Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Costa Rica vs Panama: safety comparison
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Costa Rica vs Panama: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Costa Rica sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Panama (27 against 36), 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 Costa Rica's 3/5. Women's-safety rating differs: Costa Rica is Generally Safe and Panama is Exercise Caution.
| 🇨🇷Costa Rica | 🇵🇦Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 27 / 100 | 36 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Normal 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 | #54 | #84 |
| Drug law | Strict | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Generally Safe | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | marriage | legal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | CRC | USD |
Costa Rica vs Panama: common questions
Is Costa Rica or Panama safer to visit?
Costa Rica has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 27/100 vs 36/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Costa Rica or Panama safer for solo female travellers?
Costa Rica is rated Generally Safe 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 Costa Rica and Panama?
Costa Rica: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Panama: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).