Patrick
Medellín is a favorite among tourists, expats and entrepreneurs alike, and to be fair, it is a very cool place. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Medellín, but I currently live as a resident in Cali. Of course I am biased in my opinions. Still, I feel that Cali has an undeserved bad reputation, and that there are several places where Cali is actually way cooler than Medellín. I’m sure this may raise some objections, but try keep an open mind as you read below – and most importantly please do come visit so you check it out for yourself. Here we go…
1. Climate
Medellín is called the city of eternal spring, but what if you could have eternal summer instead? Medellín has all-year average temperature of 22°C (72°F) and at night it can get quite cool. Too cool for shorts and t-shirts. It also rains 15 days a month with an average precipitation of 1570 mm. per year. Don’t get me wrong, I love the smell of rain on hot tarmac once in a while, but not every other day.
Cali on the other hand has a some of the most consistent warm weather in the world. It has an average of 30°C (86°F) in the daytime and 19°C (66°F) and the variation is less than 1,5 degrees over the year. The climate in Cali is more humid, giving it a more tropical feel, which I like. Everyday is suitable to spend at the pool or eat outdoors. It rains mostly in April-May and again in October-November and the precipitation averages 1020 mm. per year. A simple calculation shows that it rains 50% more in Medellín.
2. Proximity to the ocean
I love water and the ocean in general. Medellín is located in the mountains of Antioquia, with the nearest coastal access being in Cartagena – a good 12 hours drive away.
Cali is 120 km (75 miles) from Buenaventura, the most important port in Colombia, on the Pacific coast. The city itself is not a place where you would care to spend much time, but from the harbor you are only a short boatride away from beautiful remote beaches like Juanchaco, La Bocana, Piangüita and Ladrilleros. Also, from July to November is whale-watching season, with daily tours departing from Buenaventura.
3. Prices
Higher demand, from especially foreigners, has pushed prices higher, making it more expensive to visit or live in Medellín. Whether it be a nice dinner out, beers in a bar, staying in a hotel or buying a apartment, pretty much anything you can think of is cheaper in Cali. Don’t tell me doesn’t matter to you. Of course it does.
4. Less gringos
In Medellín, you see them all over the place. The only place you’ll see more in Colombia is probably in Cartagena. I’m a foreigner myself, so what’s the big deal here? The first obvious thing is mentioned above. Foreigners drive up prices of everything and makes it less attractive from an investment perspective. Like ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You don’t skate where the puck is. You skate where is going to be”. In my opinion the puck is already in Medellín, but I believe it will move into Cali in the near future.
Secondly, I prefer the more raw Colombian experience and I feel that it’s more pure here in Cali. In some Medellín barrios it seems like every other person is a flipflopping gringo.
5. Pance
Is an outdoors lover’s paradise. A jungle in southern Cali, nestled between the Andes mountains, with tropical vegetation, rare species of birds, waterfalls, rivers, hiking and biking trails. As far as I know, Medellín has nothing like it. I go hiking there on the weekends for a few hours before jumping in the river. The tropical climate makes sure that every day is great day to go and if you go between Monday and Friday you will have it all pretty much to yourself.
6. Nightlife
I’m sure a lot of people here would disagree, but in my opinion, the nightlife is more fun in Cali. It all depends on what you like of course, but if you’re into dancing, it’s hard to find a better place than Cali. It’s probably one of the best places in the entire world, along with Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, to watch other people dance into the early morning, but also too learn from them. Young and fit or old and chubby – the Caleños have been practicing their steps since they were toddlers – and almost all of them are amazing dancers! It’s such an important part of the culture here and if you are in town, it would be a shame not to try your moves with the locals.
7. Racism
The people of Medellín are called “Paisas” and they are a certain breed, nicknamed “the Jews” of Colombia. With their paler skin, blonder hair and bluer eye they look different than most Colombians. They also have a reputation for being great business people and tough negotiators. Another thing about the Paisas is that they (generally) don’t mix races. You won’t see much indigenous or African blood in Medellín, and several of my black friends, both foreign and Colombian, have said that they do not feel welcome there. There is an unspoken sort of racism that fills the city, and although I, for obvious reasons, have never felt the racism myself, I do not like the idea of my fellow man being treated differently.
