Mexico safety score raised after homicide numbers fall during World Cup security push

We raised Mexico's safety score from 6.8 to 7.1 on Country To Live. Recent homicide numbers have moved in the right direction during Mexico's World Cup security push, but this is a small increase because public fear and regional risk still matter.

This is a data call for people comparing countries on our site. It is not a claim that every city or neighborhood in Mexico now feels safe.

Why we changed the score

• National homicide averages have fallen. Security Cabinet spokesman Omar Garcia Harfuch reported a 46% drop in the national daily average of intentional homicides compared with 2024, according to Anadolu's July 2026 report.
• Some host regions also improved. Jalisco officials reported a 60.2% decrease from the state's July 2024 high, while Nuevo Leon authorities said homicides were down 45% compared with the same period in 2025.
• The improvement is not a full reset. The same report notes that public fear persists, police presence is uneven, and some residents do not feel safer in daily life.
• The data needs caution. Experts quoted in the report warned that preliminary daily homicide figures can carry a margin of error and may not show the full picture.
• Other Mexico scores are unchanged for now. Cost of living, climate, entertainment, and residency scores on the Mexico country page still reflect longer-term relocation factors.

What the number means on our site

Safety on Country To Live measures how comfortable a typical international mover may feel about day-to-day security, crime risk, unrest, and crisis exposure. A 7.1/10 keeps Mexico in a mixed but improving band: better than before, still highly dependent on city, neighborhood, and personal routine.

If Mexico is on your shortlist, open the Mexico country page, compare Mexico vs Costa Rica, or run Mexico in the compare tool. You can also browse all country scores to see where this update moves Mexico in the wider list.

Before you plan a move

1. Check safety at the city and neighborhood level. Mexico City, Monterrey, Merida, Tulum, and border areas can feel very different.
2. Separate event security from normal life. World Cup policing may not reflect the baseline after the tournament.
3. Ask recent residents about the exact area where you plan to rent, not just the country average.

We will update again if the lower homicide trend holds after the World Cup period and public safety indicators keep improving.

This note explains our editorial scoring only. It is not legal, immigration, or personal safety advice.