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      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

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    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
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      • Home
      • Countries

        Top Destinations:

        Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

        • Spain
        • Portugal
        • Panama
        • Belize
        • Colombia
        • Cyprus
        • Mexico
        • France
        • Montenegro
        • Browse All Countries

        Best For:

        • The Best Places To Retire
        • Health Care Abroad
        • Cost Of Living
        • Investing in Real Estate
        • Establishing Residency
        • Gun Laws In The World
        • English-Speaking Countries
        • Safest Places For Retirement
        • Best Places In Latin America
      • Budgets

        How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

        The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

        Super Cheap

        • Chitré, Panama
        • Santa Marta, Colombia
        • Phuket, Thailand
        • Dumaguete, The Philippines

        Cheap

        • Medellin, Colombia
        • Boquete, Panama
        • Kyrenia, Cyprus
        • Hua Hin, Thailand
        • The Algarve, Portugal

        Affordable

        • Valencia, Spain
        • Cascais, Portugal
        • Las Terrenas, The DR
        • Pisa, Italy
        • La Rochelle, France
        • Mazatlán, Mexico

        Luxury

        • Ambergris Caye, Belize
        • Kotor, Montenegro
        • The Panama City Beaches
        • Paris, France
      • Resources

        Global Living

        • Living & Retiring Overseas
        • Raising A Family Abroad
        • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
        • Offshore & Diversification

        Making Money

        • International Real Estate
        • Banking
        • Employment
        • Investing

        Follow Us:

        • Meet Our Experts
      • Real Estate

        Join our Weekly Newsletter
        Overseas Property Alert

        Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






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          PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

          June 18-20, 2025

          VIRTUAL

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          Valencia, Spain

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          Home Countries Colombia

          The Pros And Cons Of Life In Medellín

          Is This Friendly And Affordable Spot For You?

          by Kathleen Peddicord
          Aug 18, 2023
          in Colombia
          0 0
          Blue sky view of the metro in Medellin, Colombia.

          Adobe Stock/camaralucida1

          I continue to be surprised by the reactions I get when I tell people I have a home and spend time in Medellin, Colombia…

          But now in a good way.

          A few years ago, friends and family expressed fear, concern, and disbelief when I mentioned Medellin.

          Today I hear admiration, curiosity, and even a little envy.

          Medellin has come a long way in a short time. No other city has evolved from the most dangerous in the world to one of the most highly acclaimed in the span of a generation.

          The second-largest city in Colombia, Medellin was founded in 1616 by a Spaniard named Francisco Herrera Campuzano who constructed a small indigenous village (poblado in Spanish) in the area now known as El Poblado.

          In 1810, Colombia won its independence from Spain, but Spain didn’t officially recognize this until 1819. Meanwhile, the city became the capital of the Republic of Gran Colombia (including what is now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama) in 1826.

          Throughout the 19th century, Medellin was recognized as a dynamic commercial center mostly exporting gold. Soon it became famous for its coffee, which you may know from the country’s native son, Juan Valdez.

          Family Friendly

          cable car in medellin
          iStock/Ernesto Tereñes

          Colombians treasure and respect their families. Most activities and living spaces are designed for families to spend time together.

          In the Medellin area you’ll find high-quality international schools, many children’s activities including a zoo and botanical gardens, kids’ events at local malls like go-carts, bouncy parks, ice skating, and one of the world’s most impressive displays of lights at Christmastime.

          Medellin is also a pet-friendly city. You’ll find public parks where dogs can run and play, excellent and inexpensive veterinarian services and grooming facilities, dog walking services, and dog washers who’ll come to your home.

          Shopping malls and restaurants usually welcome dogs, especially those with open-air dining. Most apartment complexes have dog-walk areas within the secured grounds, and pet owners are responsible, and you don’t see stray animals in the streets in the city.

