Colombia · Visit or make it home

Medellin

Medellin is a city in Colombia. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Medellin — El Poblado Medellín

Get to know Medellin

A sense of the place

Medellín ( MED-ay-EEN; Spanish: [meðeˈʝin] or [meðeˈʎin]), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín , is the capital of the department of Antioquia, and the second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá. It is located in the Aburrá Valley, a central region of the Andes Mountains, in northwestern South America. The city's population was 2,427,129 at the 2018 census. The metro area of Medellín is the second-largest urban agglomeration in Colombia in terms of population and economy, with more than 4 million people. In 1616, the Spaniard Francisco de Herrera Campuzano erected a small indigenous village known as "Saint Lawrence of Aburrá" , located in the present-day El Poblado commune. On 2 November 1675, the queen consort Mariana of Austria founded the "Town of Our Lady of Candelaria of Medellín" in the Aná region, which today corresponds to the center of the city and first describes the region as "Medellín".

Weather through the year

When to visit Medellin

Temperature

March has the warmest monthly average (18.1°C); November is coolest (17.1°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

May averages about 246 mm of rain, compared with 111 mm in February. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

There is no month meeting both the 12–22°C mean-temperature and under-100-mm precipitation planning range. Compare the monthly table with your own comfort limits and allow flexible indoor and outdoor plans.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C17.517.918.117.917.917.817.817.817.817.317.117.3
Rain, mm134111155230246179183206202232221172

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Medellin

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Medellin

What is the average rent in Medellin?

A verified average rent for Medellin is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Medellin

What is the average salary in Medellin?

499 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Colombia, not average salary in Medellin. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Medellin with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Medellin, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Medellin in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Medellin at a glance

Colombia: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Medellin. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in Colombia

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Medellin with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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