PROS and CONS of Living In Medellin

In this video, I go over the pros and cons of living in Medellin, Colombia. #expatlife #expats #colombiatravel

In this video, I discuss the pros and cons of living in Medellin, Colombia. I highlight the low cost of living, social opportunities, and the ease of hiring local talent as some of the benefits. On the downside, I mention challenges with renting apartments, obtaining property loans, and concerns about a higher crime rate in certain areas. Despite the drawbacks, I emphasize that the pros have outweighed the cons for me during my 13 years in Medellin.

Highlights
💲 Low cost of living, making it attractive for retirees and expats with a monthly income above $2,000.
🤝 Abundance of social activities and opportunities to immerse in local culture.
👩‍💼 Easy hiring of local talent with English skills and the chance to offer competitive salaries.
🏠 Challenges with renting apartments, including the need for a local ID and co-signer for locals.
🏡 Difficulty in obtaining property loans as a foreigner, with a 30% down payment requirement.
🚨 Concerns about a higher crime rate in certain areas, despite improvements in safety over the years.

00:00 Intro
01:05 Cost Of Living
03:32 Social Life
05:20 Local Talent
06:59 Renting Apartments
08:00 Mortgage Loans
08:33 High Crime Rate
10:55 Outro

[tonyflags]

I was born in Medellin, moved to the US when I was two years old. Now at 44 I just moved back. Living off my life savings and pension is pretty sweet. I opened up a few bars and a gym. Life is good.

[daviddonovan]

Well done, and what a great personal story of recovering from unexpected hardship, emerging victorious. Truly heroic, I wish you well!

[ShadowThe]

Finally, an honest logical assessment of the crime element.

[BizzeeB]

Refreshing honesty here - I lived and worked in Bogota for several years, and visited Medellin when I wanted better weather and people who didn't all seem to hate each other. 😄 It's possible I'll be back again one day - I'm tired of the grind in the US.

[johncito]

Crime is a HUGE issue. The fact that wages are low is only a part of the problem — the other part is cultural. One-on-one crime is a way of life in Colombia. Just because you are a friendly person, does not mean that you are a nice person.

[RKELS]

THIS CHANNEL IS SERIOUSLY UNDER RATED.. GREAT CONTENT.. IM MEXICAN EVERY MEXICAN THATS LIVED IN COLOMBIA FELL IN LOVE. BUT THIS MAN HERE IS TOTALLY 100 ON POINT..MUCHAS GRACIAS ❤

[fantomas]

The biggest con for me (3 months in Medellín) was the extreme noise everywhere. Every bar wants to play their music louder than the next one. They put their speakers directly at the ear level of pedestrians, so your auricles flutter. I was walking with 3M Ear Plugs. Colombian people shout to each other, even they talk in a distance of 1 meter. Even if you are in a quieter district, there will be a salesman waking you up by shouting in the early morning.

[maxbrazil]

Medellin is a spectacular city, to visit. We stay for 3-4 weeks. No matter how well you speak Spanish and respect the culture, you are an outsider and a target. On advice from expats, we purchased all clothing in local stores, because American style threads and shoes are like having a bullseye on your back. If things go south, even by accident or innocent mistake, the consequences can be EXTREME! I love Latin America. The people, their style, their music, and their food. The fresh produce in Medellin is like ambrosia. The easy-going vibe is very relaxing, but the dark side is pitch black. We have that in America to some extent, but a foreigner in Columbia can expect to be treated like an outsider behind bola ocho. That's just the way it is.

[DjZephy]

What's with all the dislikes? the fact that you listed some cons and it made people get offended? it's a great video

[MarleysNomadLife]

I’m heading to Medellin in 2 weeks. I’m so tired of the US. I know Medellin is not perfect but I think I’ll be happy there.

[royal-enfield]

love the fact that u are honest & u say it like it is on a personal & professional level we can all relate in 1 ways or another .,
always thrive to keep it real 👍

[AlexNightOwl]

Finally someone was honest and told the truth about how truly things are in Medellin, Colombia.
I was born in Colombia, moved to the states at 22 and have been living in the US for 26 years.
You could be in the wealthiest neighborhood in Colombia and your chances of getting robbed or kidnapped are high. Nonetheless; Medellin is a great city.

It seems things are going well for you in Medellin.
Good luck with everything.

[leonidas]

My sister lived in Bogota, Colombia and she kept saying crime is a HUGE issue. When I visited, she was a bit paranoid always looking at our surroundings and being super careful while on the streets. She was like this because basically all of her friends suffered from crime issues: phones stolen, wallets stolen, laptops stolen, and some unlucky friends even had robbers take them to ATMs at gunpoint to take out money and stealthe most they could. I am a guy that is careful but rarely afraid. I have gone back to Colombia several times and never felt truly in danger. It is also a matter of being careful and avoid tricky situations like sketchy areas at night.

[lifeasithappens]

I was in Thailand for 9 months and trust me with all the positives there were many more negatives this is just speaking for myself, A country being very affordable plus beautiful easy women will not cover for everything else for the long term.

[josephfroton]

What a great guy & honest! As an American I'm totally disgusted, disillusioned & pissed off that the US Government cold heartedly deported one of its own! Was there any way this could have been worked out to prevent this kind of tragedy? I'm glad you are a smart & resourceful guy!

[BaronEvola]

This is refreshing.
No wonder you don't have tons of subs.
Most people that tell it like it is don't.

[MedellinBuzz]

00:00 Intro
01:05 Cost Of Living
03:32 Social Life
05:20 Local Talent
06:59 Renting Apartments
08:00 Mortgage Loans
08:33 High Crime Rate
10:55 Outro

[Regalman]

Finally a real channel about medillin and someone who is not blinded by women.

[Sick_Buffalo]

Yes. Even in Medellin, violent crime is rampant. In other big cities (Colombia) it's even worse. It's like you can literally smell it in the air...

[benpieciak]

I moved from boston 3 months ago with my columbian wife. I started in medillin but moved to a quiet town less then a hour away. I am in heaven hear . And even started my own buisness and that is going well. Life is great 😊