Brazil : Safety by City
- Belo Horizonte
- Brasilia
- Campinas
- Curitiba
- Florianopolis
- Fortaleza
- Porto Alegre
- Recife
- Rio de Janeiro
- Sao Paulo
With Rio de Janeiro’s majestic mountains overlooking the ocean, its renowned gold-sand beaches, and its vibrant culture, the city is a popular tourist destination, attracting more than one million visitors from around the world in a five-month period.
The city has rich historic roots that are still visible today in its colonial-era buildings and historic neighborhoods.
The adventurous type can venture to Tijuca National Park, one of the world’s largest metropolitan rainforests.
If you love the nightlife, Rio de Janeiro comes to life after dark with its energetic nightclubs.
It’s truly one of those areas where nearly everyone can find something they enjoy.
While it has plenty to offer travelers, you may wonder if it’s a safe destination.
Here’s what to know.
Warnings & Dangers in Rio de Janeiro
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
Overall, Rio de Janeiro is relatively safe for travelers because violent crime isn't common. The problems travelers encounter the most are pickpocketing and scams. Rather than targeted crimes, most are opportunistic. Crime certainly does happen there, though it's not a high-risk area. Therefore, visitors should be on their toes and aware of their surroundings at all times.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
Uber, 99 (a rideshare service in Brazil), and licensed taxi services are generally low-risk travel options. Violence by a driver against the rider isn't typically a threat, but being overcharged by a taxi driver could happen. Use official apps to order your rides rather than hailing a taxi. Trains, metro, and buses are relatively safe, but the confined space of buses makes them an easy place for thieves to pickpocket tourists.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
Rio de Janeiro is a popular travel destination, making it a prime area for petty crimes. Areas where these instances are most likely include busy streets and crowded areas, beaches, and buses. Centro has plenty of police presence, so it's less common there during the day. Other areas where it's common are as follows: Copacabana, Ipanema, Lapa, and Maracana.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
Natural disasters happen infrequently in the city. The main concerns, typically happening in the rainy season of December through March, are heavy rainfalls that cause mudslides and flooding. In the summer, temperatures can occasionally rise over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Every now and then, the area will receive a beach warning due to strong currents. Earthquakes rarely happen there, and hurricanes aren't a concern at all.
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
You could be at risk of mugging or kidnapping in Rio de Janeiro. You'll want to avoid public transportation and steer clear of low-traffic areas at night to reduce your chances of being impacted by this type of crime because these are the most common places for it to occur.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Terrorism isn't something you'll need to worry about as a traveler. It doesn't happen in the city. One isolated incident occurred at the Olympics back in 2016. Protests have broken out in the city, but they don't tend to get violent.
SCAMS RISK: HIGH
While the locals are often friendly, don't let your guard down too much. Teens, especially, may try engaging in conversation with you to distract you while someone else steals from you. ATMs may have skimmers, so always use ones at a bank or hotel. Any time you use one outside of those, check for unusual attachments or loose card slots that could indicate someone tampered with the device.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Women are generally safe to travel to Rio de Janeiro, even on a solo trip. However, women shouldn't drop their level of cautiousness. In fact, if you're a female traveler, you should be particularly careful in crowded areas because of thieves. You could experience catcalling or unwanted attention from men. Ideally, you should utilize rideshare services or taxis at night as opposed to walking.
TAP WATER RISK: HIGH
You don't want to drink the water, no matter where you are in the city. Although the water goes through purification at treatment plants to remove microbes, old pipes, contamination from poorly maintained sewage treatment facilities, agricultural run-off, and industrial discharge could affect the quality. Avoid water fountains. Opt for bottled water instead of tap.
Safest Places to Visit in Rio de Janeiro
The city is safe overall, but certain areas are safer than others.
For instance, Copacabana has a strong police presence.
Fortunately, it has gorgeous beaches and a bustling nightlife.
At night, the streets are well-lit.
It’s a highly traveled area, which also adds to its safety.
Bordering Copacabana, Ipanema is another neighborhood with routine policing and well-lit streets.
It has spectacular beaches and plenty of culture, along with a laid-back atmosphere.
Tourists have taken notice of Botafogo, with its restaurants, shopping centers, beach, mountain, and cultural center.
It’s a safe place during the day, but you’ll want to stay alert at night.
Places to Avoid in Rio de Janeiro
Stay out of the outskirts of the city.
These depressed areas are known as favelas, and they’re high in organized crime from drug trafficking.
Documented cases of tourists accidentally wandering into these areas and getting shot have made the news.
Rocinha is a prime example.
It has a high crime rate and is one of the largest favelas not only in Rio de Janeiro but in Brazil, too.
Complexo de Alemao is a part of the city known for gang activity.
Cidade de Deus has high crime and poverty rates and is best left unexplored by tourists.
