What's the crime rate in general in Nicaragua?
Maria Acosta
Nicaragua is generally a very safe country. We consistently rank among the first two safest countries in Central America. We have been very fortunate to be spared the drug and gang violence prevalent in other Central American countries. Every city has certain areas to avoid and Nicaraguan cities and towns are no exception to that.
Nicaragua is generally a very safe country. We consistently rank among the first two safest countries in Central America. We have been very fortunate to be spared the drug and gang violence prevalent in other Central American countries. Every city has certain areas to avoid and Nicaraguan cities and towns are no exception to that.
Posted March 2, 2014
Indiana Siu - Operation Smile Nicaragua
The crime level in Nicaragua comes down to where you are and your security measures. For example, if you have a very nice car and you park it in a good area with no one to look after it, it could get vandalized. But you could also have the same nice car and park it in a bad area, but with someone to look after it, and nothing will happen.
Compared with Seattle (where I used to live), the crime in Nicaragua is about the same, but Seattle and...
The crime level in Nicaragua comes down to where you are and your security measures. For example, if you have a very nice car and you park it in a good area with no one to look after it, it could get vandalized. But you could also have the same nice car and park it in a bad area, but with someone to look after it, and nothing will happen.
Compared with Seattle (where I used to live), the crime in Nicaragua is about the same, but Seattle and Nicaragua have different issues. For example, in Seattle, lots of people have guns, while in Nicaragua, you don’t see it that much. I have never heard of an issue of guns in a school in Nicaragua. People in Nicaragua would faint if they heard that. You also don’t hear about a mall or bank shooting in Nicaragua. In Seattle, you will see lots of drugs, while in Nicaragua, you won’t. I keep reading how bad the crime is in Central America, that people are having guns held to their heads, etc. I have never, never been mugged, and I’m "a girl in an SUV," living here from the age of 18 to 30. I have, however, been pick pocketed in the public market, but that could happen in Seattle.
One of the differences about living in Nicaragua is that, in Nicaragua, depending on where you go, it can be a good idea to pay someone to look after your car. If you don’t have someone with you, you just pay a person in the street whose “job” it is to watch the car in that area. The most you would pay is a dollar. If they look at you as a foreigner, they may ask for two dollars, but that’s about it. In Granada and the better area of Managua called Carretera Masaya, I don’t pay to have someone watch my car.
You should always be aware in Nicaragua and avoid going by yourself to isolated places while carrying items like expensive cameras.
Posted August 12, 2014
Frank Martínez
Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America. It has the least murders, thefts, and other crimes. If you come to Managua, you’ll feel like you are in an island where you will feel free and secure at the same time. But just like in other places, we also have some neighborhoods that are dangerous and that is where the crime rate is high. Those places are all isolated. If you go there, they will not come over to you. Instead, what they would rather do is steal from...
Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America. It has the least murders, thefts, and other crimes. If you come to Managua, you’ll feel like you are in an island where you will feel free and secure at the same time. But just like in other places, we also have some neighborhoods that are dangerous and that is where the crime rate is high. Those places are all isolated. If you go there, they will not come over to you. Instead, what they would rather do is steal from a gas station, for example, because they have a bigger chance of stealing more money. If they go to houses, there is a greater chance of them being caught because we have security guards who watch the streets, which is a very common practice here in Managua.
Most of Managua has security guards taking care of every block. We have many residential areas where there is a security guard in front. So you would have to first check in and show some ID before they let you in. That is the sense of security you will have here in Managua. On top of that, you have the police, who serve as a deterrent for criminals.
There are some crimes outside of Managua. There are reports of people getting mugged in San Juan Del Sur or Granada because they got careless. Many people come here and spend the whole night partying. All along the thieves are around you looking for an opportunity. Once you are drunk, that is their opportunity. If you are in your house, you would not have an incident of stolen goods from your house. But if you are out partying after midnight, you have a higher chance of being mugged on the way home. Most of the people who get mugged are backpackers. They sleep in the parks and other places. Of course there is a high chance of getting mugged in those areas.
Many communities outside of Managua are very secure. There are expat communities that have high security standards since they live a high end life. You will rarely hear of any crimes toward these people. Criminals are scared of secure places. They would rather go to open neighborhoods.
Posted December 11, 2014
Esmerelda Vargas - Schuvar Tours
The crime rate in overall in the country of Nicaragua is lower than other countries in Central America. If you go to the worst neighborhoods in Nicaragua, however, the crime rate will be higher than in better neighborhoods.
In general, Nicaragua is very safe. For instance, I send my daughter alone to the mall in Managua and she can go alone to many other places here. In other countries, you cannot do that.
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The crime rate in overall in the country of Nicaragua is lower than other countries in Central America. If you go to the worst neighborhoods in Nicaragua, however, the crime rate will be higher than in better neighborhoods.
In general, Nicaragua is very safe. For instance, I send my daughter alone to the mall in Managua and she can go alone to many other places here. In other countries, you cannot do that.
Gainesville, Florida, where I used to live, is very peaceful, so I feel like I’m in Gainesville when I’m in Nicaragua. I am a little bit more afraid of crime in Miami than in Nicaragua. I feel safer in Nicaragua than in Miami.
(Metrocentro Mall in Managua, Nicaragua, pictured.)
Posted April 25, 2015
Linda Carlson
Violent crime is very low in Nicaragua, while theft is a little bit higher.Nicaragua is a Third World Country and like any other Third World Country, theft can be used to enhance family income. What I refer to as “theft” not only comes from physically stealing from somebody, but it might be raising taxi fares and saying that a ride costs 20 cordobas instead of 10.
