Is Medellín safe to visit? Medellín is generally safe to visit if you follow some basic safety tips, as you will reduce your risk of being a victim of crime. However, security in Medellín is still a major concern for expats living in Medellín and also tourists visiting the city.
Medellín still has a reputation of violence and drugs to overcome that hasn’t been helped by the popular Narcos series. What many people don’t realize is the timeframe depicted in Narcos was well over 25 years ago and that Pablo Escobar is long dead and buried. Furthermore, Medellín has experienced a remarkable turnaround over the past couple of decades.
I have lived in Medellín for many years. And probably the most common questions I get from friends and relatives in the U.S. are still related to the security and safety in Medellín. I frequently hear questions like “Is Medellín safe?”, “Aren’t you scared living there?", “What is the chance I will be kidnapped when I visit?”
In this article, we look at some up-to-date crime statistics and 20 recommended expat safety tips. Crime and safety is a major concern of expats and was included in our list of 11 downsides to living in Medellín. We also have separate articles that look at safety and crime rates in Bogotá, safety and crime in Cartagena and safety and crime in Cali.
Everyone’s experiences and perceptions about security and safety differ. Obviously if you or a family member or close friend have been victim of a crime your perceptions about security and safety will be different than someone that hasn’t experienced a problem.
Note the above photos of Colombian police are by the National Police of Colombia. Also, please note that this article was completely updated in 2024 with up-to-date crime statistics.
Medellín Homicide Statistics
Nothing demonstrates the remarkable turnaround in the security situation in Medellín more than looking at the historical homicide statistics in the above chart.
In the 1990s, Medellín was known as the murder capital of the world. In 1991, the homicide rate in Medellín was reportedly 375 per 100,000 residents. This was almost triple the homicide rate in the current most dangerous city in the world, Caracas, Venezuela.
Over the past 34 years, there was a dramatic turnaround in Medellín with the homicide rate dropping significantly. Medellín was even taken off the list of the most dangerous cities in the world based on homicide rates a few years ago.
In addition, out of 10 cities in Colombia, Medellín experienced the biggest drop in its reported homicide rate from 2009 to 2015 as seen in the following chart. In 2023, Medellín recorded a decrease in its homicide rate. According to El Colombiano, the city went 140 days without any homicides. During the year, 375 homicides were registered, marking a 4.1% reduction from the previous year (2022), which saw 391 homicides occur.
Medellín now has a lower homicide rate than is found in St. Louis, New Orleans or Baltimore in the U.S. that are still on the list of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world.
According to the official press release from the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, the city closed January 2024 with a 24% reduction compared to the same period in 2023, when 29 cases occurred. There were 16 non-consecutive days without homicides. So far, more than 1,200 arrests have been recorded, 458 sharp weapons and 62 firearms have been seized. In addition, 199 motorcycles and 30 vehicles were recovered.
At the first time we wrote this blog in 2019, we made a huge investigation about statistics about violent homicides in Medellín. During the full year 2018, 626 homicides occurred in Medellín, which was 44 more than in 2017. Medellín closed the year 2018 with a rate of 24.75 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
This homicide rate of 24.75 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 was up from a homicide rate of 20 in 2015 in Medellín. 2015 had the lowest homicide rate for Medellín in over 40 years.
Dangerous Comunas
La Candelaria (El Centro) in Medellín remains the most dangerous comuna in the city. In El Centro, there were 108 homicide cases in 2018, five more than in 2017. This was followed in 2018 by San Javier with 91 homicides; Robledo with 55; Belén and Aranjuez with 39; Guayabal, La América and Laureles-Estadio with 30 each; Castilla with 25; Doce de Octubre with 23; Villa Hermosa with 20 and Manrique with 16.
Safest Comunas
In contrast, the safest comuna in Medellín in 2018 in terms of homicides was Buenos Aires with 7 homicides followed by Popular with 10 and El Poblado and Santa Cruz with 11 each. In addition, the separate municipality of Sabaneta had 8 homicides in 2018, which was the lowest in the past eight years. Unfortunately it appears that homicide rates aren’t publicly reported for all the separate municipalities in the Aburrá Valley.
Foreigner Homicides in the Aburrá Valley Over the Past Decade
In the past, and according to a 2018 article in the El Colombiano newspaper, 50 foreigners were murdered in the decade in the Aburrá Valley from 2007 to 2017. So, this was an average of one foreigner homicide every 2.4 months in that period.
Now, speaking only about 2022-2023, it has been reported that the number of violent deaths of foreign nationals in the city has increased by 29% in the last quarter of 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. According to a press release by El Tiempo, there were six cases of homicides of foreign tourists in the city last year, which has raised concerns for the U.S. Embassy in Colombia.