Other areas you should avoid are Santa Cruz, Pavuna, Jacarezinho, Del Castilho, Bangu, and Cascadura.
Safety Tips for Traveling to Rio de Janeiro
If you’re planning to travel to Rio de Janeiro, whether alone, as a couple, or in a group, be sure to keep in mind these few tips to stay safe while enjoying your trip.
- Know the safety of each neighborhood. Before you visit the city, research all the areas that have attractions you want to see and what their overall safety rating is. Know which types of crime are common in each location.
- Be careful where you travel after dark. After the sun sets, you’re more at risk for pickpocketing and other crimes. Know which areas are dangerous at night, particularly the ones with poorly lit streets.
- Opt for rideshare or reputable taxis. Rather than walking at night, opt for a rideshare service or a reputable taxi company. Always use the authentic apps for the companies instead of taking rides from taxis or rideshare drivers on the street.
- Stay aware of your surroundings at all times. The fact that the city is generally safe doesn’t mean you can let your defenses down completely. You should remain aware of your surroundings at all times, no matter where you go.
- Keep your expensive accessories at home. Although you may want to dress up to visit the city, leave expensive accessories. You’ll make yourself more of a target, even if the thieves don’t take your expensive pieces.
- Carry the bare minimum on you. Carry enough pocket cash so you have money to shop and eat, no excess. Keep only one credit card with you.
- Don’t travel at night alone, if possible. Whether you traveled with a partner or a group, bring someone along with you at night. You’ll be less of a target for theft or other crime then.
- Don’t get too chummy with locals. Some locals do mean well and will help you. However, always stay far enough back from them, and don’t get too comfortable in a conversation that you aren’t paying attention.
- Know the emergency numbers. Whenever you’re in Rio de Janeiro, know you should dial 190 if you need the police. Call 192 to reach Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU), which is Rio de Janeiro’s emergency medical service.
- Charge your phone fully before leaving your hotel. You never know when you’ll need your phone. Always charge it fully before you leave your hotel, and bring a charger with you.
So... How Safe Is Rio de Janeiro Really?
When it all boils down, the city is relatively safe.
There are, however, thefts and muggings.
You also have to be very careful where you travel because some places are much safer than others.
This is particularly the case once you start getting outside the city.
These parts are generally low-income and are overrun with drugs and criminals.
With so much to see, though, you don’t have to stay at home to be safe if you want to visit here.
You just need to always keep your eyes and ears open so you can respond quickly if you should happen to find yourself in a bad situation.
Ideally, you should travel with someone else to Rio de Janeiro or anywhere.
That way, you’re less of a target to criminals.
You also have someone to intervene if anything should happen.
Fortunately, natural disasters aren’t common in the city, so that’s one issue you don’t have to worry about much.
Though, like when traveling anywhere, know what the normal weather is like in the area for a given time and always watch the weather carefully weeks up until your trip.
This allows you to plan accordingly if you should need to cancel or postpone your trip or pack anything special.
How Does Rio de Janeiro Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro |
45 |
| Fortaleza |
40 |
| Campinas |
57 |
| Brasilia |
65 |
| Sao Paulo |
50 |
| Belo Horizonte |
45 |
| Curitiba |
51 |
 San Miguel de Allende | 80 |
 Harlingen | 75 |
| Milton | 87 |
| Sevierville | 73 |
 Limerick | 85 |
| Mishawaka | 45 |
Useful Information
Visas
Anyone visiting for a short period from another country needs a passport to enter the city/country. If you're traveling for 90 days or longer, you'll need a visa if you're from the U.S. You can apply for the visa online through the VFS Global portal. The cost is $80.90 USD, which covers processing fees and consular. It usually takes five to 10 business days to process.
Currency
The Brazilian real is the official currency of Brazil. The money comes in denominations of R$2, R$5, R$10, R$50, and R$100. The coins are available in 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos. They also have a R$1 coin. You can also pay with debit or credit in many places throughout the city. Small shops, taxis, and street vendors tend to prefer cash.
Weather
The climate in the city is tropical, meaning it's warm or hot all year long. Rain can occur any time, but it's more frequent in the summer (December through March). It's often heavy, yet brief. In fall (April through June), it's warm and not as humid as summer. Winter (July through September) is usually cool with little rainfall. Temperatures and humidity start to rise again between October and November (spring).
Airports
The city has two airports: Galeao International and Santos Dumont Airport. Galeao is close to downtown and offers travel all over the world. This is the one you'll fly into when you arrive in the city. Santos is for domestic flights. It's located close to downtown.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance isn't a necessity for travelers to the area. However, it's often in your best interest to have it to protect your belongings and recover a portion of your lost funds if your flight should happen to be delayed or canceled. The coverage can also include medical coverage since your policy in another country won't cover care if you're sick or injured in Brazil. It could also offer personal liability insurance.
