FULL Breakdown of Medellin's Top Neighborhoods (Pros & Cons)
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- čas přidán 21. 06. 2023
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Not sure which part of Medellin is best for you?
I've teamed up with 13 year Medellin expat, Andrew Macia to bring you this in depth video which covers EVERYTHING you need to know about where to live in Medellin, including pros and cons of the 3 most popular areas (El Poblado, Laureles & Envigado).
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My favorite place to always stay laureles. Peaceful, nature and nice 👍🏼
Yeah depends which area you stay, but it definitely has a lot of peaceful parks!
True that. I have stayed at laureles 2 times already at hotel el dorado is also way more affordable. El poblado is built for gringos.
First place I stayed which nobody ever talks about going to with the real Colombian vibe is Buenos Aires. Thats the true gem of Medellin, super local but very friendly vibe. Old people walking everywhere with a mixture of kids and adults of all ages. Very close to el centro, close to Poblado and Laureles. Tons of places to do physical activity to stay in shape besides the hills.I remember arriving at my air B&B around midnight. The street I stayed on was blasting salsa music and when I looked up to see who was playing and dancing to salsa at midnight... older people like grandmas. I knew this was the real Colombia. Some say its not the safest place according to the uber drivers that were sometimes afraid to pick me up or drop me off, I felt safe always.
True, I've heard it's a great area but probably not the best for newcomers or people that don't speak Spanish.
I took a look at Buenos Aires and liked it was well, friendly vibe and as an estrato 4 barrio would be generally less expensive to rent there. However, I have an amiga who lives there who was assaulted on the street and had her cellphone stolen, so caution here as elsewhere in Medellín is always warranted.
@@bobbycontreras8053... in Medellin there is a little town .."barrio" called Buenos Aires
@@bobbycontreras8053 its also a neighborhood in many latinamerican countries, its common, in Nicaragua for example there is even a municipality named Buenos Aires. Just to give you an idea, there are neighborhoods named Los Angeles, La Florida, Costa Rica and Cuba, all those "barrios" are in the capital of Nicaragua.
@@bobbycontreras8053 Buenos Aires is an area walking distance from downtown and I agree with @916hellas that it's truly a great area to stay. I have stayed in Buenos Aires in my last 4 trips to Medellin now as well as my other Canadian friends. The comment from @juanvaldez7633 about the friend having her cell stolen, well guess what, I have a female who had her cell stolen in Poblado at knife point. Buenos Aires is a fantastic area that is far too overlooked. So many restaurants and the nightlife is fantastic on weekends. The Ayacucho Tram (or Medellín Tram) is a tram system that is far easier to get onto than their main metro system that serves this neighbourhood.
I spent my last two months in Belen just below Avenida 33 which is the line between Laureles and Belen and really liked it there. It has more of a local neighborhood feel but was only a few minute walk to the mall or about 10 minutes or so to the Carrera 70 area for dinning and a few nightlife options. That's where I will be heading when I return. It's a great location for people who want a convenient lifestyle and don't need the high energy nightlife.
I stay outside medellin , i like pueblitos rural life. I don't want to move to another country and run into a bunch of expats or remote workers no offense but they always think they are super interesting and end up ruining the place.
Yeah I definitely understand, I feel like you only get the full experience of a country if you integrate with the locals
Hi how calls this place ?
Hi how calls this place ?
I moved to sabaneta , love it . Traffic is insane closing hours but I WFH so dont mind it
Yeah Sabaneta is great, but yeah so very far away!
Love the info! Thank you both!
No worries mate glad ya found it useful!
I've been enjoying the videos. They echo my experience in Medellin for sure. Keep it up 🙏
Cheers Zen 👍🏾👍🏾
Another great video, sounds like Belen or Envigado is for me. I was in Laureles for a month in January and while I did like it. I noticed the polution when I was walking around. I was near parque Laureles and the traffic is a nightmare. But I felt safe as a solo female travler. I apprecite your videos very much.
