Is Latin America SAFE? 

Get our free newsletter and Live Abroad Toolkit here: ameliaandjp.com/newsletter/ Belize is not technically part of Latin America because English is the official language, but we included it because we get a lot of questions about it and it's a popular place to live in Central America. Suriname (Dutch), Guyana (English) and French Guiana (French) are not considered part of Latin America because the official languages are not Spanish or Portuguese.

I visited Peru 🇵🇪, Chile 🇨🇱, Argentina 🇦🇷, Uruguay 🇺🇾, Brazil 🇧🇷 and Mexico 🇲🇽. I never felt unsafe in any of these countries. My observations: (1) “unsafe” varies with time so what was “safe” a few years ago may not be perceived as safe today. One needs to always check before traveling. (2) We never get ourselves into a unsafe situation. Go where there are many people and not alone. (3) US State Dept. tends to be VERY conservative in terms of what is safe. I always apply a little bit of salt to their ratings and warnings.

73 people shot, 11 fatally, over July fourth weekend in Chicago , just saying

I was recently in the Peoples Republic of New York, I did not feel safe there.

It truly depends on where exactly you are in any given country. I spent months in Colombia and, while I took basic precautions and stayed vigilant, I never actually felt unsafe.

Peru deserves to be at the top of your bucket list! I go to the country and it never ceases to surprise me, they have the best food in the world and the best landscapes in the region! I always felt safe, it's best to make friends with some locals and always pay attention to recommendations! Blessings!

I've spent about 7 months in colombia now...never had a problem. Colombians are the warmest, friendliest people I've ever met next to Brazilians. Planning on staying here...

I'm Brazilian. There are many violent cities in Brazil, just as there are many violent cities in the USA, Europe, etc. The important thing is to know which neighborhoods / places in each city to avoid. There are places that are safe during the day and dangerous at night. For a foreigner to visit Brazil safely, just ask Brazilians, especially hotel receptionists, city guards and police (if you don't know how to speak Portuguese, use Google Translate and show it to Brazilian). Brazil is huge and has many regions and cities very safe as well. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are not the most violent capitals in Brazil (they are more talked about because they are the most visited by tourists). The capitals in the north and northeast are more violent than those in the south of the country. There is a process of migration of violence to the northern region of the country. With measures to combat organized crime in the capitals of the Southeast, factions and militias are migrating to the North. The southern half of Brazil (states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) is more developed and less violent than the northern half. The safest state is São Paulo, followed by the states of Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais (2021 data) and after them comes the state of Rio Grande do Sul. There are many cities and tourist regions that are very safe to visit in Brazil, such as: 1) Cities with a strong influence of German descendants: Gramado/RS, Canela/RS, Nova Petrópolis/RS, Blumenau/SC, Pomerode/SC 2) Cities with a strong influence of Italian descendants: region of Bento Gonçalves/RS (vineyards) and Antonio Prado/RS (considered the most Italian city in Brazil) 3) City with a strong influence of Ukrainian descendants: Prudentópolis/PR (region of giant waterfalls) 4) Cambará do Sul/RS: small town that is one of the bases for visiting the region's canyons (Aparados da Serra National Park). 5) Urubici/SC: small town that is one of the bases for visiting the mountains of Santa Catarina (São Joaquim National Park) 6) Bom Jardim da Serra: small town that is another base to visit the mountains of Santa Catarina and close to the Serra do Rio do Rastro. 7) Coastal cities such as: Florianópolis/SC (island), Bombinhas/SC, Balneário Camburiú/SC, the entire north coast of São Paulo (from Santos to Picinguaba, with emphasis on Ilha Bela), Paraty/RJ, Ilha Grande/RJ . 8) Historical cities such as: Morretes/PR (taking the train that goes down the Atlantic Forest from Curitiba), Paraty/RJ, Petrópolis/RJ, Tiradentes/MG, Ouro Preto/MG 9) Thermal waters such as: Jurema Águas Quentes (Águas de Jurema - Iretama/PR), Caldas Novas/GO, Pousada do Rio Quente/GO, Plaza Caldas da Imperatriz Resort & SPA (Santo Amaro da Imperatriz/SC). However, no cities are 100% safe, so it is always recommended to consult locals about city/region safety.

I was just in Peru in May: was in Mira Flores and Barranco districts in Lima, Cusco for 4 days, a 7 day Salkantay trek, and then 2 1/2 days at Machu Picchu. It was fabulous, and I felt very safe. Also the civil unrest, at least in those areas, was not in evidence. I realize that may not be the case in some other areas. I’m off to Mexico City in August, staying in Polanco.

