Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Guatemala vs Mexico: safety comparison
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Guatemala vs Mexico: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Guatemala and Mexico have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 48 and 52. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Guatemala scores 3/5 against Mexico's 4/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Guatemala carries a tier-severe regime against Mexico's more permissive framework.
| 🇬🇹Guatemala | 🇲🇽Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 48 / 100 | 52 / 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 | #135 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | marriage |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | GTQ | MXN |
Guatemala vs Mexico: common questions
Is Guatemala or Mexico safer to visit?
Guatemala has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 48/100 vs 52/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Guatemala or Mexico safer for solo female travellers?
Guatemala is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Mexico is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Guatemala and Mexico?
Guatemala: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Mexico: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).