Glad you're finding them useful and you're absolutely right about Laureles! Great place but noise, traffic and pollution can be overwhelming in some areas.
Thank you for being civilised about another place. Loved and enjoyed this one ❤.
Thank you! Glad we could provide some value :)
Great feedback 💯👍🏻🇨🇴🌄
Great video, and nailed it well.. Laureles for me..
Cheers Matt - I agree - Laureles is the best of the Big 3 - but Belen is my all time fav.
Envigado all the way!! As someone who spent months in 2 different laureles areas, envigado is much more chill. Laureles has more older locals
I'm working on a dedicated video for Envigado right now which should be out in the next couple of weeks!
Thanks for the info been confusing trying to find a good area for what I’m into
Solid job on this - especially as to identifying the specific pros and cons of each area. As an Estadio resident going on three years now, I agree that the cons of traffic, noise and pollution in Laureles/Estadio are no joke - and this applies everywhere, not just to places near a major throughway. The generally flat terrain especially lends itself to being deluged by amplified street vendors throughout the day. I'm a big fan of Manila as well (especially the Foxey Pub!), and would consider moving there if rents were lower. Though here as elsewhere where there's a concentration of gringos, it's starting to attract beggars and other unsavory types who see us as easy marks.
Do you like Estadio? It doesn't get too crazy out there when the football matches are on?
@@AKJoel The portion of Estadio above Calle 48 and directly west of the stadium has much to recommend it - access to great athletic facilities nearby, close proximity to two metro stations, strong neighborhood feel and not yet totally built out with high rises like much of Laureles. Football matches normally not too bad - a few more cars parked on the street perhaps - but if it's a big match like the Classico there will be a ton of fireworks and a loud helicopter flying overhead monitoring the crowd both before and after the game.
You are right about Belen! I like to stay near Los Molinos mall
Yeah I stayed right across there in a new apartment building about a year ago - awesome spot with lots of do and a really fun and super local dance school too!
You guys are getting me pretty excited about my eventual move to MED.
My partner and I are hoping to move to Medellín in a year. I have lived and worked in France and the US, and I love the process of finding my identity in a new language and culture. I’ve heard only wonderful things about Envigado and Belen. Thanks for the vidéo and I look forward to seeing if my experience in The City of Eternal Spring matches your descriptions here!
You're gonna love it mate! I'm excited for you and your partner :) Envigado and Belen are definitely 2 of the best places in the city.
Great info
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! Laureles first and we shall see!
That's my favourite part of the city, much prefer it to Poblado for sure!
Good video Joel. Your channel definitely needs attention
I appreciate that mate! I'm just focused on providing value and one day the attention will follow haha
I will support
Thanks - I appreciate!
Good stuff
Glad you enjoyed it mate!
@@AKJoel appreciated the content
Great video! Loving the high quality content. What do you think about the safety of Laureles with the recent rise of foreigners experiencing robberies there?
Glad you're enjoying it mate! Yeah I have heard of a few robberies in Laureles but you just have to take extra precautions, like don't be out on a street facing patio with your computer in clear view - little things like that go a long way.
Belen and Envigado sound like my kind of places. 😊
Yeah I love Belen, my #1
Great interview packed with lots of insightful information! Yo Andrew wassup with you mic bro, sounded chalky, still could hear you though but just wasn't as quality a sound as AK's (although both mics look the same).
Good pick up! We've fixed this problem since in future vids :)
Thank You 2 vor diese nice video, i will go to Belen
You're gonna love it - great place!
Video is very informative. I was always cautious about Envigado because its isolated. El Poblado has so much more to offer (youtubers dont always have to refer to "parque lleras" and blame it foreigners)...theres soooo much more to that area than the mini skirts...I noticed a number of families out there and actually was shocked that there are so many upscale restaurants there that rival many in the states (BarBarO is AMAZING trust me)!
