A digital Nomad guide To Living in Medellin, Colombia
digital nomads are always searching for somewhere to work with good wi-fi and a good cup of coffee. I personally try to find a destination with at least one other nomad around, where the concept of sitting in a cafe for hours on my laptop isn’t too strange.
But in Medellin, it’s not a question of ‘where can I find the best cafe’. The question really is — ‘which one ought to I choose?’
As Colombia’s second-biggest city, which was recently named “the world’s many innovative city”, it’s no surprise that it has become such a major hub for digital nomads.
If you’re considering living in Medellin as a digital Nomad, here’s all you need to know.
Innholdsfortegnelse
Best areas to live in Medellin & rough Costs
Best wi-fi spots & Cafes to work in Medellin
Transport options in Medellin
Digital Nomad community in Medellin
Living like a local in Medellin
Weather in Medellin
It’s a cultural hub
Safety in Medellin
READ MORE: Travelling to Medellin, Colombia: Our first Impressions and Experiences
Best areas to live in Medellin & rough Costs
The many popular places for digital nomads to live are south and west of the city centre: El Poblado, Envigado, Ciudad del Rio, Laureles, Floresta, Estadio.
El Poblado: tends to be the most expensive area as it’s the most touristy. A double room in a shared house will start around 1m cop (roughly 330 USD) per month. A one-bedroom house starts around 700 USD per month.
Envigado: Technically located outside of Medellin, Envigado is a little even more south than El Poblado. prices are similar – in some cases a little less. If you are searching for somewhere close to Poblado but not within the traveler bubble, it could be a good option.
Ciudad del Rio: close to El Poblado but accommodation is typically a bit less expensive here, as it’s less touristy with lots of house blocks. prices for a standard room in a shared house start around 600k cop (roughly 200 USD). A one-bed house typically starts around 600 USD per month.
Laureles/Estadio/Floresta: These areas are located west in Medellin, and feel a little much more authentic Colombian than El Poblado (although they are westernizing quickly). They are close to the football stadium, a public sports arena, and home to one of the main universities – so it feels young and vibrant, full of Colombian students that live here.
A double room in a shared house ought to start around $600k cop (roughly 200 USD). For a private one bed apartment, expect to pay from 500 USD per month.
If you are wanting to live in luxury with fantastic panoramic views of the city, there are a lot of penthouse apartments (with pools, gyms, saunas etc) dotted around all these areas – for a fraction of European prices.
Where to search for Apartments in Medellin:
Comparto Apto: Often the best place for value as you deal directly with the landlord, on this website. However, you will many likely need to have a basic level of Spanish to be able to communicate with the landlords.
Facebook groups: Sometimes the costs can be marked up a little, but it’s relatively easy to find a room especially for English speakers. check out “Digital Nomads Medellin” and “Medellin Rooms, Apartments and Expat Info”.
Airbnb: lots of rooms are available here, and numerous have discounts on stays over a month.
If you find yourself going to the big city of Bogota during your stay, check out our post on the best things to do in Bogota.
Best wi-fi spots & Cafes to work in Medellin
Internet connection is typically very strong around the city, and there’s frequently totally free wi-fi in the streets and parks. (But as with any public network, be careful using it for anything personal)
Of course, digital nomads need to guarantee there is fast and stable wifi for working. here are my preferred cafes & spots to work in Medellin:
El Poblado
Botanika Lounge – great wifi connection with plug sockets under every table
Cafe Zeppelin – opt for the menu of the day for 12,000 cop (under 4 USD) and stay all afternoon
Pergamino – known for the best coffee in El Poblado
Cafe velvet – a popular spot for nomads although you need to get there early as plugs are a little sparse
Amarillo chocolate – cute interior with a great selection of veggie sandwiches
Como pez en el agua – opt for brunch and stay all day (their fried eggs on toast with mushrooms & truffle oil is just 16,500 cop – approx 5.50 USD)
Envigado
Cafe Otra Parte – great garden and terrace if you want some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of Poblado
Cocolatte – unwinded atmosphere, great coffee and friendly staff makes it easy to stay all afternoon
Ciudad del Rio
Cariñitocafe – often a bit quieter than the Poblado cafes, with an outstanding coffee menu & large terrace
Laureles
Algarabia – has a beautiful view overlooking the second park in Laureles
Cafe Revolucion – located on the main road, it can be a bit busy but it’s great for people-watching at the same time.
