'Let's be real'?
If you want to be real, this is a pretty sheltered perspective. As a Canadian that has been lucky enough to travel many places (including a large amount of 'dangerous' places in Latin America) I can tell you that I feel most unsafe in the United States. And this is coming from someone who has been robbed while living in Mexico
You can safely live with relative ease in about 80% of the massive country of Mexico. There are some places to avoid, notably the North, but the general rule in any country is that the countryside is a very safe and peaceful place and you need to be more careful in cities/higher population areas.
Inequality = desperation, and tourism fuels the problems in these countries whether it's by putting money into drug cartels pockets directly or staying at high-end fancy locations.
The main difference in the U.S. is that everyone has easy access to a gun, and that hatred/confrontation/violence/distrust of your neighbour is built into the culture. Mexico has a bit of a 'bandito' culture about it but in general no one is looking to physically harm you, but yes robbery is probably more prevalent because of inequality.
No matter where you live, you're only as safe as your neighbour feels. The way I see it, you can choose to live in places like Mexico where the government is openly corrupt and the cartel has major influence over parts, but you have a lot less regulations and more personal freedoms in many aspects, or you can live in a place like Canada/the US/Europe where the government is just as corrupt but more secretive, it's run by a white-collar cartel, and there are a lot of rules/restrictions/red tape around how you live in the name of your own 'safety'. I prefer a little more autonomy myself.
If we're being real, if you limit your activities at night and have a dog for security you can probably live in relative safety anywhere in Mexico.
This post reminds me of the first time I was about to enter Mexico in my van, and some people in Texas were incredulous that I was about to travel through Mexico. "Are you crazy? Aren't you scared? It's so dangerous!". That's when I asked if they'd ever been to Mexico, and they replied with a resounding 'No'. These were people living 30 mins away. This is a common sentiment in both Canada and the U.S, it's amazing how powerful propaganda is. Oh, also Mexico is mostly mountainous and there are quite cold parts of it, I live in one of those. It's not all beach and warm weather, but it is one of the most biodiverse and unique landscapes I've ever seen.
