Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Guatemala vs El Salvador: safety comparison
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Guatemala vs El Salvador: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Guatemala and El Salvador have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 48 and 45. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone.
| 🇬🇹Guatemala | 🇸🇻El Salvador | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 48 / 100 | 45 / 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 | #108 | #104 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | legal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | GTQ | USD |
Guatemala vs El Salvador: common questions
Is Guatemala or El Salvador safer to visit?
El Salvador has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 45/100 vs 48/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Guatemala or El Salvador safer for solo female travellers?
Guatemala is rated Exercise Caution 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 Guatemala and El Salvador?
Guatemala: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). El Salvador: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).