Summary

• Cities like Coatzacoalcos, Ciudad Obregón, Uruapan, and Culiacán are some of the most dangerous places in Mexico to visit due to high levels of crime and homicide.
• Popular tourist destinations like Cancun and Acapulco also have high murder rates, making them some of the most dangerous areas in Mexico to visit. Tourists need to be careful if they leave the confines of their hotels and resorts.
• Ciudad Victoria, Ciudad Juárez, and Tijuana are also some of the most dangerous cities in Mexico to visit, with high rates of violent crime and homicides.

This beautiful Latin American nation is brimming with rich history, stunning weather, and wonderful culture; unsurprisingly, droves of tourists come for beaches, delicious Mexican food, and to explore the many incredible Mayan ruins in Mexico (of course, there are lots of other landmarks in Mexico that aren't beaches or ancient ruins, too). The country's vibrant cities are just as popular as its beaches and historic sites, but while there are a lot of cities in Mexico that are safe to visit, there's no lack of others that don't quite offer the same safety and crime levels.

To see the most dangerous cities in Mexico, extra care and caution are advised. From Coatzacoalcos to Tijuana, the following cities are some of the most dangerous places in Mexico to visit, especially when it comes to crime and homicide rates.

UPDATE: 2024/01/17 13:36 EST BY NOAH STAATS

Mexico's Most Dangerous Cities In 2024 May Shock You

This article has been refreshed with ten of the current most dangerous cities in Mexico in 2024, including some surprising vacation spots. Remember to always do your research before traveling to Mexico, and take extra care when in areas where high violent crime rates are reported.

All of the most dangerous parts of Mexico featured in this list have been ranked by the number of homicides per 100,000 residents. As such, these are cities in Mexico with high murder rates, as well as other types of crime, which renders them some of the least safe cities to visit for tourists. Information for this article, including the number of homicides per 100,000 residents, was sourced from World Population Review's 2024 report on the most dangerous Mexican cities. Other data sources include Numbeo's crime stats for some of these cities.

10 Coatzacoalcos

Murder rate per 100,000: 48

Coatzacoalcos is a city on the coast of Mexico that is known for being the birthplace of actress Salma Hayek as well as a number of other famous people from Mexico. This coastal city has a long history and a lot of unique places for people who want to experience the culture of Mexico.

Despite the draws of Coatzacoalcos, there are a lot of reasons that visitors should reconsider a visit to this port city, one of which is that it's among the worst places to visit in Mexico for safety. Though it may be good to see the coast here and explore the city for a day, it's best not to stay too long; tourists have reported feeling unsafe alone and at night here, especially in dim-lit areas.

Also, the city seems to have a problem with property crimes like vandalism and theft, along with violent crimes such as armed robbery and assault, as per Numbeo's crime statistics for Coatzacoalcos.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 48
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: La Bahía de San Martín, U. Habitacional ISSFAM, Cxala

9 Ciudad Obregón

Murder rate per 100,000: 52

Another one of the violent cities in Mexico to avoid is Ciudad Obregón, located in Sonora in Northern Mexico. One reason this area has become plagued with gang violence is the drug cartel in Mexico, leading to increased shootings, kidnappings, murders, and assaults.

What was once a fairly tourist-friendly and scenic Mexican city has now become one that is advisable to avoid (or be super careful in), even if it hosts many natural wonders.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 52
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: North (toward the border)

8 Uruapan

Murder rate per 100,000: 55

Uruapan is a city in Mexico that was founded back in 1533. Because this city has been a part of Mexico for so long, it's definitely one of the great destinations for history lovers in the country, and it's an important part of the culture of Mexico. There are a lot of landmarks here that draw in people from all over the world.

Despite the fact that Uruapan is such an important historical and cultural part of Mexico's history, it's not necessarily one that visitors should be rushing to visit. Uruapan has been in the news in recent years because of a spike in cartel-related crime, causing tourists to be advised to steer clear of Uruapan. One of the issues here is the steadily rising violent crime, which has no signs of slowing per government reporting.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 55
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Central and South Uruapan

7 Culiacán

Murder rate per 100,000: 61

Another one of the worst places to go in Mexico when it comes to safety is Culiacán; this city is located just inward from the Pacific coast of Mexico and draws in a lot of tourists because of the nearby beaches, hot springs, and other tourist attractions like malls, parks, and water parks that are in the city. Even though there are a lot of things for tourists to do in Culiacán, it's still one that many visitors shy away from because of its reputation.