I’m single and recently retired. Dental needs brought me to ajijic, Mexico. ($25,000 usd in the states, compared to superior quality for $3,000 usd! (They have equipment I’ve never even seen in the US!) I fell in love with the beauty, quality of life and the extraordinary people! I’m now a legal resident and in the middle of my procedure. I can live off my social security for heaven’s sake…..try that in Orlando! Best decision of my life. Plus, round trip direct flights to Orlando now! And……no politics!!!! Thank you for all your information and honest takeaways!

I've lived for more than 17 years in Colombia and to be honest, the only places I've ever felt insecure are near the US Embassy in Bogota and in central Medellin. We live in a relatively small town about 1.5 hours drive from Medellin, not far from the international airport.

The state department's levels of warning are always weird to me. In Tampa a 7-year-old was shot dead in a gun battle on a beach this week, just people in a dispute over jet skis and a kid gets killed. Sad.. The State Department in June issued a level 4 warning about an Ecuadorian city I was just in, Quevedo in the same month. Granted, Quevedo isn't exactly a must see for gringos, but I was there. It's loud and busy, but folks were nice. Glad I saw it, won't be back. But I never felt unsafe. I'd feel more unsafe in parts of Florida where people have guns and use them to settle minor issues. Just weird. I found Santiago and Mendoza a little dull. To each their own. Take these "warnings" with a grain of salt. Florida is pretty dangerous.

I was in Lima and Cuzco in February of this year and the truth is that I had a very beautiful time. Lima is safe in the Miraflores and Barranco area, at night I went for a walk without worries and there were people walking too. It's a night city, there is a lot to do in Lima. I was also very lucky because when I arrived the protests had already ended. I highly recommend Peru!

In the last 3 years I've traveled through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador, and Mexico. Never felt threatened anywhere; had a great time.

Glad to hear Peru is not way down there on the list, because it is the most fascinating country in Latin America to me. Also, safety is increased if you have a local companion. Just makes sense.

Nobody ever mentions Guyana, Suriname or French Guiana. They are like South America's secret garden. :)

Thanks for the info. I have lived in Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico. I have visited and worked short term 1=3 wks in the DR, Puerto Rico, and Argentina. I am a white American. My favorite is Panama. Much better and safer than Costa Rica. The infrastructure is much better. Costa Rica has a relatively poor infrastructure, crooked police,etc. I was in Columbia when it was at it’s worst. 1988-90. And Venezuela when it was strong and doing well in the early 1989-91. But again in 98-99 when it was really going down hill fast. Lived in Mexico in 1999 and again in 2004-7. Never felt in danger in Mexico (but clearly there are areas of Mexico that are quite dangerous), and Panama or Costa Rica. Columbia was very dangerous when I was there but was under the watchful eye of my client. (I worked in entertainment). Also sailed my boat with my wife and I as crew to most of these countries. Loved Cartagena. I have been robed at gun point twice! But in a pretty dangerous country, The USA.

If you talk about the safe of a country, you are making a generalization, actually if you live in a country for example Peru in Lima, there are districts where the safe is greater than others, because there are some districts that are middle class or upper middle class and others that are below middle class, and the safest districts are the ones identified as middle class/upper middle class and above...

I didn't expect you to mention Cuba as a safe destination and I wasn't wrong. The fact is that you guys are Americans and your government doesn't allow you to travel to Cuba directly from the States, which is a pain in the neck if you want to see for yourself what is going on in there. The indexes of security provided by you are pretty accurate, you guys have been there after all. The problem is the recommendations given by your government, which deems dangerous any country that doesn't follow its political views. Using common sense and avoiding dangerous places can only be fully achieved when a trusty local guides you through an unknown country, anywhere in the world. Language barrier is and added problem anywhere and that's why many Americans and Canadians go to english speaking countries during their vacations. Cuba it is not an english speaking country , though many people in there have a pretty good command of english, and yet it is considered by Canadian travelers, whom go there very often, safer than Canada. All you have to do is ask Canadians travelers, they will tell you. The economical situation there has become a little harder, even for tourist due to the lack of some items and repetitive food,, but if your goal is to enjoy amazing weather, nice locals and safety, this is the place to go, let alone the cost. In the event you want to go on a shopping spree or expect to have lobster every night, that is not the place for you, though you will never go hungry in an all inclusive hotel. Just for the experience you guys should come to Canada or go to Mexico to go to Cuba; the extra traveling will be worth it. Greetings from Toronto.

