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Why Medellín?

Is Colombia safe?

Here is what an expat just posted on a blog about Colombia in general and Medellín. “I have been in Colombia for over 3 years and it is a beautiful country with many wonderful people. The country is actually much safer than it was in the 1990’s. President Uribe did wonders to make Colombia much safer. Security in the areas of Bogota and Medellin that I’ve been in is excellent compared to the pre-Uribe era – it would NOT be booming unless it was pretty safe for business and family life.“

Read these articles by others to find out how safe the country is.

Affordability

One of the main benefits of living in Medellín is the low cost of living with the city offers many of the amenities and infrastructure of a first-world country.

Medellin has been booming – it would not be flourishing unless it was pretty safe for business and family life. Colombia and Medellín are a lot cheap when to take into account the fact that the average salary here is around $200-$300 a month. Colombia has improved, to be sure, in terms of street violence. But this is still a third-world country where a lot of people have very little. The working wages here are terrible, which is why everything for foreigners seems so cheap. This makes the country very affordable considering that the average Social Security benefit is around $1350. Also, most Colombians spends much less than American who are used to a higher standard of living. So, expats should be able to live very well here without sacrificing their lifestyle. In fact, most live better than they did in their home countries.

Once you have lived in Medellín a while, finally get settled, learned the ins-and-outs and made some friends and contacts, if necesary you can cut your living costs more by sharing a house or apartment, house-sitting in exchange for free rent, working full-or part-time (if you can find legal work legally) or bartering within the expatriate community.

By doing without packaged and canned imported brand-name foods and changing to lower costing local brands and products, eating in small cafés instead of expensive restaurants and buying fresh foods in bulk can also reduce your living costs. You can also help yourself by learning Spanish so you can bargain and get lower prices when shopping.

Most things in Medellín cost less than in the U.S., while others cost the same and some may be more expensive. Smart phones, fast foods, electronics  and computer are more expensive. Other items are typically more expensive in Medellín than in the U.S. like cars and gasoline. Cost conscious retirees will be pleased to know that Medellin is a city where you can live without a car. Thus, saving money on purchasing a vehicle, maintenance, gasolina, insurance, parking and the stress of driving in an urban environment.

Metro Rail, which runs the length of the valley, was completed in 1996 at a cost of almost 2 billion dollars. It is Colombia’s only-rail-based metero system. It runs every three minutes and carries around 300,000 people daily and is probably the best way to see the city. The cost of a ticket is under a dollar.

The bottom line is that in general, the overall cost of living in Medellín is lower than in the U.S. During my last visit I was shocked at how affordable Medellín is when compared to the U.S. and most of the other Latin American countries.

Unlike other popular retirement spots in Latin America, Medellin isn’t overrun with foreign expats, so real estate is still relatively affordable. In Medellin, with its upscale restaurants, supermarkets and shopping malls, you can find a nice two-bedroom, two-bathroom for just a little more than $100,000. Property values in this city are so under-valued.

In addition to being an emerging retirement haven, Medellín is also perfect for snowbirds or other part-time residents looking for a second home and a good investment.

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