Crime in Mazatlan, Mexico

Crime rates in Mazatlan, Mexico

Level of crime
43.60 Moderate
Crime increasing in the past 3 years
43.90 Moderate
Worries home broken and things stolen
41.28 Moderate
Worries being mugged or robbed
32.14 Low
Worries car stolen
36.59 Low
Worries things from car stolen
43.60 Moderate
Worries attacked
29.65 Low
Worries being insulted
23.78 Low
Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin color, ethnic origin, gender or religion
19.51 Very Low
Problem people using or dealing drugs
43.29 Moderate
Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft
55.36 Moderate
Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery
40.70 Moderate
Problem corruption and bribery
70.00 High

Safety in Mazatlan, Mexico

Safety walking alone during daylight
83.72 Very High
Safety walking alone during night
56.55 Moderate

Contributors: 43

Last update: January 2024

These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years.

If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high.

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3 Comments so far
R. Jones on Dec 11, 2023:
I live here in a condo with my wife. We feel very safe in Mazatlan, day or night. The only reported problems of theft or assault are from tourists behaving badly and not using common sense in bars or clubs.

If you are a person interested in doing business here, or in buying property, be very careful. Corruption is the number one issue in all business dealings. Do not assume you have a contract. Contracts and pre-payments are generally not enforced. Even with a court ruling on a contract or pre-payment, enforcement is almost impossible. You can make a report to the police, but don't expect them to do anything except file a report.

Number one rule.. no matter how honest and sincere a contractor appears to be, always reserve final payment until all work is completed to your satisfaction. A small payment initially may be expected, but reserve most of the payment until the work is completed or the item is delivered.

If you are thinking of buying property here, avoid buying property that is still under development. Often projects here are never completed, and in some cases the seller may not even fully own the property. It is best to only purchase property that is 100% completed. Never make large payments in cash. Always make bank transfers and always require proper receipts for all transactions. Make friends with a local lawyer who specializes in property purchases. Have that person investigate the ownership of property you are considering purchasing.

Be aware you Mazatlan is a tourist mecca for all of Mexico. Mexican tourists are by far the majority of visitors to Mazatlan. Although Cabo San Lucas is close, the tourist culture here is not Cabo. This is good and bad news. We like the Mexican culture, but we speak Spanish. English is only spoken by maybe 10% of the population.

Learn Spanish, if you plan to live here. Also, plan on getting a Mexican bank account, a residence visa, a Mexican driver's license, and basically integrate into the culture. Forget complaining about how things are not done as it might be in your home country. You are a foreigner here and you are not going to change a country much older than Columbus.

So basically if you are just visiting as a tourist, it is safe to enjoy Mazatlan; have a great time. You'll find people who can help you enjoy your visit. If you want to live here.. learn Spanish, accept the culture, and understand the crime and violence are not a big issue here. It's the problems associated with corruption will be more of an aggravation, and this is really only an issue in business dealings.
Vince D on May 27, 2022:
I have visited Mazatlan at least eleven times since 2001 and have found it to be a wonderful place. I've always had a relaxing (and safe) time sightseeing, eating at various restaurants throughout the city, listening to music at various venues and basically had a great time while visiting this colorful and beautiful city.

NOTE: I was in the U.S. Navy for many years and found Mazatlan a relaxing place to recharge before coming back to the hustle and bustle of the US.

Living in Christ,
Vince D
Larry B Stell on Feb 02, 2022:
Feb 2, 2022
I am impressed with this report on Mazatlan! I lived in Europe for twenty years plus, including Italy.
My friend, drinking buddy now visiting this, seemingly super tourist enclave of 1\2 million people!
From what I have read, this seems to be a hidden PARADISE!
Larry B Stell, Author
Feb 2, 2022