🇨🇴 Colombia

Medellín

The city of eternal spring: 22 degrees in January and July, cable cars climbing the hillsides, and a remote-work scene that keeps growing in El Poblado and Laureles.

8.0Zabel scoreHow we score →

$1,000–1,600/month300–600 Mbps fiberEternal spring: 18–28 °C year-round

Score breakdown

Cost of living

8.5

Cheap rent and food with good services.

Weight 25%

Internet & work

8.5

Among the best fiber in Latin America.

Weight 20%

Nomad community

8.5

A large, very active year-round community.

Weight 15%

Safety

6.0

Improved, but daily caution is required.

Weight 15%

Weather

9.5

Eternal spring: 22 °C all twelve months.

Weight 15%

Paperwork & visa

8.0

Nomad visa up to 2 years with low income requirements.

Weight 10%

What it really costs

Prices checked on the ground by Zabelers. Each line shows when it was last verified.

1-bedroom apartment (Laureles)

2.500.000–4.000.000 COP/mes

Furnished, utilities separate.

2026-09 · Fincaraíz

Set lunch

15.000–25.000 COP

Soup, main course, and fresh juice.

2026-09 · Precios locales

Specialty coffee

8.000–12.000 COP

Colombia at its best: Pergamino, Rituales.

2026-09 · Cartas locales

Coworking (monthly)

120–200 $

Selina or Tinkko, unlimited access.

2026-09 · Webs de coworking

300 Mbps fiber

100.000–150.000 COP/mes

Claro or Tigo, installed within days.

2026-09 · Claro/Tigo

Metro (single ride)

~3.200 COP

Includes the cable cars up the hillsides.

2026-09 · Metro de Medellín

Where to live

Laureles

2.500.000–4.000.000 COP/mes

Good for: Those wanting a flat, walkable local area with bar life.

The catch: Less English-language infrastructure than El Poblado.

El Poblado

3.000.000–5.500.000 COP/mes

Good for: Those prioritising international services and coworkings.

The catch: Expensive, hilly, and very touristy.

Envigado

2.000.000–3.500.000 COP/mes

Good for: Long stays with a calm, family-friendly feel.

The catch: Further from downtown and nightlife.

Belén

1.500.000–2.800.000 COP/mes

Good for: Tight budgets and authentic neighbourhood life.

The catch: Few services aimed at foreigners.

Where to work

Coworkings

Selina Cowork Medellín~180 $/mes
Very international vibe and frequent events.
Tinkko~140 $/mes
Several locations; good value for money.

Cafés with wifi

PergaminoCafé ~10.000 COP
Single-origin Colombian coffee; terrace and good wifi.
Café VelvetCafé ~11.000 COP
Quiet, with plugs and laptop-friendly tables.

Time zone: COT (UTC-5). Same as New York in winter: ideal for working with the United States.

What living here is really like

Editorial synthesis of public experiences

Those staying long stretches agree that the weather is the deciding factor: never thinking about coats or air conditioning all year changes your routine. The most repeated downside is safety: not dangerous if you live sensibly, but it demands constant attention.

Síntesis editorial · Based on public experiences

Best part:: Perfect weather twelve months a year.
Worst part:: You must stay alert: don't flash phones or jewellery.

Sources: Nomads.com — Medellín · Cancillería de Colombia — visa V nómada digital

Editorial synthesis of public experiences

Many accounts recommend Laureles over El Poblado: cheaper, flatter, with real neighbourhood life and none of the expat-bubble feel. It is also repeatedly noted that Colombian internet is a pleasant surprise on video calls.

Síntesis editorial · Based on public experiences

Best part:: Fast, stable fiber for worry-free work calls.
Worst part:: El Poblado has become pricey and crowded.

Sources: Nomads.com — Medellín · Metro de Medellín

Day to day

Internet: 300–600 Mbps fiber for 100,000–150,000 COP/month with Claro or Tigo; among the best connections in Latin America.
Safety: Hugely improved, but still requires judgment: don\u0027t flash your phone or jewellery, avoid unfamiliar areas at night, and book taxis through apps.
Healthcare: High-quality, affordable private healthcare (Clínica Las Américas, Pablo Tobón); a medical-tourism destination.
SIM / eSIM: Claro or Tigo: 20–30 GB for 40,000–60,000 COP/month with a passport.
Best season: Every month is equally mild. December–February and July–August are driest; April–May and October are rainiest.
Community: A large Spanish-speaking and international community, with constant events in El Poblado and Laureles and very active WhatsApp groups.

Living here legally

Visa

Colombia has a V digital-nomad visa: up to 2 years with income of around 3 monthly minimum wages (~$900). Many passports also get 90 visa-free days, extendable to 180 a year.

Check your visa →

Tax

Tax residency kicks in after 183 days within any 365-day period; worldwide income is then taxable. The nomad visa alone does not exempt you: check your case before crossing the threshold.

Flights & connections

MDE airport with direct flights to Miami, New York, Madrid, and Panama; the US from ~$250 round trip in low season.

Lisbon vs. similar cities

City	Zabel score	Monthly budget	In short
Medellín	8.0	1.000–1.600 $	Perfect weather and good internet at a low price.
Ciudad de México	7.9	1.300–2.000 $	More culture and food; more expensive.
Buenos Aires	7.7	1.000–1.600 $	Similar price and more city life; unstable economy.

Transparency

Last checked: 2026-09-12

Official sources

Prices are checked against the dated sources shown. Editorial experience summaries cite their public sources; verified Zabeler accounts are identified separately. Official procedures always take precedence.