Is Valencia Safe? What the Crime Numbers Say

Valencia is safe for newcomers, and recorded crime is flat: about 31,000 offences in the first half of 2026, almost the same as a year earlier. The risk you will actually meet is petty theft, so keep your phone and wallet close.

Valencia is a safe city, and the official numbers back that up. In the first half of 2026 police recorded about 31,000 offences, almost exactly the same as a year earlier. Most of what newcomers run into is petty theft, not violence.

What worries newcomers most

Pickpockets and distraction thieves are the everyday risk. Thieves in tourist areas often work in teams, so keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket on crowded metro lines and around the Mercat Central.

One scam is worth knowing before you land: thieves posing as police officers may ask to see your wallet, and genuine officers will not ask for wallets or purses. If someone does, walk away. Attacks, including sexual assaults, are rare but do occur, so use the same common sense you would at home at night.

Where things got better, and where they did not

Most categories fell or barely moved in the first half of 2026. Thefts dropped about 2%, vehicle thefts fell about 12%, and robberies with violence slipped slightly.

Two rows moved the wrong way. Burglaries of dwellings rose about 22%, from 668 to 812, and offences against sexual freedom rose about 19%. Because home burglary touches tenants directly, ask your landlord about the door, the lock and the building entrance before you sign.

Online crime is the trend to watch over the longer run. Cybercrime rose about 16% over 2025, so treat any rental or deposit request that asks for an upfront bank transfer with suspicion. Read the scams guide for the fake-rental and paid-appointment tricks.

Valencia next to Madrid and Barcelona

Valencia records far fewer offences than the two bigger cities, but it is also a smaller city, so do not read the gap as a ranking. In the same half-year Madrid recorded about 118,000 offences and Barcelona about 75,000, against about 31,000 in Valencia.

The direction of travel is the fairer comparison. Barcelona’s total fell about 10%, Madrid’s rose about 1% and Valencia’s stayed flat. If you are weighing Valencia against Barcelona, the comparison guide covers the rest.

Before you move

Save 112 in your phone now, and keep the emergency numbers page handy. The Spanish police also have a mobile app for reporting a crime discreetly. To choose a street with all this in mind, start with the best neighbourhoods for expats, then walk the street at the hours you would actually use it.

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Not confirmed: The official table counts offences and does not give a rate per resident, so compare cities by direction of travel, not size. For your own street, ask the landlord and the neighbours before you sign.

General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.

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