Biggest Lies About Medellin Colombia
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the host, k. HQ, debunks two major misconceptions about living in Medellín, Colombia. He addresses the myth of the extremely low cost of living, explaining that while it's possible, it requires living like an average Colombian, which is far from the lifestyle most foreigners expect. He also warns inexperienced travelers against starting their journey in Colombia, citing safety concerns and the need for cultural understanding. The host emphasizes the importance of realistic expectations and prior travel experience when considering a move to or visit in Medellín.
Takeaways
- 🌎 The speaker has been living in Medellín, Colombia for 5 years and aims to debunk common myths about the city.
- 💰 A common misconception is that the cost of living in Medellín is extremely low, with some suggesting one can live comfortably on $1,200 a month, but the reality is more expensive for foreigners seeking a high-quality lifestyle.
- 🏠 The low cost of living figures often circulated are averages that may not reflect the actual expenses of living in desirable areas of the city.
- 📈 The cost of living in Medellín has increased over the years, particularly in popular areas, due to an influx of foreigners and tourism.
- 🚫 The speaker advises against Medellín being the first destination for inexperienced travelers due to potential safety and cultural challenges.
- 🇨🇴 Colombia, and Medellín in particular, can be dangerous for inexperienced travelers, with risks including robbery, scams, and even violence.
- 🗣️ Language can be a barrier and a risk factor for travelers who do not speak Spanish, as it may lead to overcharging and misunderstandings.
- 📈 Prices for goods and services have risen, especially in tourist areas, and locals may overcharge foreigners who are unaware of the going rates.
- 🏞️ Despite the challenges, Medellín offers beautiful scenery and a unique cultural experience, but travelers need to be well-informed and cautious.
- 🚨 The speaker warns against the dangers of being perceived as wealthy by locals, which can lead to being targeted for scams and theft.
- 🛑 The video script emphasizes the importance of skepticism and caution when dealing with locals who may try to take advantage of foreigners.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video by k. HQ?
-The main topic of the video is to debunk two major misconceptions about living in Medellín, Colombia: the cost of living and the suitability of Medellín as a first travel destination for inexperienced travelers.
According to the video, what is the common misconception about the cost of living in Medellín?
-The common misconception is that one can live in Medellín for as little as $200 in rent or $1,200 a month, which the video claims is misleading and represents a lifestyle that is very different from what an average American would expect.
What does the video suggest about the cost of living for foreigners in Medellín?
-The video suggests that foreigners, especially those who want to maintain a certain lifestyle, will likely end up paying more than the average Colombian, and the cost of living has increased significantly over the years.
Why does the video advise against Medellín being a first travel destination for inexperienced travelers?
-The video advises against it because Medellín can be challenging for inexperienced travelers due to potential safety issues, scams, and the need to understand local customs and the Spanish language.
What are some of the risks mentioned in the video for inexperienced travelers in Medellín?
-Some of the risks mentioned include getting robbed, taken advantage of, or even killed due to a lack of experience in navigating the local environment and potential cultural misunderstandings.
How does the video describe the experience of living in the more affordable areas of Medellín?
-The video describes living in more affordable areas as potentially lacking amenities such as hot water, reliable electricity, and internet, and being far from the poverty line.
What is the video's stance on the portrayal of Colombia in short videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram?
-The video criticizes these portrayals for being misleading and for not presenting the full picture of what it's like to live in Colombia on a budget.
What advice does the video give to foreigners considering moving to Medellín?
-The video advises foreigners to gain more travel experience in less challenging environments before considering Medellín, and to be aware of the potential for being overcharged or taken advantage of.
What is the video creator's opinion on the current state of tourism in Medellín?
-The video creator believes that the influx of tourism has led to an increase in the cost of living and has changed the local culture, with locals now expecting foreigners to pay more.
How does the video describe the experience of an average Colombian compared to that of an American expat?
-The video describes the average Colombian's experience as more frugal and possibly closer to the poverty line, while an American expat would likely seek a higher quality of life and be more susceptible to overpaying for goods and services.
