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7 thoughts on “Medellín vs Cali: Which is the Better City to Live In?”
Because of the pandemic unemployment skyrocketed in Colombia which resulted in a serious fiscal problem for the government in Bogota. The Duque administration sought to remedy the shortfall in tax receipts by raising the sales tax but it backfired badly and violence erupted.
But Medellin had very little trouble when compared to Cali where there had been a great deal of social tension beforehand, simmering just beneath the surface. I wasn’t aware of that.
What neighborhood would you recommend staying in Cali?
I’m thinking about moving there 🙂
Depends on your priorities and there are several options but I would stick to the North or West.
In the North – Santa Monica, which is a pretty upscale area to live in. It has the huge shopping mall Chipichape with the attached Pacific Mall. This area also has new restaurants opening all the time. Continuing south and west, is Granada, which is a mix of fancy restaurants, bars and hotels with some residential properties mixed in. This gastronomic area is popular.
In the West – Western Cali is one of the most attractive areas of the city and one of the best parts of the city to live in. Normandia and the first part of Aguacatal, which both lie north of the river near the mountain with the Three Crosses, are considered attractive residential barrios. Southwest of the Cali river starting at the Hotel Intercontinental, begins the barrio of El Peñon, which, along with the historical barrios of San Antonio and San Cayetano, have become an area of Cali where many foreigners hang out. This is due to several small parks, many great restaurants, a few bars plus a central location. It’s also a very walkable area. And the old-money neighborhoods of Santa Teresita and Santa Rita, that stretch all the way along the river until reaching the Cali Zoo are good neighborhoods. Also, further up the mountain lies Arboledas, a fancy residential neighborhood. And even further up the mountain is Bellavista, with great views of the city.
Many of my wife’s family live in Cali. I’d opt for the south of Cali – Ciudad Jardín is an upscale barrio. Ciudad Capri is where my wife’s family has built a new home – it’s a quiet neighborhood, safe and with a nice park, convenient to all kinds of shopping. El Ingenio is another nice barrio in the south, just southeast of Ciudad Capri. The San Antonio barrio in the northwest of the city is also a good one with lots of restaurants. If you want to be a bit cooler you could live in Dapa which is to the northwest of Cali, about a 20+ minute drive or so. Or you could live south of Cali in Jamundí which has some very nice areas. You really have to come and see for yourself, to find a place that suits you.
Medellin blows Cali away. When I went to Cali the only foreigners I saw were backpackers. And it was too hot for me. It was in the high 80s or low 90s each day.
Thanks, nice comparison. I looked at Cali but decided Medellin was better for the cooler climate plus the metro. Also I got ripped off by a couple taxi drivers in Cali that inflated the fare above the price on the meter clearly because I was a foreigner. This never has happened in Medellin. Also Cali is a more dangerous city with higher crime rates.
Thanks Jeff, You know I’ve been waiting for this one for a while. Very nice job and a big Thank You!!!
Cheers, Brock