Mexico · RELOCATION
Key Facts
—State homicides: Colima recorded 667 homicides in 2025, down from 906 in 2024. INEGI data via Aristegui Noticias, 3 August 2026.
—Homicide rate: Colima’s 2025 rate was 89 to 90.2 per 100,000, versus 21.4 nationally. El Sur Acapulco reported Colima at 89, while Milenio cited 90.2.
—2026 trend: Mexico Evalúa, summarized by La Razón on 11 August 2026. Called Colima the only ‘extreme’ state, with lethal violence escalating by 12.8 points.
—Metro area rate: The Colima–Villa de Álvarez metro area had 269 homicides in 2025. A rate of 83.40 per 100,000, 13th in the world, per Seguridad, Justicia y Paz on 11 February 2026.
—Cost data: A 1-bedroom in Colima city averages 4,833 MXN (about 284 USD) as of 30 July 2026, per Numbeo. The exchange rate was 17.02 MXN per USD on 17 August 2026.
—Federal response: 4,452 federal personnel were deployed to Colima, announced by security secretary Omar García Harfuch on 13 March 2026.
Colima state holds Mexico’s highest homicide rate and the only ‘extreme’ rating for lethal violence. Yet the capital’s metro area has dropped from the world’s most violent to 13th place.
Colima recorded 667 homicides in 2025, the highest rate in Mexico at 89–90.2 per 100,000 vs. 21.4 nationally. Mexico Evalúa rated it the only state at ‘extreme’ lethal violence in early 2026.
Colima’s Violence in Numbers
Colima state leads Mexico in homicides by a wide margin. In 2025, the state reported 667 homicides, down from 906 in 2024.
A drop of about 26.4 percent, per INEGI data reported by Aristegui Noticias on 3 August 2026.
That left the state with a homicide rate of 89 to 90.2 per 100,000, over four times the national rate of 21.4. El Sur Acapulco cited 89, while Milenio reported 90.2.
The Capital’s Declining but High Rate
The Colima–Villa de Álvarez metropolitan area is no longer the world’s most violent, but it remains highly dangerous. The area recorded 269 homicides in 2025, a rate of 83.40 per 100,000.
Ranking 13th globally, per a Seguridad, Justicia y Paz bulletin on 11 February 2026.
That rate has fallen sharply. The metro area’s rate was 181.94 per 100,000 in 2022, 140.32 in 2023, and 126.95 in 2024, according to the same ranking.
The city population was 146,965 at the 2020 census, per INEGI. The broader metro area counted 380,575 residents.
Cost of Living in Colima City
Colima city rent data is published. A 1-bedroom apartment averages 4,833 MXN per month, both in and outside the city centre, per Numbeo updated 30 July 2026.
This figure is corroborated at about 283 USD per month by CityCost on 9 August 2026. The exchange rate was 17.02 MXN per USD on 17 August 2026, per Trading Economics.
National data from Numbeo puts them at 1,225.84 MXN (72.02 USD), and 60 Mbps internet at 549.75 MXN (32.31 USD).
Daily Life: Healthcare, Climate, and Transport
Colima city has two major public hospitals: Hospital Regional Universitario and Instituto Estatal de Cancerología. IMSS Bienestar committed over 800 million pesos (~47 million USD) to rehabilitate four hospitals, starting 17 July 2025, per Consultor Salud.
The climate is tropical savanna, with an annual mean of 23.3 degrees Celsius and 1,112 mm of rainfall, per Climate-Data.org. The wettest month is September, with 256 mm.
Colima Airport (CLQ) sits about 22 km from the city. Aeroméxico Connect and Volaris fly to Mexico City and Tijuana, per AirportRoutes MMIA.
The 2026 Trend and Federal Response
Colima is the one state where intentional homicide rose in 2026. Victims increased from 199 to 237, a 19 percent jump in January through April against the same months of 2025.
The national count fell 30 percent, per SESNSP data reported by Grupo Animal on 13 May 2026.
The federal government has responded. On 13 March 2026, security secretary Omar García Harfuch announced 4,452 federal personnel deployed to Colima.
Weighing the Risk Before You Move
The accurate picture is mixed. Colima state remains Mexico’s worst by homicide rate and the only one rated ‘extreme’ in 2026.
But the capital’s metro area rate has more than halved since 2022, falling to 83.40 per 100,000 in 2025. It now ranks 13th worldwide, behind Port-au-Prince and four other Mexican cities.
The 2026 data shows Colima is the exception to a national decline. Treat any cost or safety claim with a source and date, as we have here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colima city safe for expats in 2026?
Colima has Mexico’s highest homicide rate at 89–90.2 per 100,000 in 2025, vs. 21.4 nationally. Mexico Evalúa rated it the only state at ‘extreme’ lethal violence in H1 2026.
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Colima city?
A 1-bedroom apartment averages 4,833 MXN (~284 USD) monthly, both in and outside the centre, per Numbeo on 30 July 2026. CityCost corroborates at ~283 USD on 9 August 2026.
What is the homicide rate for Colima city in 2025?
The Colima–Villa de Álvarez metro area recorded 269 homicides in 2025, a rate of 83.40 per 100,000, ranking 13th globally. Seguridad, Justicia y Paz published that on 11 February 2026, and it covers areas above 300,000 people.
Is Colima less violent than in 2023?
State homicides fell from 906 in 2024 to 667 in 2025, about 26.4 percent. The metro rate fell from 140.32 per 100,000 in 2023 to 83.40, but intentional homicides rose 19 percent in early 2026.
Connected Coverage
Sources
- www.razon.com.mx
- amp.milenio.com
- suracapulco.mx
- proyectopuente.com.mx
- geoenlace.net
- gabinetedeseguridad.gob.mx
- www.numbeo.com
- citycost.org
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