Is Uruguay Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Uruguay is relatively safe for solo female travelers. The country is known for its low crime rate compared to other Latin American countries. People are generally friendly, and public transportation is widely available. As always, it is important to remain vigilant, especially at night or in secluded areas. However, most travelers have uneventful trips and praise the welcoming nature of locals.

Safety rating

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How safe is Uruguay?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Safe

Uruguay is generally safe at night, especially in well-populated areas. The majority of cities, including Montevideo, have an active nightlife scene and are monitored by police. However, it's still essential to exercise common sense and avoid poorly lit or desolate areas. Always be aware of your surroundings, and if possible, try to stick to busier areas or travel in groups, even if you started off solo.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Uruguay's public transportation, particularly in urban areas like Montevideo, is generally regarded as safe and reliable. Buses and taxis are prevalent and utilized by many locals on a daily basis. However, as in any country, it's still important to stay aware of your surroundings, especially late at night. Certain areas might have less frequent service or more minor security concerns, though the instances of violent crime towards passengers are relatively low.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Low

Uruguay is quite respectful towards female travelers. The locals are aware of the significance of tourism and are generally respectful, treating everyone equally regardless of their gender. That said, it's always important to maintain common precautions, but incidents of street harassment are relatively minimal in Uruguay.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Low

Uruguay has a generally low rate of petty crime, such as pickpocketing or purse-snatching, especially when compared to its neighboring countries. However, it's advisable to err on the side of caution. Stay vigilant in crowded places and always keep your belongings within sight. Use common sense precautions, like not displaying expensive jewelry or other valuable items. Most areas in Uruguay are safe, though it's always wise to avoid walking through less busy areas late at night.

Is Uruguay worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.1 /5

based on 5 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.9/5

Safety

4.1/5

Food

4.5/5

Budget-friendly

3.8/5
Gabrielle

Gabrielle

Brazil

Cabo Polonio, Solo travel

Cabo Polonio is a beautiful place, very pleasant. Beautiful and with very kind people. We had a great experience. We went with 3 people and rented a small house without electricity. We cooked in the house and had a great time. I recommend this trip!

Posted: June 27, 2024
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Al

Al

Chile

Cabo Polonio, Solo travel

Cabo Polonio is a unique place in the world. It's a highly isolated beach that lacks electricity, making internet access difficult, and it presents a real opportunity to disconnect from the pace of modern life. It's a beautiful place with the most stunning sunsets I've ever seen. It's very safe and also a great destination for solo travel because all the people are very friendly, and it's easy to make friends. I highly recommend visiting Uruguay, especially Cabo Polonio.

Posted: December 27, 2023
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Montevideo, Solo travel

I went alone for a weekend to Montevideo from Buenos Aires and it was wonderful. It's a very peaceful city. I visited a Sunday market, walked along the riverbank and drank mate. It was charming. And very easy, thanks to the use of the Buquebus ferry. I didn't feel unsafe at all.

Posted: May 1, 2023
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Uruguay, Family travel

I was in Uruguay in June and I spent five days in Montevideo with my parents. We took a one-day trip to the city of Colonia, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Montevideo reminded me of Madrid, both the landmarks and the people - conservative, nice and helpful. I took a really nice tango lesson, ate some amazing paella and walked along Las Ramblas. Uruguay is one of the more expensive countries in Latin America, especially when it comes to clothing and meals. However, our Airbnb was inexpensive, as were the taxis.

Posted: May 1, 2023
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Is Uruguay safe for women?

Safety index

3.3 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Crime index

2.1 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Maria

Maria

Montevideo

Generally it’s safe here and usually I don’t feel worried about safety. But sometimes I see news about crime and hear stories about people being robbed. I think you need to research about city districts if you come here because some of them are safe and some are not. And it’s better stay away from district called centro especially at nights and weekends.

Posted: January 4, 2025
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Carolina

Carolina

Montevideo

Montevideo is safe for u to walk alone during most of the day, at night I would avoid certain areas like Ciudad Vieja or streets with no lights or houses. Stay alert and take care of yourself but overall it's a safe city to visit, there's no pickpocketing or street robbery, u can take pictures with your phone and it won't be stolen. Buses are very safe for u, also taxis or Uber. People will be very nice if u need some guidance trying to get somewhere, so nice they're capable of walking u there so u don't get lost!

Posted: January 3, 2025
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Meet locals in Uruguay

Camila

Camila

About Me

Hi! My name is Cami and I'm from Uruguay 🇺🇾. I'm moving to Skye in a few months and I'm hoping to meet new friends here 💗 I like doing circus arts, makeup and any kind of animals ☺️🌊🍃

Speaking

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Carolina

Carolina

About Me

Hi! I'm Carolina, a young adult living in Montevideo. I used to travel a lot but now not so much cause I find it hard to do it on my own. I'd love to travel but first I'd love to host you and show you my beautiful and diverse city. I'm an easygoing person, love to hang out and chill but I love a good party once in a while. I'm vegetarian. I live with my two cats: Filipo and Poema, they're super chill and lovely. I work as a literature teacher in high school. I play the drum in Candombe, an original music from Uruguay brought here by the african slaves during the colonial times. I love culture activities: music, cinema, varietés, etc. I also enjoy nature very much. Well, there's a lot more to know about me! Welcome to know Montevideo and me and my friends!

Speaking

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Stay with locals in Uruguay

Carolina

Carolina

Montevideo

Can host for:

2 days

About me

Hi! I'm Carolina, a young adult living in Montevideo. I used to travel a lot but now not so much cause I find it hard to do it on my own. I'd love to travel but first I'd love to host you and show you my beautiful and diverse city. I'm an easygoing person, love to hang out and chill but I love a good party once in a while. I'm vegetarian. I live with my two cats: Filipo and Poema, they're super chill and lovely. I work as a literature teacher in high school. I play the drum in Candombe, an original music from Uruguay brought here by the african slaves during the colonial times. I love culture activities: music, cinema, varietés, etc. I also enjoy nature very much. Well, there's a lot more to know about me! Welcome to know Montevideo and me and my friends!

Speaking

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Romi

Romi

Montevideo

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hi! I’m Romi, an adventurous traveler who likes to be on the move and discovering new places all the time. I’m actually in my home town for a few months and would love share with people from all over the world, exchange experiences, have a coffee or a beer and meet new friends !

Speaking

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Safety in Uruguay