Cali on the contrary, is a big melting pot. Anyone can be a Caleño. The city is big melting pot of African, Indian and Spanish blood, and although poverty is more visible among the black and indigenous parts of the population, I have never seen or experienced anything remotely related to racism.
8. Sports
Cali is one of the sports centers of Colombia. Most facilities in the city, including stadium, velodrome and baseball field are completely new after hosting the World Games in 2013. But not only that. Cali is a mekka for running, hiking, road cycling, mountain-biking (including lots of world-class downhill trails), moto-enduro, rock climbing, volleyball and so forth. Lots of public parks have bars and machines for workouts. And because a huge percentage of the population are active sportsmen, it’s always easy to find a buddy to team up with.
9. Festivals
Sure, Medellín has it’s flower festival in August, but from my experience it’s not nearly as great a celebration nor as fun an atmosphere as La Feria in Cali. Maybe it’s the climate that just makes people more warm, friendly and outgoing in Cali?! Do a quick google search on both, look at the photos and tell me which you would rather attend: a flower parade or a dancing parade like the Carnaval in Rio, with the best and most beautiful dancers, dancing to the tunes of Latin America’s best artists – many whom are playing live at the 6-day event? It seems like an easy choice to me.
Cali also has another cool event – the weeklong Pacific music festival, Petronio Álvarez, celebrating the best musicians from the Pacific regions in Colombia. It’s quite a spectacle and absolutely worth going.
10. Pico y Placa
The system that everyone loves to hate. According to the last digit on your licence plate, there are certain hours (rush hour) during the week where you can not use your car. Cameras are up all over the cities and the Transito (traffic police) are stationed on every corner looking for sinners. It is very hard to cheat the system and in Medellín it’s twice a week. Imagine having 2 days a week, from Monday to Friday, where you can not use your car in the morning hours to get to work, and again in the late afternoon when you have to return. Every big city in Colombia has it, so Cali is no exception. Luckily for us, it’s only once a week here.
Every city has different rules, so make sure to check up on it, before going into a new city.
11. San Antonio Historic District
It’s a unique place in Cali. San Antonio is an old, historic neighborhood, filled with small hostels and some of the cities best restaurants. It also has a few bars, an artesanal ice cream shop, some art galleries, a chapel and a little park. The streets are small and hilly, making it attractive to skateboarders. The houses are odd, funny and colorful. Lots of artists call this place their home. I love walking the streets on a late afternoon, eating hot empanadas and drinking cold beers. On Friday and Saturday night the park is full of youngsters playing music, shooting ball or selling home-made jewellery. As far as I’m aware, Medellín has nothing like it.
That’s it! I’m sure I could come up with more reasons, but really I’d like to hear from you in the comments below what you consider the major pros and cons of Cali vs. Medellín.
Thanks for reading!
Great article, but a little misleading.
Gringos
You say in some barrios, every other person is a flip flopping gringo. I think you mean one barrio, Poblado. Outside of this one area, you would be hard pressed to see any gringos. The number of gringos in Medellin is still exceptionally low compared to other Latin American locations. One recent trip, I stayed in Laureles and did not see another gringo my entire visit. Besides, its nice to have some expats around with a shared cultural heritage and you can speak to with your native tongue.
Weather
If you like sweating your balls off, yes, live in a hot and humid climate. Give me low humidity and moderate temperature every day.
Women
Yes, there are light skinned beauties but many morenas, too. There is not doubt that there are some above average genetics involved here when it comes to looks. We all have our preferences.
One positive about Medellin is that it is a pretty clean city and it has great mass transit. I dont know Cali, but I am impressed with Medellin
Hi Esteban!