What is the video's final message to its viewers?
-The final message is to provide viewers with realistic information about living in Medellín, to not believe everything they see online, and to be cautious and well-prepared when considering travel or relocation to Colombia.
Outlines
💸 Myths About Cost of Living in Medellín
The speaker clarifies misconceptions about living costs in Medellín, Colombia. He points out that while some claim to live comfortably on as little as $200 in rent and $1,200 a month, these figures are misleading. The speaker emphasizes that to live on such a budget, one would have to live like an average Colombian, which is quite different from the lifestyle of an average American. He also mentions that the cost of living has increased in recent years due to tourism and the influx of foreigners, making it harder to find affordable accommodations and services.
🚫 Medellín Not Ideal for First-Time Travelers
The speaker advises against Medellín or Colombia as a first travel destination for inexperienced travelers. He explains that while the city is beautiful, it also presents significant challenges in terms of safety and crime. He warns of the potential dangers of activities that might be safe in other countries, such as using Tinder, and the risks of trusting the wrong people. The speaker suggests that newcomers should gain experience in less challenging environments before considering a trip to Colombia.
🌐 Adjusting to Life in Medellín as a Foreigner
The speaker discusses the difficulties foreigners face when adjusting to life in Medellín, including language barriers and the local culture. He mentions that speaking Spanish is crucial for understanding and navigating the city, and being aware of local prices to avoid being overcharged. He also talks about the change in local culture due to tourism, where some vendors have started to expect higher payments from foreigners, which has led to a shift in expectations and interactions.
🗣️ The Reality of Living in Medellín for Expats
The speaker elaborates on the realities of living in Medellín as an expat, highlighting the importance of being cautious and knowledgeable about local customs and prices. He shares personal experiences of being overcharged and having to negotiate prices, as well as the need to be aware of one's surroundings to avoid becoming a target for scams or theft. The speaker also touches on the importance of not being 'marked' as a wealthy foreigner to prevent attracting unwanted attention.
🏞️ The Beauty and Challenges of Medellín
In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the beauty of Medellín and its appeal as a travel destination while acknowledging the challenges it presents. He talks about the importance of sharing accurate information about the city to help travelers make informed decisions. The speaker also invites viewers to reach out for advice or assistance if needed, emphasizing his experience and familiarity with the local environment after living there for over five years.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Medellín
💡Cost of Living
💡Gringo Prices
💡Average Colombian
💡Barrio
💡Experienced Traveler
💡Safety
💡Cultural Misinformation
💡TikTok and Instagram
💡Language Barrier
💡Scams
Highlights
The video addresses two major misconceptions about living in Medellín, Colombia.
The first misconception is the low cost of living, which is often misrepresented in social media.
The average cost of living portrayed online does not reflect the reality for foreigners seeking a high-quality lifestyle.
The second misconception is that Colombia is an ideal starting point for inexperienced travelers.
The speaker warns against recommending Colombia as a first travel destination due to its challenges.
The video clarifies that living expenses in Medellín have increased significantly over the past few years.
Renting in desirable areas of Medellín now costs much more than what is commonly suggested online.
The speaker shares personal experiences of living in Medellín for over five years and observing these changes.
The video discusses the importance of not being 'sticker shocked' by the actual living costs in Medellín.
The speaker emphasizes the need for travelers to have prior experience before venturing into Colombia.
Inexperienced travelers are more susceptible to scams and overcharging by locals.
The video mentions the cultural differences and the potential for locals to take advantage of foreigners.
The speaker advises against using services like Tinder in Colombia without understanding the risks.
The video highlights the importance of knowing the local language to avoid being overcharged.
The speaker provides tips on how to negotiate prices and avoid being a 'marked man' for scams.
The video concludes with a reminder that while Medellín is beautiful, it is not the utopia it is sometimes portrayed to be.
The speaker encourages viewers to seek accurate information and be prepared before traveling to Medellín.
