A Fouders Top-to-Bottom Guide for the Medellin Digital Nomad [2022]

Medellin is growing into a cosmopolitan metropolis and the Medellin digital nomad has arrived. Find out what makes the city perfect for growing your startup (and play)! 🌆

A Fouders Top-to-Bottom Guide for the Medellin Digital Nomad [2022] cover

The digital nomad scene has thrived exponentially recently, and only a few places have embraced it, like Medellin. Previously dominated by Southeast Asian cities and Europe, Medellin has firmly put Latin America on the digital nomad hotspot map. A Medellin digital nomad will find the cost of living is much lower than in significant cities in Western Europe or North America.

Plus, the moderate temperature ensures you don’t have to deal with the bitterly cold winters in Berlin or the sweltering heat you get in Bali. Medellin is called ‘The City of Eternal Spring.’ So, when are you going on spring break?

medellin digital nomad
The lights of Medellin even look warm.
Photographer: Joel Duncan | Source: Unsplash

For any Medellin digital nomad, there are plenty of reasons why this is a great place to work. The nightlife here is never dull, with plenty of hotspots so you’ll never have to visit the same bar twice. The cost of living is fantastic for digital nomads. Still, one of the most important reasons that the typical Medellin digital nomad loves it so much is the freaking delicious coffee.

Why Medellin is great for early-stage founders

1. The cost of living is relatively low, which gives you more runway to get your business off the ground.

2. You have access to a large and growing talent pool as the city continues to attract top talent worldwide.

3. The city highly supports entrepreneurs and has several programs and resources to help you get started.

4. The quality of life is very high, which makes it easier to attract and retain top talent.

5. The city is lovely, and you’ll never get tired of exploring all it offers.

The Best Cafes to Work in Medellin

Columbia is known for their coffee. Duh! The Medellin digital nomad will find perfect roasts all over town, but good coffee doesn’t always make it a good café for our freelance work. Digital nomads need Wi-Fi cafes in Medellin without too much hustling and bustling. However, a delicious cup of coffee is still a requirement for the best restaurants to work in Medellin. These cafes are in the Poblado neighbourhood of Medellin, as it is the favourite neighbourhood of the Medellin digital nomad!

Café Zeppelin – The Best Café Medellin

This trendy, modern café will surely attract your attention while walking across the streets of El Poblado! Café Zeppelin caters to a cozy work environment and delicious food and beverage options. It’s designed with plenty of nooks and crannies to hide away while you zone in on your work, which is why this is the best café Medellin has for digital nomads. Zeppelin is an excellent place to complement the food with work from sandwiches, tapas, cakes, and a varied selection of freshly roasted coffee.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Café Zeppelin (@zeppelinmedellin) on

Cafe Zeppelin is German-owned which is reflected in the design.

Café Velvet – Coziest Internet Café Medellin

Just as its name suggests, Café Velvet is a cozy space that offers the Medellin digital nomad a perfectly quiet workplace to support their business. Plus, thanks to the lightning-fast Wi-Fi, you shouldn’t have a problem working for hours. It’s one of the best connections of any coffee shop, which makes it the best internet café Medellin has. Open all days of the week; Velvet also offers outdoor seating if you prefer to work outside. 

The décor is so cute; you won’t want to leave!

Pergamino Café – Best Coffee Medellin

Regarded as one of the top-rated cafes in Medellin, Pergamino Café is tucked in the soothing shade of trees. The café features a relaxing outdoor setting and is adorned with bright, happy interiors that promise to keep you in the best mood to work for an hour or two. The one drawback is that this is a trendy café with the best coffee Medellin offers. It can get busy.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Semana Santa: Abiertos todos los días. 😁

A post shared by Pergamino Café (@pergaminocafe) on

Where to Find the Best Coworking Medellin

Once the cafes start to get busy, where should the Medellin digital nomad go? Thanks to its rapid modernization, Medellin has quite a few coworking spaces to choose from! We analyzed its amenities and vibes to find the best coworking Medellin offers. After all, it would be best to have both for a successful and fun workday.

coworking medellin
Photographer: Helena Lopes | Source: Unsplash

Global Express Coworking – Cheap Coworking Medellin

Nestled inside a brand new building on Calle 10 in Poblado, Global Express Coworking boasts state-of-the-art amenities made available to the Medellin digital nomad. While the high-speed Ethernet makes your life much easier, late-night working is also facilitated. The daily fee is approximately 18000 COP or $5, which couldn’t be better for your overhead! Global Express Coworking gives you everything you need for the price you want; what a perfect example of a cheap coworking Medellin!

P.S. Personalized plans are also available for those who know what we want and how we want it.

Co-Work Poblado – Best Medellin Coworking Space

This coworking space is located in the heart of El Poblado and offers its members a variety of services, making it one of the – Best Coworking Space in El Poblado This coworking space is centrally located in El Poblado, making it one of the most convenient places to get some work done.

Come to be part of the Radical Collaboration in Co-Work Poblado, one of the best locations of Co-Work LATAM and at the top of the country. We have 8 flats, high-end private offices, meeting rooms, customized quarters (headquarter as a service), 24/7 access and more than 350 jobs to be able to come and boost your business to the next level.

