One of our VIP Members wrote once that a very uninformed ‘friend’ told her that: “San Jose is the most dangerous city in Central America, first and fore most…” She added that: “Dont be surprised if you get mugged… Its kinda a part of life in Central America.”

To which I politely reply …

What a load of absolute crap!

It’s not always easy finding the up to date information and the numbers do vary a little depending on the source but no matter which statistics you look at Costa Rica remains the safest country in all of Central America.

The most recent statistics about the number of homicides in Costa Rica – which have thankfully declined for the first time in six years – were published in the La Nación newspaper here in Spanish.

1. El Salvador has a homicide rate in 2009 of 76 per 100,000 inhabitants
2. Honduras has a homicide rate in 2009 of 66.8 per 100,000
3. Guatemala has a homicide rate in 2009 of 48 per 100,000
4. Panama has a homicide rate in 2009 of 24 per 100,000
5. Nicaragua has a homicide rate in 2009 of 13 per 100,000
6. Costa Rica has a homicide rate in 2011 of 10.3 per 100,000

Don’t take my word for it though, there are many different sources where you can find this information so please take a look for yourself.

When you do, you’ll see that Costa Rica’s homicide rate is lower than the rate for a few major cities you might recognize like Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Columbus, Memphis, Baltimore, Washington DC, Atlanta, Kansas City, Cleveland, Miami, Oakland, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Newark, Buffalo and Mobile…

And do you think you will be singled out because you’re a Gringo living in Costa Rica?

According to the Deaths of U.S. Citizens Abroad statistics compiled by the US Department of State, the number of U.S. Citizens Abroad where the cause of death was listed as homicide is six people!

Go on! Don’t listen to what I say! Look it up for yourself!

If you are genuinely fearful for your life in reading these statistics, don’t go to the mall, don’t go to a restaurant, don’t leave home! Lock all your doors and windows and stay exactly where you are! Please….

In over twelve years of living here, I have never been mugged and none of my family have ever been mugged and yes! I walk in the capital city of San Jose practically every day and often at night.

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Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 4. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raices en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.