Yeah Poblado can be great if you stay out of the main party zones
Well, that's confused me even more. I'm definitely going to have to rent for a few months before I buy. I do like the sound of Envigado, Manilla and Belen. I applied for the course when it came out last week. Haven't gotten a response. Should I have yet? Thx guys. Really helpful content. 👍🏼
Hey mate, yes you definitely should have received it! Please email me at akashjoel@gmail.com & I'll send you the course info straight away.
i like the rural life I bought a finca outside of retiro
Congrats!
Thanks guys, great review. I'm looking at a place near CES University (El Tesoro / Alto del Poblado). Any red / yellow flags on this neighbourhood (beyond the obvious Uber ride required to get into El Poblado)? Thank you!
The only problem with El Tesoro is that it's SUPER hilly - very hard to walk anywhere unless you want a solid leg workout and to be sweaty when you arrive haha other than that, great place!
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6:20 so true, it's just like a minefield you have to navigate daily. But to me, the worst quality of Poblado was the air quality. It was shocking at first how bad it is.
That's interesting. The satellite maps show a lot of density of tress there. That should help filter air pollution, unless it's being caused under the canopy....
Yeah I think the only area with nice air is Envigado
@@brooksrogers1975 touristy area in Poblado is sitting low, so there is no wind coming through + roads are narrow and surrounded by buildings. All the fumes from motos (which I think is most of the problem) are floating in the air. Don't get tricked by the greenery, it looks pretty but doesn't help a lot.
Visiting Medellin and Cartagena in May! 🤗
what city do you guys recommend to stay in both?
The areas we mentioned in this video are great starting points for Medellin. Unfortunately I don't have enough knowledge on Cartagena to give you any solid recommendations.
As often as I go, I prefer to stay in lauereles/estadio. I’ve stayed in poblado. AND yes… poblado has increased prices.
Yeah me too, I much prefer Laureles
It would be good to have illustrateional photos of each area.
Thanks for the suggestion 👍🏾👊🏾
Awesome detailed Video. In which area do all the students live? Ist there such thing as a students area?
To be honest, most Colombian students just live with their parents as they usually can't afford to move out without a full time job.
Wonder how feesible it might be to bike from Envi to Pablad? Especially if your fit and like hills. Is that 56 that is above both areas? Can you bike along the road or on small back streets?
Completely feasible - in fact it's part of the standard route on the Sunday ciclovia. Several different routes to choose from.
Yeah definitely doable! That'll keep you fit haha
Sorry if this is a duplicate post, but my last comment didn't seem to post...
Thanks for the info, but I'm still not sure which neighborhood is best for me. I DON"T like the sound of El Poblado for it's party atmosphere, but I do want a spot with lots of restaurants and cafes that I can navigate in English, because I don't speak ANY Spanish yet.
I'm leaning towards Envigado, but without speaking any Spanish, would I be alright there? And does it have enough variety to keep me entertained for 1 month? (again, I don't need nightlife, but variety is good)
Cheers!
You should be fine without Spanish, you can just use Google translate if you need. And yes Envigado has cafés, restaurants, a huge shopping center, etc. There's enough to keep you busy 👍
I would say envigado
Yeah beautiful, local place! Highly recommended.
Do a video for best hotels in Medellin..
Thanks for the suggestion, will add it to the list 👍🏾
Can you tell me the name of the health insurance app you use for $100 a month? I can't find it. Thanks and great info!
Sura is the insurance that Andrew uses
What if we don’t know Spanish and want to go to a school to learn… where would be the place to stay or a good school?
A good friend of mine went to Total Spanish in Poblado - he loved it and learnt a lot. However there's a LOT of great Spanish schools in the city - just depends which are you want to stay in!
I'm always learning new vocab from these videos. Today it's "trashpats." 😅
Haha I'm not sure if I heard that somewhere or I made it up
That was a big snort for me. There was another one that I didn't quite catch. I was too interested in the content to rewind and now I can't find it. It was one syllable...
If you watch my videos closely you'll probably hear one word or term in each video that you'll be like "what did he say?!" haha
“Trashpats” sobriquet made me think of regular posts on Medellin expats Facebook group…
Is it expensive to bring heavy computer equipment down there? I know a lot of people who move down there and work remotely, they have laptops but my line of work requires more power.