The Best SIM Card Columbia Supports

Three major telecom companies in Medellin provide strong network coverage across Colombia. These are Claro, Movistar and Tigo. They all provide the same coverage, so the best SIM Card Columbia will offer you depends on your needs. The following are the best value internet plans from each of them:

Claro – 15 days-2GB– COP 20,000

Movistar – 15 days – 2.5 GB – COP 24,900

Tigo – 15 days – 2GB – COP 20,000 EXTRA 100 MINS-15SMS

How is the Transportation in Medellin?

The fastest and the cheapest way to travel in and around Medellin is by metro. If you’re only going on a quick trip, you can buy a single journey ticket called ‘Univiaje’ for 2000 COP ($1). If you’re planning more extended transportation in Medellin, try a multiple journey ticket called ‘Integrado’ that covers both journeys by metro and bus for 2300 COP ($1.5).

transportation in medellin
Photographer: Juan Saravia | Source: Unsplash

Alternately, you can choose to travel more swiftly via chauffeur-driven cab services like EasyTaxi, which allows you to book your ride online. Uber in Medellin is illegal, and although you will find plenty of rides available using the app, it’s still against the law, and you should be cautious.

The Best App for Food Delivery Medellin

Domicilios is the best travel companion app to enjoy your favourite foods delivered in Medellin. Domicilios features a wide range of restaurants and local food joints, helping you make the tastiest choice. It’s the only option for food delivery Medellin has, but it’s still an excellent service that the Medellin digital nomad will undoubtedly use quite often!

medellin digital nomad
Photographer: Pablo Merchán Montes | Source: Unsplash

Average Monthly Price for Airbnb in Medellin

Airbnb is an excellent place to book accommodation in Medellin for a month. Most digital nomads prefer the busy neighbourhood of Poblado, which is also the priciest neighbourhood. If you’re looking to cut costs as much as possible with your Airbnb in Medellin, it’s best to look in many different areas. You can rent a fully-furnished single room for $300; a luxury villa will cost you $800 a month. 

The Best Bars in Medellin to Go Out

Medellin is a huge metropolis in a Latin country…of course, they know how to party! When the workday is done for the Medellin digital nomad, it’s time to hit the streets and look for refreshments with your friends. If you want to ensure you have a good time, make sure to hit up one of the best bars in Medellin. Have fun, have a laugh, and have a drink (or two)!

La Strada Medellin – A Mall…for Bars!

Why visit one bar when you can head to so many under one roof? Embrace yourself! Here’s a multi-level entertainment mall where the young and beautiful show up to shake their hips with similar folks. It’s a mall…for bars! La Strada Medellin boasts a vibrant atmosphere and promises its guests the most refreshing cocktails and gourmet bites. Not to mention their free events, such as yoga on Sundays!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Empieza a calentar el fin de semana 🔥 Te esperamos en el @fashionbar.ls 📷 @mercadodelriolastrada . #colombia #momentoslastrada #disfrutarLaStrada #DondeComerEnMedellin

A post shared by La Strada (@lastradamedellin) on

The Best Restaurants in Medellin

Thanks to their excellent climate, many fresh ingredients are used in Colombian food; you’ll regret it if you don’t get out there and try some! Colombian food comprises most of the cheap eats in Medellin, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. Since it’s a blooming metropolis, there are plenty of other cuisines on our list of the best restaurants in Medellin. Don’t worry about cooking at home after the long workday, just head to one of these prime spots!

best restaurants in medellin
Photographer: Pablo Merchán Montes | Source: Unsplash

La Provincia – Best Seafood Medellin

With a menu catering to a winning combination of French and Italian-inspired cuisines, La Provincia bids you a flavoursome treat with a particular emphasis on seafood. In fact, for a country with many seafood dishes in its repertoire, the best seafood Medellin has comes from a European restaurant! Still, their quaint, spacious dining room and red-painted walls make the space feel very Colombian. French-style windows and wooden flooring pave the way to an al fresco terrace adorned by substantial potted plants. 

The Average Speed of Wifi Medellin

The average wifi speed in Medellin is about 7mbps. As it’s a busy city, most places are well-connected. Lots of restaurants and cafes offer patrons a free connection to wifi Medellin. Thankfully, the internet in Medellin is already up and running well, ready to welcome the next Medellin digital nomad!

unsplash image ba026f1306a1508a373f07d6e4b3a147 800
Photographer: Riz Lucidexplore | Source: Unsplash

How to Find a Medellin Digital Nomad Meetup 

Digital Nomad Medellin is a thriving community that brings together a great group of nomads. It organizes a monthly meetings to fulfill the objectives and exchange ideas about growing the community even more. Meeting your fellow Medellin digital nomad will provide you with benefits you couldn’t predict! Whether finding your new favourite café or your next client, you never know what the digital nomad community will help you with.

Stay Informed

Get design tips for your startup straight to your inbox by subscribing.
Join our community!