{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/mexico/merida","updatedAt":"2026-07-25T08:51:36.381Z","place":{"city":"Mérida","country":"Mexico","countryCode":"MX","lat":20.967,"lon":-89.62318},"safety":{"score":46,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":35,"confidence":0.99,"caps":[{"max":46,"reason":"Homicide rate 25/100k"}],"categories":[{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":72},{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":48},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":79},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":57}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 12 Aug 2025","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all-but-essential travel to parts","updated":"2026-07-23T16:13:10Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-07-23T09:00:08.4641243-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/mexico"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":24.8589948436701,"display":"24.9 / 100k","year":"2023","score":21,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":12.3,"display":"12.3%","year":"2010","score":69,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.09094567587415847,"display":"0.09 / million","year":"2021","score":93,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":12,"display":"12.0 / 100k","year":"2021","score":60,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":53.6732923,"display":"54/100","year":"2024","score":54,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":37.1058908,"display":"37/100","year":"2024","score":37,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":28.8100291,"display":"29/100","year":"2024","score":29,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":47.0640988,"display":"47/100","year":"2024","score":47,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":51.7749322,"display":"52/100","year":"2024","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":50.9282349,"display":"51/100","year":"2024","score":51,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":23.86,"display":"23.9 / 100 · city-level","year":null,"score":84,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":41.3,"display":"41.3%","year":"2024","score":37,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"violence_victimization","label":"Physical assault (past year)","value":6.1,"display":"6.1%","year":"2024","score":72,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"sexual_violence","label":"Sexual violence (past year)","value":1.6,"display":"1.6%","year":"2024","score":81,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.06,"display":"0.06 / 100k","year":"2024","score":91,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":13.96,"display":"14.0%","year":"2023","score":69,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":52,"display":"US AQI 52 · Moderate","year":null,"score":89,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":1,"display":"1 notice · max Watch","year":null,"score":84,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":44,"display":"44 within 15 km · nearest ~0.7 km","year":null,"score":95,"source":"OpenStreetMap"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":37,"display":"July: highs ~37°C · high heat","year":null,"score":80,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · low seismicity","year":null,"score":100,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":72,"source":"US State Dept · Canada"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Watch","title":"Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/rmsf-mexico"},{"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":"Yes — Mérida is widely regarded as Mexico's safest large city for visitors, with a Level 1 U.S. advisory for Yucatán state and very low violent crime in the tourist core.","summary":"Mérida's historic center, Paseo de Montejo, and adjacent neighborhoods (Santa Ana, Santiago, Santa Lucía) are safe day and night, with strong police presence and tourist infrastructure. The main risks are petty theft in crowded markets, scams targeting tourists (taxi overcharging, rental fraud, gas-station tricks), and extreme heat April–May. Violent crime against visitors is rare; the city's homicide rate (≈1.9/100k) is far below the national average. Use ride-hailing apps at night, stay hydrated, and avoid peripheral industrial zones after dark.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Mugging/armed robbery against tourists is rare in the central tourist zones; most incidents are non-violent property crime."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching occur in crowded markets, Plaza Grande on Sundays, and busy bus stations; spikes during peak tourist months."},"safeAreas":["Centro (historic downtown)","Paseo de Montejo","Santa Ana","Santiago","Santa Lucía","Altabrisa","García Gineres","Colonia México"],"avoidAreas":["Peripheral industrial zones (e.g., San Antonio Xluch) — higher poverty, less tourist infrastructure, avoid unnecessary visits at night"],"scams":["Unofficial taxi overcharging / meter tampering","Airport pre-paid taxi padding","Chichén Itzá 'skip-the-line' fraud","Rental car / accommodation scams","Gas station short-change / pump manipulation"],"zones":[{"name":"Centro (historic downtown)","level":"safe","note":"Well-lit, heavy tourist police presence, emergency alert buttons, safe day and night"},{"name":"Paseo de Montejo","level":"safe","note":"Tree-lined boulevard with upscale hotels, museums, regular patrols, very safe for evening walks"},{"name":"Santa Ana","level":"safe","note":"Charming residential area adjacent to centro, popular with expats, good community vigilance"},{"name":"Santiago","level":"safe","note":"Traditional neighborhood with colonial homes and local markets, safe with standard night precautions"},{"name":"Santa Lucía","level":"safe","note":"Quiet historic quarter near centro, well-patrolled, safe for tourists day and night"},{"name":"Altabrisa","level":"safe","note":"Modern suburban zone with malls, hospitals, hotels; car-dependent but very low crime"},{"name":"García Gineres","level":"safe","note":"Established residential district with good infrastructure, popular with long-stay visitors, low risk"},{"name":"Colonia México","level":"safe","note":"Central residential area with parks and cafes, walkable, strong community feel, safe for tourists"},{"name":"Peripheral industrial zones (e.g., San Antonio Xluch)","level":"caution","note":"Working-class/industrial outskirts with less tourist infrastructure; avoid unnecessary visits after dark"}]}}