In this article, we’re going to explore how safe it is to visit Buenos Aires. All the information included has been taken from recent reports and local newspapers.
And at the end, we’ll share our opinion as an Argentine and as a tourist visiting my family and spending a couple of months in a touristic area.
How safe is Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires is a city that keeps on growing and innovating. The number of tourists and digital nomads interested in coming to Buenos Aires is increasing due to the number of cool things to do in the city.
When asking locals, opinions are divided. Some people say it’s not safe at all whereas others, like me that I’ve lived here for many years (I was born and lived in Buenos Aires) and come to visit every once in a while, think it’s relatively safe.
Some people have been victims of pickpockets, especially in busy places like ‘Caminito’, Microcentro or other neighborhoods.
Petty thefts such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common for tourists and locals. From my own experience, many years ago I got robbed once, but it was coming back home from college at 11 pm at night on a Monday near a train station. Although this may sound uncommon, the robbery went smoothly and they just took my phone (which was a very old one!)
However, when visiting a city that has more than 3 million people in 203 km² (just the city, CABA, excluding Greater Buenos Aires), it’s very important that you take all the necessary precautions as in any other city.
Is Buenos Aires safe to walk at night?
Buenos Aires is a city that offers a wide variety of things to do at night, some areas like Palermo, San Telmo, Microcentro (on Corrientes Avenue) or Cañitas, have loads of restaurants and bars full of people.
My recommendation is to stick to places where there are things to do. Always check if the place you want to visit is open and when dining out, book a table.
Locals will have a later dinner, around 8.30/9, so you’ll see more people at these times and after since young people leave the nightclubs or bars at around 5 am.
From my own experience as a local, I used to go out at night and nothing has ever happened to me. I used to take buses, and taxis, or walk alone a few blocks and I was very fortunate I never encountered a violent robbery.
From my own experience as a tourist visiting Buenos Aires, I avoid walking late at night. Now that I’m here, I prefer to go out during the day, have an early dinner (around 7 pm), and head to my Airbnb before 10.
When I go out I book an Uber, it shouldn’t be a problem if you’re going somewhere within the city. Drivers don’t want to pick people up at night to travel to Greater Buenos Aires (outside the city). 👀 And a hot tip! Most prefer cash payments! Sometimes they will send a message to ask how you are planning to pay for your trip.
Is there a lot of crime in Buenos Aires?
In a recent Safe Cities 2021 report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, Buenos Aires is listed in an average position (39 out of 60) in the category of Personal Security, just above Sao Paulo, New Delhi, and Mexico City.
It’s in the 34th position on the Overall score, above cities like Dubai, Beijing, and Istanbul.
As you can see on this list below, Buenos Aires city is listed in the 39th position (average) in the category Personal Security, above cities like: Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Bogota, and Istanbul.
According to the Safe Cities 2021 report, none of the South American cities are listed in the top 10 of safest cities.
However, Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) were listed as the top three safest cities in Latin America.
At the bottom of the list, Quito (Ecuador) and Caracas (Venezuela) are in the 44th and 58th positions.
The city of Buenos Aires has launched an Integrated Public Safety System that has a 24hs surveillance system in parks and streets within the city.
Is crime high in Buenos Aires?
According to the data collected by the local government, Barracas, Balvanera and Retiro were the neighborhoods with the highest crime rates. On the other side, Puerto Madero has one of the lowest crime rates.
Even though the number of robberies has decreased in recent years, the local government has taken measures that reduced the robberies by 29% in 2021. Some measures include:
- The development of a unified and centralized crime report system to collect data on dangerous zones
- The creation of more efficient safety policies
- 11,000 cameras are linked to the Urban Monitoring Center, to have the city under video surveillance
- The formation of a City police Department that includes around 50 police stations around the city
The local government has also launched an interactive city map, where neighbours and tourists alike can check the criminality rate by area, you can find it here: mapa.seguridadciudad.gob.ar
Is La Boca Buenos Aires dangerous?
When visiting this colorful and full of history neighborhood it’s advisable to:
✅ Book a tour to walk around Caminito with a group of people and a local guide.
✅ Always keep your belongings in a safe place with you.
✅ Bring the essentials you’re going to use that day.
✅ Visit during the day and don’t wander off less crowded or touristic streets.
✅ Avoid going there at night since it’s more dangerous.
Is it safe for Americans to travel to Buenos Aires? And safety precautions for tourists.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires?
Puerto Madero is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the city of Buenos Aires. It’s located by the de la Plata River and it’s perfect for a walk on the promenade overlooking the river or to sit and relax in one of its many restaurants.
This area is relatively safe. Keep in mind that it’s an expensive neighborhood where the cost of living and prices are much higher than in other areas.
It’s considered one of the safest neighborhoods in the city, as you can see on the map below, the crime rate percentage is very low compared to other areas in the city.
Here you can read more about areas to avoid in Puerto Madero (and what to do!)
Belgrano is a residential area that it’s characterized by its beautiful and stately houses. As you can see on the map below, Belgrano is quite a big area that has many attractions.
Because of all the places to see and things to do, this area gets very busy with tourists and locals alike, so even though it is safer than other neighborhoods like Palermo and Recoleta, you have to take the regular precautions you take when visiting a city.
Belgrano is considered one of the safest neighborhoods in the city, as you can see on the map below, the crime rate percentage is very low compared to other areas in the city.
You can read about the safest areas in Belgrano here.
From my experience: at the moment I’m staying in Palermo (near the Botanical Gardens) and it feels relatively safe. I see police officers walking around constantly.
There are also loads of people living here or coming to visit since there are many things to do around this neighborhood.
As I mentioned a little bit above, I avoid walking late at night here. If I’m going out for dinner to a place that’s far from my place I prefer to get an Uber, it’s affordable and fast.
All in all, I can say it’s safe as long as you take the necessary precautions and find accommodation in a safe neighborhood.
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