Is Santa Cruz safe?
Take real precautions. Robbery, phone snatching and car break-ins are common; most visitors stay in Equipetrol and Las Palmas and use apps at night.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 3/5, take real precautions.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2026-04-27.
- Homicide rate in Bolivia: 4.4 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Bolivia: 21.1 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
Safety in Santa Cruz at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Crime | Phone snatching, armed robbery on foot and from cars, taxi robberies, and burglaries; tourists are rarely targeted violently. |
| At night | Use ride apps or radio taxis door to door after dark; avoid walking between neighborhoods and keep phones out of sight. |
| Solo women | Catcalling is common and sometimes persistent. Use apps at night, avoid isolated streets and be careful with drinks in clubs. |
| Other risks | Heat above 35°C in the hot months; Dengue and chikungunya in the rainy season; Smoke from fires, Aug–Oct |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Street taxis with accomplices who rob passengers; use apps
- Fake police asking to check your wallet or passport
- Distraction thefts at traffic lights and busy plazas
Take care
- Casco Viejo and the old center after dark: robberies
- Bus terminal area: bag theft and street crime
- Phone use at street corners and car windows: snatching
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Any amount of illegal drugs counts as trafficking; the minimum sentence is eight years
- Prison tours are illegal and unsafe
- Coca leaves are legal in Bolivia but illegal to carry into most other countries
How Santa Cruz compares in Bolivia
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Uyuni | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Sucre | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Copacabana | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rurrenabaque | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Potosí | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| La Paz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Santa Cruz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Santa Cruz safe for solo female travelers?
Catcalling is common and sometimes persistent. Use apps at night, avoid isolated streets and be careful with drinks in clubs.
Is Santa Cruz safe at night?
Use ride apps or radio taxis door to door after dark; avoid walking between neighborhoods and keep phones out of sight.
What is the crime rate in Santa Cruz?
Phone snatching, armed robbery on foot and from cars, taxi robberies, and burglaries; tourists are rarely targeted violently. Nationally, Bolivia records 4.4 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Santa Cruz?
Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
More about Santa Cruz
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia
- 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.