Chile

Is Chile safe to visit?

Yes, for nearly all trips. Chile is one of the two most peaceful countries in South America on the Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary 2026 (52nd of 163), and the US and UK have no no-go areas. The main catch is theft. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls pickpocketing, mugging and theft from cars "very common" across the country, and muggings in Santiago and Valparaíso increasingly involve guns or knives.

The good news is on violent crime. After a peak of 1,330 homicide victims in 2022, the official count fell for three years in a row, to 1,091 in 2025, a rate of 5.4 per 100,000. That is above Argentina at 3.6 but about half the rate in Peru. We score Chile 68.

Is crime rising in Chile?

The perception in Chile is that crime has got worse, and for some offences it has. Transnational gangs have become more active, firearms were used in nearly half of the 2025 homicides, and carjackings, some at gunpoint on highways and in wealthy Santiago districts, became a national issue. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary now lists homicide, carjackings and home break-ins alongside petty crime.

But the national homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary has dropped from about 6.8 in 2022 to 5.4 in 2025 (World Bank and government figures). For a visitor, the realistic risk is losing a phone or bag, not violence.

Scams and theft that target visitors

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists the methods it has seen used on British travellers, especially in central Santiago and Valparaíso:

• Fake airport taxis. People in lanyards and jackets inside Santiago's arrivals hall pose as official drivers, then add zeros on card machines. Some victims have lost up to £10,000. Pay in advance at one of the two official booths just after customs.
• Distraction thefts. One person spills something on you or starts a conversation while another takes a bag from your chair or under the table.
• Hire-car punctures. Thieves puncture a tyre, often at traffic lights, then "help" while a partner empties the car. Others follow cars from the airport and rob them on arrival.
• Bus stations. Keep valuables with you, not in the luggage hold.

Drink spiking is reported in the Bellavista and Suecia nightlife areas of Santiago.

Earthquakes, tsunamis and wildfires

Natural hazards are Chile's biggest safety issue after theft. It sits on one of the most active plate boundaries on earth, and large earthquakes are a matter of when, not if. Chile is also one of the best prepared countries for them: building codes are strict, drills are routine, and coastal towns have signed tsunami evacuation routes. If a quake on the coast makes it hard to stand, walk uphill at once.

Wildfires are the growing threat. In February 2024 fires around Viña del Mar and Valparaíso killed 138 people, according to prosecutors, the country's deadliest disaster since the 2010 earthquake. The fire season runs from December to March; parks and roads can close at short notice, and lighting a fire outside permitted camping areas can get a visitor deported. Several volcanoes, including Villarrica near Pucón, are active. In October 2026 the disaster agency SENAPRED put several eastern Santiago districts, including Las Condes and Lo Barnechea, on red alert for mudslides after heavy rain.

Unrest and the south

Protests are common in central Santiago, particularly on Friday evenings and on dates such as 11 September, the anniversary of the 1973 coup. They can turn violent and disrupt the metro. In Araucanía, Biobío and Los Ríos, groups claiming to represent Mapuche communities carry out arson attacks on forestry firms, trucks and state targets. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says there is a state of emergency in parts of Biobío and Araucanía, with soldiers supporting the police. Tourists around Pucón and the lakes are rarely affected, but stay alert on rural roads around Temuco.

Roads and health

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 14.9 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. Police-based counts are lower: Conaset recorded 1,505 deaths in 2025, about 7.4 per 100,000, after a 30-year low in 2024. Main highways are good and tolled, but long distances, Andean passes closed by snow in winter and unpaved roads in the south need planning. Near the borders with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, keep to marked roads; some minefields reach the edge of highways.

Health risks are low. Private clinics in Santiago are good but expensive, and Rapa Nui has only one hospital, so serious cases are flown to the mainland. Hantavirus is present in rural areas, dengue cases have been confirmed on Rapa Nui, and altitude matters in San Pedro de Atacama and on Andean passes.

How to stay safe in Chile

• Pay for airport taxis at the official booth, or use an app.
• Keep bags on your lap in cafés and your phone off the table.
• Leave nothing in a parked hire car, and drive on to a petrol station if you get a sudden puncture.
• Avoid demonstrations; foreigners can be deported for taking part in violent acts.
• Check SENAPRED and CONAF alerts for fires and rain before driving.
• Emergency numbers: ambulance 131, fire 132, Carabineros 133.

How we scored it

Health (82) and conflict (76) are Chile's strongest factors. Petty crime (50) is the weakest, reflecting the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's warnings about armed muggings and airport scams, followed by natural hazards (60), where very high exposure is offset by good preparedness. Violent crime (68) reflects a homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary that is moderate for the region and falling.