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 rating

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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 59 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.8/5

Safety

4.3/5

Food

4.7/5

Budget-friendly

4/5
Pippa

Pippa

United States

Family travel

I had an incredible experience in Mexico City. It is a massive, bustling, vibrant city with a million things to explore. My family hit the main tourist attractions, including Frida Kahlo’s and Diego Rivera’s houses, Chapultapec Castle, walking around La Condesa and nearby artsy neighborhoods, going to the Zócalo, and going to various markets such as Mercado de la Merced. I ate the best food I have EVER tasted there, and I am not exaggerating. Make sure to eat Tlayudas, and I enjoyed trying fideo seco and in general any tacos I could find. I felt very safe there, but it is good to note that I am from a relatively big city as well, so walking around busier and sometimes more rough and tumble streets felt more natural to me. I had to get used to handling cash and being careful with my belongings especially in crowded areas, but no one in my family was robbed or pickpocketed while there. One thing I will say is that someone did give us change in fake money, which apparently is an issue there. A taxi driver alerted us to it when we tried to pay him, and he told us to be very aware when purchasing things and to check that the money is real. We got around by taxi and uber mostly, and we had no issues. I was greatly improving my Spanish at the time so that helped. Something that was really nice transportation-wise, was we ordered Ubers for day trips and had them wait for us while we explored the destination. For example, we went out to see Teotihuacán (a MUST SEE) and it was really nice to have the security of an Uber waiting for us and a set fare. Also, the driver was really nice and was able to give us a ton of information about the area. Overall an incredible experience and I want to go back!! THE FOOD THE FOOD THE FOOD

Posted: August 9, 2025
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Rocio

Rocio

Mexico

Group travel

I had amazing time with family and friends, I initially had no idea what Mexico City would be like, but as the time went on I realized on my own terms how incredible the city is. There’s is so much to do and the food is delicious.

Posted: July 14, 2025
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Solo travel

Mexico City is such a beautiful city with many fun things to do and wonderful food! If I had any trouble getting around or getting clarification on something, people were very kind and helpful! I felt mostly safe as a solo traveler, just still on guard as normal, just to be on the safe side. I HIGHLY recommend going to Teotihuacán (it’s about 45 min to an hour outside of Mexico City, worth it!!) to do the hot air balloon ride over the pyramids at sunrise. I’ve also heard Tolantongo is a worthwhile drive as well! I stayed at a hostel inside the city, it was super affordable and they were super friendly and welcoming - for this I used HostelWorld app. Also Didi is like Uber but more local, that came in handy getting around!

Posted: June 23, 2025
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Solo travel

1 week will not be enough . Mexico city it's so big. Safety stuff In Mexico city There are female only subway cars so I guess there is historically some violence against women stuff, not trying to scare ppl, but just something to be aware of, I wore my backpack on the front of me to prevent mugging as that's something I don't want to experince But there is also history of the city reforming dangerous neighborhoods like tepito for tourism, And locals may be curious about you But it's a city, ppl mostly managing their own lives /mind their business The culture has some toxic workaholic as well so expect to see tired people on the way to here and there But you'll find warm presence and virtuous people too, like 98% But don't : - Be drunk /loud in public(drinking in public is Illegal and if you stand out you will get robbed by police/targeted by randoms etc) - Take weird offers, ie. Instead of random cab people,Take a reputable rideshare or what locals say is a trusted cab company, or the public transit or collectivos - be alone - go where you can be isolated Do: - enjoy locals/travel experienced ppl, get the right attention not the wrong attention - Dress down, seriously look as poor/mundane as possible lol imo I have not personally gotten into trouble, where my safety was at risk but I've done questionable things like visit people's homes. But hey at least I travelled in groups or pairs. There are people who want to warn/avoid others getting in trouble too One dude who I partied w a few nights he was living in Mexico for years, but one night I saw him it already happened;he was standing alone drunk at night(2 am) and get robbed by the police and he said it was his first time lol, he had to borrow a phone to call his relatives... And also this one traveller who before I saw him, visited a really remote village and was surrounded by teenagers with bats and got robbed(also at night). When I met him he had a gash on his forehead that healed. Was a chill guy, he was Mexican though and felt p betrayed by his ppl So there's a balance I haven't heard cases of outright violence with girls, probably something that only comes out in a hush hush conversation, not in the open. I just had cases where ppl seriously shoot their shot way too much I have also met actually quite a big handful of solo female travellers, even ones with loud /princess personalities lol but definitely helps so much to learn some of the language. If anyone knows Spanish super awesome in your group, always helps to use Duolingo, which was designed by Stanford ppl specifically for English -> Spanish learners. Duolingo is very decent for romantic/Latin languages

Posted: April 24, 2025
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Mariale

Mariale

Panama

Solo travel

Mexico is a great place to travel. I would say that it’s not as dangerous as other people make it seem as long as you are in a safe area like Roman Norte or Romas you can have so much fun and have a peaceful time while feeling safe, of course just being careful About the places you visit. it’s very inexpensive and the culture is just beautiful. I would recommend that 100%.

Posted: February 27, 2025
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Is Mexico City safe for women?

Safety index

3.2 /5

Based on 44 local experiences

Crime index

2.8 /5

Based on 44 local experiences

Mexico is not the safest place on earth. But if you are carefull it's okay. As a woman you can use public transport without fear thanks to the compartments reserved for women at the front of the transport. Also, you should not show too many signs of wealth.

Posted: August 20, 2025
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Safety in Mexico