The Attorney General’s Office has provided the data about these cases, and it was noted that most of the deaths occurred between November and December 2023. The embassy has issued a warning due to the rise in incidents where criminal gangs in Medellín use dating apps to lure victims in public places and then take them to other locations, where they are assaulted and robbed.
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Read MoreThe reasons for these homicides vary but the majority were related to street robberies, drugs and sex tourism and crimes of passion.
In the years I have lived in Medellín, a majority of the foreigner homicides in the city tend to be reported in the news that the victims resisted a robbery or were involved in shady activities such as drugs and prostitution.
These foreigner homicides occurred all over the metro area and in seven of the 10 municipalities in the Aburrá Valley. Most of these foreigner homicides occurred in Medellín, followed by Bello, Caldas, Itagüí, Copacabana, Envigado and Sabaneta.
In Medellín, the comunas with the highest counts of foreigner homicides over the past decade were El Poblado, Laureles-Estadio and Belén, which are three of the most popular neighborhoods for foreigners living in Medellín.
The murdered foreigners came from several countries. Most of them from North America (U.S. Canda or Mexico), and others from Europe, Central America, the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific.
Details of the North American Deaths and Homicides in Medellín
The U.S. embassy stated that between November 1 and December 31, 2023, eight U.S. deaths occurred in the capital of Antioquia in “suspicious” circumstances.
El Tiempo Newspaper collected information on the 8 U.S. citizens who lost their lives in tragic circumstances between November 1 and December 31, 2023. Johnny Jerome, 45, from New York, was found dead in a hot tub with no signs of violence after celebrating his birthday in the city. Michael Eugene and Andrew Shoyoye suffered fatal burns after a chimney exploded in an apartment in Medellín.
Jeffrey Hutson Hewett, a communications graduate, was murdered in his hotel room with more than 20 stab wounds, and an 18-year-old woman was implicated in his death. Marcel Petreanu was intercepted by robbers as he was leaving an establishment in El Poblado, and was fatally wounded during a struggle. Mike Smith was found dead in a rented house in Envigado, a victim of an apparent robbery, killed with a crossbow. Tou Ger Xiong, a well-known comedian and activist, was summoned by a woman and later found dead in a ravine with stab wounds, presumably a victim of extortion. Finally, Phillip Ryan Mullins died of an overdose of psychoactive substances in a hotel in Medellín.
Of these cases, a total of 4 were classified as homicides: Jeffrey Hutson Hewett, Marcel Petreanu, Mike Smith, and Tou Ger Xiong. Some of those that have not been classified as such happened in suspicious ways, and authorities report that narcotic substances were found at the places.
It is worrisome, as in our latest research in 2019, we managed to collect the information of 12 U.S. citizens killed in the decade of 2007-2017.
We look in detail at each homicide to demonstrate that several of these victims reportedly resisted a robbery or were involved in shady activities such as drugs or prostitution. In some cases, details of these homicides are sketchy with a underlying cause not reported.
The bottom line is that resisting robbery or being involved in shady activities like drugs and prostitution are risky behaviors in Medellín. Furthermore, during the past decade, there have been many foreigners who died from drug overdoses reported in the news.
However, it is highly unlikely that any normal foreign tourists not involved in these risky behaviors would be shot and killed randomly. Safety in Medellin for most foreign tourists comes down more to muggings, robberies and thefts.
In Medellin Guru we have prepared a Security Guide for U.S. Citizens in English with information from the U.S. Embassy and all the contact information you need to be safe in Colombia.
Medellin Guru Guides
Download Safety Guide for US Citizens in Colombia we have created with helpful information about Medellín and Colombia.
Other Statistic Researched in 2019 - Rates by Neighborhood (October 2009-October 2018)
Homicide Statistics by Neighborhood in Medellín
Historically the highest counts of reported homicides each year in Medellín occur in the La Candelaria comuna (El Centro).
In addition, in the past decade, 12.5 percent of the homicides in Medellín were in El Centro.
In the past decade (10 years up to October 18, 2018), according to Sijin of the Metropolitan police and Seguridad y Convivencia (Sisc) of the Mayor of Medellín, the following are the counts of homicides in Medellín and the top three comunas:
- Total Medellín homicides – 11,846 in the past decade up to October 18, 2018
- La Candelaria (El Centro) homicides – 1,482 (12.5 percent of the total in Medellín)
- San Javier homicides – 1,245
- Aranjuez homicides – 878
Other Crimes by Neighborhood in Medellín
It’s worth looking at crime statistics by neighborhood to help determine the safety of neighborhoods in Medellín. We have a separate article that looks at the safest neighborhoods in Medellin and the Aburrá Valley.
