Is Costa Rica Safe Enough To Travel To In 2020? Costa Rica is an amazing country, and with common sense, it’s one of the safest Central American destinations you can visit. Jan 13, 2020. by James Dyde. Costa Rica, Crime, Safety. Criminal groups transport drugs along the Pacific coast, and the government has reported that many homicides there are related to organized crime and drug trafficking. That was the most violent year in Costa Rica’s history with 603 murders and a homicide rate of 12.1 per 100,000. Costa Rica hotel guard Bismark Espinoza Martínez had been convicted of taking advantage of his position at the Villa Le Mas in Escazu to enter the room where Carla Stefaniak was staying and kill her. Costa Rica crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 12.30, a 3.36% increase from 2016. SHARE What are your thoughts? O K E N H U T C. Reconsider travel to Costa Rica due to COVID-19. Tortuguero National Park (Photo credit – tropicalsky.co.uk) When visiting a country that’s supposedly as dangerous as Costa Rica is, what with the increase in crime, it’s important to know some things about how best to avoid being a target of crime. Exercise increased caution in Costa Rica due to crime. Each province is unique, and there are things we love about all of them. Costa Rica consists of seven provinces: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, and San José. The numbers remain similar to last year. These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years. In 2019, the country documented 560 murders, a rate of approximately 11 murders per 100,000 people. Select city in Costa Rica: ... Last update: October 2020. Costa Rica is incredibly safe, as long as you use good sense. The good news is that homicides have been on a downward trend since 2017. To help you decide on the best place to live in Costa Rica , we’ve put together a list of the top spot in each region. Costa Rica does have some crime, but unlike other countries in Central America, most travelers report feeling quite safe here. However, there are dangers that come with such destinations – mostly in the form of pickpockets and petty theft such as purse snatching, armed robberies, and carjacking, so tourists should exercise caution. International Financial Scams: See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information. In 2019, Costa Rica saw 565 homicides. 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. Violent crime in Costa Rica has increased in recent years. Last week, the US State Department downgraded Costa Rica from Level 1 to Level 2 on its Travel Advisory. October 13, 2020. Crime in Costa Rica. So far in 2020 (up to November 20), Costa Rica has recorded 509 homicides. Its homicide rate is 10.3 people per 100,000, second in the region only to Nicaragua at 8.7. Compared to many of its Central American neighbors, Costa Rica is extremely safe. Costa Rica crime rate & statistics for 2016 was 11.90, a 2.59% increase from 2015. See the 2020 OSAC Annual Crime Report for an overview of crime in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is mostly safe, with 1.9 million visitors annually making it a popular travel destination. Costa Rica crime rate & statistics for 2015 was 11.60, a 16% increase from 2014. Costa Rica crime rate & statistics for 2014 was 10.00, a 14.94% increase from 2013. Organized crime continues to be a growing economic engine, as shown by the largest single seizure of cocaine in Costa Rica’s history being made there in February 2020. Costa Rica - Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Victims of Crime: U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance. 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