Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean

Costa Rica vs El Salvador: safety comparison

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Costa Rica vs El Salvador: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Costa Rica sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than El Salvador (26 against 34), 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 terrorism, where Costa Rica scores 1/5 against El Salvador's 2/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 2 advisory on Costa Rica and a Level 1 on El Salvador. Women's-safety rating differs: Costa Rica is Generally Safe and El Salvador is Exercise Caution. Drug law diverges sharply: El Salvador carries a tier-severe regime against Costa Rica's more permissive framework.
🇨🇷Costa Rica 🇸🇻El Salvador
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 26 / 100 34 / 100
Risk tier Exercise Normal Caution Exercise Normal Caution
UK FCDO advisory No active advisory No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Global Peace Index rank #54 #104
Drug law Strict Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Generally Safe Exercise Caution
LGBTQ+ legal status marriage legal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency CRC USD
Full guide

Is Costa Rica safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is El Salvador safe to visit in 2026?

Costa Rica vs El Salvador: common questions

Is Costa Rica or El Salvador safer to visit?

Costa Rica has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 26/100 vs 34/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Costa Rica or El Salvador safer for solo female travellers?

Costa Rica is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; El Salvador is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Costa Rica and El Salvador?

Costa Rica: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State). El Salvador: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).

More comparisons

Mexico vs El Salvador · Colombia vs Costa Rica · Costa Rica vs Nicaragua · Costa Rica vs Panama · Costa Rica vs Honduras · Costa Rica vs Ecuador · Guatemala vs El Salvador · Honduras vs El Salvador

Planning the trip? Check Costa Rica visa requirements and El Salvador visa requirements.

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