Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Guatemala vs Nicaragua: safety comparison
vs
Guatemala vs Nicaragua: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Guatemala and Nicaragua 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 | 🇳🇮Nicaragua | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | #111 |
| 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 | NIO |
Guatemala vs Nicaragua: common questions
Is Guatemala or Nicaragua safer to visit?
Nicaragua 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 Nicaragua safer for solo female travellers?
Guatemala is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Nicaragua is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Guatemala and Nicaragua?
Guatemala: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Nicaragua: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).