Thanks for reading and your comment! My first comment on this website 🙂
You’re certainly right that the largest concentration of Gringos is to be found in El Poblado, although I have seen them all over town. I also believe that Medellín is the gringo hub i Colombia and you will see A LOT more than you see in Cali, where they are almost invisible in the city-scape.
Regarding the weather – I think that is very much a matter of personal preference. I come from windy, rainy Denmark. We don’t see many days over 20 degrees.. So for me it was a welcome change.
The article didn’t say anything about women, but my father once said that “there is nothing more pretty than a pretty girl”. I couldn’t agree more and I’ve found pretty girls across all races, cultures and countries.
And YES! – Medellin does have awesome public transportation with the metro. Like I said in the beginning of the post – it’s a great place – but so is Cali and I think that it deserves to be on people’s radar.
Pura vida,
Patrick
Interesting post and great blog!
I’m from and live in Cali, but I always strive to have the most objective and unbiased view about things. My wife is from the UK and since I’ve been with her and travelling around Colombia and Europe, I’ve had the chance of noticing a plethora of awful societal problems that you never questioned, just because you grew up thinking that they were “normal”. For this reason the thing that caught my eye from your article was your point about racism.
This is perhaps the biggest, yet unnoticed, issue in this country. It’s true that in Medellín there are more white people from Spain and other european countries who settled there and remained somewhat isolated. Nevertheless, even if it was to a lesser extent, this was a common phenomenon everywhere else in Colombia and the problem with this was the fact that not only did they rule and owned the country, but also the other oppressed ethnicities. This led to a very particular type of racism, since these ethnicities are not the minority and like in Cali, blacks, indigenous, and mixed people are the majority. This is why I think the issue of race here is more convoluted than one may think and it’s not just about having more or less people from a race in a city. Here in Cali this happens often and foreigners get the wrong impression that because there are more blacks and indigenous, therefore there is less racism. However, it’s only when you go and see the richest and most powerful that you learn that Cali is as racist as any other city in Colombia. The same occurs in Cartagena, where the blacks are unquestionably the majority, but the white rich own everything.
Racism is latent everywhere you look at, from groups of friends, the strata system, the media to the most powerful politicians and rich. But, again, it’s a very unspoken phenomenon and most Colombians even believe that there is no racism or that the status quo is how it should be (maybe one of the reasons is because they see Jesus as a white, blonde and blue eyed guy). Moreover, there is the fact that as soon as there’s a mixed race person, who has the tiniest shred of white genes in their make up, they associate themselves more with the whites, and becomes racist against those whom with they share the most blood with.
I’m sure you would have noticed a lot of what I’m mentioning here, and it would be great to share more ideas about this issue.
Keep writing and I hope Cali treats you well (hopefully not just because you’re European 😉 )
Hola Juan F.
Thank you for your very candid comments.
I totally agree that the distribution of wealth and power favor the “white” man in Colombia, but in Cali I have never witnessed anything remotely related to racism, at least not publicly.. where you may be very right.. If racism does exist here, it is very unspoken. In Europe we have politicians like Geert Wilders from Holland and Pia Kjærsgaard from Denmark whose entire agenda is aimed at expelling black and middle-eastern people from the continent. Look at presidential candidate Donald Trump in the US and his parade against Mexicans.
What I see in Colombia is more of a “classism” than racism. People from lower income strata struggle to make ends meet while the rich gets richer. Of course you could argue that it is no accident that these lower income strata consist mainly of black and indigenous people. A segregation of neighborhoods, influence and privileges – yes – but a direct and resenting racism I’m not so sure. It’s a complicated and very sensitive subject for sure. I’m just a foreign observer. Maybe I have been living in a bubble. You are a “Caleño de verdad” and having spent a lifetime here, your perspective will for obvious reasons be different and perhaps more right.
Saludos and thanks for reading,
Patrick
Great article. I went to Medellin twice and never really fell in love with it. It is a cool place but I felt like I could be anywhere in Europe or the USA. It just didn`t feel latin enough for me! Whereas I instantly fell in love with Cali, i tried to leave several times and always ended up coming back and now I call Cali home.
