Is Quito safe?
Take real precautions. Robbery, phone snatching and express kidnapping have risen; most visitors are fine by sticking to known areas and using app rides.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 3/5, take real precautions.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-10-13.
- Homicide rate in Ecuador: 45.7 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Ecuador: 20.1 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 911 · Ambulance 911 · Fire 911 · All emergencies 911.
Safety in Quito at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Crime | Pickpocketing on buses and the metro, phone snatching, armed robbery at night, and express kidnappings after hailing street taxis. |
| At night | Use Uber, DiDi or inDrive door to door after dark and keep phones out of sight. Avoid walking between neighborhoods, even short distances. |
| Solo women | Catcalling is common but serious assault on visitors is unusual. Use app rides at night, watch drinks, and avoid empty streets in the old town. |
| Other risks | Altitude sickness in the first days at 2,850 m; Intense UV; sunburn within minutes at midday; Pichincha and Cotopaxi volcano alerts; follow ECU 911 notices |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Distraction thefts: liquid squirted on you while an accomplice takes your bag
- Street taxis with 'broken' meters or armed partners; use apps
- Drinks or leaflets laced with scopolamine in bars and clubs
- Fake officers asking to inspect cash or documents
Take care
- Centro Histórico after dark: emptied streets and frequent robberies
- El Panecillo hill and Itchimbía park: go by taxi, not on foot
- La Mariscal late at night: drink spiking and street robbery
- Bus terminals Quitumbe and Carcelén: bag theft
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Carry ID: a colour copy of the passport photo page and entry stamp
- Climbing glaciated peaks such as Cotopaxi or Chimborazo without an accredited guide is illegal
- Taking sand, shells, rocks or wildlife out of Galápagos is prohibited
How Quito compares in Ecuador
Quick answers
Is Quito safe for solo female travelers?
Catcalling is common but serious assault on visitors is unusual. Use app rides at night, watch drinks, and avoid empty streets in the old town.
Is Quito safe at night?
Use Uber, DiDi or inDrive door to door after dark and keep phones out of sight. Avoid walking between neighborhoods, even short distances.
What is the crime rate in Quito?
Pickpocketing on buses and the metro, phone snatching, armed robbery at night, and express kidnappings after hailing street taxis. Nationally, Ecuador records 45.7 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Quito?
Police 911 · Ambulance 911 · Fire 911 · All emergencies 911.
More about Quito
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Metro de Quito
- Quito Airport (Quiport)
- Hospital Metropolitano
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.