Don’t let São Paulo’s size and reputation deter you from visiting the city. Here's how to stay safe and alert while discovering one of Brazil's most exciting destinations.
Photo © Getty Images / StockLapse
At a Glance
- São Paulo is often seen as a relatively dangerous city, though citywide crackdowns on crime are helping improve its reputation.
- Tourists should stay alert for common issues such as cellphone theft, bank card skimming, and nightlife scams, particularly on Rua Augusta.
- Brazil’s most powerful gang, the First Capital Command (PCC), also operates in the city.
- Safer, more tourist-friendly areas to stay in include Jardins and Pinheiros.
Brazil’s biggest city, São Paulo has a staggering 22 million residents, equivalent to New York and Chicago combined. Most metropolises that gigantic have an array of safety issues, and São Paulo is no different, although I felt less at risk here than I did in fellow Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro. Tourists can enjoy a safe trip to São Paulo, just like me, if they pay attention to the following tips.
- How dangerous is São Paulo?
- Your cell phone is the main target
- Which São Paulo neighbourhoods are safe?
- Who are the infamous First Capital Command?
- Scams in São Paulo
How dangerous is São Paulo?
Brazil has made great progress in improving its safety levels nationwide over the past decade, and that includes in its biggest city, São Paulo. In 2025, Brazil recorded 34,086 murders, a giant reduction on the 60,308 homicides it saw in 2017.
Meanwhile, São Paulo in 2025 recorded its lowest rate of robberies in 25 years. This is widely attributed to enhanced policing efforts, including the recent rollout across São Paulo of tens of thousands of CCTV cameras with AI facial recognition capabilities.
Police have used this technology to arrest more than 1,000 fugitives, and São Paulo street criminals are now wary of being identified by these sophisticated cameras. All of which means this city is now undeniably safer for tourists. Personally, I found the ubiquity of its CCTV cameras made me feel more secure as I walked the city’s streets alone with a camera in hand.
Your cell phone is the main target
At first, I thought locals in São Paulo were just remarkably uninterested in using their phones, but later I realised they were just trying to keep these devices out of sight while in public, for the sake of safety. While robberies in São Paulo are dropping, this crime now increasingly focuses on cell phones.
Stats show that 87% of robberies in this city involve the theft of a cell phone. Street criminals in São Paulo now prefer to steal cell phones more than any other valuable, because organised crime syndicates need these phones to fuel their vast cybercrime operations.
Brazil has one of the world’s highest rates of cybercrime, with some of the nation’s most sophisticated gangs now gradually shifting from drugs and prostitution to making vast sums of money from online scams. Rather than attempting to hack into people’s online accounts to steal their personal details, these gangs often find it easier to just steal someone’s phone, and then access all the sensitive information it holds.
Here’s three tips to protect yourself from phone thieves and robbers:
- Minimise the amount of time you use your phone in public, and don’t hold it in your hand when not using it.
- Avoid standing on the very edge of streets, as phone thieves like to skid up on a motorbike, grab your phone and flee. Instead, stand well back from the street on the sidewalk.
- If your phone is stolen or robbed, immediately return to your hotel and go online to deactivate your phone’s SIM card, and to put a block on any of your phone’s apps that are linked to banking or sensitive information.
- Get a police report, as this may be needed if you intend to file a travel insurance claim with World Nomads. The more information you provide, the more likely your claim will be processed quickly.
- Contact World Nomads’ Emergency Assistance line as soon as possible and let the team know what happened.
*Travel insurance coverage may not be the same or available for residents of all countries, states or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage
Which São Paulo neighbourhoods are safe?
São Paulo’s vast size means its suburbs vary massively, in terms of safety and suitability for tourists. Here’s a rundown of five of its best known areas:
Jardins – Perhaps São Paulo’s wealthiest and safest area, Jardins stands out due to its leafy, low-rise environment, which contrasts with its concrete-laden, skyscraper-heavy surroundings. I stayed close to Oscar Freire street, a graceful thoroughfare lined by chic hotels, bars and restaurants.
