Pros & Cons of Laureles, Medellin (Full Breakdown)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
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Not sure which part of Medellin is best for you?
In part 1 of this series, I'm covering the neighborhood of Laureles in depth, which was just voted the #1 coolest neighbourhood in the world by Timeout magazine.
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G'day, my name's AK and on this channel I explore expat life in Medellin, Colombia. Whether you're considering moving to Medellin or just visiting Colombia, I've got you covered. Join me as I show you exactly what living in Medellin and Colombia as an expat is really like.
#medellin #laureles #colombia #medellincolombia #visitmedellin #travelmedellin
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The best neighborhood in the world is a place called Keren in Nairobi Kenya.
How do you sign up to play sports there at the stadium?
Awesome video dude. You do the best location breakdowns I've seen. Showing the map and your boots on the ground footage is perfect. Was already planning on staying in Laurales, this just sealed the deal. Good to know about heat and pollution though. Thank you!
♥ Good AND Bad in same vid is amazing. And under 10 min is totally lovely.
Thanks! Always gotta cover the negatives to give people a balance view :)
I stayed in Laureles for the first 3 days, visited Poblado over the weekend, and now I'm headed back to Laureles. Surprisingly, I didn't enjoy Poblado. Looking forward to being back.
Yeah I'm exactly the same, I'm not a fan of Poblado either.
What up AK?
Man, I love Laureles. I've stayed there 3 times now in the countless times I've visited Medellín. My ex fiancée lives in Itagui, so I passed through there a lot. I was actually looking at getting a spot there, but when I saw the new apartments going up in Itagui, that may be where I choose to live.
I don't drink, smoke, nor hang in bars or clubs. I like the scenery and the walks. I absolutely love the culture as it reminds me of my home city New Orleans. They can't top our food, though... 😂
I fell in love with Medellín back in 2021 and we been going strong since!! 😊
You are exactly the type of person that thrives in Medellin. Congrats on the smart lifestyle choices!
@@AKJoel Much appreciated. I love your videos as they're very informative. I try to do diligent research being well-traveled with the military.
I stayed at Dorado la 70 December 24. I walked all over the neighborhood. You shot some of the places that I walked such as by the Exito mercado and I was at the mall in this video. I agree with you about the authentic feel of it. I took a city tour was on a Chivas bus getting drunk and had a ball. I'll be returning.
As a Colombian who grew up super close to Laureles, I can’t be happier of buying my first property there😍! I now have it as an Airbnb for when we’re not in town.
Congrats on the property! Never would've picked you as Colombian by your name haha
@@AKJoel😂😂 At school I was bullied for having a foreign name, now that I married a ‘gringo’ it kind of worked out. But I’m more paisa que la arepa. 🫓
haha I love that saying!
Hai there my name is Dionisio i am from the Netherlands and i am looking for an Airbenb stay in Laureles. Can we get in contact with eachother? I will be travelling alone.
I like how you point out the good and bad, I didn't really notice the heat but I was there in October. I love just how easy it is to get around and they have some amazing parks that are open to everyone.
Thanks, I like to give an honest review so that people coming here can choose what suits them best.
Another amazing review of my beautiful city… keep up the good work man 👍
Watched both this video and your one on Poblado and just booked my apartment for 6 weeks off the back of it. Appreciate your videos and what you do as it was invaluable as part of my research particularly information on the sports complex and co-working space. Laureles it is & cheers once again
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, this video made my day. You'll find me upstairs at Semilla Co-working 40% of the time. Despite videos like this extranjero density in Laureles is less than one might expect. I have a place over near Exito and I guess I'll run into AK sooner or later.
AK - this is a great video! I’ve been to Medellin about 1/2 dozen times in the last year and I always stay in Laureles. I had a video call with your good friend Andrew Macia last year and he recommended El Poblado, but I’m like you - I want to be immersed in Colombian culture and with Colombians. I may replay the video because I want to go to the co-working place you mentioned. It looks great. You and Andrew do such a great job with all of your videos. I hope I can meet you in person sometime.
Glad you're enjoying the content mate!
I can see why Laureles would be nominated coolest neighborhood in the world due to its creativity and this is coming from someone that visited the neighborhood.
MEDELLIN LOVES YOU JOEL!
I was in Pereira in September and learned a useful phrase "que calor tan chimbo." I'm going to be staying in Laureles in March, I'm glad I get to use my favorite phrase more. 😂😂😂
Lived there last year, I'm going back. I loved it!
Great to hear!
I've lived in Laureles my whole life (you could almost see where I live in a couple of clips) so it being called the coolest neighbourhood in the world is kind of wild to me lol. I live in a closed residential unit so noise is not really an issue and heat definitely varies A TON throughout the year but I feel you on the traffic, that's Laureles' biggest weakness imo. If you plan on staying here plan it so you're not on a car around 6-9am and 4:30-6:30pm which are called the "peak hours", it's chaos. Great video tho, happy to hear you like it around here!
It's funny, I moved into my apartment here in Laureles in Apr 2022, but for some reason, in Nov 2023, this place EXPLODED with foreigners. So much so that coming into 2024 and my landlord telling me that he has to raise my rent, I was crapping a brick, because he could get me out, easily charge twice as much and still have someone in it a couple days later.
Visit Guatape, it is a beautiful town near Medellín.