          Life In Medellin Is Convenient And Accessible

          The metro in Medellin, Colombia
          Adobe Stock/Luis Echeverri Urrea

          Medellin’s international airport offers non-stop passenger flights to 23 destinations in 7 countries, including Madrid, Spain, along with Miami, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and New York.

          Once you get here, you don’t need a car. You have many easy, inexpensive, and safe options for getting around, depending on your needs and budget.

          Medellin has the only Metro system in Colombia, which includes timely trains, light-rail Tranvía (similar to San Francisco’s cable cars), Metrocable cars suspended high above the valley, outdoor escalators traversing the mountainsides, and numerous bus lines.

          The average bus fare is 2,875 Colombian pesos. That’s about 73 cents.

          Overall, this city’s public transport systems are the cleanest and best-maintained I’ve used anywhere in the world.

          Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

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            It’s difficult to narrow Medellin’s list of positives, but here’s a start:

            • Friendly—both locals and expats…
            • Low real estate prices (but increasing yearly)…
            • Colombian culture: the paisa traditions, music, and dance, plus many holidays…
            • Lifestyle options: join an expat group, live like a local, or a combination…
            • Arts and entertainment: museums, theaters, symphonies, cinemas, etc….
            • Dining: from Colombian típico restaurants to molecular gastronomy and everything in between…
            • Shopping: small tiendas to big box stores and huge shopping malls…
            • Modern grocery stores similar to Whole Foods or farmers’ markets for the freshest choices…
            • Transportation—the best in Colombia…
            • Overall cost of living: extremely reasonable, even in the most expensive areas…

            On The Other Hand, Here Are Some Challenges To Life In Medellin:

            • Governmental bureaucracy, including residency visa requirements, taxes, and setting up utilities…
            • Language: Spanish is the official language, but we notice more English spoken every time we return. Still, a basic understanding of Spanish will improve your experience…
            • Pollution: Because the city is located in a valley, air pollution can be an issue. The leaders are addressing the problem but need to do more…
            • Noise: Loud music and noisy trucks and buses can be irritating…
            • Traffic: With millions of people, the traffic can be bad. Again, the city is addressing the problem, but with Medellín’s geography, traffic can be difficult…
            • Construction: Both a pro and a con—building means growth, but it also means noise, dust, and inconvenience…

            Is Life In Medellin For You?

            Botero Plaza in Medellin, Colombia
            iStock/MarcPo

            Only you can answer this question, but life in Medellin will check your boxes if you:

            • Appreciate modern conveniences and state-of-the-art infrastructure, especially in the medical arena…
            • Enjoy big-city living and all the amenities that come with it and can tolerate noise and traffic…
            • Like to interact with friendly locals and you’re willing to learn some Spanish if you don’t already speak the language…
            • Are comfortable with a small but tight-knit expat community…
            • Have patience and a sense of humor…
            • Enjoy a variety of foods at reasonable prices…
            • Prefer temperate weather year-round, without extreme conditions…
            • Appreciate a clean, green, walkable living environment…

            Medellin Is Not For You If You:

            • Want a small-town or Spanish-colonial atmosphere, although each barrio has a small-town feel within the bigger city of Medellín…
            • Hate high-rise living (although other options exist for your consideration)…
            • Refuse to learn Spanish…
            • Are easily frustrated especially when people don’t follow through…
            • Need four distinct seasons…
            • Hate city traffic and noise…

            Medellin offers an easy transition for your overseas adventure. This is a first-world city, with every modern convenience you could require or expect and a distinctly different and friendly culture in a South American location only three hours from the States.

            Sincerely,
            Kathleen Peddicord signature
            Kathleen Peddicord
            Founding Publisher, Overseas Opportunity Letter

            P.S. Our Colombia experts are looking forward to sharing the ground truth about this vibrant country with you at the upcoming Access Colombia Online Workshop.

            Learn what you need to know to live or invest in Colombia… A haven that offers tranquility and cool weather in the highlands and a vibrant Caribbean lifestyle at the beach.