The nightlife is definitely a highlight for me. There is nowhere I have ever seen or heard of that could compare. You can salsa til 6am EVERY DAY! We also have the World Salsa Championships, another FREE festival where you can watch the best, most incredible dancers in the world (the best by far are from Cali though!). All these events, plus La Feria and Petronio are free to enter.
Regarding the discussion about racism, yes it definitely exists here. I never noticed it before because like you say, Cali is such a melting pot and in the places I go out everyone mixes with everyone and has a great time. But when Petronio was on a lot of white, reasonably well-off people I spoke to about how excited I was actually said to me “you do know it is full of black people don`t you?” And they were serious! I started to hear a lot of comments around this festival and friends told me they had been hearing the same sort of thing. I was really surprised to hear this but now I notice the divide a bit more.
But generally, at least where I hang out, you don´t see any problems and I have met the most happy, open, friendly people I have met anywhere in the world here in Cali and I lOVE it!
Hello to all!
I too live in Cali. I have just started living here, and it is definitely home to me! I would not pick a better city to live in anywhere else in the world… I love the people as well.
However, I have a question… It has been tough getting to hang out with people here. Yes, it is even harder to hang out with people in the city I grew up in Canada, but I am feeling a little blue being alone all the time. I have started taking dancing lessons in a couple of places where there are mainly Colombians. I am going to actively try to go to more events to meet more people here. They are super nice and would do anything for me if I were in trouble, but just like in my own city in Canada, they are busy with their lives and the friends they´ve had since childhood. What can I do?! Or does anyone know a good place to make good Colombian friends? Thanks!
Cheers,
Monika
Hello Zoe! Please check out my comment on this page asking for help here in Cali. Thanks!
Hi Monika,
Thanks for commenting!
I can totally relate to the stuff you mention. Caleños seems awefully busy during the week and it’s rare for me to see any of my local friends on weekdays, except maybe Tuesdays where a bunch of us play poker.
I’d suggest climbing the 3 crosses, joining local couchsurfing groups, facebook groups, joining a gym like Sportlab that has a lot of excursions, or maybe CrossCamp.
Dancing, like you mention, is definitely an option as well.
Zoe has her FB page called Cali Living.. shoot her a message, I’m sure she knows a lot more than a boring family man like myself 🙂
– Patrick
Hi, we play ultimate frisbee saturdays in Univalle at 3 pm if you want to join us. We have a group on facebook called Ultimate Frisbee Chevere Cali. I think is a good way to meet people, it was my way when I was living in Bogotá. Hope to see you in the next game!
fyi – i met Patrick through this site and we met up last week for the first time and look forward to hanging out more often.
me:
irish
9 yrs in cali
wife, kids, extended family
business owner (digital agency_)
Monika – tell us about your interests/occupation and I will try to point you in the right direction
keep up the great work Patrick!
Hello Monika,
I am from Cali and would love to help you with this if you want, just send me an e-mail. Saludos!
Patrick, I’m a first generation American raised in the U.S. whose parents are from Medellin. My wife’s parents are also from Medellin but who moved to Cali. She was born and raised in Cali. There is so much to love about both cities. And while I am biased towards Medellín, I love both cities very, very much.
To me the saddest thing about Cali, that even my wife had to concede, is that Cali is run down. Folks in Cali don’t seem to have the same amount of pride as the Paisas do and in particular the City of Medellin. Consequently, the roads are a travesty. Things look like they’re not taken care of. The several times I’ve been to Cali, the city looked tired, whereas Medellin seems more vibrant.
The other part about comparing Cali to Medellin is you’re comparing apples to oranges. They’re two different cities, each with something wonderful to offer.
To the traveler reading this blog, my advice would be to go and see both places. In fact, see as much of Colombia as you can.
Medellin and Cali are but two large cities. Another flavor of Colombia are the beautiful pueblos that dot the countryside. Colombia is the most biodiverse country on the planet. Take it all in. Oceans/beaches, jungles, large cities, mountains, rivers, lakes, this country has it ALL.
