CPRich

If you take the most recent crime data, on this table the US as a whole would be about #30 of 81 on a per capita basis. And if you take out the highest crime areas ("gang areas"), I'd find it difficult to say the rest of the US is "particularly high".

Even with no qualifiers, outside the top quartile isn't "particularly high" IMHO.

Duke787

Similar to others I carry as little as possible and only take out as needed since Charles Schwab reimburses all ATM fees foreign and domestic.

The only exception is if my transportation to/from airport is not pre-paid in which case I usually take out cash at the airport to cover the ride even if they *might* accept CC to avoid the hassle (in the US I'll deal with the hassle but in foreign countries where I don't speak the language it isn't worth it to me).

I also carry $50-100 in US cash as an emergency but deposit that back into my checking account when I get back to the US (I've never had to tap it).

Annalisa12

In everyday life I carry what some might call a lot of money so I guess I'm used to taking money. I also don't take what I am not prepared to lose.

I carry probably $300 to $500 on me when out and about every day in case a credit card doesn't work if I want to buy something. I always find for me it takes a lot of money to do nothing... drink here, snack here, entrance fee, new shirt, shoes etc!

I take a lot of cash with me to use on my trip.

cdn1

in some 3rd world countries even going to an ATM means you can get robbed after withdrawing money, at knifepoint or gunpoint.
If going to home country sometimes we transfer money online to our bank/accounts so its there in case we need it or take some dollars and then exchange locally.
Going to EU we took about 500-1000 euros depending on the # of days. Some countries are more costly than others. For example, Portugal is cheaper than Germany, Austria, etc

shuigao

I brought Ą300k (around usd2.7k) cash in my last trip to Japan. Mostly because the inn we were staying at in the nagano mountains didn't accept cards.

willythomas561

mostly $2000 and also credit card which is easier for shopping and hotel booking

IMOA

Figures somewhat aprox, low point the trigger for me getting more local currency and high point what I might fill up to

Australia/NZ - $50-$150 dollars
Thailand - 3,000-15,000 baht
Japan - 20,000 - 150,000 yen
UK - 50-150 pound
Western europe 50-200 euro
Other SE asia (vietnam, cambodia, laos etc) - $50-$250 US or us equiv

bearsfanord

Depends if there is a casino near where I am going

XLR26

I always like to have the option of how I pay, so during the day...typically around $50. At night....usually $100 - $200.

pinniped

I'm 6 days into a 7-day Peru-Argentina trip and have not needed to use any local currency even once.

In Peru, I *thought* I would, so I hit an ATM and took out 200 soles (about $60). I thought I'd need it for taxis, but much to my surprise there were Ubers all over the place. I ended up giving the cash to the hotel to pay a portion of my bill.

In Buenos Aires, I haven't even thought about getting local currency. Hotel is walking distance to the office and plenty of restaurants, so I haven't needed a cab or an Uber. (I'm told Uber is new here and still going through its regulatory battles with the city and the local taxi mafia.) I have a 1/2 day tomorrow to go do touristy stuff before my evening flight...I suppose I might get some cash for that, although I'm not convinced I really need to.

Tchiowa

Again, outside of gang areas like parts of Chicago or Oakland you're safer in the US than just about anywhere else.

bocastephen

I don't travel too far off the beaten path, but I've never had a problem using credit cards for 90% of my day to day activities abroad. In fact, I don't even carry a wallet - I take my drivers license (photo ID just in case), credit card and ATM card which I use for ad hoc cash withdraws, which all go deep into my front pocket where I can feel them. In Asia, I keep some cash for street food and local shop purchases, but in an amount I'm willing to lose (aside from the fact I have better odds of being struck by lightening vs pick-pocketed in Tokyo or Taipei).

Now, I will say this - the last time I was in Rome and stayed at the Westin Excelsior near the Barberini subway station, every night I annoyed the station staff by handing them a wallet I would find on the escalator coming up from the tracks - like clockwork, I would always find one full of credit cards, ID, family photos....but no cash. So the answer is - research the place you're going and plan accordingly.

As the Rio Olympics approach, assuming they actually happen, every favela urchin in Rio is going to descend on public areas like locusts to a wheat field, and lift every valuable imaginable from visitors, officials and athletes alike....so Olympic visitors should plan accordingly.

pinniped

Plus, I'd suggest that most U.S. robberies aren't street crime against foreigners (or even citizens): they're car, house, or business break-ins when the occupants are (usually) not there. Not that this is any better than roving hordes of pickpockets, but it's not something a tourist has to worry about walking around downtown San Francisco.

Badenoch

For the USA, UK, EU, I arrive carrying the equivalent or CDN$300-$400 in local currency. For the rest of the world it varies depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing. On my last trip to rural Africa I carried R10,000 and $1,000 in American currency.

I have on several occasions been very thankful of bringing local cash into the country I'm visiting. There isn't always a bank machine close at hand and credit cards are not accepted everywhere.

schwarm

Did you even glance at the methodologies of the statistics in the links you provided?

The first is ridiculous (derived from surveys conducted by the website itself - user contributed data). Not validated in any way whatsoever.

The second is total numbers rather than rates. Actually, when you click on "per capita," Canada is shown to have a higher crime rate than the US: http://www.nationmaster.com/country-...rimes-per-1000

The third shows the police-recorded robbery rate, not the robbery rate. The US is not an outlier of developed countries, Belgium being 11th and Spain 12th, for instance. Probably as much a function of people thinking it is worthwhile making police reports as it is of actual robberies..