Cape Town Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (44/100)
Is Cape Town safe for travelers?
Moderate risk. Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Cape Town — read the breakdown below.
Natural disasters (score 30)
Crime (score 62)
2026-05-15 06:27:52
70%
Crime, health, transport, weather, disease, environmental and safety risk overview for Cape Town, South Africa.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripWhat should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 62/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Transport safety (score 50/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Baseline scores
Source: Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) · Confidence: 70
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | high |
| Night safety | low |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-15 06:27:52 |
Emergency numbers (South Africa)
| Police | 10111 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 10177 |
| Fire | 10177 |
| General | 112 |
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | high |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Good private hospitals; public sector overstretched.
Area notes
- City Bowl after dark. Avoid walking alone after dark; use ride-hail apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cape Town safe for tourists?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Cape Town — read the breakdown below. Crime risk score is 62/100; theft and pickpocketing in tourist areas are significant — keep documents and electronics secured.
What is the biggest risk in Cape Town?
The highest-scoring risk category is Crime (score 62/100). Travelers should specifically prepare for this area before arrival.
How are these scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 based on government travel advisories (US State Dept), crime indices (Numbeo), Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (weather, advisories, news) is layered on top of every assessment.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for Cape Town were last reviewed on 2026-05-15 06:27:52. Live intelligence (weather, official advisories, disaster alerts, health notices) refreshes automatically multiple times per day.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
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We try to be honest about what we know, what we estimated, and what we don't have. Below is the audit trail for this page.
Review status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-05-15 06:27:52
Data confidence
70%
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Cape Town
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 12 categories
Live data (weather, advisory, disaster alerts, news) is only fetched when you run an assessment.
What is estimated
- Composite tier and category scores are an editorial baseline estimate, not a real-time measurement.
What is unavailable
- Documented scam patterns for this city.
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Data review process · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.