Historically the highest counts of reported robberies and thefts in Medellín occur in the La Candelaria comuna (El Centro). And this is followed by Laureles-Estadio and El Poblado, which are two of the most popular neighborhoods for foreigners in Medellín.
Note that Colombia reports hurtos, which means robberies and thefts. So, the robberies statistics in Colombia actually include both robberies and thefts. Robbery in English involves force or the threat of force. While theft is a broad term that can cover a wide variety of criminal offenses including pickpocketing.
In the past decade (10 years up to October 18, 2018), according to Sijin of the Metropolitan police and Sisc of the Mayor of Medellín, the following are the counts of robberies of persons in Medellín and the top three comunas:
- Total Medellín robberies of persons – 72,311 in the past decade up to October 18, 2018
- La Candelaria (El Centro) robberies of persons – 25,265 (35 percent of the total in Medellín)
- Laureles-Estadio robberies of persons – 8,837
- El Poblado robberies of persons – 7,800
Robberies of Personal Items (phones, cash, clothes, and jewelry)
The most commonly stolen items are normally cell phones followed by money, clothes and jewelry.
The Medellín robberies of cell phones statistics in the past decade (10 years up to October 18, 2018) are:
- Total Medellín robberies of cell phones – 37,251 in the past decade up to October 18, 2018
- La Candelaria (El Centro) robberies of cell phones – 13,828 (37 percent of the total in Medellín)
- Laureles-Estadio robberies of cell phones – 4,863
- El Poblado robberies of cell phones – 3,912
Assaults on premises
The Medellín assaults on premises statistics in the past decade (10 years up to October 18, 2018) are:
- Total Medellín assaults on premises – 15,485 in the past decade up to October 18, 2018
- La Candelaria (El Centro) assaults on premises – 4,076 (26 percent of the total in Medellín)
- El Poblado assaults on premises – 2,379
- Laureles-Estadio assaults on premises – 1,852
As was the case at the time of this research, currently in 2024 El Centro continues to produce troubling statistics. It has the highest counts of reported robberies/thefts, motorcycle thefts, homicides and sexual offenses. So, it remains the most dangerous area of Medellín. If you live in El Centro, you need to take extra security and safety precautions. And you should take care when visiting El Centro.
As a result, the police have been focusing many of their efforts in El Centro. So, you will see an increased police presence in El Centro in several areas like Parque Berrío and Plaza Botero. Also, we have looked at the safest neighborhoods in Medellín.
The Mayor’s Office of Medellín reported at the end of 2023 that 400 new police officers would be hired by 2024. And this is just one of the many measures being implemented by the Colombian government.
My Safety Experiences in Medellín and Colombia
I have lived in the Medellín metro area for over eight years in five different neighborhoods. And I have been traveling to Colombia since late 2006, when I first discovered Colombia.
During all this time living in Medellín and traveling to Colombia, I have felt safe but I am security conscious and use common sense plus take some safety precautions outlined in our 20 safety tips below. In all this time traveling to Colombia and living in Medellín for over eight years, I only experienced three problems.
One problem was in January 2020 in Laureles in Medellín when I was robbed at knifepoint. And two of my problems were on the Medellín metro. One time on the metro was a few years ago when I was traveling on the metro with a backpack during rush hour. And a small camera was in the small pocket in the backpack. When I arrived at my destination, I later discovered the camera was gone.
Also, I was a victim of a pickpocket on the Medellín metro in August 2018. I normally try to avoid rush hour on the metro when people are packed like sardines.
I had my cell phone in one front pocket and my wallet in the other. I had one hand on my pocket with my wallet and my other hand was holding on. When I arrived at my destination, I realized someone had taken the cell phone from my pocket. And I didn’t notice or feel anything. Note that cell phones are the most commonly stolen items in Colombia.
Luckily this was an older Samsung J3 model cell phone that I was planning to replace anyway. And since the cell phone was registered in my name, it was easy to report it stolen to block the IMEI, buy a new phone and get a new SIM with the same phone number.
I have not encountered any other security problems while living in Medellín and traveling throughout Colombia. But I am safety cautious and normally take taxis at night and don’t go to certain parts of the city.
I always recommend having travel medical insurance that can assist you in case of an emergency or if your documents are stolen. This is essential, since many foreigners do not have a good travel insurance policy in order to save a few bills. If you click on the green button below, you’ll be able to access the Medellin Guru Insurance Service.
Medellin Guru Insurance Service
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20 Medellín Safety Tips for Expats for 2024
Medellín is generally considered safe to visit if you use common sense and take some precautions. There are a number of basic precautions you can take to be vigilant about your personal safety and improve your security while in Medellín and Colombia.
