Is Chennai Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On November 7, 2023
Chennai, India
Safety Index:
50
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
86
* Rated 86 / 100 based on 17 user reviews.

Chennai is the sixth-largest city in India, when the population is concerned, with more than 7 million citizens.

It is the center of culture, art, history.

Being among major tourist destinations in India, it is one of the world’s fastest-growing cities.

Chennai is one of the biggest cultural, economic and educational centers in South India and very well visited by foreign tourists.

The UNESCO Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, temples, extremely beautiful and inviting beaches and many other sites make it attractive to travelers from all over the world and they usually tend to start their trip to the rest of the region exactly from here.

Warnings & Dangers in Chennai

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: HIGH

Generally, the city is considered to be the safest one in India. There is no violent crime, but petty crime acts cannot be avoided in such a huge city. If you remain watchful when in crowds, do not display cash in public and respect certain safety rules for big cities, all these kinds of crimes can be prevented.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM

If you decide to drive in Chennai, which is not advisable at all, keep in mind that the traffic is chaotic, neither rules are respected, nor pedestrians. To cross the street, always use underground crossings, except at night when they can be dangerous. During the motorbike ride, put a helmet on your head.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH

Pickpocketing and bag snatching are very common in India, as well as in Chennai. Crowds in front of monuments, in public transport and on the beaches, especially during weekends, when they are overcrowded, are the hubs of thieves, so tourists must not leave their possessions unattended.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH

Natural dangers, such as earthquakes, flooding, and storms are frequent in India since it is prone to these due to its location. In case a disaster occurs, tourists just need to follow the instruction of authorities.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Kidnapping and mugging do not happen in Chennai, and if they occur, they are not against tourists. There is no risk of this kind of crime in Chennai.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: HIGH

Islamist extremist groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihadi-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen among many others are working on the territory of India. That is why there is a threat of terrorist attacks, especially against British people, due to the conflict in Iraq and Syria.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: HIGH

Distracted tourists are the easiest prey for scammers, and they tend to take advantage of the situation. Pay attention to fast meter scam when in a taxi. The best way to take a taxi is via phone or the Internet. Rickshaw drivers also tend to overcharge foreigners. The possibility of the milk and gems scams on the markets exists.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: HIGH

This is the city where female travelers cannot feel safe if they happen to be alone, neither during the day nor night. The best advice is to dress modestly, not to have deeper communication with local men and, if possible, not to come alone.

So... How Safe Is Chennai Really?

Regarding all the monuments, historical sites, and architecture, there are plenty of things to see and do in Chennai, but you need to bear in mind that it is one of the most populous cities in the world, that you can find any kind of people here, which in turns, leads to different types of criminal acts.

Taxi drivers, as well as the driving itself, is horrendous, some parts of the city are more prone to violence, and solo female traveler can feel at danger while in Chennai.

On the other hand, it can be a safe place only if you exercise precaution, take taxis from licensed agencies and do not wander around at night in the isolated areas.

All in all, theft, armed robbery and rapes are constant threats when in Chennai, but vigilant tourists enjoy their stay without any problem and have a fabulous time.

Nevertheless, it is the safest city in India.

How Does Chennai Compare?

CitySafety Index
Chennai50
Delhi45
Kolkatta48
Mumbai49
Agra50
Jaipur53
Hyderabad65
Siem Reap (Cambodia)63
Phnom Penh (Cambodia)61
Niagara Falls (Canada)87
Calgary (Canada)82
Buenos Aires (Argentina)60
Vancouver (Canada)82

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

A visa is required documentation together with a valid passport when entering India and you need to take it out before coming there. Any necessary information regarding visas can be found on the Internet.

Currency

Currency

The official currency in India is Rupee and it is available in the form of notes and coins. Once you exchange your money, leave some coins for giving tips and other minor expenses.

Weather

Weather

Chennai has a tropical wet and dry climate and the variation in temperature is constant. Summer is hot and humid and it lasts from April to June. The monsoon season is from October to December. The period from December to March is probably the best time to visit Chennai.

Airports

Airports

Various airports can be used when coming to India, but when coming to Chennai, you can travel via Chennai International Airport, which is the fourth busiest airport in India or Kempegowda International Airport.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

Whichever country you are visiting, injuries, accidents, and problems cannot be predicted. That is why it is advisable to take out a travel insurance policy before starting your journey. It should cover all the possible issues that may ruin your trip.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Chennai Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 26° C
Feb 27° C
Mar 29° C
Apr 31° C
May 33° C
Jun 32° C
Jul 31° C
Aug 30° C
Sep 30° C
Oct 28° C
Nov 27° C
Dec 25° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
303134363837363534323029
Low
°C
212224262727262525242321
High
°F
8688939710099979593908684
Low
°F
707275798181797777757370

India - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Agra50
Ahmedabad67
Bangalore54
Chandigarh77
Chennai50
Delhi45
Gurgaon71
Hyderabad65
Jaipur53
Kochi70
Kolkata49
Kolkatta48
Mangalore75
Mumbai49
Navi Mumbai80
Noida71
Pune74
Surat80
Thiruvananthapuram71
Vadodara71

Where to Next?