The video offers a PayPal link for donations, suggesting an alternative to supporting the channel on YouTube.
The speaker invites viewers to reach out for advice or consultations on traveling to or living in Medellín.
The video ends with a scenic view of Medellín, emphasizing the city's natural beauty despite the challenges.
Transcripts
[Music]
what's up YouTube it's your boy k. HQ
I'm live from the mecca medine Colombia
welcome to my channel like comment
subscribe if you haven't done that
already and yeah I got a very Dope video
for y'all today I'm G be getting into
two major lies about metagene I'mma
clarify for y'all so let's get into it
man so I've been living in Meine for 5
years now living not just visiting and I
could tell you straight up that there's
been a lot of lies about metagene and
what it really is and there's two areas
that I want to focus on where these lies
have been told so the first one is the
cost of living line you know what I mean
people always tell you
or you see all this content out there on
Tik Tok on Instagram these short videos
oh you could live in medine for you know
rent $200 a month you could live with
just $1,200 a month right but what
they're not telling you is that's really
like the averages out here so unless you
want to come here and live like a
literal average Colombian which is very
different from the average Living in
America
then you're going to pay a lot more
money and that's what they're not
telling you because they want you to
like their video they want you to you
know share their video and be surprised
and have that shock value but that's why
you got people like me here to tell you
the real and then the second thing that
I want to talk about in terms of lies
about Colombia is how people lie and say
you know Colombia is a great place to
start out and travel to if you're
unexperienced traveler I'm going to be
straight up with you man
Columbia is not a great place for
anybody to start traveling for the first
time if you ain't already got stamps in
your passport I would never tell you to
come to Colombia for your first
Adventure your first Forte into a
foreign country let alone straight away
moving to Colombia you know without any
experience in other Latin American
countries that don't pose such a crazy
such a crazy challenge and yeah I'm at a
very dope spot guys I'm not going to
name drop this spot cuz it's one of my
special spots and uh you can see it's
got one of the best views of this city
and the kids are out here playing and
they got you know the Water Works and
all that going on so it's really dope
but I told y'all I want to focus on a
couple different uh specific areas where
people have been lying to you about
medine so the first one I said I'm going
post really quick or put up on the
screen one of those videos that I'm
talking about where somebody comes out
and says oh you could live in Columbia
comfortably for $1,200 a month or you
know the average rent is like $200 to
$500 something like that move to
Columbia where the cost of living is 64%
lower than the US rent is 84% cheaper
the crime rate is 38% higher and you
could live comfortably with $1,180 a
month you could grab a ticket right now
and be there in literally a few
hours man it's just not true simply it's
just not true because what they're not
telling you is to do that you literally
have to live like an average
Colombian and as an average Colombian
you're a lot closer to the poverty line
than what they would make you believe
you know um the average Colombia is
living in some of these popular baros
that you can see up here you know that's
more closer to the average which you see
all around us
so I know most of my American xass and
travelers are not coming out here to go
live up in a bario where there's no cold
there's no hot
water you know electricity is sketchy at
best probably won't have internet
although you could get internet up there
but I'm saying the average Columbia
Colombian doesn't put all that into
their budget they live so simply man and
and when it comes to food the average
Colombian if you see like some of these
construction workers or the the hourly
workers what they take the lunch it's
usually like rice and beans you know
maybe nothing else at times maybe if
they're lucky they'll have a little
slice of meat or you know a egg or
something like that and I know my expats
man that's not how y'all are coming to
live you know most people are coming to
Colombia to live cheaper than what they
would in the United States but still
live a high quality lifestyle and that
means you will probably like to live in
one of the nicer areas like let's say
pabl or leles sabaneta andato these
places when you got to when you look at
this you got to factor in that a
majority or not a majority but a large
portion of the population here in medine
lives up north in beo you know beo is a
part of the valley right and beo
accounts for a huge portion of the
population of the total Valley that
stretches from beo all the way to lrea
the last City in the south of the valley
of medin it's called the abura valley I
