Is Chelem Mexico Safe?

Walking Tour

For this video I thought "what better way to talk about the safety of Chelem than to walk around the downtown core and some side streets while talking about it". It's important to note that I also was making myself an easy target by holding my camera out in front of me and making the video my primary focus, instead of my surroundings. I have travelled to every continent other than Australia / Oceania. I've been to some very dangerous places and know how to comport myself in these. Chelem, Yucatan, is not that, but there are still some things to watch for.

Violent Crime Vs Theft

Before looking at homes for sale in Chelem Mexico, it's important to understand this distinction.

It's important to make this distinction. When the government and people in general say there is no crime in Chelem, Yucatan they are talking about violent crime. And lets be honest, governments are not always the kings of honesty. To say there is no crime, would be overstepping into false claims. There has to be some crime now and then. Every city and town around the world has it. But Chelem is special in that it is very rare.

Theft on the other hand is much more prominent. And unlike Merida where you have many Privadas, and distinctions between affluent and lower income neighborhoods with very active neighborhood watch WhatsApp groups, Chelem is a small town with a perfect blen of poor and affluent living together. This also means that it's common to have a million dollar home next to some "far-from-a-million" homes. While a direct neighbor may not steal from you, a friend of theirs may.

Every place has its ups and downs and a beachside paradise is no different. Living in chelem, such as mst places in mexico means that you should simply take some additional measures to mitigate theft. Material posessions are just that. So while many homes already come with bars over windows and doors, folks also take additional measures such as bolting things down and chaining things up and locking items into a safe when leaving the house. A thief is not looking for an encounter, they wait until you are gone and then try to take something through an easy access. They are not ambitious or violent, so little preparedness goes a long way.

Police Corruption in the Yucatan

Police are quite corrupt in Mexico. You probably already know that. Police in the Yucatan are much more peaceful than in other states. While they may take a bribe for non violent and traffic related crimes, they aren't typically detaining people under false pretences or creating scenarios to extract money from expats the way Tulum and Acapulco police officers are.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, I personally believe that Chelem Mexico Crime rate is next to none, when talking violent crime. Of course there has to be some. That being said, buying real estate in Chelem Mexico is not only a good investment financially but also for your mental and spiritual health. It is a wonderful retirement community and if you're looking to keep young ones away from screens and give them a more down to earth life-style filled with what matters most, Chelem is a contender for that also.