This city happens to be home to an incredibly powerful cartel, and the crime related to this cartel calling Culiacán home has made people wary of the city. Although it's relatively safe to visit if people stay in the more tourist-friendly areas, it's not recommended to venture into the rest of the city.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 61
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: La Retama, El Cóporo, El Seminario, Zopilocalco, Santa Bárbara, and Santa Ana

6 Cancun

Murder rate per 100,000: 64

Although we know and love Cancun as being a Mexican coastal staple, this resort-style city has a sinister underworld. Outside of the fancy hotels, security-ridden beaches, and amazing all-inclusive resorts in Cancun, the area suffers from a high rate of violent crime, more specifically murder.

As of 2024, the city has plateaued at around 64 murders per 100,000 residents, although that's nothing to let out a sigh of relief about. Inside monitored areas, tourists should be perfectly fine, although the slums in Cancun are to be avoided.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 64
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Bonfil, Tres Reyes, Santa Cecilia, Valle Verde

Crime aside, Cancun was rated the top Mexican vacation city for 2024.

5 Irapuato

Murder rate per 100,000: 81

Irapuato doesn't have quite as large of a population as some of the other big cities in Mexico. However, it's still one that has become known for being relatively dangerous. Many tourists are advised to be careful when visiting Irapuato because of the rise in crime in recent years. Kidnappings are most common here, as well as violence and drug-related trafficking.

Although the city has a fairly safe history, recent turf issues with rival cartel groups have made it fairly dangerous, both for tourists and for locals. Even though there are a lot of tourist destinations in Irapuato like parks, zoos, and shopping centers, visitors are encouraged to be safe and diligent when visiting this city.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 81
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Central Irapuato

Before planning a vacation, read up on some etiquette tips for visiting Mexico.

4 Ciudad Victoria

Murder rate per 100,000: 86

Plagued by violence and the Mexican cartel, Ciudad Victoria is another one of the most dangerous places to visit in Mexico; despite its charm, it's considered one of the no-go zones for people coming to this South American country. Matching Ciudad Juárez in 2024 for murder rates, Ciudad Victoria is no safer for everyday Mexican citizens or those from other countries.

Most notably, this city in the Tamaulipas state takes the title of one of its most violent per capita. The main issue here is the city holds a strategic drug smuggling route between the US and Mexican border, which has led to its decline in recent years.

• Homicide rate per 100,000 residents: 86
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: All of Northern Ciudad Victoria

3 Ciudad Juárez

Murder rate per 100,000: 86

Ciudad Juárez is a city located in the northern part of Mexico, close to El Paso, Texas. This city is often simply referred to as Juárez and is definitely one of the first cities that many people think of when they think about Mexico.

The population in Juárez has grown pretty dramatically over the past couple of decades, but unfortunately, so has the crime rate. As Juárez becomes a bigger and bigger city, the crime rate in this city rises, too, earning it a place among the cities to avoid in Mexico for tourists when it comes to safety. Unfortunately, the number of people whose lives have been taken in this city puts Juárez in the top 50 of the most dangerous and violent cities in the world.

• Homicides per 100,000 people: 86
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Delicias, Aldama, and Babicora Sur

2 Acapulco

Murder rate per 100,000: 111

For anyone who has traveled to Mexico or considered going there, including Acapulco on a list of cities in Mexico that are dangerous may seem unusual; large parts of this city are incredibly safe and friendly to tourists. There are a lot of high-end resorts and hotels that make visiting this city a draw for people who want a luxurious vacation in Mexico.

That said, outside of those luxurious, tourist-oriented areas, Acapulco is a pretty dangerous city. Leave the resort and hotel bubble, and tourists will see that, sadly, there's a lot of poverty and problems with the quality of life in this city, which explains the increase in crime and the city's position as one of the least safe places in Mexico. As sad as this is, those visiting Acapulco should, ideally, not wander too far from their resort.

• Homicides per 100,000 residents: 111
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Ciudad Renacimiento, Center and El Coloso, Emiliano Zapata, The Laja, Garden Mangos

1 Tijuana

Murder rate per 100,000: 138

Like Juárez, Tijuana is one of the first cities that many people think of when they think about Mexico. Tijuana is located right at the border between the United States and Mexico and is a really busy border crossing.

Although Tijuana is definitely an interesting city and one that many people visit because of the fact that it's so close to US cities like San Diego, it's still one of the most dangerous Mexican cities. In 2019, OSAC gave Mexico a level 2 rating, meaning that visitors should exercise increased caution, and cited Tijuana as one of the Mexican cities that are the most dangerous to visit. These figures have only remained as bad heading into 2024, keeping it the worst place to visit in Mexico when it comes to violent crime and homicide.

• Homicides per 100,000 residents: 138
• Most dangerous neighborhoods: Centro, Rio, Sanchez Taboada, Zona Norte