think is the correct name for it but
people refer to the whole area as
metagene most of the time and so what
I'm saying here is when when you hear
all these you know
statistics about metagene and about cost
of living you have to be incredibly
careful and really take them with a
grain of salt because the truth of the
matter is if you want to live how most
Americans are going to want to live here
in Colombia you're going to want to live
in a nice safe part of town that has a
lot of things to do that you would be
into right because I lived in beo for
over a year and I could tell you you
know they have a lot more let's say
local things to do typical things to do
typical restaurant you know you're not
going to see all the new exciting uh
Cuisine and restaurants up in beo you're
just not you know so in my situation I
found myself going to p a lot to go out
right and yeah they have clubs up in beo
and these other cheaper areas where most
of the Colombians actually live um but
they're they're very simple clubs you
know they have just a simple offering of
bottle uh that you could choose from to
drink uh they play the typical music all
the time and even in pabl you're going
to get the same thing but it'll cost
more and it'll be you know a little bit
more high class in terms of the clubs
are going to have better Furnishings you
know they'll be better designed and all
that and they're going to have higher
covers in leles and pabl and these types
of places so all I'm trying to say to
you guys is don't believe that lie that
oh I could come out here and live for
$1,200 a month because I don't know any
Greeno Foreigner you know unless they
live a incredibly simple life and
usually outside of medine that's living
for that cheap you know it's just most
most people are going to want to live in
a nice part of town and with that let's
say pabl for example if you live
anywhere in pabl in vato even savaneta
for the most part or lelas you're going
to get hit with Gringo prices when it
comes to apartments and renting you know
people know that a lot of foreigners are
coming here and the prices of rent have
skyrocketed over the last few years now
if we're talking 5 years
ago yeah some of these uh statistics I
would agree with cuz because when I
first got here I was paying like $400
$500 for a really nice spot in a really
nice part of town but now you can forget
about it it's really hard to find that
type of stuff
nowadays more the average nowadays is
more up around $1,000 a month for a
place to live in a nice area and some
people I know are paying $
22500 $4,000 for you know luxurious pen
houses and stuff like that here medine
whereas though yeah 5 6 years ago you
could have got that for $11,000
something that someone is paying $4,000
for now and when it comes to restaurants
and you know going out and stuff like
that a lot of the restaurants have
raised their prices repeatedly ever
since the pandemic guys I'm telling
you all all the services and restaurants
have been raising their prices like
tfold you know like stuff that I
remember like seeing menus back in the
day and a plate might be like 35 mil and
now I'm seeing it at 50 60 mil you know
so that's just what's going on here so I
don't want you guys to be you know hit
with sticker shock when you come out
here and be like Oh everyone said that
metagene was super super cheap dirt
cheap it used to be Dirt Cheap I'm not
going to lie to you it really used to be
dirt cheap but with all the tourism and
all the people coming nowadays you know
the price of living has gone up quite a
bit so that's the first lie I want to
address in this video and then the
second lie that I want to address is
about people that come uh to Meine as
their first Forte into living in a
foreign country man so here's the deal
medine I would never recommend coming to
medine or Colombia for that matter for
someone that hasn't had a little bit of
experience traveling you know to some
other countries first I just don't think
it's a great first option because you
need to cut your teeth so to speak or
get your you know your experience up in
a lesser dangerous place where there's
not as many games and what what made me
say these things right like it's because
I've seen people that come for their
first time and they do the things that
they're comfortable doing like using
Tinder um which you can do in most other
countries and you won't pay with your
life but here in Colombia trust me when
I tell you doing that type of stuff you
could pay with your life and trust and
not trusting um trusting the wrong
people here in Colombia you could pay
with your life that's why I'm you know
putting out this video to say you know
get your experience up I've seen a lot
of people come to medine and Colombia in
general and it's their first time and
bad things happen bad bad things happen
from getting robbed getting taken
advantage of getting killed you know
getting drugged these things happen out
here like and if you don't know what to
look out for cuz you've never been
anywhere you're you're so likely to just