It's been a while, but I loved Chile and Argentina and never felt unsafe visiting there. I also went to Panama recently, which also felt quite safe. There are parts of Jacksonville where I life in Florida that nobody should visit, and the most dangerous place I ever visited was Baltimore, MD followed by Atlanta, GA. I had a motor-theft experience in Naples, Italy akin to yours from Mexico. It certainly colored my opinion of the city, but being out at night and not paying attention to surroundings was clearly the central ingredient. Great video as always. Thanks guys!

Currently living in Mexico, and feel very safe and loving it here! I did not feel safe in Costa Rica, and people I know got robbed multiple times there.

Can’t believe that ranking! Nicaragua is much safer than Costa Rica. My family used to live there, my sister got robbed 3 times, also all the neighbors got home incursion robberies.

Uruguay is quite safe peaceful and friendly. The main problem now is the drought and need of water.

I had lived in Costa Rica. It used to be so safe, that I felt safer there than I did back here in the USA. Of course that was back in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Unfortunately in the early 2000's things started to change. Although it's still relatively safe compared to its neighbors, carjackings, violent robberies, and other violent crimes are not uncommon. I was an exchange student with Penn State Univ. in 1969 and placed with a family. I lived there several months, made lots of friends and ties, all locals, and went back almost every year for a month to visit.

Nice.....I like how JP says "Colombia"😂❤.

Other countries don’t recommend visiting the USA!

I'm in El Salvador now. Everyone here is/are extremely friendly and I have been truly impressed. You have to get out of San Salvador to see true beauty but I'm glad I came. Uber works better here than the US and travel is easy. I haven't figured out the bus system. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Nobody in their right mind should listen to anything the State Department clowns say let alone take their "travel advisories" seriously.

I have been to all these countries except Venezuela and El Salvador. For me percentage wise Costa Rica is the worst and the best thieves are in Peru. Even though I have been pick pocketed in Buenos Aires, robbed in Mendoza and Salta Argentina. One of my favorite Latin countries is Colombia

I spent a lot of time in Mexico in small towns big cities all over the country still have friends there for almost 50 years never had one problem.

I am currently in Buenos Aires (for a month) and heading to Mendoza next week. I love Buenos Aires, have been here twice, and consider it safe. Of course, use the usual precautions. The currency devaluation works out GREAT for foreigners - everything costs me half what it costs Argentinians because I can get the unofficial Blue Dollar exchange rate. I have been to most of South and all of Central America and not once have I been the victim of crime OR seen a crime committed. Just saying. I have taken buses throughout central America including a humdinger 13 hour ride the length of Guatemala from Tikal to Guat City. No problem. Ever. My rules that keep me safe are: 1) always research in advance and stay in the good parts of town and in 3 star or above accomodation. Not as expensive as it sounds and consider a slightly higher cost as the cost of security. I also will stay in airbnb's if they are highly rated by many people and , once again, in the best parts of town only. 2) Only go to ATM's that are inside banks, preferably international banks like HSBC (here in Buenos Aires), Santander, ScotiaBank, Citi, etc. This greatly increases your security and reduces the chance of credit card fraud. 3)Related, always use CASH, not a card to pay for things - eliminates risk of fraud plus you will pay less. 4)Same as 1) - Research before you head somewhere ie is it safe for me to walk in a particular area, are there ubers in a particular city (always preferable to onstreet taxis), what do I need to be aware of? Don't do stupid things like whip out your iphone 14promax and take a bunch of pics without being aware of where you are and who is around you! Although it never happened to me in Latin America, I had my iphone snatched of my hands in the Lyon, France subway just as the doors were closing - because I didn't expect that would happen there. Crime can happen anywhere - just be aware. Luckily, with the precautions above, I think you can be safe in most places including places rated as somewhat dangerous. In my experience, they are NOT as long as you take some precautions. I have been to 105 countries and have only ever had something stolen in Europe and North America. Just saying, true story. As for Columbia, I walked home in Bogota at 3 am on countless nights -because I was staying in a perfectly safe, northern suburb with lots of security. Don't believe the hype, the world is complicated and the media almost always gets it wrong. Do your research and then don't be afraid, the world is awesome, filled with mostly great people.