Rio de Janeiro Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C |
30 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 27 |
| Low °C |
23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
| High °F |
86 | 86 | 86 | 82 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 79 | 81 | 84 | 81 |
| Low °F |
73 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 70 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 73 |
Brazil - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Belo Horizonte | 45 |
| Brasilia | 65 |
| Campinas | 57 |
| Curitiba | 51 |
| Florianopolis | 72 |
| Fortaleza | 40 |
| Porto Alegre | 21 |
| Recife | 45 |
| Rio de Janeiro | 45 |
| Sao Paulo | 50 |
Highly Wrong Rankings
My wife has family that lives in Rio and these risks are highly incorrect. Locals are not same anymore. There are road blocks by drug lords in their own neighborhoods. Uber and Lyft drivers (honest working) are being kidnapped or robbed or their vehicle. Then, they are picking up ride requesters and taking them to the flavella’s and robbing them completely. The police department won’t even go there if you have lost your possessions or vehicle. The military is the only group that does raids there. I highly recommend that you rent your own car or have a relative or friend that you know if you plan on visiting. Also, watch out for people tailing you when leaving the airport with your possessions as you can get robbed by motorbikes and traps setup. Police are almost outnumbered and ideally useless.
Our family have advised us not to visit as the crime is too high and very unsafe in Rio. 3 people in the family have been victims of vehicle takeovers in the last 1 year.
Thank you very much for posting this. I don’t think it’s worth the risk to go there anymore unfortunately then. Too bad!
Fun trips
I have been to Rio 4 years without any problems. You must stay alert to your surroundings and try to stay beach side when out walking around, if you’re able to hire a driver for the day I highly recommend it.
I am a Brazilan American and I am very much concerned about violence here in the US, we have terrorism, both international and domestic , people kill kids in schools, and houses of worship, there is a law here called “Stand your own ground” that if someone thinks that you might be a fret, you could be shot! And the perpetrator can go free as if t was self defense.
I live in NYC and I no longer take the subway afraid that I may get killed, by someone with a knife, or they simply push you on to the tracks, that has been happening almost daily here.
I am not even going to talk about other types of crime, I would have to write an article to explain…
Is is safer here ?
I was fine in Rio BUT what you speak of hpnd to me in Medellin, Colombia Dec 2023! It was in Uber from airport so I wonder if that uber was stolen….bc I checked the plates! Luckily I made it out okay before anything fully occured (see medellin section for my long detailing of the experience)
Rioduring 2023 Carnival was the most fun of my life. I went as a solo woman BUT I look local & spoke the language amd dressed like the women… every single person thought I was local! If you stick out I imagine issues. One famous restuarant did add an extra digit to my bill on the terminal but I caught them and brought the mgr! So dont order your uber til you read the receipt and check the terminal!
🥺
pelo comentário, grande parte da cidade são delinquentes.
dates please
it would be nice if there were dates on people’s comments.
Honestly! Because I’m reading someone comment on high crime in 2022 but was it written yesterday or in 2003? I have no idea
yeah but crime rates are just going up and up every year
Find another place
Even if you survive the muggings etc the local food will leave you cold.
Dangerous lawless country
I was shot and mugged on my second visit to Rio. I would never go there again.
BS
Well that story isn’t bullshit….
Thank you for these info. . Guess we have to change plans
Americans don’t need to pay for a visa anymore. We get an automatic 90 day visa upon arrival.
Great! Now you can get robbed and shot more easily. Fly to Afghanistan for your holidays. Still safer than Brazil.
Recommend Rio
Oh my God! Why Americans are so crazy when it comes to Brazil?!! I have been there twice, stayed long time, didn’t have any trouble at all! You guys are really paranoid!
Don’t believe this fake “Cloe”
Said the Brazilian…
Just be careful and you'll probably be fine
I dont know when this response was written but I’ve lived expat in Brazil for a year now and while this may be true, its generally found in the extremes. if you stay away from the favelas and are able to find safe traveling methods(metro, walking, scooters…) then all should be well. Do be careful with what you are carrying/wearing and who is around you. As long as you’re careful, have common sense, and do your research you can be totally safe.
Pretty safe
Loved brazil by far my best holiday!! However a gang of women surrounded my then partner and was talking to him asking him to buy certain items while another rooted in his back pocket until I turned around. So please keep your items out of reach and not in back pockets or even front ones, it really is down to common sense. Other than that it was pretty safe, I went of public buses in the day and had no problems but we made to stay indoors at night, only on the odd occasion we left the hotel to go for a evening meal.
why even go then?
Too much poverty and violence
Nice beach, ugly weather, seems like city used to be nice 50 years ago but right now is basically a massive slum with some blocks for rich people who move around in helicopter or armored cars and don’t dare to walk around.
