{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/brazil/sao-paulo","updatedAt":"2026-09-02T15:54:25.785Z","place":{"city":"São Paulo","country":"Brazil","countryCode":"BR","lat":-23.5475,"lon":-46.63611},"safety":{"score":57,"level":"MODERATE","answer":"Mostly — take normal precautions","saferThanPctOfCountries":51,"confidence":0.92,"caps":[],"databaseScore":57,"travellerSentiment":{"score":59,"label":"Mostly positive","summary":"Visitors report feeling generally safe in well-touristed neighborhoods when taking precautions, though subjective insecurity remains high among locals due to media amplification.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":56,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":62,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":58,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":51,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":59,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":72,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":63,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":76,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Thu, 29 May 2025","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/brazil-travel-advisory.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-05-11T11:32:48Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-09-01T09:05:38.010000-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/brazil"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":19.2752957673079,"display":"19.3 / 100k","year":"2023","score":27,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":6.6,"display":"6.6%","year":"2009","score":81,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.004698974197486279,"display":"0.00 / million","year":"2021","score":99,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":15.7,"display":"15.7 / 100k","year":"2021","score":51,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":57.0022212,"display":"57/100","year":"2024","score":57,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":49.2849848,"display":"49/100","year":"2024","score":49,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":39.5782583,"display":"40/100","year":"2024","score":40,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":46.9849597,"display":"47/100","year":"2024","score":47,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":50.2174997,"display":"50/100","year":"2024","score":50,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":62.3883763,"display":"62/100","year":"2024","score":62,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":12400232,"display":"12.4M residents","year":null,"score":50,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":63.6,"display":"63.6 / 100","year":null,"score":37,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":48.3,"display":"48.3%","year":"2021","score":46,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"violence_victimization","label":"Physical assault (past year)","value":4.1,"display":"4.1%","year":"2019","score":80,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"sexual_violence","label":"Sexual violence (past year)","value":0.8,"display":"0.8%","year":"2019","score":91,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.01,"display":"0.01 / 100k","year":"2024","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":11,"display":"11.0%","year":"2019","score":74,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":54,"display":"US AQI 54 · Moderate","year":null,"score":88,"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":25.181114995,"display":"25 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2021","score":80,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":29,"display":"September: highs ~29°C · wet spell","year":null,"score":92,"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":50,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":62,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":58,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":56,"display":"56 / 100 (Mostly positive)","year":null,"score":56,"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":"Yes — São Paulo is generally safe for visitors who stay in well-touristed neighborhoods and follow basic precautions, though pickpocketing and express kidnappings remain notable risks.","summary":"São Paulo's crime levels in early 2026 reached their lowest since 2001, with robberies down 18% and homicides down 3.7% year-on-year, yet tourists still face high pickpocketing risk in crowded areas and express kidnappings via informal taxis. Visitors report feeling moderately safe in tourist zones when avoiding ostentatious displays of valuables and using ride-hailing apps.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Phone theft drives most robberies; risk is higher in Centro at night and informal taxi zones, but overall volume is falling to 25-year lows."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"High","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are swift and common in tourist bus corridors, Paulista Avenue, Brás, Liberdade, and crowded squares; often involves groups."},"safeAreas":["Jardins","Itaim Bibi","Vila Madalena"],"avoidAreas":["Brás (organized phone/bag snatching)","Santa Ifigênia (open drug use and associated crime)"],"scams":["Express kidnappings via informal taxis near Paulista Avenue and Liberdade","Organized phone and bag snatching in tourist corridors and bus hubs","Overpriced hotel minibar and phone bill scams"],"zones":[{"name":"Jardins","level":"safe","note":"Upscale residential and commercial area with low violent crime; pickpocketing possible in crowded spots."},{"name":"Itaim Bibi","level":"safe","note":"Affluent business district with strong security presence; minimal risk for visitors during day and evening."},{"name":"Vila Madalena","level":"safe","note":"Trendy arts and nightlife zone; generally safe but watch for bag snatching on busy streets after dark."},{"name":"Paulista Avenue","level":"caution","note":"Major tourist corridor; high pickpocketing and bag-snatching risk, especially near metro stations and crowds."},{"name":"Bela Vista","level":"caution","note":"Central area with vibrant nightlife; express kidnappings reported in informal taxis; avoid street hails after dark."},{"name":"Centro Histórico","level":"caution","note":"Historic downtown; petty theft common in crowded areas like Sé and Luz stations; avoid isolated streets at night."},{"name":"Liberdade","level":"caution","note":"Japanese-Brazilian district; pickpocketing reported in tourist zones and bus corridors; remain alert with valuables."},{"name":"Brás","level":"avoid","note":"Wholesale shopping district; high incidence of organized phone and bag snatching; avoid displaying valuables."},{"name":"Santa Ifigênia","level":"avoid","note":"Known as 'Crackland' area; open drug use and associated crime; avoid entirely, especially after dark."}]}}