Is Mexico City Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Mexico City has diverse areas, with some being quite safe while others can be less so. As a solo female traveller, it's key to stay aware of your surroundings, especially at night. Stick to well-lit, populated areas and use registered taxis or Uber for transportation. Also, avoid displaying expensive items like jewelry or high-end electronics in public, which can attract unwanted attention. Traveling by day and participating in organized tours can greatly increase safety. Local authorities are making efforts to improve safety but practicing personal caution is a must.

Safety index

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How safe is Mexico City?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Unsafe

Mexico City, while fascinating and rich in culture, unfortunately has a reputation for petty crime and instances of violence, particularly after dark. It might not be ideal for a solo female traveler to walk alone at night. It's advisable to stick to well-lit and populated areas, use registered taxis or rideshare apps, and always alert someone of your whereabouts. However, many areas are policed and you'll find that most locals are extremely hospitable.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Unsafe

Public transportation such as metro, buses or taxis in Mexico City can be quite challenging for a solo female traveler. While it is not completely unsafe, there have been reports of pickpocketing, particularly in crowded areas. Additionally, services like Uber are generally safer and more reliable than traditional taxis. It's recommended to stay in well-populated areas and be aware of your belongings at all times.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:High

As a solo female traveler in Mexico City, one may experience some form of harassment in the form of catcalls, lewd gestures, or unwanted attention. It's important to stay vigilant, particularly in crowded areas, during late hours, and on public transportation. While many locals are friendly and helpful, these incidents do occur occasionally. Aligning your travel habits with local customs and dressing modestly can help reduce the chances of attracting unwanted attention.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:High

While Mexico City has numerous attractions and is a vibrant cultural hub, petty crimes such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, and cell phone theft are quite prevalent, particularly in crowded tourist areas and on public transportation. It's important to stay vigilant, keep your belongings secure, and avoid displaying high-value items in public.

Is Mexico City worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 54 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.8/5

Safety

4.3/5

Food

4.7/5

Budget-friendly

4/5

Solo travel

Went to Mexico City for 20 days Stayed with somebody I know But traveled around alone in Mexico City used über and felt very safe especially because with the app you pre-pay the journey so there is no guessing the price or paying for extra time in traffic jams or wrong turnings Took tour bus to see the city and went to lots of museums were you can literally spend the whole day ! especially the Museo Nacional de Antropología such an amazing place and then the Museo Soumaya free entrance to the most amazing private art collection. Food is delicious and not expensive if you like Mexican food I would recommend La Casa De Toño Craft are amazing too and would recommend the Mercado de Artesanías Zona Rosa Felt safe even when traveling by bus to the pirámides in Teotihuacan Just be aware of your environment and if someone approaches you you don’t start a conversation Mexico City is amazing!

Posted: September 4, 2024Experienced: May, 2024
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Carly

Carly

Canada

Solo travel

I went to Mexico city as a solo traveler and at first, I was scared of all the things I heard. I met some amazing people in the hostel I was staying at, and I ended up at a Mexican wrestling match which was NOT on my bucket list or anywhere within my itinerary. It ended up being the highlight of my 3 month trip!

Posted: August 21, 2024Experienced: April, 2023
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Nico

Nico

Netherlands

Solo travel

Overall I felt safe, but I’d recommend befriending some locals to get around and really know the areas. I traveled alone a lot, but there’s some neighborhoods where you should avoid this. Some basic Spanish will get you a long way, staying in areas like Escandon, Roma, Polanco and around Parque Mexico will keep you safe in general. I would go out alone at night after 10pm or take an Uber to get to bars. Also make sure you have a Mexican SIM card to avoid having no service when you need it!

Posted: August 11, 2024
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Frida

Frida

Sweden

Solo travel

This was my first solo trip ever and I had no idea what to expect - I had just been told “Mexico is so dangerous”. I stayed at Casa Pepe and made SO many friends that I instantly realized I made the right choice going. Definitely recommend staying there, such a nice and clean hostel and I felt very safe. They also have fun activities which makes it easy for us solo travelers to meet new people.

