Many what seems to be north african immigrants that do not seem to have any place to go (not that it matters but Im not white myself, but there is no need denying the obvious). Nobody saw it happen!!! Its the flashpoint for protests and demonstrations to do with theCatalan independence movement, which isstill abig issue. For quality of life Barcelona have advantages, but in my Career, salaries are 3 times in Uk than Spain. 98 facts in comparison Barcelona vs London Barcelona London How does Barcelona compare to London? Basically, Barcelona is a bit of a foodie heaven. The higher the growth, the more dynamic society feels. There are ALL SORTS of things to explore if youre visiting Barcelona with children in tow. An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! Compared to the national crime rate, London's crime rate is at 78%. All youll need to do here is stay vigilant anduse your common sense. Victims of crimes have risen almost five points over the last five years, to 25.6%, and the perception that safety has worsened has grown by almost seven points (24.3% in 2018). Madrid's government delegation recorded 39 homicides in 2017. Aside from the occasional thief, Barcelona is really fun, friendly and easy to visit, regardless if youre alone or with a group. This city is out of control. Final thoughts on the safety of Barcelona, Stop putting items in your back pockets front pockets are much harder for thieves to get into. Crime rates in the Big Apple have generally been in decline in recent years the citys homicide rate hit a historic low in 2017. Source: numbeo.com, 2023, The average cost of monthly basic utilities (electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage) for an 85m2 apartment. However, on the whole, Barcelona is safe to travel alone. All rights reserved. Level of crime 51.54 Moderate; Problem people using or dealing drugs: 56.66: Moderate: Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft: 59.10:. So after roughly 12 years ater last being there and hearing everyone and everything gush over how this is the "best city in the entire world", I had the chance of going back to Barcelona in November 2022 to see what the hype was all about. Try to avoid the beach at night as it's dark and there are no controls whatsoever. Its all about using your common sense. Source: Wikipedia, 2023. A spate of violence in London sparked another vitriolic tweet from Donald Trump blaming mayor Sadiq Khan for the citys knife crime problem but is the British capital as dangerous as the US President suggested? 2000-01. Recorded crime per person in London has increased by 18% over this period, less than the 31% increase across England overall. To help keep you in the loop, here are some of our top tips for staying safe in Barcelona: Whilst generallyBarcelona is safe,there are definitely some things to avoid doing, specifically not taking care of your belongings. There are a lot of scum bags in the world, but there seems to be a high concentration in La Rambla area (Gotica, Raval & Barceloneta). Pick up snacks from streetside vendors, get lost in the huge and historicBoqueria Market,pick up somebocadillosfrom a local bakery, or spend some time stopping bytapasplaces for a beer and a couple of tasty dishes. The numbers by sex show similar levels of victimisation, although women said they suffered more attacks on their personal safety (20.1%) than men (16.8%). Been there twice.First time attempted robbery with a knife. Source: Wikipedia, 2023; city's official stats, 2023. Though Barcelona has long been notorious for its pickpockets and bag snatchers these incidents seldom involved violence. But there ARE a few problems with Barcelona. Were talking25% in 4 years. Theres a high chance theyll get stolen from you. Barcelona is a popular place for expats butthere ARE some things youll have to contend with if you decide to live in theCatalan capital: For the most part, its safe to live in Barcelona. When it comes to protecting your money, that means investing in a money belt. Look at homicide rate for instance, it's ridiculously low in Barcelona (as in most southern European cities). Use the discount code BROKEBACKPACKER for a $10 discount. It's really not. Some shocking thing I saw is, where a young man from north you know, is empting a woman bag on the street and looking for valuables. In London you have a 1 in 20 chance of becoming a victim of crime. A Warner Bros. OBVIOUSLY, don't leave your stuff unattended at any time in any area of the city. Low unemployment rate indicates better career opportunities and economic growth. Assault and sexual assault are below average. Lived in Barcelona for half a year, first in the area of El Raval and then in the Eixample district. The percentage of female residents, according to