{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/saudi-arabia/medina","updatedAt":"2026-07-29T17:20:47.048Z","place":{"city":"Medina","country":"Saudi Arabia","countryCode":"SA","lat":24.46861,"lon":39.61417},"safety":{"score":44,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":32,"confidence":0.87,"caps":[{"max":44,"reason":"Level 3 advisory — reconsider travel"}],"databaseScore":44,"travellerSentiment":{"score":91,"label":"Highly positive","summary":"Visitors and residents report strong confidence in personal safety (92.6% feel safe after dark, 87% in daylight). Pilgrims and tourists cite exceptional security presence and low fear of violent crime; confidence is highest near religious sites with heavy police patrols.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":87,"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":85,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":91,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":30,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":70,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":61,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":4,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-07-25T17:34:42Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":3,"label":"Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-07-29T14:31:46.2003107-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/saudi-arabia"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":0.935259944754359,"display":"0.9 / 100k","year":"2019","score":95,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"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":18.5,"display":"18.5 / 100k","year":"2021","score":45,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":65.0715555,"display":"65/100","year":"2024","score":65,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":60.5850662,"display":"61/100","year":"2024","score":61,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":63.0932113,"display":"63/100","year":"2024","score":63,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":66.5710105,"display":"67/100","year":"2024","score":67,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":66.0645617,"display":"66/100","year":"2024","score":66,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":29.7683225,"display":"30/100","year":"2024","score":30,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":1300000,"display":"1.3M residents","year":null,"score":72,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":92.6,"display":"92.6%","year":"2023","score":98,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.14,"display":"0.14 / 100k","year":"2023","score":90,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":149,"display":"US AQI 149 · Unhealthy for sensitive groups","year":null,"score":44,"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":24.071459213,"display":"24 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2023","score":65,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":47,"display":"July: highs ~47°C · dangerous heat, strong winds","year":null,"score":27,"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":3,"display":"Level 3 — Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories)","year":null,"score":30,"source":"Government of Canada"},{"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":92,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":87,"display":"87 / 100 (Highly positive)","year":null,"score":87,"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":"Medina's street-level security is exceptionally strong with very low violent crime, but a Level 3 advisory (reconsider travel) reflects regional geopolitical tensions, not local crime — visitors should monitor the Iran–Saudi conflict situation and environmental hazards before traveling.","summary":"Medina benefits from heavy security around the Prophet's Mosque and pilgrim areas, with crowdsourced crime reports and resident confidence among the world's highest. The Level 3 advisory is driven by regional conflict (Iran tensions), air quality concerns (AQI 183, Unhealthy), and extreme heat (47°C in July), not by ordinary street crime. Travelers who respect cultural norms and follow official guidance report feeling safe within the city.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Mugging and armed robbery are extremely rare for visitors; violent street crime is not a typical threat. Normal urban vigilance in transit applies, especially after dark."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching risk is low even in crowded areas around the Prophet's Mosque and pilgrim zones; exercise standard urban caution in congested spaces."},"safeAreas":["Al-Masjid an-Nabawi","Al-Manara"],"avoidAreas":["Outer Industrial Areas (low security, no tourist amenities)","Yemen border within 10 km (UK advises against all travel)"],"scams":["Fake airport officials demanding your passport and directing you to overpriced unofficial taxis — verify government-set taxi fares in advance","Taxi drivers posing hardship stories or claiming to fight jihad, requesting donations — these are known lies targeting charitable pilgrims","Short-changing at shops, exploiting visitors unfamiliar with local currency — verify prices and count change carefully","Dropped-camera scam: stranger hands you a camera to take their photo, then demands money when they 'accidentally' drop it"],"zones":[{"name":"Al-Masjid an-Nabawi","level":"safe","note":"Prophet's Mosque district; exceptional security with constant police presence"},{"name":"Al-Manara","level":"safe","note":"Central commercial hub; well-lit, busy with tourists, good police presence"},{"name":"Al-Hijra","level":"caution","note":"Historic quarter; crowded at peak times; petty scams reported in shops"},{"name":"Uyun","level":"caution","note":"Outer residential area; safe during day but limited evening amenities"},{"name":"Quba","level":"caution","note":"South district; generally safe but farther from main tourist infrastructure"},{"name":"Airport Vicinity","level":"caution","note":"Taxi scams in arrivals; use government-licensed taxis from rank only"},{"name":"Outer Industrial Areas","level":"avoid","note":"Minimal security and tourist amenities; avoid after dark"}]}}