Pinheiros – While Jardins is where São Paulo’s millionaires live, Pinheiros is where its funky folk hang out. It is well stocked with accommodation – from boutique hotels to five-star properties – as well as hosting many art galleries, hip fashion outlets and cool wine bar.
República – By day there’s plenty of reasons to visit Republica, a historic area of downtown decorated by shady parks, elegant plazas and historic landmarks like the magnificent Municipal Theatre of São Paulo. By night, however, its dimly-lit streets fill with drug dealers and petty criminals and is best avoided.
Cracolândia – Its name hints at crack cocaine, which is one of many potent, illegal drugs openly sold on the streets of this dysfunctional and dangerous area.
Favelas – São Paulo’s outer suburbs have major issues with poverty and drugs, and are dotted by many favela slums, which should be avoided by tourists.
Who are the infamous First Capital Command?
Swathes of São Paulo are controlled not by police, but by Brazil’s most powerful gang, the First Capital Command. Similar to Italy’s Mafia, China’s Triads, or Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, this Brazilian organised crime syndicate is impossibly wealthy, ferociously violent, and has deep influence over their country’s politics and policing. More than 11,000 members run São Paulo’s drug, prostitution, people smuggling, and black-market weapon markets.
Tourists are rarely caught in their crosshairs, as crimes against foreigners earn far greater attention, and the First Capital Command do not want added scrutiny from Brazilian authorities. But travellers must still be wary of their threat, particularly in São Paulo’s poor outer suburbs.
Scams in São Paulo
Although robberies and homicides are down in São Paulo, this city still has a major issue with scams, including those targeted specifically at tourists. Here’s a few scams to look out for:
- Card skimming. When using an ATM in São Paulo, be wary that local criminals commonly attach devices to ATMs that allow them to steal your banking information. To protect yourself, only use ATMs inside a bank, which are heavily secured.
- Taxi scams. One of the oldest and most common tourist scams in São Paulo involves taxi drivers either using hacked meters, which send the fare rising at a dizzying speed, or refusing to use the meter and quoting an inflated flat fare. Avoid this issue by instead booking all your transport via the Uber app, and turning on all of its safety features.
- Nightlife scams. São Paulo’s nightlife is wonderfully vibrant, but tourists need to be cautious, especially alone Rua Augusta street. Avoid venues with pushy staff standing outside who try to pressure you to enter. These bars commonly scam tourists by handing them wildly inflated bills at the end of the night.
These statements relating to potential scams do not constitute a representation of policy coverage or suitability. See the policy wording for full terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions.
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8 Comments
Ask if the restaurant serves "agua da casa" for free water :)
Great article! Thank you for all the information shared here.
If you want a stress-free travel to São Paulo, The best bet option when it comes to transportation is to hire a private driver. But even though it's safer, it's important to choose a reliable company.
Perdizes is not far from the center. Nor is it particularly dangerous. Also most people in Sao Paulo do NOT own a car.
“Places far from the city center, like Pari, Perdizes and Lapa and most of the poorer neighborhoods, like Campo Limpo, Vila Clementino and Capão Redondo should be avoided because they can be dangerous.”
I wonder how well you know São Paulo lol. Perdizes and Vila Clementino are among the nicets neighborhoods in the city and they’re very safe for everyone. You mjst be crazy!
"...which reflects the poverty and disadvantage of where they come from": awful careless statement. Poverty does not equal crime. I agree they can be related, but you cannot use poverty and disadvantage as a sign of crime.
I agree with you but I don´t blame them. São Paulo can be unsafe if you don´t have the basic information (just ask for it) to walk throught the city and they have difficulties (and don´t want) to learn portuguese. We got more poverty that´s true but we know the large maiority is inoffensive.
The great opportunity to understand what I´m talking about Brazil is to come as soon as possible to see how great we are in terms of work, happiness, social responsability and globalization.
We´ll be glad to receive them with our know receptivity.
they will learn from all of its own roots and veggies that a new democracy. but we havd not as a whole lot of people who are 5