the city's official statistics. Source: Wikipedia, 2023. Source: IBM, 2023. The government does not do anything and they victimize the collective. Crime in Spain is combated by Spain's law enforcement agencies. Its all about using your common sense, were not going to lie. Source: Forbes, 2023. But going beyond the rhetoric to look at US and UK crime statistics, London appears to have far less of a problem with violent crime than many major US cities. There are 5 languages spoken in Spain: Castillan (Spanish), Catalan, Basque, Galician, andOccitan. The 1990s were when residents felt safest. Walking back to my Airbnb at 5am Saturday morning in Las Ramblas after being dropped off by my taxi, had my iphone in my hands secured with pop socket looking at the map, thief runs by me and pulls iPhone out of my hand, pop socket attachment pops off and he proceeds running away with my phone accompanied by two friends. There is some GREAT food to try in Barcelona. Source: Wikipedia, 2023. Source: Wikipedia, 2023; UNData, 2023. Low level of air pollution has a good influence on peoples health and quality of living. Central Park, probably the world's most famous park, is more than double the size of Hyde Park, at 3.41km 2 to Hyde Park's 1.42km 2 (that's w And, you guessed it, petty theft makes up the majority of that. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Source: numbeo.com, 2023, An indicator of how drinkable the tap water is, with 1 being not drinkable and 10 being very drinkable. Regardless of my vigilance i did not feel it happen. I lived in Barcelona from 1992-1998. While its currently no Basque Independence Movement (and we hope it never becomes like this) you never know when it comes to Spanish politics. When it comes to interacting with the locals, honestly, the worst that you should expect is a rude Barcelonan whos simply sick and tired of tourists. Last year (2018) it was stated that over 25% of Barcelona residents had been a victim of crime - that's a 19% increase on 2017's stats. Population density shows how cramped or spread out inhabitants are. Youd think you could at least navigate the streets of this city without this constant fear. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. However, attacks on businesses did not even top 1%. The annual survey ranks 221 cities using 39 criteria. (Exactly.) Barcelona is a super cool city. Stay safe guys, this city is not what it used to be. That translates to a rate of 1.54 homicides per 100,000 people. 1 317.27$ cheaper rent for a one-bedroom apartment? All you have to do is keep a stash of cash in your money belt and thats it. Just keep your valuables close to you and dont walk around Barcelona like its a theme park (say no to parquetematizacin). Source: Wikipedia, 2023. I kept things close to my skin on the metro and in crowded areas. There are almost 9 million Londoners, compared to the 1.6M Barcelona inhabitants. Personally I have never had an incident there, Barcelona is no longer safe, lots of Moroccans robbing, you are safer in America where u can own a gun. Some of them do not care to take a life for a wallet. See the action we've taken as a result of this fact check. City is in general safe except, el born, gotico, raval and Barceloneta, especially not at night. Every day, Barcelona receives an unfathomable amount of tourists and sometimes theres no stopping them. Therefore, with the attention of the case, we read the various safety suggestions indicated by the expert travelers and by the local consulates, becoming aware that in a large city, with more than 1,500,000 inhabitants, care must be taken in all situations. The percentage of male residents, according to the city's official statistics. In all honesty, youre going to be fine when you visit Barcelona and you will very rarely if ever be in danger. Make sure you have suncream, and lots of it, plus sun-hats and sunglasses are basically a must. Source: city's official stats, 2023. I had no intention of going to an area that had such a high rate of theft regardless of how vigilant i was as i would not be able to relax at all in such an environment. Crime rate in some areas; . 21.7% in Barcelona). The people who complain are called racists. Spanish people are known for theirlong lives. Most comments on this page look like fake. It looks exactly like a normal beltexcept for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash or a passport copy. I cannot believe how our politicians allow this to happen. