{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/ecuador/cotacachi","updatedAt":"2026-10-25T20:01:56.712Z","place":{"city":"Cotacachi","country":"Ecuador","countryCode":"EC","lat":0.29947,"lon":-78.26565},"safety":{"score":74,"level":"SAFE","answer":"Yes — generally safe","saferThanPctOfCountries":78,"confidence":0.92,"caps":[],"databaseScore":69,"travellerSentiment":{"score":94,"label":"Very Safe","summary":"Residents and visitors report feeling extremely safe walking alone in daylight and very safe at night, with minimal worry about being mugged or robbed.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":94,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":92,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":96,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":74,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":94,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":75,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":60,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":69,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 18 Aug 2026","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/tsg_aem/us/en/home/international-travel/travel-advisories/destination.ecu.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-10-07T10:45:07Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-10-14T09:59:27.952282-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/ecuador"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":45.7228145164847,"display":"45.7 / 100k","year":"2023","score":6,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":2.7,"display":"2.7%","year":"2017","score":92,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0,"display":"0 recorded","year":"2021","score":100,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":19.8,"display":"19.8 / 100k","year":"2023","score":42,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":54.3635732,"display":"54/100","year":"2025","score":54,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":41.6008755,"display":"42/100","year":"2025","score":42,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":33.1892421,"display":"33/100","year":"2025","score":33,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":51.7061578,"display":"52/100","year":"2025","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":43.2076327,"display":"43/100","year":"2025","score":43,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":56.249015,"display":"56/100","year":"2025","score":56,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":8238,"display":"8k residents","year":null,"score":94,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":12.13,"display":"12.1 / 100 · city-level","year":null,"score":94,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"numbeo_safety_night","label":"Feeling safe walking alone at night","value":84.38,"display":"84 / 100","year":null,"score":94,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"numbeo_safety_day","label":"Feeling safe walking alone in daylight","value":100,"display":"100 / 100","year":null,"score":99,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"numbeo_worry_mugged","label":"Worry about being mugged or robbed","value":9.38,"display":"9 / 100","year":null,"score":93,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"numbeo_violent_crime","label":"Violent crime as a local problem","value":6.25,"display":"6 / 100","year":null,"score":95,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"numbeo_property_crime","label":"Property crime as a local problem","value":25,"display":"25 / 100","year":null,"score":80,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"numbeo_drugs","label":"Drug dealing or use as a local problem","value":18.75,"display":"19 / 100","year":null,"score":86,"source":"Numbeo (city survey)"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.24,"display":"0.24 / 100k","year":"2025","score":89,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":28,"display":"28.0%","year":"2016","score":44,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":22,"display":"US AQI 22 · Good","year":null,"score":94,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":13.150664513,"display":"13 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2023","score":48,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":24,"display":"October: highs ~24°C · wet spell","year":null,"score":92,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 7 quakes ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":94,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":75,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":4,"display":"Low risk","year":null,"score":92,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":4,"display":"Low risk","year":null,"score":96,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":94,"display":"94 / 100 (Very Safe)","year":null,"score":94,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Cotacachi is generally safe for visitors, with low reported crime rates and a high sense of security among residents.","summary":"While Ecuador faces national security challenges, Cotacachi stands out as a safe haven, particularly for tourists and expats. The town experiences very low levels of violent crime and property crime, and residents report feeling very safe walking alone, even at night.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Violent crime and mugging are reported as very low problems in Cotacachi."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Petty theft and pickpocketing can occur in markets and crowded areas, particularly around the main plaza."},"safeAreas":["Central Plaza Area","Expats and Retiree Neighborhoods"],"avoidAreas":[],"scams":["Distraction techniques used by pickpockets in markets and crowded areas","Impersonation scams, where individuals pose as police to gain entry to homes"],"zones":[{"name":"Central Plaza Area","level":"safe","note":"Generally safe, but be aware of pickpockets during festivals."},{"name":"Expats and Retiree Neighborhoods","level":"safe","note":"These areas are noted for being peaceful and having low crime rates."},{"name":"Markets","level":"caution","note":"Be vigilant against petty theft and pickpocketing, especially when crowded."},{"name":"Outskirts/Less Populated Areas","level":"caution","note":"Exercise caution, especially after dark, and avoid displaying valuables."},{"name":"Roads leading to Volcán Imbabura and Volcán Cotacachi","level":"caution","note":"While scenic, remote hiking areas can carry risks of robbery; go in groups."}]}}