17 Reviews on Chennai

  1. A
    Anonymous says:

    I live in chennai…& have never known it to a high risk place for tourism…this is absolute nonsense!!

    1. A
      Anonymous says:

      I have studied in Chennai, chennai is best safest city in India, No terrarium in Tamil Nadu state. Very nice and peaceful town , All levels can run their lives , medium class hotels are more safe.
      People are very friendly and police officer and officials are more helpful, Best place for tourism, Lots of heritage and historical places.
      Temple City Kanchipuram is very near 65km. And world famous merina beach, mahabalipuram sea shore stone temple , arjunan thabashu krishnan butter ball stone are famous
      Lost of higher education institutions, good medical hospital and Experienced surgeon’s are available in the city international tourists, medical help needes can happily visit out city
      Regards
      Ezhilvannan Narayanasamy
      Kanchipuram

  2. A
    Anonymous says:

    Non sense review

    India is the best place for tourism. This review is absolutely a scrap. Moreover chennai is safest for tourism.

  3. H
    Heung Sub-Oh says:

    Chennai is very safe for women

    Hi,

    I came as a tourist along with my 22 year old wife for our honeymoon as she wanted to visit tropical places first and then frigid places. Chennai in India was our first stop. We were there for 45 days and my wife (who has no forms of markings or ornaments that tell that she is married) used to go about on the street after 11 PM until 3 AM for a walk in the byelanes of the city near Hyatt Regency which were pitch dark.

    Never was she mugged nor harassed nor anything untoward ! Infact, to see what would have happened, I went along with her and found that all of the men in Chennai pay equal respect to the males and the females as well.

    I would advise you to go to Chennai without any hesitation

    1. A
      Anonymous says:

      That is so nice of you to leave a positive comment. Seeing this makes me happy. I’m from Chennai too!

      1. Great city

        nice city, nice state, nice people. long live Tamil nadu and tamil people. I am from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

  4. Very Safe, cultured and respectful place

    Very Safest place for everyone, I agree with Taxi and local Autorickshaw charge more when they see Tourist. But you can avoid them by using Uber & Ola.
    Chennai Police are almost compared to scotland yard (google) every thing under their control.
    Its safest place to travel for all country people.

  5. V
    Vichu2005g says:

    I thunk you must see many tamil movies

    You may see this all theft, crime and raping only in movies but in real life, It rarely occur! Chennai is a v.safe city and also conservative city! This site as whole is fake AF don’t trust some of the page of this site pls!

  6. M
    M Shafi says:

    Poor review

    This review is a joke, Chennai is considered to be one of the safest cities in South Asia. The people living in the city and suburbs value the culture and women and children are treated respectfully.
    “High risk of terrorism especially targeting British travellers”- ROFL
    Traffic, pedestrian safety, weather, pollution – totally agree with the review

  7. BS

    This website called Paris safe and claims Chennai to be unsafe. What a joke

  8. B
    Bharath says:

    You wasted 5 mins reading a completely misguiding review

    For all those who are reading this review to understand about chennai and visiting here – you have just wasted 5 minutes of your time reading nonsense and crap. Check other reliable reviews for facts. Chennai is a nice , warm friendly city for tourists and I am sure you will have nice time.

  9. T
    Tamilan says:

    Chennai & Tamilnadu is a safest place. People are very friendly

  10. Unfair review

    Review is very biased, unfair n not capturing the right fact. Chennai is very safe compare to other places, as a tourist how we used to be careful while traveling you can follow the same norms in chennai as well.

    Overall risk mentioned as HIGH…its not a right fact. Risk is low, people are friendly and ready to help you at any time

  11. B
    Brayden says:

    If you pay attention to your surroundings you’ll be ok

    We were traveling in a group which made it easier for us to move around without having to worry about pickpocketing – even when we went to the beach, one of us stayed put to guard our stuff. The city has a lot of amazing architectural finds so I wouldn’t say no to visiting it just because of this.

  12. A
    Anonymous says:

    No good Reviews

    Chennai is one of the safest cities not just in India but in the world. Obviously, this is a website that gets people to write reviews without experiencing the place. Shame.

  13. A
    Anonymous says:

    As a middle aged white American, I felt quite safe and respected in the city. Some people may stare a bit, beggars can be pushy, and the driving is a little crazy, but it's really not so bad.

    I spent 3 weeks in Chennai, as a 35 year old white male American.
    The worst I encountered was some staring in certain outskirts of the city, some pushy beggars, and being slightly over charged for rides.
    The driving is very crazy and a bit reckless, but you get used to it. People usually drive fairly slow anyway, because roads are congested.
    Overall, I felt safe. People were friendly, and although they sometimes seem a bit taken aback by seeing a white person, they proceeded to treat me very normally.
    I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

Chennai Rated 4.29 / 5 based on 17 user reviews.

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