You'd have to organize a shipping company if you can't bring it in your luggage
Yep envigado is amazing: paying £260 per month for my own gaff
I don't know what a gaff is but well done! 😂
What’s the difference between Expats and immigrants, thank you for somebody can explain me , learning English. Good video .
I don't think there's any difference to be honest! Basically the same thing lol
@@AKJoel Thank you so much , I’m from Bogota , planing to travel to US , I meet some Americans , they got offended by my question, it was not my intention, they couldn’t give me the answer, because filling out my documents I checked a box like Colombian immigrant, never see Expat , thank you so much , no my intention to offend somebody else , Expats or Immigrants Al welcoming to Colombia , enjoy your estancia en Colombia.
I think it boils down to intention/motivation - I personally consider myself an expat as I left the U.S. primarily because I could better leverage my retirement income living abroad, not because I specifically wanted to live in Colombia (in my mind, other countries offer similar benefits that make them just as attractive). Whereas the primary motivation with most immigrants is a specific desire to live in that country - most often for the better economic/work opportunities available.
True - my parents moved to Australia from India and I'd never call them "expats" hahaha I think expats are those who move because of choice, whereas immigrants maybe move because of necessity and lack of opportunities in their own countries
Sure glad you guys didn’t review my personal heaven of sabaneta. Nice quiet place plus we even have a American Elvis who parades around Jaja
9:17 Move to Laureles to "save money."
Much cheaper than Poblado
Envigado
Great place!
Great video and informative. I am 6 feet 8 inches tall and 250 pounds. Would I have a difficult time living in Medellin based on my size?? for instance, housing, taking Uber's or riding the metro, etc......
Well - depends on your budget. If you have enough money you can just rent a bigger place and take Uber XL haha
Showers & toilets are generally small lol.
You will need to get "Uber Comfort" which is small to mid-size SUVs. Every regular Uber and taxi is small. The older taxi cabs are really small, I'm talking like Mazda 2 size. Inexpensive apts have uncomfortable mattresses and small bathrooms. Stay safe if you go.
My friend is 6'2 weighs 180 lbs. Has had to have clothes ,jeans custom made for 30$-+ they don't sell his length nothing longer than 31 .. and trying to find shoes over a size 10 is hard his size 12 non existent . So your 6 8 frame bring clothes and multiple pairs of comfortable walking shoes , the hills are rough..pay the extra airline fee for suitcase with shoes and clothes.
I live in Yumbo outside Cali. 3 bedroom in a gated community is $350/M
I've never heard of that place lol whats there?
@@AKJoelright lol
I think Poblado has more traffic and noise than Laureles in my experience. It's why I dont choose to stay there for lengths of time.
It really depends which part of Poblado - next to Calle 10 is definitely crazy !
I lived in Lima Peru for 6 years... And back in the States now..
I need to get out of here like yesterday..
Want to start another online business.
How is business networking there?
There's a lot of networking events - I'd say a couple a month! You'll definitely find something here.
What is the reason all expats are obsessed with Medellin and its outskirts with so many interesting and even cheaper and safer places all over Colombia?
Wheres the other areas that offer stable weather and plenty of activities like Medellin?
@@AKJoel On the top of my head I can think of Bogota which has way more things to do in general for those who can stand rainy weather, and that city does have some cheap places to live, also, you have a very decent international airport with plenty of direct flights in case you need to go back home without so many layovers. Barranquilla and Bucaramanga are quite attractive too. Pereira is interesting as well but perhaps a bit boring for some.
First of all because of the existing quorum of gringos who already live here, it's probably the easiest point of entry for those who aren't already familiar with the country - especially those with limited Spanish. Add to that the climate and "social opportunities" and there you have it. But after nearly 3 years in Medellín I think it's probably time to move on, and as noted there are a host of cheaper and safer options available.
