Why Is Medellin So popular in 2021?

Why Is Medellin So Popular (even in 2021)?

Medellin is by no means a perfect city, but one that does get a lot of things right. Here’s a quick breakdown of why Medellin is becoming increasingly popular.

By Kaveh Paymayesh

Medellin is a popular destination; I don’t believe that’ll change anytime soon. Despite all the complications arising from travel restrictions, figures show that people are still coming, in droves! Colombia’s travel industry is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024 but this figure is expected to be quicker for Medellin.

So why? Let’s explore 7 reasons that draw people into this wonderful city.

For the climate

For those of us coming from Europe or North America, we deal with climates characterized by polarity (increasingly so these days). Cold and dark winters contrast against hot and long summer days.

For some of us, it can feel a bit too bipolar.

I, for one, can revel in the long days of summer but find that both my mood and motivation are badly hit as the light dwindles through autumn and winter.

Most probably unlike the place you’re coming from, Colombia is an equatorial country. This means that here you get to experience a climate that is novel to most humans on this planet – one without seasons as we know it.

Beyond certain rainfall patterns, not too much changes in terms of the weather. The climate in Colombia is very steady.

Speaking of rain – it does rain in abundance in Medellin!

As a Brit, that sounds unsettling on paper. But don’t worry, the behaviour of rainfall in Medellin is awesome – showers are often quick and localised.

It’s not uncommon for one half of a street to experience heavy downpours whilst the other half remains totally dry.

It’s not like the UK where rainfall often feels unrelenting.

Nevertheless, the rainy season in Colombia running from April-May & Oct-Nov can feel unceasing!

Make no mistake – I’m not saying Medellin’s climate is perfect because of the equator… After all, equatorial regions are characteristically hot and humid. That wouldn’t be considered an ideal climate by most…

However, Medellin’s arguably perfect climate is the result of two converging factors:

The proximity to the equator – meaning that sunlight hours, average temps, and precipitation levels are largely consistent year through.
The altitude of the Andes – Medellin sits 1,500m above sea level, making it on average 5°C cooler than Cartagena and much less humid.

Like much of Colombia, Medellin gets to experience the benefits of the tropics whilst avoiding the negatives.

For the quality of life

A large chunk of Medellin’s increasing popularity can be explained by the following equation:

Weighing up ‘quality of life’ is fairly subjective, but broadly we can say that it is shaped by the access to and quality of:

Healthcare, commerce, entertainment, hospitality, transport, accommodation, greenspace, travel, community.

This is all available in abundance in Medellin.

In reality, there are excellent facilities in much of Colombia – the issue is that not nearly enough people are able to use them.

Generally though, as a foreigner coming from an economically developed country, this won’t be the case. Conversely, you’ll have access to things that you otherwise wouldn’t back home.

For example, housekeepers; or in my case, expensive dental work.

According to NUMBEO (08/11/2021) – the average cost of an individual living in Medellin (without rent) is £304/$410. In London, this number shoots up to £864/$1,166.

This is before any consideration of rent, which is on average 87% cheaper in Medellin.

Look, London is amazing! It’s a first-rate city that offers the best of the best, IF you have the money.

The reality is that many people, myself included, can have a MUCH better standard of living in Medellin. It’s definitely of a life hack.

Have you seen the standard of living in London for somebody earning less than £35,000 p.a.?

It’s called scraping by; scraping together an existence.

For me, it was a matter of choosing between a cramped and ugly apartment in the fringes of London, or living in a high rise, with all modern amenities (including a cleaner), in an exclusive part of town.

No brainer!

And I’m not the only person in this position…

Medellin’s popularity grows as people realise that they can have more! More freedom, more space, more disposable income… More OPTIONS!

For the novelty - Colombian Hype

It was only in late 2016 that Colombia ratified its historic peace deal. We’re talking about an event that officially ended the longest civil war in modern history.

The opportunity to discover the world’s most biodiverse land was long seized, up until now…

How could a South American travel itinerary be complete without it?

People want to demystify the enigma that is Colombia. Even now, we are seeing that those travelling here are still the early adopters.

Just 4 years ago – the only foreigners sighted here were those brave enough; the early crowd that wanted to arrive in Colombia ahead of the trend…

They were the first to discover that there is a large gulf between expectation and reality.

For the warm culture

Colombians are friendly, like, really friendly…

Hard to believe for a nation that has bled so much but Colombians are ranked amongst the happiest people in the world!

Other surveys will routinely place the Scandinavian countries up top but the metrics used to do so, in my opinion, fail to capture the essence of happiness.