I do envy you though, Patrick – you’ve made a life for yourself there. Evert time I go to visit Colombia, I leave a bigger piece of my heart behind. You seem to embody the spirit behind the tourism slogan, Colombia – the only risk is wanting to stay. One of these days, I’m going to send for my things because I won’t be coming back.
Thank you for getting the word about a beautiful country and a beautiful people. You’ve really hit on some of the best things about Cali!!
A great song about Cali:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd2Sw7wYAzQ
And a song I wrote about Medellin:
https://peflmusic.bandcamp.com/
Hi…I’m from cali and my parents come from antioquia and medellin…..both are shitty places full of corrupt politicians and extreme poverty covered up by folkloric patriotic idiots who don’t accept the real adverse social truth this country is living. Also there are way too many people nowadays in both cities making them two of the most dangerous places to live in latin america. I’m sorry but I have to say things how they are.
Hello Monica.. i can help you if you want… send me your email.
The article was going well, until number 7. Totally uncalled for.
Hi monika,
I just moved back from Sydney, I’m caleño and I’m looking to keep my English on a good level, maybe we can meet up and practice and, you can also make more friends!!
Cheers,
Carlos
Hola Jeisson!
Sounds awesome – although I live far away from Univalle, I will try to make it soon! Good tip for fellow readers 😀
Pura vida, Patrick
It’s hard to please everybody. I write about subjects as I see or experience them. Reading and/or agreeing is optional.
For security reasons your email is hidden on this site, but I’ve forwarded your info to Monika 🙂
For security reasons your email is hidden on this site, but I’ve forwarded your info to Monika 🙂
For security reasons your email is hidden on this site, but I’ve forwarded your info to Monika 🙂
For security reasons your email is hidden on this site, but I’ve forwarded your info to Monika 🙂
Hey Carlos,
You’re totally right! Extreme poverty, violence and even more extreme corruption are unavoidable facts of life here. In the article, I never claim that Cali is the “Sucursal del Cielo” that the clever madmen at the Mayor’s publicity department make it up to be. BUT, both places are full of good people too. Full of adventure. Full of great restaurants, nightlife, and surrounded by beautiful nature. To stay sane in life, one most focus on the positives. I encourage you to do the same.
Good luck, Patrick
Paulo,
Thank you for commenting and sharing the Cali Feria Song – a must-hear for anyone visiting the city! I liked your tune as well! 🙂
You’re right – Cali has suffered from a poor public administration for decades and looks run-down in some parts. It seems to be improving slowly. Road work is going on all over town and it seems to be an area of focus.
Medellín has invested in way better infrastructure – though it is still far from able to keep up with traffic.
And I agree, a visitor to Colombia should visit both cities and make up his own mind. Aside from all the bad news coming out of this country there is still plenty to fall in love with.
Saludos, Patrick
Hello Monica!
I’m from Cali and have lived in Canada several years! Love it!! But of course I love my Cali!!! Send me your email and we can meet as we have something really nice in common (Canada and Cali)
It will be nice to become friends!
Preach Brother!! Urgh I was meant to spend a while in Colombia – only lasted 1 month. I’m an indian girl, I speak spanish and went there to volunteer but found racism too much. I grew sick of everyone commenting on my skin colour being ugly and telling me to bleach/brighten it as well as find a white novio. :/
I was with white volunteers and when we met colombians, I felt they were treated with a lot more warmth and kindness. Before speaking, most colombians thought I was colombian so I didn’t get that elevated status of foreigner even when they knew my accent wasn’t from there. I have made two good colombian girlfriends, but I just found the other young women there to be either so stuck up or with an attitude – I’m a really smiley warm person but had to try really hard to get a conversation out of them. Just pointing out the older women were lovely and helpful.
Don’t even get me started on the cat calls.. apart from “que grande” and modelo that’s where the compliments stopped ha (I’m tall and thin). People in the street said really vulgar things to me, yet to the white girls I was with they said “que bonita, hermosa”, they treated them with more respect – even if they were in more revealing clothes!