Just some perspective, France Spain, Belgium for example have the same advisory level 2 like panama, peru, ecuador, costa Rica......

I really enjoy watching you guys giving descriptions of different places with no “evident” bias. I was born in Chile, lived in Argentina, been to Peru, Brasil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Panama, Belize, Cuba and recently to Bogota, Colombia. I also spent 5 years in London (where I met my British wife!) and have visited the majority of west European and Mediterranean countries. I now live near Atlanta after spending 13 or so years in South Florida. I mention this to emphasize my casual knowledge of a few destinations and as you claim, and I fully agree, any place can be safe or somewhat dangerous, it all depends on your approach! I personally like to visit those places people tell me not to go to, cause I grew up in unsafe environments (i.e. Chile in the 70s) and kind of know the do’s and do not’s or so I think (I’ll probably be proven wrong one day!), but like to get a “real” feeling for people and places. With that said though it is imperative that people use common sense (which sometimes is uncommon to find!)😂 I wish you best of luck in your travels and thank you for your contributions. I look forward to bumping into you guys. So far, I’m kind of eager to know more about Manta. Best wishes!

This was great content! Very well done! 👏 Thank you for all you do to keep aspiring expats like me informed.

We have been in Nicaragua for 4 months and will be here for another 8 before heading to our next stop, Guatemala ( Antigua, Lake Atitlan. And Xela ) ! We feel safe here in the mountains of Matagalpa. Costa Rica….that is surprising to me. We keep hearing reports of increasing crime problems, from family and friends there.

Great overview! We just got back from 6 weeks in Ecuador and Columbia. In Ecuador, Cuenca was beautiful and temperate. It felt super-safe and people were incredibly helpful and friendly. In general, we walked everywhere rather than using the buses, which always seem crowded everywhere we went in Ecuador. In Quito, we stayed in both La Mariscal and the Old Town. Both areas are subject to pickpocketing and petty crime (think Times Square or the Champs-Elysee in Paris) but just fine if you take the usual precautions for any big city. In La Mariscal, things get pretty quiet after ~8 pm so you are best to take a cab or Uber everywhere, even short distances. In Old Town, you can walk around until ~9 but you need to pay attention as you can quickly find yourself alone. Otavalo, Cotacatchi, and Mindo were all delightful and very safe at all times. I would note that we did not take the local and regional buses in Ecuador but instead took the "buselettas" - minivans that seat 10-15 people - which travel between larger towns. Felt very safe, even when one of them broke down for 90 minutes on the side of the Panamericana Highway. We did not go to Guayaquil but locals from there that we met said that all tourists should avoid or spend as little time as possible there. Even for locals, express kidnappings and robberies are not uncommon - companies are even telling their employees not to wear their uniforms on the way to work to prevent kidnappings. As for Columbia, really enjoyed Medellin and did not feel unsafe, though again petty crime and pickpocketing abound. You definitely want to go door-to-door in a cab or Uber after dark just to be on the safe side. Cartagena (including the Boca Grande beach area) always seemed safe even at night, usually lots of people around and good lighting. Finally, in Bogota, we felt very safe in the La Candelaria neighborhood (downtown) day and night but many locals advised us to be careful in all of Bogota, especially for men on motorbikes who will grab things (e.g., phones, bags) from you as they drive by. Of all the places we visited, Bogota was the one place we felt least safe venturing far from the center. Overall, the vast majority of places In Ecuador and Colombia were safe and people were very helpful. Before you venture out in any large city, ask a couple of locals about your plans, keep your valuables out of sight, only take enough cash and one credit card for your time out (keep pictures of your IDs on your phone), and make sure you are never alone at night. Same rules I've tried to use in over 40 countries including the US and Canada 😀

Wonderful content, with plenty of sound advice and well presented. Great post, as usual. Thanks for posting.

I’ve been traveling all Arround Latin America, and I only felt secure in Chile and Argentina

Too cloudy and rainy in highland Ecuador. Too much crime, ferral dogs, noise at night when you are sleeping.

I💜 clicked like!! Thank you for this one! Glad you included the level 4 advisory for parts of Ecuador; serious issues going on in those areas❗️If Mexico and COL are next to eac other on the list-going with COL hands down😬✌🏼

CRIME has really INCREASED in COSTA RICA. We have family there, and they advise us that drug-related murders are spiking. There is also a LOT of petty theft and even muggings of US tourists, and the police forces are INADEQUATE to control them. This is a MAJOR problem in CR - the country has NO military, and has become a "transfer area" for drugs flowing to the USA. The police are too "laid back" and rarely do patrols - only appearing AFTER a crime is reported. CRIME is considered the #1 public concern.