GDP is much higher in these countries than it is in Colombia yet Colombians are perceptibly more joyful and full of what I would call happiness.

Besides, I have personally noticed that some of the most exuberant cultures are found in poorer countries. In contrast, the most depressed are found in richer nations, like my home of England…

Actually, like many young men in the Western world, I was quite miserable. That’s why coming to Colombia was such a phenomenal benefit to my mental health.

We’re definitely a product of our environment. As a natural introvert, being in England consolidated my reserved character.

Striking conversation with strangers is a big NO in the UK. It can happen but more often than not social norms are in place that inhibit these kinds of interactions.

In Medellin, there is an environment of openness and it’s something many of us Westerners are silently YEARNING for!

I firmly believe that part of Medellin’s popularity is owed to its culture. People are happy here and in turn it makes you the same.

Paisas have learnt to derive their happiness from sources outside of material wealth – and that’s just awesome!

For its proximity to the US

To the envy of us Europeans, Americans can travel to Medellin within a few hours. Colombia’s proximity to the US makes Medellin an increasingly popular option for many Americans.

Getting to Medellin is both cheap and quick. One can arrive to Medellin directly from several airports in the US including:

New York
Miami
Orlando
Fort Lauderdale

This is relatively cheap with return flights available for as little as $150-200 from Fort Lauderdale. Miami, being the Latin centre of the US, is also a popular airport for those flying to Medellin.

In 2019, US citizens made up the majority of international visitors coming to Colombia (22%).

I’ve personally seen Americans living in Medellin nonchalantly fly next day to the US, for urgent work reasons! It’s just not that big a deal thanks to time and cost.

It also helps that the time zone is the same for the East Coast – this includes:

Washington, DC
New York
Florida
North & South Carolina

Roughly 48% of the US population shares the same time zone as Colombia.

For the biodiversity and natural beauty

No – I’m not talking about the women (just yet).

Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, marginally behind Brazil and only because of its size. Colombia is the most densely biodiverse place on the planet.

Water gives life; Colombia also has more of that than anywhere else. Again, do not fear – it does rain ALOT in Medellin but tends to be short, sharp and localised in its pattern.

Owing to the Andes mountains that predominate much of the country, Colombia hosts almost every type of biome. Everything from thick tropical jungle to arid desert can be found in this magical land.

In Medellin, you have cheap, quick access to all of these wonderful bio-hotspots! But the city of Medellin ITSELF is likely to be the most bio-active, green city that you’ve ever seen.

Medellin’s vast urban forest and lush greenery make it a popular destination for those that want to be immersed within the might of the tropics.

A UK meta-study found that urban forests and access to green spaces are associated with:

Long-term physical benefits (such as reduced general mortality & obesity)
Short-term physical benefits (lowered blood pressure, heart rate)
Mental wellbeing

Medellin has come a long way over the last 30 years, having changed from a land biologically emptied by agriculture to one that is now aiming to be an ECOCITY.

Trees and greenspaces are everywhere in and around the valley that hosts Medellin.

Just look at this panoramic shot of El Poblado – it’s evident that there is no separation between nature and urban development. Refreshingly, they can be found in the same place.

Medellin is indeed a popular spot for those that recognise the importance of greenery in their day-to-day.

For the women...

I saved the best for last – just kidding.

We all know that Colombian women are widely known for their beauty and femininity. So much so that there are men are willing to travel at great lengths to be with them…

A large reason why Medellin has grown in popularity is because of its booming sex industry. It’s evolved into a distinct strand of tourism with many even brazen enough to record street-walking prostitutes in the downtown area.

And it’s no secret. A simple search on YouTube reveals numerous thumbnails of pervy dudes recording unsuspecting sex workers. The magnitude of this phenomenon is perverse…

As part of my blog I often search popular keywords related to Medellin and it’s clear that a large chunk of traffic is tied to words such as “ladies”, “prostitution” & “sex”.

Annoying too, as it’s a situation that is once more tainting the perception of Medellin (when will the city get a break?).

It’s true, Colombian women are beautiful. Especially so in Antioquia.

The reason for this is that there is strong Spanish ancestry within the Paisa genealogy. The result of this is like some super good looking native-Indian/European mix.

Paisas are noted for their relatively fair complexion. However, they are really diverse, you’ll be surprised to find people of all hair and eye colours.

I think what does it for me though, is the traditional femininity of Colombian women. There is a growing sentiment that this femininity has diminished somewhat in the Western world – definitely not here in Colombia.

Some even say that Medellin is a hyper-sexualized city. I think it could definitely be argued…

Regardless, friendly, approachable women make it an increasingly popular destination for men, young and old alike.