Quality of Living in Medellín: What Long-Term Visitors Should Know

TLDR? According to a Time Out study, Medellin’s the third-best city in the world for a great quality of living.

Medellin’s great tourist offer attracts travelers from all over the world. Afterward, many decide to go back to study there, work, and even spend a longer vacation.

If you’re thinking of staying in this city for a long time, you may want to know some facts, such as the cost and life quality in the City of Eternal Spring.

Keep reading and find everything you need to know about life in Medellin!

Infrastructure

Medellin is one of the cities in Colombia that stands out for its advances in terms of infrastructure. It’s lately improved the life quality of the lower socioeconomic neighborhoods’ inhabitants with projects throughout the city.

For example, Medellin rebuilt neighborhoods such as San Javier or Comuna 13 and opened new spaces for art and citizen cultures, such as libraries, Articulated Life Units, University Citadels, and linear parks.

This city also has different spaces to offer tourists and locals: museums, squares, parks, shopping centers, and restaurants, among other places for recreation and enjoyment.

Most neighborhoods have access to basic services like clean potable water, energy, and internet.

Transportation

Medellin’s the only city in Colombia with a train or Metro. It also developed different means of transport derived from it under the Sistema Metro.

Here are some examples:

• Different Metro lines cross the entire city from north to south.
• Metro Cable to neighborhoods located in mountainous areas.
• Tram from the downtown area upwards.
• Metroplus is a bus system that reaches universities, hospitals, and mountainous neighborhoods.
• Integrated bus routes are located outside the Metro stations and go to specific neighborhoods.

In addition, you’ll find public buses from all the neighborhoods that reach the center.

There are also options to get around by taxi and private cars through mobile applications, and you can even rent a car.

Of course, in most cities, rush hour can be somewhat tiring – so you might prefer using the thorough and inexpensive public transport.

Medellin also has two airports: the Jose Maria Cordova, located 30 minutes from the city and attends to international flights, and the Olaya Herrera, which is in the city, and in which smaller aircraft operate.

Economy

After the capital, Medellin’s Colombia’s second business center. The city is sustained by the textile industry. That’s followed by companies that sell chemical products, food and beverages, and the mechanical and electrical sectors, among others.

It’s also worth saying that tourism in the city of flowers has been increasing. Today, it’s becoming another economic pillar in Medellin.

An interesting fact: Medellin is Colombia’s music capital, with artists such as Juanes, Maluma, Camilo, Sebastian Yatra, and Karol G, among others.

The city also stands out in the medic field since many advances have made it one of the best cities to perform organ transplants.

Environment

Medellin is one of the cities in Latin America with a tendency to be contaminated since it’s a valley. Levels of CO₂ have been detected in the stratospheric environment.

To this end, governments, industries, and citizens have emphasized the issue by trying to make changes that improve air quality, such as favoring public transport or bicycles. 

You’ll find initiatives such as ‘the day without a car’ when just electric and gas cars can be out on the streets.

The paisas continuously work to improve the air they breathe, which also shelters the city with a spring climate throughout the year and makes it welcoming. The average temperature is 71.6° F (22° C), the reason why it’s called the City of Eternal Spring.

‘The Third Best City in the World in 2022’

Time Out is a medium that conducts studies based on data collected from thousands of people. In this case, the medium wanted to classify the 53 best cities in the world, a list in which Medellin ranked third.

There, the climate and energetic and friendly people stand out, and it’s cataloged as the best city in the world for nightlife!

In addition, the city stands out for the number of boutique hotels. It’s also famous for its commercial and tourist neighborhoods and a lot of art and culture.

Medellin, a Good Quality of Life 

This city is one of the most striking in Colombia. It stands out for all the initiatives to improve the quality of living in the city.

Medellin is a great option to spend a period living or on vacation since it has everything at hand and is super friendly with the environment, transportation, education, and new inhabitants!

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