I really appreciate this informaiton :-) I am planning on a full year of Latin America travel in 2024. from Argentina up to Mexico from January to November. I am watching so much of your channel haha. thank you again !

My experience says to not pay much attention to State Department warnings ... I doubt anyone from there has ever been out of their office. I travel a lot, and the time I feel the least safe is any time I return to the US, and that’s speaking from experience, as well.

Im from southern Brazil. Been to many countries in the world. Some regions here are very safe, such as the south. Crime in Brazil is mostly in the favelas located in big cities, so the numbers give a bad rep to the whole country. it’s not as bad as Americans tend to think. Search about Gramado RS for instance, it’s a little town in the mountains. All the mountain regions in RS and SC (Serra gaúcha e serra catarinense) are extremely safe.

Hola Amelia and JP. My wife and I live in Ibague Colombia and really enjoy watching your videos. We've been here 3 years, traveled a very large portion of the country, mainly in our own car, and have never had a crime perpetrated against us. We've traveled rural and big city alike. My wife is Colombian so she is more aware potentially to danger but we simply follow common sense rules here that one would follow in any place where crime is a risk. We don't go out late into dark lonely areas, we stay out of known bad neighborhoods, we don't DAR PAPAYA, meaning no flashing of cash, jewelry, cell phones, etc. We don't go to bars or become intoxicated. People who are victims here are ones who don't follow these rules. Colombia is ranked the 3rd most beautiful on earth, the 2nd in biodiversity, and 1st in birds species. There are so many safe, beautiful pueblos outside the big cities and midsized cities like Ibague have advantages over the bigger places like Bogotá and Medellín. My mother had an Aortic Valve Replacement at 79 on the EPS system and her bill was $2 USD. It's frustrating to rank these LA countries by the measures, resources used to create your video. I know it's a responsible thing to present it that way but so inadequate to present reality. The truth is what would have been most unsafe for me was to keep working mandatory 60 plus hour weeks in the USA!

El Salvador is the most safest country in Latin America keep eyes in this country 🇸🇻🏄‍♂️🌋😎

Thank you for doing all that research and sharing it with us.

I was in Colombia last month and actually in the capital city of Bogota and felt like the vibe was definitely shifting for the better. We lived there 10 years ago and I think things are improving.

Fantastic update. That's why we follow the vloggers not local news. Thank you for that.

Thanks for the content! Saludos 🇨🇷 = Pura Vida!

Always enjoy your videos. My wife and I vacationed in El Salvador last year, and totally enjoyed it. We felt safe everywhere, though some areas of the capital did not look very welcoming. But outside of San Salvador, the country is a gem.

Great information as always. Thanks

Brazil is a MASSIVE country, I believe it deserves a separate video or at least a bit more in this one, it's just too big to describe it painting broad brush strokes.

Interesting to see you moving around more. Love the t-shirt JP! We spent 3 months in Buenos Aires this year and really enjoyed it - felt very safe. We spent a few days in Uruguay too - even safer but too expensive. Next year, back to Colombia.

We are from Brazil and we watched the video, Brazil is not the only thing you showed, there are a lot of good people who live in the favela, you didn't know a lot of cool things here, it's not just the favela that exists in Brazil, The people are welcoming here and very hospitable. My mother went to the United States and she was with I was very afraid of public transport, it wasn't very comfortable, it was desperate.

Peru is the most beautiful country in South America 🌎✨❤️‍🔥 i never felt unsafe during my stay in Peru! Love Peru 🇵🇪🦙🥰

100 k here it comes!!! Great job guys

Glad my country is in first place, of course you have to be careful like in everywhere in the world! 🇨🇷🇨🇷🇨🇷everybody Welcome!

Uruguay border with Brazil is safe. It is a lot different than border with Paraguay.

El Salvador is very safe and very accommodating to foreigners. We got a flat tire in San Salvador and people came up to help us, the police blocked the road so we could change the tire, and we were off within a short time. Very friendly. The ONLY danger we noticed was the smaller towns with a single entrance or exit. Some of those are still "owned" by the gangs. They aren't the places visitors go anyway. The new President has done an incredible job of making El Salvador a great stop for Americans.

