Safety in Brazil for Expats 2026

Key Facts

Safety Overview

Brazil faces serious security challenges, primarily linked to organized crime, drug trafficking, and high inequality in large urban peripheries. However, lethal violence is heavily concentrated geographically and demographically — it predominantly affects young men in specific neighborhoods, and rarely reaches foreign expats living in established central areas. The national homicide rate sat around 20 per 100,000 in 2024, but ranges from roughly 8 in São Paulo and Santa Catarina to 40+ in states like Amapá and Bahia.

The 2025 Anuário Brasileiro de Segurança Pública confirmed that violent deaths fell again, with about 34,000 homicides recorded in 2025 versus 38,374 in 2024. For everyday foreigners, the far more common threat is property crime: pickpocketing, bag theft, and above all phone snatching. In São Paulo, phone theft accounts for roughly 87% of robberies and peaks in the late afternoon and evening.

For an expat choosing where to live in Brazil, the key advice is to research the specific city and neighborhood, not the country as a whole. The safety gap between Florianópolis and a Northeastern capital is comparable to the gap between two entirely different countries.

Safety Rankings by State

The Atlas da Violência and the Anuário Brasileiro de Segurança Pública publish annual homicide data for each state. Below are consolidated safety groupings based on 2024 data and US State Department assessments. Within each state, conditions can vary significantly between the capital, the interior, and urban peripheries — always research the specific locality.

Safe Cities for Expats

Several Brazilian cities consistently enjoy a reputation for relative safety among both locals and foreigners. This is confirmed by Atlas da Violência data (low homicide rates) and reports from established expat and digital-nomad communities.

Safety in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

São Paulo is a megalopolis of over 12 million people in the city and around 22 million in the metro area. Like any major world city, safety varies dramatically by neighborhood. Popular expat zones — Jardins, Itaim Bibi, Pinheiros, Vila Madalena, Moema — are comfortable for daily life by day. The dominant street threat is phone snatching, which intensifies after roughly 8:30 PM. Daytime, from about 7 AM to dusk, is the safest window for walking.

Rio de Janeiro is more visually striking and more uneven. The South Zone tourist neighborhoods — Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana, Barra da Tijuca — are busy and well-lit, and risks there relate mostly to petty theft rather than violence. Ipanema is often considered the safest part of the city for foreigners. Favelas, however, are designated Level 4 "Do Not Travel" by the US State Department and should not be entered, even on guided tours.

Practical statistics: in both cities, app-based taxis (Uber, 99, InDriver) are significantly safer than hailing a cab on the street and are standard among expats. ATM-related "express kidnappings" — short-term abductions forcing victims to withdraw cash — occur but are uncommon for residents who use ATMs inside banks and malls.

High-Risk Areas

Several types of areas in Brazil require heightened caution or should be avoided entirely. The US State Department and other foreign ministries publish regularly updated warnings — these are the key official reference points.

The clearest rule is favelas (also called comunidades or aglomerados): the US State Department designates all informal housing developments as Level 4 "Do Not Travel" at all times, including on guided tours, because neither tour operators nor police can guarantee safety inside them. Beyond favelas, the August 2025 advisory also flags certain suburbs at night and wide stretches of Brazil's land borders, particularly remote frontier zones tied to trafficking routes.

At the regional level, the highest homicide rates are concentrated in Northern and Northeastern states — Amapá, Bahia, Ceará, Pernambuco, and Alagoas led the 2024 rankings. Tourist hubs within these states (for example historic Salvador or coastal resorts) can be visited with care, but peripheral neighborhoods and travel after dark warrant extra caution.

Practical Tips

Transportation: use app-based services (Uber, 99, InDriver) rather than hailing taxis on the street, and avoid walking with your phone out, especially after dark. Drive during daylight when possible, keep windows up and doors locked in traffic, and never leave valuables visible in the car.

Phone safety: phone snatching is the single most common street crime in Brazil, so avoid using your smartphone on the street unnecessarily — especially while walking, waiting for transport, or in crowds. Enable a SIM PIN and remote-wipe, and consider a cheaper "street phone" for navigation. Brazilians increasingly rely on Pix payments, which reduces the need to carry cash or cards.

Cash and ATMs: don't display large amounts of cash. Withdraw money from ATMs inside banks, shopping malls, or well-lit areas — not from street-facing machines, ideally during daylight. Check the ATM for skimmers, cover the keypad, and limit how much you withdraw at once. Beware PIX QR-code swap scams and unsolicited "free tour" offers that end at an ATM.

Support network: join local expat communities (Facebook groups, Internations, neighborhood WhatsApp chats) — you can get first-hand information about the current situation in specific areas. Register with your embassy's traveler program (such as the US State Department's STEP) for official security alerts.

Emergency numbers and documents: memorize the key numbers — 190 (Military Police), 192 (SAMU ambulance), and 193 (Fire Department / Bombeiros). Carry a copy of your passport and your CRNM/visa, not the original, and keep emergency contacts (embassy, local services) accessible at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

The safety situation changes — check current US State Department and your home country's foreign ministry advisories before traveling. Homicide figures reflect the 2024 Atlas da Violência and 2025 Anuário data.