Minor crime is an issue in Nicaragua but violent crime is not an issue at all. Minor...
Violent crime is very low in Nicaragua, while theft is a little bit higher.Nicaragua is a Third World Country and like any other Third World Country, theft can be used to enhance family income. What I refer to as “theft” not only comes from physically stealing from somebody, but it might be raising taxi fares and saying that a ride costs 20 cordobas instead of 10.
Minor crime is an issue in Nicaragua but violent crime is not an issue at all. Minor crime can be irritating since it comes in so many different ways. I can give you two examples.
The first example is when I asked a cab driver how much it would cost to take to take me from Matagalpa to Managua, because I needed to get there in a hurry. I was quoted US $200, which was ridiculous.
My second example is when I hired a local woman under the agreement that I pay her 200 cordobas (around $15) to come and teach me how to make naca tamales (nacatamal). Her way of theft was to tell me that we needed double the amount of ingredients we really did and then to use money I gave her to buy the ingredients and to take home half of what she helped me cook in order to feed her family, all without telling me.
What I am about to write next is not an excuse for such behavior but it does put perspective on it. The home that this woman lived in was a small dwelling, which would have been appropriate for a small family, but there were ten family members, and her sons sleep in the same bed as her in a double bed. So I understand how she was feeding her family by cheating me, but it still can put be off putting.
(Pictured: restaurant in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.)
Posted August 3, 2015
Jewel Hoff - Tierra de los Suenos
The crime rate in Nicaragua is the least in Central America. If you go the tourist places, you have some muggings—somebody will grab your purse, a wallet, a cellphone—you know, if you are going to walk around with your Galaxy 6 or flash jewelry, you’re asking for trouble. I left all my gold and all my jewelry at home because I don’t want to entice anyone to mug me.Other than that, I feel really secure. For example, there’s a place called Guanica,...
The crime rate in Nicaragua is the least in Central America. If you go the tourist places, you have some muggings—somebody will grab your purse, a wallet, a cellphone—you know, if you are going to walk around with your Galaxy 6 or flash jewelry, you’re asking for trouble. I left all my gold and all my jewelry at home because I don’t want to entice anyone to mug me.Other than that, I feel really secure. For example, there’s a place called Guanica, which is by the sea. They tell me that there a lot of gangsters in that town but I’ve walked there with my flashy purse, and nobody’s ever bothered me. I think it’s your attitude, too. You know, if I see somebody walking by me and they stare at me, I’m going to stare them down. You have to have an attitude when you’re here.
I don’t exactly live in the tourist place. Matagalpa, where I live, is a mountain city, so the amount of crime here is very, very low in comparison to let’s say Granada or San Juan del Sur, where the tourists are. Wherever the tourists are, you’re going to have more crime. You know, they’ll open their wallet and flash all of their bills. You have to be careful with what you do. I know people who have been there for years and they never had a problem and then I hear horrible things happening to people there. Definitely, if you go to Honduras, the level of crime is very, very high. Nicaragua is known for having the lowest crime rate in Central America.
Comparing the crime here with where I used to live in Las Vegas is very good question. Las Vegas is actually very guarded. You walk into a 7/11 and there’s a guard. There are guards everywhere in Vegas. It’s a 24 hour a day town so Las Vegas is a pretty bad example, so a better example is an average city in America, where I would not go anywhere at night by myself, just like I won’t do it here. Overall, the crime rate here is definitely lower than in an average city in the US.
I speak the language so that really helps because they don’t look at me like a 100% gringo. They just can’t figure me out. So I have the advantage of speaking the language, which is a huge plus relative to my safety. I understand the culture. I’m very aware of my persona when I walk down the street.
My house doesn’t have burglar bars, dogs and lights. Where I live is a suburban community. It’s almost like a United States community. It’s not gate guarded, but we do have security guards on patrol 24 hours a day. As far as my safety for my life, I have no concerns about that. If I chose to, I could take a walk at night in my neighborhood without any safety concerns.
(Home in suburban Matagalpa, Nicaragua, pictured.)
Posted September 19, 2015
Zachary Lunin - Aurora Beachfront Realty
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Based on crime statistics and particularly the murder rate, Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America. The reason why the murder rate is a good indication of the overall level of crime is that other crimes will sometimes go unreported but murder is always reported. Nicaragua is a very safe place. One thing you would maybe worry about is petty crime. You wouldn’t want to take your wallet to the beach and leave it sitting on your towel and...
Based on crime statistics and particularly the murder rate, Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America. The reason why the murder rate is a good indication of the overall level of crime is that other crimes will sometimes go unreported but murder is always reported. Nicaragua is a very safe place. One thing you would maybe worry about is petty crime. You wouldn’t want to take your wallet to the beach and leave it sitting on your towel and jump in the water for an hour. You need to be smart about what you do here in San Juan Del Sur the same as you be in Boston, where I come from, or from Cape Cod. You need to pay attention to your surroundings. But as far as safety, Nicaragua is a very safe country and San Juan Del Sur is a very safe part of the country.
In San Juan Del Sur, you can be wandering the streets at any time of the night. I wouldn’t be worried about it. I have two young kids and a young wife and we are all safe. I wouldn’t put my family and my kids in a place where I didn’t feel 100% safe.
(Pictured: El Transito, northern Nicaragua.)
Posted February 3, 2016