I told my colombian friends there this, and they seemed to be shocked there was any racism – I don;t know if this is down to them being lighter skinned – would a black colombian say the same?
I have a friend in Cali, but never went to visit fearing the same would just happen there as in Santa Marta and Medellin – I just didn’t feel welcome in Colombia. I didn’t realise I would encounter so much racism ha, seeing as the majority of people are brown or lighter brown but still with afro facial features and hair… (my mistake, I know)
I agree with classism. I went to a posh high school there. And there were black students and very wealthy, so it was fine. But when they saw a poor black, then it was another story.
Wow… sorry to hear about the treatment you’ve received in Colombia. My best advice is to visit Cali next time you’re in Colombia 🙂
Hi Patrick, loved the article. I’m moving to Cali next week and I’m a bit apprehensive! Also Johnny is there many irish over in Cali? Would be nice to know at least one!
Hi Emma,
Johnny is the only Irish I’ve met here, but do not despair, I’m sure you’ll have a good time here!
Saludos & welcome! Patrick
Patrick nice comments, God bless you dear brother Jesus loves us! I lived in Cali for 10 months and liked it. But I definitely felt lonely too for those months and thereafter moved to Medellin. I take it Cali is nice to be in now ay?
God bless you Jesus loves us!
Hi monika! Will be living in Cali for 5 years , looking also for some friends ! Arriving april 20 2017!
Hey Patrick great article I’m in Colombia right now planning to live here for a few months my first stop was Cartagena which was cool. Then I headed over to Medellin, so far I haven’t been feeling Medellin at all it’s like there’s something missing right here I’m not getting that raw Colombia culture the only place I did get a bit of the culture was in laureles other then that Medellin has been a disappointment to me so far I get a way better feel for the culture in countries in Southeast Asia. Thinking of giving Cali a try Monday coming up if you are available to give me a tour around the city let me know
Hey mate, glad you can relate and I hope you’ll have loads of fun in cali.
No tours, sorry, but that should not keep you from coming!
Best, Patrick
Hi George
Are you in Cali now?
Interesting article Patrick. I just so happened to Google “living in Cali vs living in Medellin” because I plan to make a video about places to live in Cali for Youtube. The videos I’ve seen so far make Cali seem like a dump. I’ve been to Medellin a few times, even stayed there for a little over a month once.
It’s a very nice city but I prefer Cali, mainly because of the weather. If you’re from the states, you can
handle 80-degree summer like weather. I’m from Milwaukee and there are days in the summer when it gets even hotter than what it normally is here. If you live in any of the southern states then you probably know that it’s much hotter there in the summer.
The weather in Medellin is nice except for after it rains, then it’s an uncomfortable cool. I remember the last time I was there and it had rained the same day in Medellin and Cali. It felt so much better to be
in Cali after the plane had landed because of the slight increase in temperature.
That said, if you Google the weather in Medellin and Cali right now, you’ll probably only see about a 5-degree difference. I just did it myself. 75 scorching degrees in Cali right now at 7:05 and 72 degrees in Medellin. Before 9 AM and after 5 PM, the weather is almost always ideal.
One thing that sticks out in my mind about Medellin, is that I on two occasions I saw rats running around in the middle of the day. The first time there was a whole bunch of them. I was on my way to the gym and had to cross over to the other side. On my way back, they were still there.
Every large city has rats I know but in the middle of the day!?? running around like squirrels?
I don’t know the name of the area I was in in Medellin but it was over by the stadium. It was a nice
area. The second time it was in a plaza downtown. When I mention this to my friends in Medellin, they
just laugh like yeah, it’s true.
Medellin I understand has better means of transportation but I’m not too crazy about riding on their crowded subway. I did it once. Wow! long line, super crowded! Exciting! I’m sure the buses are crowded there like they are here. I just as soon take a taxi or walk where I need to go.
