Safest cities in Guatemala
14 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- within 5km of the Mexican border from the Pacific Coast up to and including the Gracias a Dios crossing
- to the towns of Santa Ana Huista, San Antonio Huista and La Democracia in the department of Huehuetenango
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in GuatemalaAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Guatemala, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- Incidents of political violence, strikes and large demonstrations can occur, often with little or no notice. Most demonstrations are peaceful, but they can turn violent. Protestors may block roads and public facilities, including the international airport, without notice.
Crime
- Violent crimeViolent attacks, including sexual assault and gun crime, can take place anywhere and at any time of the day. Attackers have killed and injured victims who resisted. There is a low arrest and conviction rate.
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsYou can take precautions such as:
- Buses and coachesAvoid travelling on public buses (repainted US school buses). There have been incidents of attacks and extortion by local gangs on bus drivers resulting in serious injury or death. These buses are usually poorly maintained, overcrowded and do not generally adhere to the rules of the road, driving at dangerous speeds on perilous roads. Accidents…
- ATM tamperingCheck ATMs for evidence of tampering. Affected machines may not be easy to spot. It’s safer to change money in hotels, at banks or at foreign exchange offices.
- Fake police officersCriminals posing as police officers have committed theft, extortion and sexual assault in Guatemala.
- ScamsForeign visitors are at risk of scams. Scams come in many forms and can lead to great financial loss. Warn your friends and family to be sceptical if they are asked to transfer funds to you in Guatemala. Tell them to contact you to check that you have made this request.
- Criminal kidnappingExpress kidnappings – short term opportunistic abductions, aimed at extracting cash from the victim – are common in Guatemala. Victims can be targeted or selected at random. They are held while criminals withdraw money from their bank accounts using their cards. Many cases involve victims that have been picked up by taxis (registered or illegal)…
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDIt is a legal requirement to always carry ID. In most parts of the country, you can carry a copy of your passport’s photo page for identification purposes. In San Pedro La Laguna, Sololá, local authorities may not accept a copy and may fine or detain you if you cannot show your original passport or a certified copy. Always co-operate with military…
- Alcohol laws and bansDuring specific periods (such as elections) alcohol sales may be banned or restricted during certain times.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesThere are severe penalties for drug trafficking and the use of drugs. Guatemalan prisons are overcrowded, violent, and dirty.
- Taking photos without permissionDo not take photographs without permission, especially of children. This is particularly important in more remote areas such as Quiché, Petén, San Marcos and Chiquimula provinces. There have been attacks related to accusations and fears of child kidnapping for adoption or theft of vital organs. Foreigners have been caught up in the violence. You…
- LGBT+ travellersSame sex sexual activity is not illegal, although there are no laws guaranteeing freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Same-sex marriages are not recognised in Guatemala. In Guatemala City, local people are largely tolerant of LGBT+ people. Outside Guatemala City, attitudes are more conservative. Showing affection in…
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Climbing volcanoesBefore you climb volcanoes, visit the websites of the Guatemalan Meteorological Office (Spanish language website) and CONRED, Guatemala’s disaster agency for information on access, restrictions and recommendations.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive, see information on driving abroad.
- Driving rules and safetyIn Guatemala:
- Intercity busesGuatemala Municipality no longer allows some intercity buses to enter the city centre. They drop passengers at various points on the city outskirts.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- Rainy seasonThe rainy season in Guatemala normally runs from May to November, the same time as the hurricane season in the Caribbean. Heavy rains cause frequent flooding and landslides, and poorly maintained roads and bridges have been known to collapse.
- EarthquakesThere are frequent minor earth tremors and there is a risk of earthquakes in Guatemala. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake or tsunami.
- Volcanic eruptionsThere is a risk of volcanic eruptions in Guatemala. Monitor local media and seek advice from your tour operator in case of possible travel disruption. For further information see CONRED, Guatemala’s disaster agency (in Spanish).
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Guatemala, updated 2026-08-13 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 22.76 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 45.22023
- Human development
- HDI 0.6622023
- Income
- $15,020/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 22.9 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 62/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 40/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 26/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 5.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.56GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 29.7 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 49%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.3 doctors /1k0.5 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 9.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 6.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 4.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Cyclone
- 3.7/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 3.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Guatemala (as of 2025).
How Guatemala compares
| Measure | Guatemala | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 23 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +20 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 45.2 | 35.2 | +10.0 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.662 | 0.763 | −0.101 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 22.9 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +7.5 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 40/100 | 52/100 | −12/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 26/100 | 39/100 | −13/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 29.7 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +10.0 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.9/10 | 3.8/10 | +2.1/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Guatemala | North America median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 23 /100k | 15 /100k | +7.6 /100k — better for North America median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 45.2 | 41.1 | +4.1 — better for North America median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.662 | 0.789 | −0.127 — better for North America median |
| Road deaths | 22.9 /100k | 13.9 /100k | +9.0 /100k — better for North America median |
| Rule of law | 40/100 | 53/100 | −13/100 — better for North America median |
| Corruption perceptions | 26/100 | 40/100 | −14/100 — better for North America median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 29.7 µg/m³ | 14.4 µg/m³ | +15.3 µg/m³ — better for North America median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.9/10 | 4.0/10 | +1.9/10 — better for North America median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 14 cities, safest first
- Cobán56.8 · #4715 worldwide
- San Pedro Carchá56.8 · #4716 worldwide
- Flores44.1 · #5609 worldwide
- Quetzaltenango40.4 · #5805 worldwide
- Coatepeque39.8 · #5823 worldwide
- Chimaltenango39.3 · #5866 worldwide
- Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa39.0 · #5873 worldwide
- Escuintla38.9 · #5877 worldwide
- Mazatenango38.7 · #5882 worldwide
- Totonicapán38.2 · #5896 worldwide
- San Pedro Sacatepéquez [San Marcos]36.9 · #5933 worldwide
- Guatemala City34.0 · #5984 worldwide
- San Pedro Sacatepéquez34.0 · #5985 worldwide
- Antigua Guatemala34.0 · #5986 worldwide