Being a digital nomad in Colombia is an exciting and rewarding experience. This country in South America provides numerous remote work opportunities for those seeking new adventures. Let’s discover Colombia's 3 best cities to live in as a digital nomad and unlock a world of possibilities for remote work and exploration.

3 best cities to live as a digital nomad in Colombia

Three (3) cities in Colombia are ideal for living as a digital nomad. Its beaches, climate, and warmth of its people position the country as one of the favorites to work remotely. Working from where you want and getting to know new places and people while on the beach or in the mountains is the essence of being a digital nomad. For some time now, companies understood that working from anywhere was possible, leaving dull and uninspiring offices and cubicles behind for spaces full of experiences.

Digital nomads constantly search for places to work while discovering tourist destinations that fit their lifestyles. Colombia is today one of the preferred destinations for a digital nomad. For example, according to a study published by Airbnb, it is one of the 20 destinations with the best facilities to live and work for people who work remotely.

They considered aspects such as the cost of living, the hospitality of its people, and the comfort of remote work.

In May 2023, Resume io, a portal that is responsible for carrying out studies on digitality, investigated the most popular cities in Latin America for digital nomads. This study, although it does not have official figures from the mayor’s office or the government, was carried out taking into account the #DigitalNomad on Instagram to estimate how many digital nomads there are in each city in Latin America and the approximate figures in each city in Colombia are :

Medellín

5,100 Digital Nomads

Bogotá

2,318 Digital Nomads

Cartagena

3,864 Digital Nomads

If you want to know more about these and other cities in Colombia, download the ProColombia guide “Colombia: A Must-See Destination.” It covers the country’s cultures, traditions, and attractions.

Medellin Guru Guides

Download the guide Colombia: a must-see destination from ProColombia with helpful information about Medellín and Colombia.

Touring Colombia as a digital nomad

Colombia is a diverse country due to its beaches, mountains, variety of climates, food, and customs of its inhabitants.

For each digital nomad, there is a destination within the country that could be their favorite. For that reason, the CNBC Make It portal made a list of the three best places in the country to work and tour, considering the experience of nomads and the comforts that these places offer.

The cities chosen in this list are Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena, each with different characteristics: climates, prices, and quality of life, among others. In the next section, we will give you more details about them.

Medellín, a space for digital nomads

According to information provided by ProAntioquia, “If Medellín were a country, it would be the number one in the world with the largest number of digital nomads.“. The above positions the paisa capital as the favorite destination for foreigners to live and work remotely.

First, something that foreigners fall in love with when they arrive in the city is its climate. Let us remember that Colombia does not have seasons throughout the year. But Medellín (also known as the city of eternal spring) has the ideal climate for those people who do not like hot or cold weather. The city generally has an average temperature of 22 degrees. Here, you will find more details about the climate of Medellín.

Second, many digital nomads from countries like the United States or the United Kingdom say that it is much cheaper to live in Medellín due to housing and entertainment costs since they are much lower than their country of origin.

Third, for digital nomads, finding places to know and visit is essential. Medellín is close to beautiful towns such as Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia, and Jardín, where you can spend a good weekend learning more about Paisa culture and their traditions. And, of course, it is an ideal space to let yourself be delighted by the local gastronomy. Here, you can learn more about typical foods that cannot be missed in Colombia.

Weather

Low prices

Public transportation system

Fourth, the quality of the paisas (people from the Antioquia region) is warm, just like their climate; they are always willing to help and are kind and helpful. They even make you feel at home, one reason why Medellín is an excellent place to live for expats.

Fifth, regarding remote work, the Airbnb platform also highlighted that the capital of Antioquia has many accommodations with everything you need when working, such as an equipped kitchen, spaces with desks, and a good Wi-Fi signal. Also, in some neighborhoods like El Poblado and Laureles, favorites among digital nomads, you will find coworking sites and cafes that adapt to your needs.

You can easily get to those places to work, thanks to Medellín’s public transportation system. Medellín is the only city in the country with a Metro (or subway in English). However, it has other options, such as the tram, metro cable, integrated buses, and bicycles for public use.

Finally, another reason Medellín is the favorite for digital nomads is that they have accessible free Wi-Fi zones in different parks and public places in the city, especially in tourist areas such as Comuna 13, Parque Lleras, or Parque Explora.

Open

Noi coworking

We came into the world to live what we love to do

Medellín , Antioquia

Coworking

Bogotá to work remotely

The financial center of Colombia is the ideal space for business because it is the place that brings together the different customs and cultures of the country. The capital of Colombia brings together people from all corners and is positioned as the number one epicenter of work.

Bogotá is one of the largest cities in the country; for this reason, you will find multiple options through the platforms, which adapt to what you want as a digital nomad. For example, you will find possibilities if you prefer to be in the city, there are also options for those who want to feel closer to the mountains.

But if you prefer a closer experience to work from the office, you will find coworking spaces where you can access them for hours, days, or months. Whether you prefer to work from home or in offices, you can find both options in Bogotá.