That's why I asked you able stable weather haha Bogota is great but no chance I'm dealing with that cold all year! All the other cities just seem too slow paced for what I want and up north it's just WAY too hot - Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Cartagena you basically can't do anything outside from 9am to 8pm or you die of heat stroke haha
@@AKJoelwhat about cali? I heard as long as u can speak spanish it is possibly better than medellin…need to check it myself, i only went to medellin and cartagena.
Also heard pereira lowkey has the best looking girls in colombia
Dear guys can you please give me a recommendation on where to stay in Medellin...I'm an older more mature male early..50s ...I'm going for 12 days in mid November...I' am meeting my GF ..for 4 of those days as she could only get a few days off from work ...so that leaves me alone for the rest of the time ...I enjoy a good time but not into crazy partying and want to feel safe and enjoy the culture and in on a budget what area can you suggest I stay in Laureles or Envigado or Poblado any recommendations would be greatly appreciated..BTW I am Latino Canadian and fluent in English and Spanish..100 %
If you're on a budget Laureles is probably the best option that still has a lot to do. Poblado will be too expensive for a short term stay.
Another great video!! Thank you!! I love the trashpats and the gringo meter. I very much enjoyed how you made fun of the passport bros. They are not a type of person that give foreigners a good name.
Yeah they are exactly the reason why locals start hating all of us - glad you enjoyed the vid mate!
a google map image of the place would have been nice , and avoid me to stop the video to have a look
Thanks for the suggestion
Where did you get that Medellin shirt?
Same.
Check out my store - I have some there :)
Envigado does have that Barnaby Jones bar that seems pretty gringo. I saw a Metallica cover band there, not sure how much more gringo you can get 😂
hahahaha yup Metallica is pretty gringo but that actually sounds awesome - I'm a huge Metallica fan
I cannot stand Poblado. I have stayed in Buenos Aires my last 4 trips to Medellin and that is my favorite area. Many restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and great nightlife on weekends.
I agree with you mate - Poblado definitely isn't my vibe either!
You are forgetting to include itagui and sabaneta
They are great areas but usually not popular with foreigners.
Can you please stop telling people about Envigado prices are going up and it's getting tough on the locals.
You should take it up with the local property owners who are raising the prices - I'm sure those locals are loving the extra income!
Ok everyone please stop going to amazing places in Colombia. Please let’s keep Colombia poor.
For real. Rent is going up WORLDWIDE due to global inflation. Rent in the city I live in the US also went up more than 50%, is that also because of foreigners??
Foreigners account for max 3% of occupancy in Medellín, probably not even 3%, and it's not like it went from 0 foreigner to 3% of occupancy all of a sudden. You are blaming a minority group without understanding what's really going on
Speaking of areas like Laureles and El Poblado as “neighborhoods” doesn’t impress upon people enough that these are actually very large comunas which are made up of various neighborhoods that can differ greatly in their safety, amenities, demographics and accessibility. El Poblado ≠ Provenza and Lleras just as Laureles ≠ La 70. If you’re out in San Lucas you’re going to see more locals than you’ll ever see a foreigner. There are paisa families who have lived generations in these neighborhoods, with many apartments ending up inherited by the adult children when their parents die. This whole “it’s not the real Medellín” is somewhat offensive as though it’s not possible for Colombians to be successful and been able to move their families up into these higher socio economic areas.
I get your point but I'd say the same about the US. Beverly Hills isn't an accurate representation of the rest of the country.
Sabaneta is the best place to live imo, it has nightlife, local culture, language friendly, the only "bad" thing would be the traffic and that there is only apartments. Besides, it's pretty cool
The apartments there are great though! Super new with great amenities and very cheap!
Can you live with $3k a month?
Check out this video I made which breaks down monthly living expenses: czcams.com/video/gd-zM-hHmi8/video.html
Long story short, $3k a month is PLENTY - you will be living extremely well.
Taco 🌮 = Traffic in Medellin 😂
haha I love that slang - makes no sense but it's so good
@@AKJoel A taco is a colloquial term for a wedge or similar object you use to prevent a door from closing, or any object from moving. Hence, a vehicular 'taco' implies you cannot move the cars.
