Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Bolivia vs Uruguay: safety comparison
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Bolivia vs Uruguay: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Uruguay carries a materially lower safety risk than Bolivia on the composite Warnely score: 21/100 against 42/100, a gap of 21 points. The biggest single category gap is in terrorism, where Uruguay scores 1/5 against Bolivia's 2/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Bolivia carries a tier-severe regime against Uruguay's more permissive framework.
| 🇧🇴Bolivia | 🇺🇾Uruguay | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 42 / 100 | 21 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Normal Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #83 | #48 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | cannabis-legal |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | partnership | marriage |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | BOB | UYU |
Bolivia vs Uruguay: common questions
Is Bolivia or Uruguay safer to visit?
Uruguay has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 21/100 vs 42/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Bolivia or Uruguay safer for solo female travellers?
Bolivia is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Uruguay is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Bolivia and Uruguay?
Bolivia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Uruguay: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).