Medellín is an attractive place for Teleworkers and Digital Nomads from all over the world. The city offers high-speed Internet access, a permanent spring climate, affordable cost of living, as well as a variety of options in tourism and entertainment. Digital nomads and millennials find Medellin the perfect place to find inspiration, live fully and work remotely. If you are a lover of nomadic culture, in the City of Eternal Spring you will find everything you need and more to live without physical ties and the obligation of having to attend the same office all day. In this article we will explain what makes Medellín such a digital nomad’s paradise.
Remote or digital work is an increasingly widespread trend, thus a lifestyle has emerged with force whereby flexibility and digital transformation are the only rules. All you need is to have a computer, high-speed internet access and a mobile phone. Just like that you can be connected anywhere. The areas with the greatest scope of this type of work are diverse, with some of the most common being: digital marketing, programming, customer service, and sales, however, since the pandemic began millions of other companies have migrated to this modality, which is here to stay. See in the following article job opportunities for Digital Nomads: “The Top 60 Remote Work Websites for New Opportunities in 2022″.
There is a Growing Digital Nomad Culture in Medellín
Although Medellín is Colombia’s “second” city (in terms of population size and economic prowess) it is its central hub in terms of technological innovation. Successive mayor’s have hailed it as the Silicon Valley of Latin America, where innovation, new technologies, and entreprenuership are promoted constantly. It’s been referred to as a Knowledge Hub of the Region of the Americas, so it is no coincidence that it continues to position itself as a preferred destination to live for remote workers. Additionally, in Colombia laws have been created in favor of remote work, where the balance between work and personal life is protected. See the following entity link with interesting facts: “A Digital Nomad Guide to Medellin”.
Medellín was awarded in 2013 with the title “Innovative City of the Year” by The Wall Street Journal. It has an abundance of coworking spaces with free WIFI in common areas and a wide range of cafes and restaurants, which allows you to work comfortably in a pleasant environment. Currently there is a community of Digital Nomads of more than 8,000 members from all over the world, so if you come to this city you will be able to meet many people who live just like you. Meetings and recreational activities are regularly organized through social media groups to share successful experiences on issues related to digital teleworking. Any independent worker such as bloggers, freelancers, or digital entrepreneurs may find the city to be a digital nomad paradise because some of the above mentioned factors.
A Few Important Reasons Why Medellín is a Great Place for Digital Nomads
(1) For the Rain Tolerant, a 10/10 Climate
Medellin, due to its geographical location surrounded by the Aburra Valley, enjoys warm but not scorching temperatures almost all year round. Here, you will not suffer from suffocating heat or harsh winters – the best thing is that you can always use the same type of outfit. On many days there is some rain, but a typical Medellin thunderstorm will tear across the valley in an hour or two, soak all the luscious trees and plants, and then the sun returns.
(2) An Exciting and Dynamic City
Medellín is characterized by its dynamism and cultural identity; there are an abundance of options to choose from for entertainment, whatever that means for you personally. From major events like La Feria de Las Flores, El Clásico Paisa, to the gastronomy of Provenza, to the different parks and nature reserves that surround the city, there are no shortage of options. Digital Nomads seeking to live an exciting life need look no further than Medellin.
(3) Stable and Fast Internet Connection
Fast and reliable internet is an absolute must for any remote worker, and on this point Medellín’s major internet companies have it covered. They are called TIGO and CLARO, and, despite what I would describe as bad to horrendous customer service from time to time, the internet they provide is excellent.
(4) Your Dollar Will Go Further Here
The best part about life in Medellín as an expat is the cost of living. Once one gets outside of the tourist traps and into regular Colombian society, Medellín has a cost of living that can’t be beat. We’ve written about it extensively in this article, which includes an analysis of different products cost across an entire grocery bill in USA, Canada, and Medellin. While cell phones and computers can cost more locally, gasoline is about the same, almost everything else is much less than a typical North American or Western European city.
(5) Laureles is a neighbourhood highly geared towards Digital Nomads
Laureles, one of the upscale neighbourhoods of the city, has really embraced this new influx of Digital Nomads.
Although El Poblado is the most touristic neighbourhood in Medellín, Laureles seems to attract a more refined crowd of remote workers. The result is a refined community unlike anywhere else in the valley. Laureles is a great place to work because it is:
- flat
- replete with coworking spaces, restaurants and other establishments
- extremely green with parks and tree-lined streets
- a neighbourhood that feels more traditional and preserved than Poblado.
If you’d like to know our 4 TOP places to get some work done in Laureles, check out this article.
Here is a link to a couple articles we found interesting about the digital nomad life in general:
– 26 Incredible Benefits of Becoming a Digital Nomad
– 63 Surprising Digital Nomad Statistics in 2021
Among other things, these articles highlight some benefits that teleworking may produce, such as: increased productivity, the generation of significant economic savings of money and time for companies and individuals, reduction of greenhouse gases, improvement of quality of life, and much more.
The pandemic has forced millions of workers into a lifestyle that many have been enjoying for years – life without the monotonous routine of arriving to the same office every day. Long before SARS-CoV-2 began making its way around the world, Medellín was becoming an attractive place for these workers to visit for a few months or even establish their lives as expats. Barring an extreme deterioration in the security situation, this trend seems overwhelmingly likely to continue in Medellín, for many of the reasons listed above.
If you are contemplating a move to Medellín, and have any questions about it, don’t hesitate to contact us or send me a whatsapp message directly at (+) 57-317-523-3469.