Posted: July 16, 2024Experienced: August, 2022
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Solo travel

I’ve travelled to Mexico City a few times for work, and am completely in love with the city. There are a wide variety of options for every budget and experience pallete. I particularly enjoyed the sulfur hot springs accessible via bus from the city and the museum of anthropology. (Leave yourself two full days for this!). Overall lovely experience, great food from open air markets to fine dining and easy to navigate

Posted: July 2, 2024
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Solo travel

Mexico City is an incredible city. I felt safe at most times with the exception of one incident. Please take the time to enjoy the spectacular architecture around Mexico City and indulge in their amazing cuisine.

Posted: June 29, 2024Experienced: July, 2021
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Aylin

Aylin

Germany

Solo travel

It was my Second time in Mexico City. I’ve been visiting friends and attended art week which was happening in February. Many interesting events and shows have been on, and I spent most of my time walking around, recording sounds and filming around in the city. Mexico City is definitely a good choice for everyone enjoying a buzzing metropole. The street food is amazing, there is plenty of parks and green areas. In some districts it isn’t quite safe to go at night but I recommend Uber since it is mostly quite affordable and the safer option to go. I have not been in any sketchy situation but being mindful about where one goes at what time and being alert to subtle changes in environments is crucial.

Posted: June 20, 2024
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Family travel

Mexico City is a beautiful city. Me and my mom went originally to see the basilica and other religious sites, I got to meet my online friend of 4 years who spoke Spanish and was extremely helpful with getting around. It even inspired me to start learning Spanish myself! It was an experience I learned from and gained a new perspective on life. I don’t regret it at all, but honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever go back. The Food: I was very unimpressed by the food, which was highly disappointing considering everyone boasting about how amazing the food was! Most of it was bland, which sounds crazy talking about Mexican food. We tried eating everywhere, from busy vendors on the side of the road, to fancy restaurants, to small hole-the-wall eateries: it was all very underwhelming and extremely lackluster. The mangos were bomb though, even though they were out of season. The Safety: I didn’t feel particularly safe or unsafe. It was my first time experiencing being a minority in a foreign country. There were constant stares, whispers, and overall attention. It felt uncomfortable and got tiring very quickly. People even asked to take pictures with us at the basilica! Which was so surprising considering Mexico City is very large and very diverse. There were some moments where I did feel absolutely unsafe, like walking down wrong streets, and outside of the basilica where someone had just died of an overdose. The Atmosphere: The atmosphere was one of my favorite things about Mexico City, it was awesome to see people always walking their dogs or just out and about. I feel like there’s not much of that in American cities, everyone is always in a rush where as here it didn’t seem like that was the case. The people were friendly from what I could tell with my limited Spanish. Do be aware of scamming

Posted: April 25, 2024Experienced: December, 2023
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AJ

AJ

United States

Solo travel

I decided to ring in 2024 with an impromptu trip to Mexico City, that included 22 hour layovers in Guatemala on the way in and out. So basically I got 3 trips in one! I stayed at El Barrio Central which is conveniently located in the historic center. My hostel mates were awesome, and we actually did a bunch of fun & group activities (Museum of Archaeology, Karaoke, free walking tours of different neighborhoods). The hostel hostel several daily activities for guests to gather and get too know each other. There were a couple days I decided to venture out on my own and I felt completely safe at all times. Mexico City is very inexpensive, especially coming from the U.S. There were plenty of food options. I ate at Cocuyos multiple times during my stay as it was right next door to my hostel and open until 5am. There was also a fantastic torta stand there next block over with the cheapest and fattest tortas I came across while there. I explored mostly on foot, but public transit was convenient. An Uber ride from the airport (40 min) was only about $11 (USD).

