Think twice.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cancun at 46/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Mexico's national picture overall (52/100 vs 54/100).
City page · part of Mexico
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Cancun report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Mexico's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
54.5
Safety Index
45.5
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Mexico's national page, with crime swapped for Cancun's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Cancun, specifically
- • Beaches in Cancun are for the more advanced swimmers, the edge of the open ocean can make for a challenging and fun swimming experience.
- • If planning to spend time in the ocean water around Cancun or neighboring areas, be aware of Thimble Jellyfish, also sometimes referred to as 'sea lice'.
- • Ocean currents — The ocean currents in Cancún, depending on the season you visit, can be strong.
- • Weather — Cancún is a place where the weather can change in a matter of minutes rather than hours.
- • Seaweed — Since 2010, seaweed blooms have become a significant problem each summer in Cancun. Seaweed season runs from April to October.…
Legal status (national law)
Legal since 1871+ UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 120V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Tipping
Tipping in Mexico is similar to the United States. It is usually from 10 to 15%. Meals have a 10% to 15% tip (this includes fast food deliveries). This tip is usually left by most people in restaurants, although it is not so common in street restaurants or stands, where the tenders usually have a can or box where people deposit coins.
Cash vs. Card
The currency of Mexico is the peso, denoted in Mexico as "$" (ISO code MXN) and in Wikivoyage as "M$". It is divided into 100 centavos. Prices in US dollars (in tourist areas) are labeled "US$" or sport an S with a double stroke. Coins are issued in denominations of 5, 10 (steel), 20, and 50 centavos (brass; new 50-centavo coins issued from 2011 onwards are steel and smaller in size) and 1, 2, 5 (
How this compares to Mexico
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cancun at 46/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Mexico's national picture overall (52/100 vs 54/100).
See the full Mexico page and all receipts →