Facilities to work

Spaces for art and culture

Night life

If you choose this destination as a digital nomad, you will find great fun within the city and plans designed for all tastes: For those who prefer nature, for people who seek to learn more about culture and traditions, or for those who enjoy local gastronomy. Here, you can learn more about 15 things to do in Bogotá.

On the other hand, those who prefer nightlife will find discos and bars for all tastes, remembering that Bogotá is one of the most rock-oriented cities in Latin America. For this reason, it is home to unique festivals, such as the “Festival Cordillera” and “Rock al Parque,” which seek to keep the country’s rock culture alive.

Finally, remember that Bogotá is considered one of the region’s most important cultural capitals because it has many theaters, concert venues, and places to experience art from all its expressions.

Work from anywhere in Cartagena

The beach destination and noted for its hospitality, this positions Cartagena as one of the current favorites for digital nomads.

This city has a wide variety in choosing your ideal accommodation because it has options for all prices and tastes. You can stay in hostels where the night will be cheaper, but you will also find luxury hotels with all the comforts of staying and telework.

“El Corralito de Piedra,” as it is known, also has different coworking at its disposal in the most touristic areas of the city; some are located in El Laguito and Bocagrande. But, you can also work in the different cafes that the city has; some are in “La Ciudad Amurallada,” a must if you visit Cartagena because here you will find the best colonial architecture, combined with delicious places for lunch or dinner. If you will be working briefly in Cartagena, here you will find recommendations during your stay.

Beautiful beaches

Cheap and fast transportation system

Different lodging options

Without a doubt, if we talk about Cartagena, we have to mention its beaches, because nearby you will find paradisiacal destinations such as Barú or Islas del Rosario, which have crystal clear waters and are ideal places for relaxation and fun. However, we recommend this as an activity to do outside of your working hours because the quality of the internet is not guaranteed in these places. But they are ideal beaches for disconnection.

Finally, another good reason to choose Cartagena is its ease of public transportation and low prices. Being a small city compared to Medellín and Bogotá, you can easily travel through its bus system, which costs approximately 3,000 colombian pesos (less than 1 dollar). You will also find taxis, Uber, and bicycles, an increasingly popular means of transport among digital nomads who choose Cartagena as their ideal place to stay while working remotely.

Can I work from Colombia as a digital nomad?

Many countries have chosen to join this initiative and allow digital nomads to settle in their territory legally. In the case of Colombia, the government decided to take this step in 2022. It established a new visa for digital nomads, according to Resolution 5477.

Colombia has been so well received as a destination for this visa type that, according to data reported by the Chancellery: “From October 21, 2022, to April 11, 2023, more than 376 Digital Nomad visas have been issued, and the countries whose nationalities have had the highest number of approvals are the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.”

But you should know something important about this visa type: you cannot have employment contracts with monetary remuneration with Colombian companies.

If you want to obtain your Digital Nomad Visa and work remotely in Colombia, we recommend our partner, Expatgroup many Medellin Guru readers have purchased their services and have had a positive experience with them.

If you want to learn more about the requirements and benefits of the digital nomad visa, click here

Medellin Guru Visa Service

The visa agency we partnered with has helped 800 Medellin Guru reader

Medellin Guru's Comprehensive Visa and Passport Series

The Colombian visa changes that went into effect in mid-October 2022 were significant. So, on the Medellin Guru site, we have a comprehensive series of visa articles that are kept up-to-date and should answer most visa questions. These articles include:

We have looked in detail at the seven most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:

Also, we have looked in detail at three additional Colombian visas, which are less popular for foreigners:

Rentista visa (annuity visa) – for foreigners with a fixed income
Beneficiary visa – for relatives of visa holders
Expertise visa – for professionals

In addition, we have a guide to Colombia tourist visas and how to extend a tourist visa. Also, we have a guide to renewing U.S. passports in Colombia and a guide to obtaining a Colombian passport.

Furthermore, we provide information about travel insurance that meets the insurance requirement for Colombian visas. And we have a guide to how apply for a cedula extranjeria in Colombia and a guide to using notaries in Medellín and Colombia. Finally, Medellin Guru has partnered with a visa agency to offer Colombia visa services.

All of our Colombia visa articles were updated in early 2022 to ensure they are up-to-date and will be updated again in 2023. In addition, all visa articles on this website will be kept up-to-date as new details are disclosed.

Digital Nomads

From our article about the 3 cities for digital nomads, we leave you some related articles about Medellín, Cartagena and Bogotá.

The Botton Line: 3 best cities to live as a digital nomad in Colombia

Colombia is definitely the new favorite office for many digital nomads who are looking for spaces to have cultural exchanges, immerse themselves in new environments, learn other languages, and visit tourist destinations, all while working remotely and for this to continue to be the case, Airbnb commented that, during this year 2023, they are working hand in hand with these cities to show the best of the local spaces for long-term stays, as well as important information related to entry requirements and tax policies in these destinations.

Colombia has the best options for every digital nomad: Medellín is ideal for those who prefer to get to know beautiful towns nearby and enjoy the spring. For its part, Bogotá will fall in love with those who enjoy art, and Cartagena will be the favorite destination for those who love the beaches and hot weather. And you, do you already know which city you will work from? Colombia awaits you.