Is São Paulo safe? 🇧🇷

São Paulo recorded its lowest crime levels since 2001 in the first four months of 2026, with robberies falling 18% and homicides down 3.7% compared to the same period in 2025, according to state security data. Phone theft accounts for roughly 87% of robberies, though overall volume continues to decline. Despite these improvements, pickpocketing and bag-snatching remain prevalent in high-traffic zones like Paulista Avenue, the Brás shopping district, and crowded squares in Liberdade, where organized groups target tourists displaying phones or jewellery. Express kidnappings via street taxis are a specific risk in areas such as Bela Vista and near Estação da Luz, where victims are driven to ATMs and forced to withdraw cash, sometimes held overnight.

The city’s vast size means safety varies sharply by neighborhood. Upscale districts like Jardins, Itaim Bibi, and Vila Madalena maintain safety levels comparable to European counterparts and are suitable for visitors even after dark when using ride apps. Central areas such as Centro and Sé require caution at night, particularly around ATMs and deserted streets, while favelas and areas with visible signs of drug use—recognizable by poor building maintenance and dirty streets—should be avoided entirely. The metro is considered safe, but commuter trains to peripheral areas can pose risks late at night.

Visitors should rely exclusively on ride-hailing apps like 99, Uber, or Lady Driver and avoid hailing taxis from the street. Keeping daily ATM withdrawal limits low and using machines inside shopping malls or guarded locations reduces exposure to post-withdrawal robbery. Valuables should be concealed in public, especially on buses and in tourist corridors. While the subjective sense of insecurity remains high among locals, travelers who follow these precautions report feeling safe in well-touristed areas, supported by the city’s improving crime trends and a consumer sentiment score of 57/100 reflecting mostly positive experiences.