Is Cuernavaca Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On November 7, 2023
Cuernavaca, Mexico
Safety Index:
65
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
80
* Rated 80 / 100 based on 4 user reviews.

Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico.

The city is located around 86 km from Mexico City.

The name “Cuernavaca” means “surrounded by trees”.

Cuernavaca is known as the city of the eternal spring because of its warm weather that lasts almost all year.

For those who looking for an adventure, Cuernavaca will be a nice experience.

It has a great number of mountains, volcanoes, prairies, and rivers, where travelers can practice mountain climbing, caving, and rafting.

Warnings & Dangers in Cuernavaca

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

The level of crime and violence is high in Cuernavaca. But it concerns only local bands and citizens. However, you should be more alert than usual here and not get too much attention in your behavior or clothes.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Buses cover most of the city and surrounding areas and not costs much. These are not very comfortable but are enough safe and regularly used by the many foreign language students in the city. Taxi services safer if you take it from a smartphone application or from your hotel.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

Tourists should be aware of caution every time they go outside. In crowds, markets or on public transportation you can fall victim to pickpockets. They can be very crafty and sometimes work in pairs.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH

Cuernavaca located in one of the world’s most seismologically active regions. The risk of earthquakes is permanently high here. Before planning a trip to here travelers should get information about the situation with natural hazard risks.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

In Mexico, it is easy enough to become a victim of a robbery. In the Cuernavaca area, it is safe enough cause it's not so popular tourist place.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

Due to drug dealer crimes, terrorism risk exists in that region. Most of the terrorist attacks don't affect tourists and covered by police asap but may affect citizens as well.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: LOW

Scam risk is low here cause the place doesn't get many tourists. But travelers should be aware anyway and buy things at verified places to avoid cheating.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

In Cuernavaca women with “European” features could attract excessive attention. It's recommended to women not to show up on the streets at night and has modest clothes.

So... How Safe Is Cuernavaca Really?

Cuernavaca is considered a not so safe place.

The index of crime is as high as and the possibility of being mugged.

But here mostly no problems with safety on the streets, except perhaps after dark.

For women as usual in Mexico is recommended not to wear jewelry and look alert and humble and be kind.

Most problems here are with local gang issues and corruption.

And it doesn’t affect tourists and students, who are a lot in this city.

Cuernavaca has a lot of international students who come to study Spanish.

Cuernavaca once had hundreds of foreign students studying Spanish in its numerous excellent language schools.

The descent in enrollments is due to violence in the country as a whole.

But the schools have high security and their administrations insist that they are safe and their students not victims of violence.

So the city has protected by the police and ordinary peoples are not affected by a showdown of bands.

Petty crime is common, but pickpockets and purse-snatchers are not as many as in other touristic places, even as in Europe.

Travelers must follow the State Department’s guidelines for precautions in areas of criminal incidents and keep valuable belongings in a safe place or not show it on the streets.

How Does Cuernavaca Compare?

CitySafety Index
Cuernavaca65
Cabo San Lucas68
Acapulco63
Cancun71
Guadalajara62
Mexico City45
Playa del Carmen69
Cordoba (Argentina)61
Toronto (Canada)81
Melbourne (Australia)80
Montreal (Canada)81
Sydney (Australia)80
Santiago de Chile (Chile)71

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

No visas required for tourist proposals to enter Mexico for many countries of Europe, US citizens and so on. You should have a valid passport and a tourist permit. The maximum possible of stay is 180 days. For a longer stay of other options, you should visit the Mexican embassy.

Currency

Currency

The Mexican peso - is the official currency in Mexico. There are one hundred Mexican centavos to every peso. The symbol for the Mexican Peso is $, so you can see MX$ or MN$ in banks and exchange points.

Weather

Weather

Cuernavaca was nicknamed "City of Eternal Spring" because of fairly constant temperature during a year. The average temperatures in Cuernavaca vary little. Most of the year the city has a nice temperature. A comfortable temperature is from March to May. The dry season is in December, January and March.

Airports

Airports

Cuernavaca has an International Airport - General Mariano Matamoros International Airport. It located sixteen kilometers from Cuernavaca. Serves local and international flights of Cuernavaca.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

The medical insurance for travelers should be prepared before starting your trip to Mexico. As well as in other countries, the customs officer can ask you to show travel insurance.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Cuernavaca Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 19° C
Feb 21° C
Mar 23° C
Apr 25° C
May 24° C
Jun 22° C
Jul 22° C
Aug 21° C
Sep 21° C
Oct 21° C
Nov 20° C
Dec 19° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
262931333229282727272726
Low
°C
111214161615151514141212
High
°F
798488919084828181818179
Low
°F
525457616159595957575454

Mexico - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Acapulco63
Aguascalientes80
Cabo San Lucas68
Cancun71
Chichen Itza70
Chihuahua40
Cozumel85
Cuernavaca65
Culiacan55
Durango75
Ensenada90
Guadalajara62
Guanajuato53
Hermosillo90
Huatulco85
Isla Holbox85
Isla Mujeres80
Ixtapa68
Juarez32
Leon68
Los Cabos80
Manzanillo68
Matamoros40
Merida78
Mexicali42
Mexico City45
Monterrey55
Morelia46
Nogales50
Nuevo Laredo40
Oaxaca74
Piedras Negras67
Playa del Carmen69
Puebla80
Puerto Morelos85
Puerto Vallarta70
Queretaro City63
Reynosa35
Saltillo70
San Luis Potosi80
San Miguel de Allende75
Sayulita90
Tijuana41
Tulum80
Valladolid90
Veracruz70
Zacatecas70
Zapopan70
Zihuatanejo70

Where to Next?

4 Reviews on Cuernavaca

  1. C
    Charlie Rundles says:

    Cuernavaca means “cow” (vaca) “horn” (cuerna)

    1. C
      Cristina says:

      From a local

      This has no reference to sources for this article. I have lived in Cuernavaca for the past 35 years & all that is written here is out of date. Gang crime is in outlying cities & towns of the state, not in Cuernavaca, the capital. The dangerous areas are now in Cancun, Playa de Carmen & the central states of Zacatecas, Guanajuato etc for transport routes to the American drug market. There are plenty of tourists here but from Germany, France, Europe and Nationals who come for the culture & history, not to party on beaches. This is VERY old information & outdated.

      1. G
        Georgia says:

        Can you recommend a good hotel for 2 weeks for a woman traveler?

Cuernavaca Rated 4 / 5 based on 4 user reviews.

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