Here are 20 safety tips in no particular order that should improve your security and greatly reduce your risk of being a crime victim in Medellín:
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Read MoreReporting Crimes in Medellín
If you are a victim of crime in Medellín you can report this. A police report, known as a denuncia, may be filed at the nearest Unidad de Reacción Inmediata (URI) of the Colombian judicial authorities.
You may also file a report at a police station but it will not have the same validity for legal process. So, it is recommended that victims of a crime go to the nearest URI to file a formal report. And be sure to get a copy of the report.
The National Police (Policía Nacional) have police stations located throughout the Medellín metro area and a list can be seen here. And the police station in El Poblado is located at Carrera 43B # 12-20 with the fijo phone number of +57 4 266 8826. This police station is only three blocks from Parque Poblado.
In addition, Guala is a special division of the police that handles cases involving extortion and kidnapping. They can be reached via phone at 165. And their office in Medellín is located at Carrera 51 #14-259.
In Medellin Guru we have prepared a Colombia Emergency Directory in English with all the contact information of authorities, hospitals and police stations.
Colombia Travel Warning or Advisories
Several countries provide a Colombia travel warning or Colombia travel advisory.
For example, the U.S. Department of State has a Colombia Travel Advisory that is currently at Level 2 – exercise increased caution. In this travel advisory, it is advised to reconsider travel to several departments in Colombia including Arauca, Cauca, Chocó, Nariño and Norte de Santander Departments, with the exceptions of the cities of Popayan (capital of Cauca) and Nuqui by air.
Also, Canada has travel advice and advisories for Colombia that says to “exercise a high degree of caution”. It also recommends avoiding all travel within 20 km of the border with Venezuela, within 20 km of the border with Panama and the ports of Buenaventura and Tumaco.
In addition, the UK has UK foreign travel advice for Colombia that advises avoiding all travel to the ports of Buenaventura and Tumaco. And Australia also has its Australian travel advice for Colombia that recommends avoiding all travel within 20 km of the borders with Venezuela and Ecuador except the Pan American Highway crossing at Ipiales and avoiding all travel to the ports of Buenaventura and Tumaco.
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Read MoreMedellin Guru's Safety and Security Series
Safety is the biggest concern of foreigners visiting Colombia or planning to move to Colombia. So, we have a series of 15 popular articles about safety and security in Colombia:
- Is Colombia Safe? Colombia Security and Safety Tips
- Is Medellín Safe? Medellín Security and Safety Tips
- What are the Safest Neighborhoods in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley
- Medellín Robbery: Expat Experience Being Robbed at Knifepoint
- Colombia Gun Laws: Is it Legal to Have a Gun in Colombia?
- Scopolamine: The Realities of Devil’s Breath in Colombia
- Colombia Protests: Tips for Foreigners to Stay Safe During Protests
- Is Bogotá Safe? Bogotá Security and Safety Tips
- Is Cartagena Safe? Cartagena Security and Safety Tips
- Is Cali Safe? Cali, Colombia Security and Safety Tips
- Is Santa Marta Safe? Santa Marta Security and Safety Tips
- Is Pereira Safe? Pereira, Colombia Security and Safety Tips
- Is Manizales Safe? Manizales Security and Safety Tips
- Is Bucaramanga Safe? Bucaramanga Security and Safety Tips
- Is Barranquilla Safe? Barranquilla Security and Safety Tips
The Bottom Line: Is Medellín Safe? Security in Medellín and Safety Tips
The biggest question I have received since living in Medellín has been “Is Medellín Safe ?” And my answer has been “yes”, as long as you follow some common-sense guidelines.
Medellín unfortunately still has a bad security reputation to overcome that is for the most part undeserved. The reality in the city is that the security situation has improved dramatically over the past couple of decades.
This biggest concern of expats planning to move to Medellín is security and safety. But once they start living in the city, security becomes less of a concern once they realize that the reality doesn’t match the perception many foreigners have.
I have talked to many foreigners living in Medellín over the past several years. And I have only encountered a handful of expats that have experienced crimes. Most of these were robberies on the street or on the metro. And the most commonly stolen item was a cell phone. And in some cases, these crimes could have been avoided if they followed the common-sense security tips listed above.
Also, be careful of safety and security posts on the large Medellín Facebook groups due to many false claims I have seen. For example, I recently saw a comment claiming the reported crime rate in Laureles is five times higher than in El Poblado. But if you look at the actual reported crime statistics in the article above, this isn’t true.
The bottom line is if you take the precautions we recommend above with our safety tips, your risk of being a victim of crime should be greatly reduced.
In addition, “Is Medellín safe?” is a very common question asked by expats visiting Medellín. So, we included this question in our list of Medellín frequently asked questions (FAQ).
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