Uggh… Still trying to figure out where to go in Colombia. Gotta be out of my apartment by the 15th. Decisions must be made!
Everyone knows how much I love Medellin. It is my short-term goal to buy a place somewhere in Colombia. Now that I’m looking for something more permanent, there are some things that are ‘must-haves’ for me; thus the reason for considering other options.
For one, I absolutely hate traffic! And in Medellin, there’s a TON of traffic. Worse traffic I’ve ever seen, lol. I thought LA and Atlanta traffic was bad … Hell nah!!!
That’s one of the reasons I moved to Greenville, SC and NOT Atlanta. I wanted a more stress-free life, and fighting traffic daily ain’t for me. So Greenville won, and I must say, my quality of life is much better because I don’t deal with ‘real-traffic’ here (don’t laugh at me, studies show how ones quality of life improves when they take a pay cut and move to an area where there’s no more traffic, lol).
So there are other towns I’m looking at in Colombia where the traffic ain’t nearly as bad as Medellin’s.
Also, I’m wanting to be in a place where there are not a huge influx of expats/foreigners living in the space. As Medellin gets more popular, more and more foreigners/expats will start moving there (and they are now), and prices for everything will drastically increase (and they are now).
But as you move into other areas and towns, the costs of living actually drops down. I’ve found places where expenses would be cut by almost 30%-50% just by living elsewhere. So, why not save the money? Especially with the savings, you can go anywhere in Colombia and stay for extended vacations if you want … With $50-$60 flights within the country, who can complain???
I can get a larger place for less money … I can get a smaller place for even less than I’d pay in Medellin.
Also, if I’m honest, I’m a boring dude (shocking, I know). I’m not a party animal (yes, I know that’s shocking too) … I like my peace and quiet.
I don’t need much to keep me entertained. My routine is pretty much the same no matter where I’m at. I like to read. Eat a nice lunch or dinner out. Play some pool or bowl. And go to craft shows to see what ‘makers’ make … I enjoy going to festivals and carnivals.
Like I said, I’m as simple as they come.
If I was young and in my 20s-30s, then it’d be Medellin hands down. Not even a thought. I’ll be pushing 50-years old soon (in 2 years and 9 months as of this writing).
Also, upon my research, found other towns that are considered to be…
“8 Colombian Cities Have Been Named Cities of the Future … Thanks to Their Cost Effectiveness and Foreign Direct Investment Strategies”
Those 8 cities are:
- Bogota
- Cali
- Cartagena de Indias
- Medellin
- Pereira
- Neiva
- Barranquilla
- Ibague
I’m currently looking hard in Neiva and Ibague. I’m a small town kinda guy and I don’t mind slow moderate growth. I’d love to be in a community that’s up and coming and get to grow with that community.
Also, another perk is that I’d have to learn Spanish fast because not many English speaking folks in these other parts of town. Bogota and Medellin has the highest concentration of English speakers …
I wanna get fully immersed so I can learn the language. Once I learn it, hopefully inside of a year, then I plan to venture out to other parts of South America and stay for extended times…
I’ll know how to speak the language and can easily go to places like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, etc…
Also, Ibague is considered the music capital of Colombia. So, there’s a lot of other options that are just as nice as Medellin but not as big and full of gringos, lol …
And for the record, Gringo just don’t mean ‘white-man’ (I used to think that as a kid when we watched TV shows from back then). If you’re a foreigner, you’re a gringo. And my black-arse is a GRINGO too, LOL.
So… I’ll keep u posted. I’ll share some of my AirBnB finds… I’m locating entire apartments/condos for as little as $350-$450 per month (that’s fully furnished, and includes all utilities, cable/internet, etc.).
If Medellin is out of budget for you, I think you’ll be excited with the findings I’ll share.
Make sure to follow me and subscribe to my youtube channel and blog. I’ll be making more updates there more frequently.
My YouTube Channel: Click Here and My Blog: Click Here
I’ll be getting my YouTube channel organized and structured properly in the next few days … Please bear with me.
If anyone is living in Ibague or Neiva, please let me know (leave a comment below)