How dangerous is Mexico?

Answer 1

Overall, Mexico is quite dangerous for American/European standards, but it is much safer than most of the third world. Also, crime is limited to regions that are ports of entry and distribution of drugs into the United States.

The best way to measure how dangerous a region is, is the homicide rate, or intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. While the US has an overall rate of 3.9, Mexico has a rate of 15.7, which puts Mexico as safer than say, Brazil (24.6) or South Africa (33), but more dangerous that either Costa Rica (10) or Russia (9.5).

Even then, crime is not homogeneous. Some regions within Mexico are extremely dangerous, such as the southern state of Guerrero, with a homicide rate of 67; its most important city, the beachside resort of Acapulco, has a homicide rate of 104.73, setting this region as equally as dangerous as say, ISIS-infested countries.

On the other hand, there are places safer than most of the developing world, such as say, Aguascalientes or Yucatan (3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants).

Answer 2

No. Mexico has a murder rate of 22.7 intentional homicides per 100,000 people, while Colombia has a murder rate of 33.4 homicides per 100,000 people.