Is Cuernavaca Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated on December 13, 2025
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.

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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?

City Safety Index
Cuernavaca FlagCuernavaca 65
Culiacan FlagCuliacan 55
Leon FlagLeon 68
Aguascalientes FlagAguascalientes 80
Zacatecas FlagZacatecas 70
Tulum FlagTulum 80
Valladolid FlagValladolid 90
Memphis FlagMemphis54
Spokane FlagSpokane74
Aalborg FlagAalborg95
Ad Dammam FlagAd Dammam67
Charlotte FlagCharlotte56
Kettle Falls FlagKettle Falls78

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 66° F
Feb 70° F
Mar 73° F
Apr 77° F
May 75° F
Jun 72° F
Jul 72° F
Aug 70° F
Sep 70° F
Oct 70° F
Nov 68° F
Dec 66° F
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
High
°C
26 29 31 33 32 29 28 27 27 27 27 26
Low
°C
11 12 14 16 16 15 15 15 14 14 12 12
High
°F
79 84 88 91 90 84 82 81 81 81 81 79
Low
°F
52 54 57 61 61 59 59 59 57 57 54 54

Mexico - Safety by City

City Safety Index
Mexico FlagAcapulco63
Mexico FlagAguascalientes80
Mexico FlagCabo San Lucas68
Mexico FlagCancun71
Mexico FlagChichen Itza70
Mexico FlagChihuahua40
Mexico FlagCozumel85
Mexico FlagCuernavaca65
Mexico FlagCuliacan55
Mexico FlagDurango75
Mexico FlagEnsenada90
Mexico FlagGuadalajara62
Mexico FlagGuanajuato53
Mexico FlagHermosillo90
Mexico FlagHuatulco85
Mexico FlagIsla Holbox85
Mexico FlagIsla Mujeres80
Mexico FlagIxtapa68
Mexico FlagJuarez32
Mexico FlagLeon68
Mexico FlagLos Cabos80
Mexico FlagManzanillo68
Mexico FlagMatamoros40
Mexico FlagMerida78
Mexico FlagMexicali42
Mexico FlagMexico City45
Mexico FlagMonterrey55
Mexico FlagMorelia46
Mexico FlagNogales50
Mexico FlagNuevo Laredo40
Mexico FlagOaxaca74
Mexico FlagPiedras Negras67
Mexico FlagPlaya del Carmen69
Mexico FlagPuebla80
Mexico FlagPuerto Morelos85
Mexico FlagPuerto Vallarta70
Mexico FlagQueretaro City63
Mexico FlagReynosa35
Mexico FlagSaltillo70
Mexico FlagSan Luis Potosi80
Mexico FlagSan Miguel de Allende75
Mexico FlagSayulita90
Mexico FlagTijuana41
Mexico FlagTulum80
Mexico FlagValladolid90
Mexico FlagVeracruz70
Mexico FlagZacatecas70
Mexico FlagZapopan70
Mexico FlagZihuatanejo70

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, Mexico Rated 4 / 5 based on 4 user reviews.

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