Go, but pay attention.
Uruguay’s Sketch Score rose to 81 today, and while the US maintains a level 2 advisory, the UK and Canada remain at level 1. Watch for global measles notices before you book your flight.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Uruguay
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Cannabis possession limits
Possession of minor quantities is not penalized, but possession of major quantities like one kilogram is illegal and punishable by law.
Cannabis purchase restrictions
Legal sale and storage of cannabis is restricted to Uruguayan citizens aged 18 and older with legal capacity.
DUI laws
Driving under the influence of marijuana is prohibited and carries a fine.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Historically, Uruguay used to enjoy a low rate of violent crime compared to some of its neighbors.
- •However, this does not mean that Uruguay is crime free.
- •In a security emergency, call 911 or 999. For firefighters, call, 104. For ambulance, call 105.
- •Cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs in the country and legal as well.
- •Stray dogs can be found all over Uruguay.
- •Natural disasters: Uruguay is vulnerable to floods. If it rains too much, roads can become impassable and riverside houses may need to be evacuated.…
Staying healthy
- •Uruguay has one of the best healthcare systems in South America; most medical facilities are comparable to US standards and the country has one of the highest life expectancies on the continent.
- •Tap water is safe to drink in all major cities, though most locals prefer to drink bottled water.
- •The Hospital Britanico (British Hospital), SUMMUM and BlueCross & BlueShield Uruguay have European-quality service and they are clean and efficient.
- •Tropical diseases are not a major concern in Uruguay; the malaria and dengue present in parts of nearby countries are absent here.
- •In the Southern Hemisphere winter you won't encounter many insects in Uruguay, but in the summer there are some mosquitoes, especially after big rainstorms.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers describe Uruguay as a pleasant, well-kept, and serene country. While specific safety-related warnings for Uruguay are absent from the provided reports, travelers generally characterize the region as safe for those who exercise common sense. There is no evidence of specific scams or violent crime patterns reported for Uruguay in these accounts. Visitors find the country easy to navigate, and the overall consensus among those who have visited is that the destination is comfortable and welcoming for tourists.
“And Uruguay is a pleasant, well-kept country, with Colonia del Sacramento being one of the quaintest towns in all of Latin America.
— r/travel
“Uruguay is one of the most pleasant and serene corners of Latin America.
— r/travel
“I’m not stupid, I understand Latin America is not as safe as my home country of Australia but I was under the impression if I don’t do anything stupid I’ll be fine, and anything that does happen is just wrong place wrong time (can happen anywhere).
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F / I / L · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Zoom in
One Uruguay city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12