or phone on display and always be aware of your surroundings. Take Uber or private rentals, because the public transport is extremely unsafe and inefficient. Never go out alone, especially during the dark, go out in groups and make sure someone knows your location.

Posted: April 21, 2025
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Sarah

Sarah

Antigua Guatemala

I stayed in a neighborhood just a few blocks from the Santa Catalina Arch for a little under two weeks and felt incredibly safe the entire time. As a solo mom with two young kids, I had no issues walking around—day or night. The locals were so kind and welcoming; at one point, my kids even fell into a fountain near a street food market, and people immediately ran over to help! Antigua gets a lot of tourists, so street vendors can sometimes be a bit persistent, but a simple “no, gracias” and walking away is enough (they won’t follow you). Tuktuk drivers do tend to overcharge, but haggling felt totally fine and expected. One thing to note—there are a lot of dogs roaming around, and it can be hard to tell if they’re strays or belong to someone. None that we encountered were aggressive, but we played it safe and avoided petting them. Overall, such a friendly and walkable place!

Posted: March 17, 2025
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Daniela

Daniela

Mazatenango

Herencia is a small town where the people enjoy different activities like dancing, drawing, and music, and they are good people. Here in Mazatenango, we are warm people and good hosts! Near Irtra and the beaches, we offer a lot of adventure.

Posted: January 12, 2025
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Ana

Ana

Guatemala City

Depending on the area you are staying could be a little bit dangerous or not dangerous at all. My recommendation would be to stay at Zona 2, 4, 10, 14 and Cayalá. Definitely avoid areas like zone 18 and 3

Posted: December 24, 2024
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Is Guatemala worth visiting?

Travel rating

4.7 /5

based on 51 experiences from female travelers

Izzi

Izzi

United States

Guatemala City, Couple travel

We stayed with local friends for the first leg of our trip in Guate city. A lot of people skip right through this city and move onto Antigua, but I think it’s worth a stay! At the time, our friends recommended “try staying in either Zone 14, 10, 15 or 16 of the city those zones/districts are very centric and not too far from most centric locations. If you stay in z 14, or 10 you will be pretty close to the airport.” Do your research on the zones as some are safe for tourists and some are more encouraged to avoid. I felt safe here though I do think it’s also because I was traveling with a male partner.

Posted: June 11, 2025
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Antigua Guatemala, Family travel

It felt fairly safe, if you follow common sense. We didn't take the bus there as it was pretty much not advised by fellow travellers or locals. We took private shuttles or public shuttles for long transportation wish was pretty nice! Just, when they come get you at the rendezvous point wait for them to say for who it is and don't blatantly say "oh is it for me/us" followed by your name cause well it's easy afterwards to say "oh yes it's for you op". We stayed in a youth hostel and again it felt safe! We walked through the city by foot and it was nice! We also booked a guide to have the history of the buildings and it was worth it! People over there are so nice! No problem with the food too! Didn't get sick or anything! Do bring medication for the travelers flu in case, it can be useful! Overall very nice!

Posted: March 12, 2025Experienced: May, 2022
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Safety in Guatemala

Frequently asked questions

Is Guatemala safe?

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

Is Guatemala safe to walk alone at night?

Women living in Guatemala consider walking alone at night to be moderately safe, with an overall safety rating of 2.6 out of 5.

Is public transport safe in Guatemala?

Women living in Guatemala consider public transport to be relatively unsafe, with an overall safety rating of 2.3 out of 5.

What is the crime rate in Guatemala?

Women living in Guatemala consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.9 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Guatemala?

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of being sexually harassed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.6 out of 5.

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

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.4 out of 5

What is the risk of being physically attacked in Guatemala?

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of being physically attacked to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1 out of 5

What is the risk of burglary in Guatemala?

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of burglary to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.4 out of 5

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

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of being mugged or robbed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.6 out of 5.

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

Women living in Guatemala consider the risk of being kidnapped or murdered to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1 out of 5