Great. Thanks you guys. I've spent a lot of time in Mexico (many, many months at a time,) and a lot of time in Peru. I never felt unsafe in these two countries. Even downtown Lima, in the Centro Historico area, which is as beautiful as any European city, seemed very safe, and I walked everywhere during the day and evening. Peru is amazing, especially the sacred Valley and Cuzco areas. Barranco, very close to Miaflores (just a couple of miles away) is one of my favorite spots in the Lima area. It's kind of a bohemian beach town with great museums. and art murals. Enjoy it when you travel there.

I lived in Cartagena, Colombia for 4 yrs and felt very safe. We traveled all over Colombia and never had any issues (and we had 3 toddlers at the time). Military presence is everywhere, which is unnerving at first, but then we realized that just gives us extra protection. I felt safer there than I do in many larger US cities!

Thanks for sharing!

I have lived in Boquete, Panamá an Cuenca, Ecuador and felt very safe in both.

You two are stylish! Thanks for the global peace index info.

El Salvador - another reason not to have tattoos 😮

Wonderful information and video, thank you!

I live in NYC but frequently visit Bogotá, CO. With normal common sense precautions, I've generally felt safe. I'm also a big fan of CDMX, and have felt generally as safe as in NYC there, while in some ways it feels cleaner and calmer than NYC. Especially their Metro (which is also far cheaper than NYC Subway). I love both CDMX and Bogotá - could live in either one!

Thanks!

I live in Costa Rica. I traveled to Chile just before COVID , just after the massive rioting just before COVID. Concepcion was like a mád Max movie. A friend suggested I check the US travel advisory , it was the same as Costa Rica at the time, level 2. I think I have been in all the countries mentioned except Bolivia and El Salvador. I usually travel alone and I am a woman. I rarely felt unsafe anywhere. Michoacán Mexico was a little sketchy. I would not enter Honduras. Other than that, common sense is useful everywhere.

Thank you, guys. Very useful information. Could you also do check on safety and living on islands? I follow HBO show "Painting with John". He lives presumably on St. Lucia island. If you have a chance to tell us more about expats living on the Carribian islands- it would be greatly appreciated.

Great!!! video. Thanks! 👌

I enjoyed Merida and stayed 2 months. Easy, felt very safe. Also try Morelia if you like the larger cities or Patzcuaro for a small interesting place. You can take a day trip to Patzcuaro where i lived for 3 years.

Thanks to put the latest news off crime in perspective and talk about locations! Question about tourist traveling. Arriving in Guayaquil and planning to go to Cuenca and Olon. What would you advise the safest way to travel from Guayaquil to Cuenca world be? Would you advise getting a car rental or flight? Would like to travel to small neighborhoods and cities (Gualaceo, Sigsig, etc) near Cuenca which is why we were considering car rental? Would love your opinion.

I lived 11 years in Chile and there is no way that it is that high on the safe list. Just recently there were tons of protests, and the level of petty crime is huge. I have travelled to 103 countries in the world, robbed three times and 2 of those were in Chile. Don't get a false sense of security there - you have to be vigilant with your belongings there - I am now living in Ecuador and it is not nearly as bad.

Felt very safe in Panama (2022). I met a lot of people and no one expressed concern about safety. I felt it much safer than many parts of the USA.

Miraflores and Barranco are both very nice, in Lima, Peru. Downtown Lima is not recommended. Regarding Chile, some areas in Santiago should be avoided, but Los Condes is nice, and my favorite neighborhood there is Barrio Lastarria. I lived in Vina del Mar, which is very cool, especially the ponientes, neighborhoods beachside. Valparaiso, which is mostly not a nice place. There are bad neighborhoods in each, and twice I was almost the victim of pickpockets. With respect to Argentina, my friends moved out of Mendoza after their home was robbed in broad daylight, literally thieves broke in and stole everything! The countryside is nice there. In Buenos Aires, I acted like a tourist and hung out in Recoleta and Palermo. In Nicaragua I really liked Grenada and San Juan del Sur. In Costa Rica I suggest visiting Dominical, I liked Jaco but I understand it's quite a bit more expensive now. In Honduras, I can honestly say you should avoid the mainland if you can help it! I also liked Roatan, but stayed in the West End. In Guanaja I lived near Savannah Bight, a nice small town, and I really enjoyed Utila! Those are the three Bay Islands you might like to visit, though there are others.

Good job you two, thank you!

