Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Nicaragua vs Panama: safety comparison
vs
Nicaragua vs Panama: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Panama sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than Nicaragua (36 against 45), 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 Nicaragua's 3/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Nicaragua carries a tier-severe regime against Panama's more permissive framework.
| 🇳🇮Nicaragua | 🇵🇦Panama | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 45 / 100 | 36 / 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 | #111 | #84 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | legal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | NIO | USD |
Nicaragua vs Panama: common questions
Is Nicaragua or Panama safer to visit?
Panama has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 36/100 vs 45/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Nicaragua or Panama safer for solo female travellers?
Nicaragua is rated Exercise Caution 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 Nicaragua and Panama?
Nicaragua: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Panama: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).