Most of people are simply fat, I expected a better average but in general, they are fat (lot of rice and fried potatoes, not very nice gastronomy, you’ll ended up eating in an argentinean or japanese restaurant for you well being).
Extremely unsafe I personally witnessed a shooting between police and a gang from my hotel balcony.
Wonderful city
Ugly weather, fat people, bad food? I wonder where did you walk and stayed there!
Brazilians pretend to be foreigner on this site for self gratification
70% of Rio is horrid like that and I’m being generous. Stop lying.
Hi there, Can i ask where your hotel was? In which neighborhood or which hotel?
STAY WAY PEOPLE!!! IT’S CRAZY DOWN THERE WORST THAN MX
Bad
Horrid city and people but wonderful landscape just stay away from everything man made (works for most of Brazil sadly)
Average at best
Almost got robbed, rly bad infraestructure. Many fat people around in 2020.
Hello i’m from southern italy and visited Rio 3 times, first time during mid 90s.
First of all I was expecting a bit of chaotic enviroment pheraps similar to southern Italy where I come from, specially because Ive been told so many times that italians emigrated to Brasil (altough I personally can’t recall of anyone having some relative there in contrast to Argentina where almost everyone knows someone who emigrated there).
Sadly, city looks way worse than worst parts of Napoli and I expected some improvements after olympics but it looks even worse than the 90s.
Still a cheap destinations that must be included in any south american trip.
Not worth it
I’m Brazilian myself and I’ve been to Rio 5 times and I would not recommend it. The beaches and landscapes are beautiful but the city itself is a poor crime ridden mess. You’re only truly safe in hotels or gated communities. A trip to Rio is just hardly enjoyable.
BAD BAD BAD BE CAREFOUL WITH THOSE FAKE REVIEWS PROBABLY PAYED BY THE GVMNT
Dangerous but if you pay attention you will be fine
(09/2021)
I am a white and blonde, blue eyes gringo and I moved here about 1.5 years ago.
On the first day I had a gun to my head but it was merely drug dealers protecting their territory and mistaken me for police.
There was an attempted robbery in Apoador with MANY youths who only dispersed when the police started shooting (in the air).
However, I feel relatively safe here. I am prepared to lose my stuff and I am aware of my surroundings. I move freely without fear on a very expensive e-bike or motorbike any time of the day in zona sul. Just pay attention.
Otherwise, I recommend moving into a favela eg in Leme… it is very safe there.
They are important drug distribution places and the dealers who run the favela protect this at all cost. Violence against foreigners in a zona sul favela is unheard of, we are very welcome there in fact. Gonthere, build a reputation and relax.
There is a saying: on the asphalt it is helpful to appear local, not stick out in any way.. in a favela however, look as gringo as possible, people will love you for it!
Safety is generally just COMMON SENSE
Rio is a WONDERFUL city, and safety is generally a matter of common sense. Yes, bad stuff goes on but if you are used to living in any big city and are not from some crime-free village in Switzerland, you will be fine if you pay attention to your surroundings and DRESS DOWN (no jewellery, using phones in the street, cameras on display). Only dress up if going to an expensive restaurant / bar, and get a taxi then.
Copacabana at night did feel a bit dodgy – I got a taxi then. Ipanema felt safer. The Metro always felt safe, but buses have a bad reputation – I took them in other parts of Brazil with few issues. Surprisingly, I felt safe staying in Centro (the central city, where tourists do not normally stay), and well into late evening it felt safe as long as people were around. Brazilians tend to work very hard and often have more than one job, so there are often people on the street. After midnight, it is less pleasant.
Rio is one of the most amazing places in the world! Pay attention to local advice (for example, do not hike the trail up to the Christ The Redeemer (Cristo Redemptor) statue), wander into favelas unless you personally REALLY KNOW someone who lives there, and if you are a victim just hand your stuff over. I felt much safer in Brazil than in South Africa, which technically has a similar crime rate. By the way, many of my partners have been Brazilians so I know the country better than many other “gringos”.
I have been in Rio many times and I never saw something bad happening, I just see that in TV’s to be honest, but you should be careful and be aware that it has its risk! Actually I was impressed that I was so worried about my belongings but people were walking in streets using their cellphones and I felt more safe! It’s a very beautiful and nice city people is very receptive but the also warn u to be careful. I think going to Rio worth the risk.
Not as dangerous as they say, but not entirely safe either
It’s not as bad as some reviews say it is here. Just use your common sense, and Uber wherever you go. You’ll be fine. Don’t wear expensive stuff. You can use your phone while outside, everyone does, just be a little discreet with it. The underground metro is one of the safest places. Metro and Uber, and you will be fine. But if you are scared, Rio is not the place for you. Just use caution and common sense, and you will be fine for the most part.
There’s something about watching the sunset over the beach with the mountains in the backdrop that just makes you feel alive, even if you can’t shake off that little nagging worry about safety.