Posted: March 11, 2024
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Couple travel

• for the most part, I felt very safe. We stayed in the Roma norte area which is the “hipster” area of Mexico City. Very cute neighborhood and very walkable • definitely visit all the cathedrals in the area, the biblioteca with the floating bookshelves, the fortress/castle on the hill… and all of the parks! The greenery is so so beautiful.

Posted: March 6, 2024
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Is Mexico City safe for women?

Safety index

2.9 /5

Based on 21 local experiences

Crime index

2.5 /5

Based on 21 local experiences

Like in an other cities Mexico City have some areas where is more provably that you suffer any robbery but in general you can feel free around the city. In my personal experience I never been in any danger situations.

Posted: September 12, 2024
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Ela

Ela

Use common sense, follow intuition Is not a City to walk alone at nigth (not every where) But it's safe to travel in metrobus and metro, plus there's a woman area in each of these Be careful with your things well kept while traveling

Posted: August 6, 2024
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Is Mexico City safe right now?

Before your visit to Mexico City, it's essential to check travel advisories for Mexico, including your home country's official travel advisory. These advisories can provide up-to-date information on safety, health, and any specific considerations for travelers.
🇨🇦

Canada's Travel AdvisoryExercise a high degree of caution

The Canadian Government advises exercising a high degree of caution in Mexico due to high levels of criminal activity and kidnapping. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: October 8, 2024
🇦🇺

Australia's Travel AdvisoryExercise a high degree of caution

Sure, here's the redacted and formatted text: The Australian government advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico overall due to the threat of violent crime. Check the full travel advisory.
Last updated: July 8, 2024

Meet locals in Mexico City

Fernanda

Fernanda

About Me

My name is Vanee and I'm a mexican girl 🇲🇽 I love animals, nature, hiking, snorkeling... actually I enjoy any outdoor activity. I also enjoy dancing and learning about music/dance from another cultures. I am easy going, half introvert-half extrovert, I love talking about everything, and learning something new everytime I meet someone :)

Speaking

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Cecilia

Cecilia

About Me

Hi! It's Ceci, from Mexico City. I'm in my last Year of Hispanic Literature at University, I Love the history, museums and Music. How can I help you? - I have a extra Room in my departament, so you can stay here. - I can show you the City - I can Cook Mexican food for you I'm Looking for english Language exchange, so sorry for the bad english hehe I'm trying to improve and not look the translator. Send me a message! With love, Ceci

Speaking

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Stay with locals in Mexico City

Cecilia

Cecilia

Mexico City

Can host for:

4 days

About me

Hi! It's Ceci, from Mexico City. I'm in my last Year of Hispanic Literature at University, I Love the history, museums and Music. How can I help you? - I have a extra Room in my departament, so you can stay here. - I can show you the City - I can Cook Mexican food for you I'm Looking for english Language exchange, so sorry for the bad english hehe I'm trying to improve and not look the translator. Send me a message! With love, Ceci

Speaking

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Xenia

Xenia

Mexico City

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Estoy rondando por México, un país el cual soñaba conocer desde hace tiempo ✨❤️‍🩹 Es hermoso poder estar acá disfrutando de toda la belleza que ofrece su naturaleza sumando a la magia 🙏🏼🤍 Y sigo paseando así que pueden hablarme y compartimos ya sea un viaje o alguna experiencia! Soy fotógrafa y me dedico a todo tipo de fotografía, siempre estoy abierta a conocer más!

Speaking

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Upcoming visitors to Mexico City

Suhanna

Suhanna

About Me

Hi! I’m Suhanna, born and raised in what is now called Toronto. I took my first solo trip in 2018 to Cuba (after having visited previously with friends) and have been enjoying my little solo adventures here and there since. I do occasionally travel with friends but generally plan my own trips and make friends along the way. Wandering, checking out local art and local eats are usually my main activities when traveling. I also enjoy going to out of town music festivals (Osheaga, Sueños, Gov Ball) and am always open to meeting people at them. If it looks like we’re going to cross paths in the same city, feel free to message!

Speaking

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Safety in Mexico