Naturally, it's not as cheap as traveling rural areas but compared to other popular cities like Bogota and Cartagena, Medellin is great value for money. It also helps that many of the most popular tourist attractions – Parque Botero, the Botanical Gardens, the Metrocable – are either free or very cheap.
Medellin's crime rates are low
Once known as “the most dangerous city in the world,” Medellin is now lauded as an up-and-coming travel destination. In fact, Medellin's 82% decline in violent crime means that the city is now safer than New Orleans! People want different things when they travel.20 Medellín Safety Tips for Expats for 2019
Medellín is generally considered safe to visit if you use common sense and take some precautions. There are a number of basic precautions you can take to be vigilant about your personal safety and improve your security while in Medellín and Colombia.When it comes down to how long to spend in Medellin on your vacation, three full days is enough to see the highlights of the 'City of Eternal Spring.
Medellín was once known as the most violent city in the world, a result of an urban war set off by the drug cartels at the end of the 1980s.
Read our full review!
- 5 Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Medellin.
- Laureles Neighborhood – Where to Stay in Medellin for First-timers.
- La Candelaria (El Centro) – Where to Stay in Medellin on a Budget.
- El Poblado Neighborhood – Where to Stay in Medellin for Nightlife.
- Belén Neighborhood – The Coolest Neighborhood in Medellin.
The Definitive Guide of Things to See and Do in Medellin, Colombia
- Visit Plaza Botero.
- Museo de Antioquia.
- Downtown Walking Tour.
- Plaza de San Antonio.
- Drink Colombian Coffee.
- Wander Around Jardin Botanico.
- Learn Something at Parque Explore.
- Planetario de Medellin.
Medellin, Colombia: Annual Weather Averages
February is the hottest month in Medellin with an average temperature of 63°F (17°C) and the coldest is January at 61°F (16°C).Buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon), and buenas noches (good evening), like “hola,” will be taught in your basic level Spanish course, and are frequent greetings used and heard in Colombia. “¡Quibo!” is another way of saying “hello” in Colombia.
The Brief Dictionary of Colombianisms defines it, in first place as vagina. But besides this meaning, the dictionary shows the most popular: Chimba means good, pretty, and lousy. Example: “¡Qué chimba de libro!”
Capital of Antioquia province, a fertile region famous for its coffee plantations and its flower farms, for its orchids and butterflies, it is known as the City of Eternal Spring for its idyllic climate.
adjective. A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g. skinny, grandma). (colloquial) (good) Regionalism used in Colombia.
In the US, “paisa” is usually a slang term, a shortened form of the word “paisano,” meaning someone from one's home country, or in popular usage among Mexican-Americans, a real “country” kind of person.
Known as the City of Flowers, thanks to its eternal spring-like climate, Medellín — with a population of 2.5 million people — is a city also known for its music, museums, nightlife and friendly people. It's the capital of Colombia's department of Antioquia, one of the country's famous coffee-growing regions.
Word forms: Colombians
Colombian means belonging or relating to Colombia or its people or culture. 2. countable noun. A Colombian is a Colombian citizen, or a person of Colombian origin.Colombian Spanish speakers tend to use usted almost always when directly speaking to a person. They use it to the point where it's probably the only word you'll hear for “you.” Very rarely will you hear Colombians talking to each other with tú, although it's not entirely unheard of.
However, like any big city, Medellin has its dangers – so here are some tips on how to stay safe when you visit Medellin. While the area is generally safe by day, at night much of it is a haven of street crime, and wandering around El Centro at night is not a good idea if you want to stay safe in Medellin.
Summary about cost of living in Medellin: Four-person family monthly costs: 1,334.56$ (4,529,530.12Col$) without rent (using our estimator). A single person monthly costs: 385.72$ (1,309,146.54Col$) without rent. Cost of living index in Medellin is 71.27% lower than in New York.
A current map of the Medellín Metro system that can be printed out can be found here. Traveling on the Metro is generally very safe. However be careful of pickpockets during rush hour or any other time the metro cars are crammed full of people.
Medellín is a beautiful city with a great climate and a low cost of living. To me, the biggest benefits of living in Medellín are the climate, low cost of living, good and inexpensive medical care, proximity to the U.S., friendly and welcoming people and the great and inexpensive public transportation.
Laureles is a nice place and generally fine, many expats prefer it to Poblado. Take normal precautions as you would in any large city, use common sense, and you will be fine. Laureles is a lovely neighbourhood and for Medellin quite safe, but late in the evening cab is safer.
A retiree in Medellin talks about loving life in Medellin - it's been a great change of pace for him and his wife. He says that while some expats live on $1,500 per month, others live in $3,000.
As of writing this answer, the most dangerous city in Colombia going off the stats is Cali. The murder rate in Cali, Colombia is the 28th worst in the world in 2018. There were nearly 50 murders per 100,000 people in Cali.
La Veracruz: #theshimmyshow legal redlight district in medellin colombia with regulated street prostitution.
Safety. During the day, Itagüí is fine. You can go anywhere, just keep your eyes open and your fine. At night, be more cautious.
Yes they'res mosquitos in Medellin, but NO they're not the bloodsucking type.
13 Things Tourists Should Never Do in Colombia, Ever
- Buy and take cocaine. This is definitely the number one rule for tourists in Colombia.
- Refuse a shot of aguardiente! When a friendly Colombian offers you shot of the local spirit, just say yes!
- 'Give papaya'
- Not carry cash.
- Hail a taxi at night.
- Expect great coffee everywhere.
Medellin Pronunciation
- If you are on the north coast of Colombia – MEH -DEH – YIN.
- If you are in Medellín or Bogotá – MEH – DEH – JIN.
- In Argentina and nearby countries- MEH – DEH – SHIN or MEH – DEH – GIN (like the g in beige ).
Colombia is a safe country to travel so long visitors stay on a tourists trail and stick to certain unwritten rules such as not flashing valuables or not wondering streets in big cities late at night. I spent 6 weeks criss-crossing the country last year and never felt even remotely threatened.
Bogotá is generally safe to visit if you follow some basic safety tips, as you will reduce your risk of being a victim of crime. However, security in Bogotá is still a major concern for expats living in Bogotá and also tourists visiting the city.
Uber is No Longer Available in Medellin and Colombia. Uber was a viable alternative to using taxis in Medellín and several other cities in Colombia. We provided this guide to using Uber in Medellín, Bogotá and other cities in Colombia. However, Uber no longer operates in Colombia.