As far as racism, I haven’t really noticed too much and I’m black. A student did tell me once though that he doesn’t go to the Petronio because mainly blacks go there. He was an older guy. I don’t think he was racist though. He seemed like he was just saying that he would feel out of place. Everyone has their preferences. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are racist.
Generally speaking, if you have money, and are intelligent, or have other things going for you, nobody cares about your race. I certainly haven’t found it to be an impediment.
As was mentioned, the cost of living is cheaper here. I also understand it’s much easier here to find an apartment. You don’t necessarily need a co-signer which is pretty much a given everywhere in Medellin
I’m told.
I would still live in Medellin though. Like I said, it’s a nice city but I would go because I have lots of friends there. It wouldn’t be because of the city.
Cali has everything I need.
Hi Phil,
Sorry, but for some reason, I just saw your message. Happy to know that you enjoy living in Cali. Please send me a link to they video you’re doing about Cali! Thanks!
i am in cali yes!
Hi , Johnny how are you ? , Just asking out of curiosity , is there any vacancy in your corp. in which I can help ? I am from Puerto Rico , fully bilingual , living in Cali , looking for a good Team Job .
thanks
my e-mail is coenterprisesinc@outlook
hi emma , email me if you want I been living in cali for 2 months now . coenterprisesinc@outlook
the same is happening to me , i was in cali for 2 months and started to feel very lonely , i went to medellin and there more people easy to make friends, i am In cali one more time trying to make friends , since i really like cali . the thing is that i am always alone 🙁
hi JMU you can email me at coenterprisesinc@outlook
hey Phil , about the rats , lol I have seen so many rats in Medellin , that i have in my 20 + years living in US lol . about cali , i love the temperature a lot more , the city is beautiful , but you do not see any tourist around NEVER and that is sad .You are completely right about the co signers , if you do not have a co signer , you WONT get an apartment in Medellin . in cali you do not need co signer ! email me coenterprisesinc@outlook
I just moved to Cali myself, partner.. if you want can we meet up, would you like to? E-mail me… … …
So you’ve seen the rats too!? That’s bad. Yeah, owners tend not ask for co-signers in Cali. Some do. I just saw a nice duplex here in Capri for rent. about one million two hundred for both sides.
It crossed my mind to take both units and rent out the other. But I just found out that they don’t allow subletting here in Colombia. They also are asking for co-signers. I think there is a way around that. I’m not sure. I’m only paying $570 thousand Colombian pesos for the bi-level where I am. That’s pretty good for estrato 5 (economic level) So, I guess I shouldn’t complain.
Still, the other house looks a lot nicer.
Oh well, better to save. I still need to get a Colombian visa for myself and my son.
I will. It’s going to be awhile though. I work a lot now. 7 days a week. I’m thinking about making a compilation of videos over time and combining them into one or two.
Hey George/all
my experience is You do need a Co signer in Cali for most Monthly rentals.
Hi Joseph, we do furnished monthly rentals without a co-signer in Cali, Cartagena, Bogota and Medellin. Check out our apartments on our website Apartment International Best, Patrick
That’s so funny, when reading Monikas post, I thought the exact same thing as you about joining Couchsurfers. I used to recommend that to my Thai friends in Thailand and my Serbian friends in Novi Sad. The local couchsurfing gatherings if they are still popular (I haven’t check in several years) are such amazing places to meet people from all over the world. You don’t even have to be a host. Anyway I’ve been thinking of moving to Medellin for awhile but just heard about Cali from you while looking up getting maid service in Columbia. I’ve got MS and its getting harder and harder to do everything myself and want to find a place for me, my wife and daughter with lower cost services. I’m not sure if I could handle the higher humidity and heat in Cali.. although everything else you describe sounds quite better for me. Keep up the great blog!
Joel, come check it out – I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun! And right now we are in the “wet” season meaning that it does not get that hot. Average is probably 27-28 degrees Celsius during the day and the evening is nice and cool.
