Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Colombia vs Panama: safety comparison
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Colombia vs Panama: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Panama sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Colombia (36 against 47), but the gap is small enough that the practical difference comes down to category-by-category detail rather than the headline. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Panama scores 2/5 against Colombia's 4/5.
| 🇨🇴Colombia | 🇵🇦Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 47 / 100 | 36 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Increased 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 | #140 | #84 |
| Drug law | Strict | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | marriage | legal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | COP | USD |
Colombia vs Panama: common questions
Is Colombia or Panama safer to visit?
Panama has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 36/100 vs 47/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Colombia or Panama safer for solo female travellers?
Colombia is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Panama is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Colombia and Panama?
Colombia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Panama: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).