Naturalia cafe – one for the health-conscious foodies out there, with an comprehensive menu & another cheap but great menu of the day
Floresta
Hostal Ondas – has a cafe on the ground floor open to anyone, and a great co-working area above
Transport options in Medellin
Getting around the city is typically very easy and cheap – either by taxi, metro or bus.
Local taxis: There are plenty of taxis driving around the city; however, in some cases it can be challenging to track them down. often they don’t stop, despite seemingly looking empty.
Uber: The guidelines on Uber are slightly unusual in Medellin. Technically it is illegal to take an Uber, but the app still exists – so it is very easy to pick them up. However, if the police stop you, you could be in trouble. Therefore, I’d recommend taking the local taxis – they are similar in price anyway.
Metro: The standard cost of the metro is 2,300 cop (roughly 80 cents), for pretty much all trips (regardless of the distance). It was built to enable locals up in the outskirts work in the centre – so it’s a great option to save money.
Unfortunately, the metro station in Poblado is a little way out of the centre, at the bottom of a hill. If you take the metro to go to the centre of Poblado, be prepared to walk up Calle 10.
Bus: There are lots of buses around the city so you can easily pick one up from the side of the road. There aren’t as numerous bus stops but they stop and pick you up as it drives along the route on the main road.
They say in big letters on the front where they are heading – but always check with the chauffeur when you hop on, and if in doubt, ask the man next to you. Each journey costs between 1,900 cop (under 1 USD).
The metrocable in Medellin
Digital Nomad community in Medellin
With the massive influx of nomads, there are lots of meet-ups and social events. Hostel Ondas has a weekly social on their roof, specifically for digital nomads, and there are lots of independently organised Couchsurfing meet-ups.
Plus, there are lots of groups on Facebook, which you can request to join and be part of the community. For eksempel:
Digital Nomads Medellin
Medellin digital Nomads
Start-up Medellin digital Nomads Network
Medellin entrepreneurs Society
So if you are wanting to make some friends with like-minded people, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Living like a local in Medellin
Here are some of the best ways to get your food, groceries and other daily needs while living in Medellin.
Groceries
The many popular supermarkets are: Exito, Jumbo, Euro, & Carulla. There are numerous large supermarkets, as well as smaller benefit stores, all over. Exito, Jumbo & Euro are cheaper; Carulla is much more premium.
For the much more niche health foods, there are shops such as Salud pan or Ceres Mercado organic where you can pick up non-dairy milks, nut butter etc.
Plaza Minorista is a huge market with lots of fresh fruit, veg, meats, cheeses and more…such as the superstitious soaps that apparently the locals like to buy, to get good fortune in things such as love or finances.
Goods here are less expensive than in the supermarkets, but its location in El Centro implies it’s not as convenient to just pop down there, if you are coming from one of the local areas discussed above.
gatemat
Arepas & empanadas are everywhere! There is a broad variety of types and flavours of each, and prices typically start at 2,000 cop (0.65 USD).
Drinks
Øl
The two many common, and typically cheapest, beers are Aguila & Club Colombia. expect to pay around the following:
Supermarket: 2,000 cop (0.65 USD)
Local pub: 4,000 COP (1.30 USD)
Bars/restaurants: 6,000 cop (1.95 USD)
Nightclubs: 8,000 cop (2.60 USD)
Spirits
Aguardiente is the national spirit that’s available all over Colombia. A 750ml bottle costs around 27,000 cop (just under 9 USD) in the shops, and with an aniseed taste, similar to sambuca, it is popular with the locals. (It’s not for everyone though!)
“Ron Medellin” is Medellin’s many popular rum, and is the most affordable spirit, after aguardiente. A 750ml bottle is around 28,000 cop (just over 9 USD) in the shops.