It's weird how you just brushed off Guatemala, I travelled to almost all parts of the country this year and is probably the most interesting country in Central America, never felt unsafe there.

The US media does the same thing about San Francisco and other cities. I visit those "on fire" cities and we have a great time with zero serious issues.

Amelia and JP; Tks., much appreciated.

I've been living in greater Monterrey, Mexico area for 6 years now. One of those years, I lived in García, Nuevo León. In one of the houses I rented there, I had money stolen out my wallet 3 times. On the 3rd time, I figured out that someone there had lock pick tools and knew how to use them. I moved when the land lord wouldn't let me install a keyless deadbolt.

Just so you know the USA ranks at 130 - right above Brazil

One of your top videos. Excellent, common sense commentary. Media makes money by sensationalism. It has little to do with actual truth and traditional journalistic integrity.

I have been to most of the countries you spoke of. I lived in Chile for 2 years and my husband was pick pocketed on the subway there. He was stupid for leaving his wallet in his back pocket. But aside from that Chile and the southern parts of South America are very safe if you use your head and don't go into bad areas. I traveled quite a bit in Central America 20 years ago by myself and never felt unsafe with the exception of once when I went to an ATM at night in Antiqua Guatemala. I saw people casing me and I quickly got back in my rent car and waited till daylight to go back. Things in Latin America change all the time so your video is timely because when I was there 20 years ago, Guatemala and even Honduras were pretty safe but now things have changed. Thanks for the video updating current conditions.

Awesome content. I tell all my customers about you guys that are thinking of retirement abroad.

I've been to Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. A cop in Playa del Carmen attempted to shake me down but fortunately I didn't have any cash on me so they just went through my wallet and let me go. Otherwise I felt safe. There was an overly aggressive pan handler in San Jose, Costa Rica that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up for a few seconds but I simply crossed the street to a more well lit area and he left me alone. I felt completely safe in all of the other places I visited and enjoyed them without incident.

As usual another very informative post 😊

Europe, although it's expensive is very safe. That's my preference for a place to move to, esp Spain

Canadian here. So I’m retiring in April. My wife and I are starting our world travels via cruise ship from Texas to Barcelona. Our intent is to spend a month in each country we visit. Currently the itinerary is Spain/Portugal/Switzerland (and then have to get out of the Schengen Zone) Montenegro, Albania and Turkey. At that point we’ll reassess as we could go back into Europe for Greece/Italy etc or head over to SE Asia for a Malaysia/Thailand/Vietnam swing. The thing is my youngest daughter is freaking out because we have to fly into the States to catch our cruise and she’s worried we’ll get shot in the three days we’ll be there. She’s fine with all the other stuff we’re doing but the US is downright scarey to those of us unburdened with the need to carry a weapon for “piece” of mind. When we were first planning our retirement we had a truck and trailer and were planning to do the snowbird thing down in Arizona/New Mexico. With the way things are down there now we decided to abandon that plan. Just too risky…plus health insurance is OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive for someone in their sixties. Anyway…we haven’t forgotten about South/Central America and in a couple of years we’ll be planning that portion of our retirement. Maybe we’ll see you in Cuenca.

Excellent video, I really appreciate you guys’s effort with this video, helpful to keep my expectations realistic

I take issue with your uncritical use of State Department recommendations. You place Panama at #6 due to the Mosquito Coast and the Darien being dangerous. They are, but both are unpopulated, remote and inaccessible for all but the most adventurous, specialist traveller. These are not places for expats to live. It would be like writing off France because the sewers of Paris are dirty. There is a reason expats leave Costa Rica and move to Panama. Panama is far safer.

You forgot to mention criminal driving! 🤣 In countries like Colombia and Peru, you're more likely to die in a traffic accident than in a shooting (not statistically checked).

Been to a handful of these countries without issues. We love Roatán and go back for a week in September!

Merida Mexico is definitely very nice.

Visited Huatulco in Mexico. Hope to go back and perhaps re-locate to there. Felt very safe. Also enjoyed our stay in Cotacachi/Otavalo, Ecuador.

You guys are doing a great job.

Thank you for the great video! Please reach out when you get back to Medellin:-)

Hello Amelia and JP! Had a question about Ecuador tourist entry. If I will like to stay for about a year could I go in around July to get my first 90days then extend to stay towards the end of year and my question is if I get out like to Colombia for a week and come back in the new year can I do the 90days plus extension again? just wondering if that works

Interesting video. Thank you very much!