Travel safety comparison · Africa
Malawi vs Tanzania: safety comparison
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Malawi vs Tanzania: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Malawi and Tanzania have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 37 and 41. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Malawi scores 2/5 against Tanzania's 3/5.
| 🇲🇼Malawi | 🇹🇿Tanzania | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 37 / 100 | 41 / 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 | #71 | #73 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | MWK | TZS |
Malawi vs Tanzania: common questions
Is Malawi or Tanzania safer to visit?
Malawi has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 37/100 vs 41/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Malawi or Tanzania safer for solo female travellers?
Malawi is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Tanzania is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Malawi and Tanzania?
Malawi: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Tanzania: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).