Cartagena vs Medellín
📶
Cartagena has 2x faster internet
🌡️
Tropical Monsoon vs Tropical Wet climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Cartagena
Medellín
Total Budget
$1,300/mo ✓
$1,500/mo
Rent (1BR)
$600/mo
$500/mo ✓
Coworking
$130/mo
$120/mo ✓
Meal Out
$5
$5
Coffee
$3
$1.5 ✓
Cartagena is $200/mo cheaper (13% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇨🇴 Cartagena
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇨🇴 Medellín
📶 Internet50-100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishlow
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Cartagena
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days194/year
Best months: January, February, March, April
Medellín
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp21°C
Rainy Days256/year
Best months: July
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
28°20°
Apr
28°21°
Jul
28°21°
Oct
28°20°
CartagenaMedellín
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇨🇴Cartagena
🇨🇴Medellín
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,300
Winner$1,500
📶
Internet Speed
100 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.2/5
3.3/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.7/10
4.5/10
Winner🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
9/10
🚶
Walkability
7/10
7/10
👥
Community
medium
large
Winner2
Cartagena wins
vs
2
Medellín wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Cartagena
$200/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Cartagena
100 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Medellín
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇨🇴Cartagena
Pros
- +UNESCO World Heritage walled city
- +Beautiful Caribbean beaches nearby
- +Rich colonial history and architecture
- +Vibrant nightlife and salsa culture
Cons
- −Hot and humid weather year-round
- −Pickpocketing common tourist areas
- −More expensive than other Colombian cities
- −Aggressive street vendors in Old Town
🇨🇴Medellín
Pros
- +Perfect spring-like weather year-round (22°C)
- +Very affordable cost of living ($1,200-1,800/mo)
- +Growing digital nomad community
- +Modern metro system (only in Colombia)
Cons
- −Safety varies by neighborhood
- −Spanish language essential
- −Altitude adjustment (1,500m)
- −Petty theft risk in tourist areas