Okay well I take it back then, it makes COMPLETE sense! lol
Dudes actually contemplating bringing down their supercars to Medellin on Temporary Dian Permits.
I saw a guy about a month ago trying to import his Bugatti haha
@@AKJoel talk about sitting ducks or moving Big papaya Targets.. The attention you get here in the states is bad enough... Love your Info bro!
Its cool but dumb as well
Thanks brother! I also think that maybe once you have enough money to get a Bugatti, you have so much private security around you that you basically become untouchable lol
Dude on left needs a chill pill.
Hahaha I think his energy is great
😂 no chill
I didn’t like the passport bro or trash boy comment that you said. The main reason all foreign men are in Colombia is the women and better life. So let’s not pretend we are almighty than others.
Wow you live a sad existence if your only motivation in life is women. Come on mate, get a hobby!!
Exactamundo. It's a bit sad; all the foreigners I come across here that are obsessed with sex to the point where they delude themselves that total pro hookers are their girlfriends. I meet these guys over and over and over and they get taken for a ride every single time. One really nice guy from Belgium I knew got kidnapped. Two other guys I know got their apartments cleaned out and all their money when they invited working girls back to their apartments. The girls drugged them. It's not the reason I moved here in 2016. Sex is wonderful but dangerous in Medellin if with strangers. But the guys never listen. They think they're different.@@AKJoel
But the people you are talking about are different than the passport bros. There are people who just want to find a nice girl and that is tired of Western women. I guess most of them don't act like an idiot or behave in a bad way. That's more how they were raised by their parents.
I've seen plenty of cringe passport bros ruining thr city too trust me
Cristo Rey is a cheaper nice town. More locals less tourists
Is there anything to do there?
@@AKJoel not really! It’s a fairly local town not much for tourists to do but it’s really cheap and it’s nice to get away especially if you’re just trying to practice Spanish
Y no pictures smh waste
Come and see it for yourself 🙂
As someone who has lived in Laureles for now over a year ummm I took this video with a grain of salt. To be honest all your cons can be listed anywhere of the 3 really.
Another thing that I'm actually getting really annoyed of hearing and I don't even think most Americans KNOW they're doing it and I saw it as well on you video by both hosts. Is this whole self hatred or "Getting away from Foreigners concept or idea" If Colombians go to the United States or Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese they don't do everything possible to "get away" from their own kind.
I don't understand how that trend started or why we do it, but Americans are the only ones that have this sense of not wanting to be near their own kind, rather than helping, guiding, helping one another like other cultures and countries do with their own demographic and I feel it needs to change.
I understand your point and to each their own - but I sure as hell didn't leave Australia to only hang out with Australians and speak English 100% of the time. One big pro of living in Colombia is getting to meet locals, hearing about life from their point of view, expanding my horizons, practicing my Spanish daily, getting invited to local events etc.
I think you might have taken our comments the wrong way as if we were saying "never hang out with Americans, we hate them all." In fact, the point we were trying to make is that if ALL your friends are Americans and you don't even try to speak Spanish or hang out with locals, then why are you here?
Envigado is the best!
Yup, love the local feel out there!
Passport Bros are not sex tourists. The official group will even block you for promoting it. I wish that you would not keep promoting that stereotype.
I support your broadcasts and even paid for your Masterclass but I had to bring that to your attention. Research a group instead of listening to hearsay.
This is true - we recently spoke about this on our most recent live stream - it seems that the problem is that many sex tourists are calling themselves "Passport Bros" and putting that in their CZcams video titles to get more views. That's where the negative stereotype comes from.
Do you guys even speak spanish lol
Andrew is Colombian lol
Nunca entenderé a los extranjeros que se quedan en este moridero tercermundista de Colombia. Para mí son masoquistas.
Hahaha que chistoso y tienes razón pero es más por el mejor calidad de vida que podemos tener en esos países en comparison de EEUU o Australia
@@AKJoel¿entonces porque los locales se van a esos paises?