How are things during the Fall/Winter months compared to here in the US? That’s when I’ll most likely be coming to check things out. Like say between Oct to Feb? I want to Airbnb my place out here while I’m over there staying awhile. If I stay I may want to buy a place there to do the same thing with Airbnb when I return to visit the US. Also I’m into Day Trading, are you connected to any day trader groups/clubs there in Cali?
Cali has a very stable climate. The difference is either rain or sun. October / November rains a bit, but usually no more than an hour per day. All in all a great time to visit.
Unfortunately, I do not know about any trading groups, but hit me up when you get here – I’m happy to have a sparring partner 🙂
I agree with you. Colombia as a whole is a toilet just waiting to be flushed.
I appreciate the passion with which you write, but why the rivalry? It’s such an unfortunate side of humanity, but I guess there is no escaping our innate tribalism. I have been fortunate to visit Colombia several times and crisscrossed its gorgeous landscape. It’s a beautiful country and while I love Medellín the most, I find things I love about all the different cities, big and small. From Buga to Cartagena, Bogotá to Jardín, every city has something unique to offer. Granted, I don’t like cold weather and so it’d be hard for me to live in Bogotá for example, I don’t much get why that means I would put it down. We all like different things. Also, as for your Gringo comments, it makes me think of the book, “100 Things White People Love.” Number one is being the only white person somewhere. Nothing ruins their day more than being somewhere “indigenous” and running into another white person lol. It’s a silly pre-req to liking anywhere. But again, that’s people and we’ve got a pretty lousy track record of how we treat each other, animals, the planet and everything in between. Also dude, you buried the lead here. The number one reason you prefer is Cali is because that’s where you “kissed a Caleña, and the rest is history.” I love Colombia (all parts of it) because of how warm and welcoming the people are (including to me who happens to be gay). It’s not perfect, but where really is? I really love Colombia and enjoy always finding others who share a passion for it too.
Thanks Patrick,
Very accurate and Inclusive comparission with a lot of love to Colombians and Cali. I think now on 2019 these deferences are even more prominent.
Hello Juan, I am also Colombian from Cali. I lived in Cali until I was 11 years old. Ethnicity and it’s variety hit close to home for me. I am the oldest of three siblings and my younger brother was fair skinned blonde hair. I was his total opposite. Dark hair and dark skinned. Everywhere we went the question was always at the tip of every new person we met. Are you siblings? And the next that followed… by the same parents? So yes, racism was alive and well in the 80’s when I lived and went to school in Cali. Even in my family there was an unspoken preference for my younger brother’s wants and needs over mine. So if you can find racism to the smallest form of living which is a family home can racism live and thrive in the city? Yes it can. And it does. I moved with my family from Cali to the U.S. due to an unbalanced economic system in place there. My parents couldn’t afford living there on just one job. And being able to find jobs took political connections which neither of them had. So I’m now in my early 40s living in America. Married to a white woman who loves me for me and not for my outward appearance. So racism if you’re not of dark complexion you will go unscathed through life without noticing the awkward stares, glances and whispers as people’s first reactions when they set eyes on you. No matter where you go you tend to notice it. It’s debilitating. I prefer to stay home unless it’s to go to an ethnically mixed area. Otherwise you just have to feel awkward throughout your entire outing. Anyways I went a little personal on my input, but I figured you guys needed a perspective from a trigueño (mixed of Indian, Spanish, and African races) like myself. Thank you. God bless!
All this talk about racism is very boring. Selection based on skin color exists in the family of man, so stop fighting it and acting like you are morally superior. This racism thing is a Marxist invention designed to destroy the local culture and it worked in America, but I don’t think that Colombians will really give a rat’s ass. Treat everyone as you would be liked to be treated and forget about the labels that Gringos bring with them. If you don’t like the way you are treated in Colombia, don’t ever return. Maybe you should go back to your nation of origin and leave the people that don’t like you to themselves. You can’t fight human nature to enjoy being with those who look like themselves, it’s called biology.
Patrick,
where is the best place to live in Cali? I will be there in a month. Going to try out an AirBnb first.