trust anybody you know and they
something about the Colombian culture is
when they see you're a foreigner it's
almost like their eyes light up it's the
craziest thing it's like their eyes
light up cuz they know you don't know
what's going on on and they know that
they could use tactics to take advantage
of you whether that's acting like your
friend to make you think that they're
looking out for your best interest and
then they're going to you know do
something for you and then charge you
double what it really costs it happens
or you know sometimes they'll be like
okay he don't especially when it comes
to women guys that come out here my
passport Bros you know which I'm not a
big fan of that term but those guys that
come out here not necessarily looking
for prostitution but looking to find a
girlfriend um and things like that the
women know exactly what to feed you you
know what I'm saying they feed you all
the the the whole script you know I'm
living in the bario oh I'm so stressed
out about my bills you know what I mean
it's so hard to find work this that and
the third you know
because they know you just to you you
just experienc in Colombia and the and
the natural Baseline thought about
Colombia is oh these people are so poor
these people are so poor but you know in
general most of the people have enough
money to live decent lives out here you
know even the people in the baros you
know even though they might not make a
lot of money they have Ways and Means To
Survive you know what I mean and a lot
of that doesn't show up on paper in the
statistics that's why you got to be
super careful about when you look and
say oh the the the average uh rent here
is $250 or $
3400 um a lot of that gets weighed down
by people living outside of magine that
live in peblo and and then the
countryside and yeah out there is dirt
cheap for the most part but in medine
man is not that cheap is not that cheap
especially if you want a nice spot so
I just want to come out and say like
look man if you if you're considering
medigene for your first trip you know
you're a young guy or young female
looking to Branch out try something
outside the United States and medag is
up there on your list I would say try
out a Mexico a bise a Costa Rica some of
these other places that don't have the
same challenges as Colombia has when it
comes to safety and crime you know what
I mean because mein is a beautiful place
man but every single day in this city
you know there's there's a lot of crime
there's a lot of deaths there's a lot of
murders there's a lot of robberies it
happens every single day in this city
and while it's such a big city you know
many greenos come here live here don't
have any problem that's how I've been I
haven't had any problems with robbery I
haven't had any problems with being
drugged right but but I also pay
attention and I keep my ear to the
street and I'm not an inexperienced
traveler I've been to Europe I've been
to a lot of other countries in Central
and South America and so to me I'm used
to the games here and another big point
is the language guys I speak Spanish so
I can understand you know what's going
on and I've had enough time here where
you know I've gotten used to the price
of things I know how much stuff should
be so if someone's overcharging me I'm
going to say something you know what I
mean but a lot of you guys I see it so
much first Tim medine you know you go up
to buy something maybe a Colombian
soccer jersey a fake one off the street
and the guy looks at you he charge you
the same price that they going to charge
in the Adidas store cuz he knows you
know for you you all you think about is
oh it's 4,000 pesos to the dollar you
know what I mean but really that shirt
is probably worth $10 and he wants to
charge you $50 for it you know what I'm
saying so and and I see these guys
paying for it and going for it it
happens all the time you know what I
mean um not just with buying stuff on
the street but everything you go up to
commun th you know a lot of times
they're Char overcharging people over
there cuz it's a tourist hot bed you
know what I mean
like they if you go on the other side of
the city to another popular bario all
you know the Mitchel ladas the beers the
drinks uh some of the art you'll buy
over there have price than what they're
charging over there you know what I mean
so it is what it is and the one thing
you don't want to happen to you out here
is to be marked you don't want to be a
Marked Man because you know people see
you and um you know they think that that
you got a t you know a lot of money in
your pocket it happens over in in park
jedas and provenza all the time man I
see these people getting followed by the
Beggars you know and and they hand out
money to the Beggars you know what I
mean and that just kind of endorses it
but a lot of people don't know that if
you do that too much they start to
follow you they start to watch you
really closely you know what I mean and
and they start sending people over to
you to get money out of you and you know