            Over the course of one action-packed day, our Colombia insiders will reveal the very best places to spend your time and money, as well as how to get residency, find friends, make the move, and find a home.

            Book your spot to join us, here.

            Tags: 'Expats In Medellin''Real Estate In Medellin'ColombiaCost Of Living In Medellinlife in medellinLiving In MedellinMedellinmove to medellinRetire in Medellin
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            Kathleen Peddicord

            Kathleen Peddicord

            Kathleen Peddicord has reported on opportunities for Americans to live, retire, and do business overseas for 40 years. She has traveled to more than 75 countries, invested in real estate in 24, established businesses in 7, renovated and built properties in 6, and educated her children in 5.

            Kathleen has moved children, staff, enterprises, household goods, and pets from the east coast of the United States to Waterford, Ireland, then to Paris, France, and finally to Panama City, Panama, where she has based her Live And Invest Overseas business. Peddicord and her husband, Lief Simon, now divide their time between Panama and Paris.

            Peddicord was a partner with Agora Publishing’s International Living group for 23 years. She opened, staffed, and operated International Living publishing and real estate marketing offices in Waterford, Ireland; Panama City, Panama; Granada, Nicaragua; Roatan, Honduras; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Paris, France. Peddicord launched Live And Invest Overseas group in 2008 and has built it into a successful multimillion-dollar business. Today, she shares her firsthand experience of expat life with more than 500,000 readers of her publications, including Overseas Opportunity Letter and Overseas Living Letter.

            Kathleen has been featured often in The New York Times, MSNBC, AARP, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, and more and writes monthly about expat matters, international real estate, and offshore diversification for Forbes and U.S. News.

            Kathleen has written several books including the memoirs “At Home In Ireland” and “At Home At Los Islotes” and her latest title “At Home Abroad,” all published by Lahardan Books. Her best-selling "How To Retire Overseas: Everything You Need To Know To Live Well (For Less) Abroad” was published by Penguin Random House in 2018 and her “Buying Real Estate Overseas For Cash Flow (And A Better Life)” was published by Wiley in August 2020.

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                  HOME

                  Top Countries

                  • Spain
                  • Portugal
                  • Panama
                  • Belize
                  • Colombia
                  • Cyprus
                  • Mexico
                  • France
                  • Montenegro

                  Best For:

                  • Health Care Abroad
                  • Retirement Living
                  • Cost Of Living
                  • Investing in Real Estate
                  • Establishing Residency
                  • Gun Ownership
                  • English Speakers
                  • Safety
                  BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

                  Budgets

                  How Much Will It Cost
                  To Live Overseas?

                  Super Cheap

                  • Chitré, Panama
                  • Santa Marta, Colombia
                  • Phuket, Thailand
                  • Dumaguete, The Philippines

                  Cheap

                  • Medellin, Colombia
                  • Boquete, Panama
                  • Kyrenia, Cyprus
                  • Hua Hin, Thailand
                  • The Algarve, Portugal

                  Affordable

                  • Valencia, Spain
                  • Cascais, Portugal
                  • Las Terrenas, The DR
                  • Pisa, Italy
                  • La Rochelle, France
                  • Mazatlán, Mexico

                  Luxury

                  • Ambergris Caye, Belize
                  • Kotor, Montenegro
                  • The Panama City Beaches
                  • Paris, France

                  Resources

                  Global Living

                  • Living & Retiring Overseas
                  • Raising A Family Abroad
                  • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
                  • Offshore & Diversification

                  Making Money

                  • International Real Estate
                  • Banking
                  • Employment
                  • Investing
                  Meet Our Experts

                  Real Estate

                  Overseas Property Alert 

                   

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                  Contact Our Events Team:

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                  From Outside North America:
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                  Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

                  Store

                  Overseas Havens Reports

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                  • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

                  Lahardan Books

                  • Titles on living and investing around the world

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                  THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

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