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). To reflect the differences in the cost of living and inflation rates, we show the GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP). Never stop to anyone if somebody asks for a cigar or yell for help. If you need a little more room for your passport and other travel valuables, have a look at afull-size money beltthat tucks under your clothes instead. Close, Is Barcelona Safe for Travel? How bad is London's murder rate compared to other EU capitals? Universities, as centers of higher education and research, are important contributions to a citys development. And travelling alone on empty carriages at night isnot recommended, nor is being at abandoned metro stations outside the city centre. Italy's national stats institute (ISTAT) recorded 21 murders in Rome in 2016 (data for 2017 was not yet available) with 84 homicides taking place in total. Despite an increasing trend between . When it comes to somewhere KNOWN for petty theft, wearing a money belt definitely,definitelypays off. Don't wear golden chains or valuable watches either. I took my hand off my bag to turn to my daughter for 3 - 5 seconds. It's also usually connected with better night life and dating possibilities. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. Terms of Use and Barcelona may be going through some growing pains at the moment, between the Catalan Independence Movement and the oversaturation of tourists, but that doesnt mean Barcelona is unsafe to visit. An indicator of how safe people feel walking alone in the city during the night, with 1 being very unsafe and 10 being very safe. Last year, The Met Police recorded 130 murders in London. With increased crowds have brought increased crime. We mean, how are your pockets going to get picked if theres nothing in your pockets to pick in the first place? It was a very scary situation. Privacy Policy. Help us by suggesting a value. The sphere where the most crimes are committed, according to the survey respondents, is that of personal safety, which has risen from 12.1% to 18.5% in the last five years. World Nomads mission is to support and encourage travellers to explore their boundaries. In March, the UK capital had slightly more murders than New York (22 to 21), so this could all change in April. If I hadnt just had my wedding with photos of my family and friends on that phone, I wouldnt have been so determined to get it back. Or bored. The average price is calculated for Coke or Pepsi sold in restaurants. Source: Wikipedia, 2023. Lower income inequalities indicate a more equal distribution of wealth and better opportunities for the average citizen. Safety comparisons Barcelona vs London. So you should, too! Or both. Did you encounter any technical issues? (Unless you want to.). Just remember to be respectful of the locals and to treat Barcelona like you would treat your own home city. So check to make sure its in operationwhen you go. Just find someawesome accommodation for you and your family(trust us: theres plenty of that). vs. London. The average population growth rate reflects the annual increase or decrease in population. I live in Barcelona for 5 years and I took a decision to move soon from here. document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This website uses cookies to improve your experience. To put this into perspective, there were 685 homicides across England and Wales in the 2017 financial. However, the respondents saw the police and security forces in a positive light, rating the Mossos dEsquadra police force with a score of 7.1 and the Gurdia Urbana police force with a score of 6.6. If you go to Barcelona, you have to accept that there is a 75% chance you will either have something stolen, or an attempt will be made to steal something from you. The situation is completely different in the city centre (El Raval and Barrio Gotico), La Barceloneta, and some peripheral districts. This city is infested with migrant youngsters from magreb (algeria and marocco) that rape, rob women, people with disabilities, gay and elderly. The most commonly reported crimes were robberies (37.9%). However, youll always be a bit safer in a group than by yourself. Two of my friends got robbed (not pickpocked, robbed) and got their phone and some jewels stolen in two different parts of the city. Sadly enough, there is very little police can do due to very low (if any) penalties for this type of crime in Catalunya. The Barcelona government does NOT want people using unlicensed taxis (clearly). The top reasons why victims did not report crimes were their belief that the police cannot do much about them, the complicated process of filing a report and a lack of trust in the criminal justice system. The metro is good to take kids on, even with pushchairs and prams. The Catalan independence movementhas also brought a dash of discontent to the city as well. This increased from 99.72 in 2020. For the first time in modern history, the murder rate in London surpassed New York's in February and March 2018, a new report suggested.