it may be cool the first time the second
time but after you done gave out you
know
50 mil and peses you know 2 mil at a
time it's like damn like you know you
get tired of that so usually people
learn by the end of their trip you know
not to do these things but I'm trying to
you know put the word out so that you
guys don't have to learn the hard way
because again Colombia I think is a
place where you need to have a little
bit of experience um when you come
traveling out here it's just it's just a
beast man it's a a beast there's a lot
of scams and stuff you got to look out
for now the Colombian people that's from
here that live here that grew up here to
them it's normal life and to someone
like me a expat that's been living here
for five plus years it's normal to me
like I it's natural for me to ask people
three times what's the price or you know
get three different quotes on PE from
people on the price of things you know
just so I can see what is the actual
price you know or um if I get in a taxi
and he tells me 50 mil to go up the
street I'm going to be like no it's it's
like 10 mil you know what I mean just
stra up tell them and then you know if
they want to work with you bring the
price down and and and uh be legit then
great if not I'll just find someone else
you know what I mean but because there's
been so many first timers and people
with no experience coming to Colombia
you
know the culture has changed to where
they're so used to getting away with
this is that you
know it's just kind of ruined the
culture a little bit where where they
they expect you now because you're a
gringo to pay more you know what I mean
it's become like an expectation and when
you don't when you find when the
Colombian vendors find someone like me
and I'm like hell no they almost get an
attitude with me now you know because
they like damn you know you want to be
the tough Greeno it's like no I just I'm
not here to just give away my money
money to y'all you know what I mean just
because I'm American and it sucks
because once they see you're American or
or you're a forner all they just really
see you as a as a ATM man they really do
sometimes like again it's not everybody
everything I talked about in this video
man I don't want to generalize but you
know I could say for most of it it goes
for a majority of Colombians and the
majority of the situations you're going
to encounter here and medine or around
Colombia in the major cities um so you
know I just wanted to bring that message
to you guys um while I was enjoying this
absolutely beautiful day here in
medine and you know just look at this
view there's not too many places where
you're going to get this amount of
Beauty on just your average day man it's
it's just beautiful um but it's
important for people like me to put the
the real out there so that's what I'm
doing and if you want to uh donate to
your boy I'mma drop the PayPal right
here so you can scan that and drop me a
donation it's better than doing the
super Chats on YouTube because YouTube
takes like uh 40 or 60% of that for
themselves don't ask me why uh I guess
they just want the money you know that's
how YouTube get down but anyway man it's
your boy cardi isq man always bringing
y'all the real and you know if you need
anything out here um help with anything
any
situation uh let me know hit me up on
Instagram if you're you know not knowing
what to do here sometimes hit me up on
Instagram book a consultation and I'll
get you right um cuz after 5 years man
this is normal to me I'm just used to it
it's easy so um just wanted to touch
base with the with the um Subs you know
and put out some good content and uh
that's what that's what we here doing
out here so you know live from the
beautiful medine where people are just
out here enjoying life you know for the
most part um always going to be a great
place you know it's just become a little
problematic in a lot of different ways
like over time with all the tourism and
when you when you you know when you when
the country that's generally poor starts
getting so popular and getting you know
a lot of ISM it's not surprising that
these problems and things pop up you
know and this
misinformation pops up you know but also
it's a lot of people out there that just
want to get clicks on their video and
their little content and they put out
misinformation about metagene to make it
seem like a Utopia when it's just simply
not that you know what I mean it's
beautiful the weather's
awesome um you'll encounter some good
people but you will definitely encounter
some bad people
so I just want to make it known um and
and and get y'all you know get yall the
information y'all need to be successful
as a traveler you know what I mean
ultimately I want I want my subscribers
to be a step ahead and have the right
information about about medine or
whatever place I'm talking about so I'm
going end the video here give you this
last shot of the beautiful one and only
medine
Colombia like comment subscribe to the
channel guys
[Music]
[Music]
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