Juices
Colombians lovE deres ferske juice, og det er vanligvis en juice av dagen inkludert i dagens meny til lunsj. Populære smaker er:
Lulo – en eksotisk, sur colombiansk frukt
Maracuya – Passionfruit
Guanabana – En distinkt colombiansk frukt, som praktisk talt smaker både søt og sur.
De koster vanligvis rundt 6000 COP (1,95 USD).
Vann
Tappvann i Medellin er fint å drikke. Imidlertid, hvis du reiser andre steder i Colombia, kan du sjekke helsemessige advarsler, da det vanligvis ikke er drikkes i mange andre områder.
Trening
De sier at colombianerne er noen av de vakreste menneskene i verden – så hvis du ønsker å bli med i mannskapet og holde seg i form, er det mange steder å dra i Medellin.
Treningssentre
Alpha Fitness (Poblado) – har en flott tidsplan for klasser som HIIT, TRX, Yoga og Crossraining
BodyTech (overalt) – masse utstyr tilgjengelig, men et av de mye dyrere treningssentrene, selv om du kan få et prøveverd
Dinamo Fitness (Envigado)-har en tendens til å være litt billigere, spesielt hvis du velger et medlemskap utenfor toppen
Yoga
Flying Tree (Laureles) – Klasser er tilgjengelige på både engelsk og spansk; 1x klasse er 25 000 COP (8,20 USD) eller månedlige ubegrensede pasninger er 160 000 COP (52,50 USD).
Løpe / gå
Parque Arvi – Ta gondolen til dette enorme naturområdet, hvor du kan gå rundt og glede deg over fossen og mer
Cerro El Volador – En kort, men veldig bratt bakke nær Estadio, med fantastisk utsikt med utsikt over hele byen
Stadium (Estadio)-Atletisk spor i full størrelse er helt gratis for offentlig bruk
Natteliv
Det er en rekke barer og klubber over hele byen, selv om de er mange sterkt mettede i El Poblado eller Laureles. Reggaeton og Salsa er sannsynligvis de to mange populære musikktypene for lokalbefolkningen, men det er forskjellige steder rundt, så du finner noe som passer din smak.
El Poblado:
Barene og klubbene her pleier å være litt mye mer vestlige med mye mer techno, hus så vel som den mye mer colombianske reggaeton, salsa og bachata.
Elektronisk musikk: Mansion & Calle 9 er to populære klubber i helgene, med inngang som typisk koster bare 10.000 politimann (3,30 USD). Beauty Salon Amador har et godt lydsystem, men er litt swankier og mye dyrere (vanligvis 35 000 COP, ca. 11,50 USD – selv om det kan være mye mer på spesielle netter)
Salsa: Mojito Salsa Guaracha y sønn. er en liten, intim, men populær.
Billige øl med en kjølt atmosfære: Latineria – som ligger på Parque Poblado – har øl for rundt 4000 COP (1,30 USD).
Laureles:
Calle 33 og ‘Setente’ (Carrera 70) er der mange av stolpene ligger her. De har en tendens til å føle seg litt mye mer lokale, med mye mer salsa og reggaeton.
Salsa/Bachata: Child Havanah & El Tibiri er begge populære steder blant lokalbefolkningen
Carlos e Restrepo (ikke i, men i nærheten av Laureles): Et veldig eklektisk område, nær universitetet, der mange lokale henger ut og drikker øl på gaten, synger og danser til gateutøverne. Å drikke i gatene ble forbudt i januar, så dette er et av de få stedene hvor du kan slappe av om natten.
Kan du ikke snakke spansk?
Medellin er en veldig kosmopolitisk by så mange mennesker på kafeer og butikker snakker engelsk – spesielt i de mye mer vestlige områdene i Poblado & Laureles.
El Centro er litt mindre vestlig, så du kan synes det er litt vanskeligere å kommunisere på engelsk, men i det store og hele bør du ikke slite for mye uten spansk.
Det er mange spanske skoler rundt og språkutveksling hvis du vil hente det mens du bor der. Noen anbefalte spanske skoler er nedenfor:
El Poblado
Toucan
Laureles
Prime
Colombia fordypning
Vær i Medellin
Medellin kalles også ‘The City of Eternal Spring’, fordi været vanligvis er ganske bra alle