Good job laying out the pros and cons - and while the cons can indeed be a daily annoyance (especially the noise and now the heat with the heat wave of the past six months), I've now lived in barrio Estadio over three years and haven't found enough justification to move anywhere else in the city. A few additional pros that could be mentioned are the overall flatness of the area, which along with the bike lanes lends itself well to my commuting around the area solely on my bike, and the convenient metro access from much of the area - particularly from Estadio.
Yes great point - that's also a huge bonus - Laureles doesn't have crazy hills like some parts of Poblado which make walking around almost impossible unless you want to turn it into an Olympic sport 😂
I enjoyed your video. I just bought an apartment in Laureles 3 months ago and love it here. I had stayed in various parts of the city before choosing Laureles, and I can suggest another pro and another con for your lists. Pro: Laureles is flat compared to Poblado, so if you like to cycle or have problems walking up hills join us Flatlanders. The con: if you speak no Spanish, Laureles can be a bit of a challenge in stores and restaurants compared to Poblado. One other point: I agree with the writer who commented that Belen is also a nice area to consider - especially Rosales and Fatima areas. Thanks for your video. Looking forward to seeing more from you.
Laureles has been my only home for more than 8 years and inside my apartment I have never felt the need for Air Conditioning and I've never broken a sweat walking the streets. But I'm in the higher part of Laureles West of 70, South of 44th Street that is definitely cooler than the low lying flat area East of La 70 around San Joaquin and Conquistadores which I immediately notice are a bit too hot for me as far as living there.
I'm from Medellin. Great video. Just one thing to point out: The weather in Laureles is not always hot. By the time you uploaded the video, I can infer that you were experiencing "fenomeno de El Niño" (heat wave) of 2024 that lasted almost 1 year. In normal weather conditions, which is 80% of each decade, the temperature is between 17C- 28C all year long with no need of air conditioning. Great neighborhood.
Exactly
Agreed, I live in Laureles, on La 70. It can get hot but not always and not unbearable. I have no AC and I come from the United states where everyone has ac lol. Also La 70 at night is noisy AF but my windows at least do a decent job of sound proofing the noise in my bedroom which is right off the street. Absolutly love it tho!
How is it living near the stadium in Laureles?
I love laureles. I spent last summer there. I went back a month ago. The only con to me was the homelessness. It was sad. But Medellín is mixed like that. So much beauty but so much sadness too
They smoke crack right in front of you. They don't even try to hide it
Great overview AK!
Cheers Stef!!
Coming to Medellin with my friends. We are looking for a place to walk around on a Friday night in the evening, take in good vibes/dessert, and just people watch and enjoy the vibes (not looking for any trouble). Where would you recommend we walk? Someone said Provenza?
Hi! I'm from Medellín, and yes, Provenza is kind of a nightlife place to go, but you can find better places to get a drink, some tasty food and local vibes. I highly recommend Envigado, La Floresta, some bars and street food at La 33 Avenue or Villa de Aburrá,, and Las Palmas. You can also make the Tour of Los Miradores, you'll love the great city views.
Provenza is good for that, plenty of great options there.
I coud recomend also belen,rosales and belen fatima, is really near to laureles, it has more colombian feeling and is also very safe
Great recommendations!
Belen Fatima is pretty cool. I somehow ended up dating two women in a row who loved there, one in a house and another in a high apartment. It was kind of interesting walking to their places from mine here between 70 and 73. As on the weekend, there will be a liquor store or two with sitting outside and you just see people having a genuinely good time, hanging out.
Do you have any info on the language exchanges you mentioned in Laureles ? Many thanks for the great video 👌
Try one called Dulce Poison.
Look up Galería LaFond
How safe is it there?
Moving in with a friend in a couple of weeks, super insightful I appreciate it. Any tips on the best gyms in the area? Looking for a gym with decent machine/weight training.
Just be prepared for noise, Colombians seem to be immune to it, they think nothing about dropping a 200 Lb stack right behind you.
smartfit of "molinos" mall is very nice
Gringo density difference between comuna Laureles (southern part) and comuna Poblado is in Poblado you walk to any restaurant and hear some people talking English or other non-Spanish languages. In Laureles, if its not a foodies restaurant you might have to sit there a while before you hear someone not speaking Spanish. ;-)
If you want to get away from gringos, neither comuna (except maybe northern Laureles away from La 70) will work. But La America has just as nice places to live for less cost than the main gringo area of Laureles and northern Belen is good if you hate walking off your meal from all the foodie places in barrio Laureles. ;-)
Why do I say there are so many gringos in Laureles? Because MDE Community has an English speaking whatsapp group for Laureles but does not for Poblado ;-)
Very good content
Thanks William!
It would help when you reference names of places to write out the spelling on the screen or take a picture of their sign so we can look them up, because I don't know how much these places are spelled so I can't find them. Sameeja Cafe?
Semilla
How’s the police presence compared to La Poblado?
It all looks very beautiful. I'm currently apartment hunting and eyeing the Poblado area. The big thing for me is the level of safety.
If you're concerned about safety, maybe staying in a building with 24/7 security would make you feel better.
@@AKJoel I meant more in terms of gangs and the cartel. I've heard that they often target tourists randomly.
the gangs and cartels have better things to do than randomly target tourists. don't believe everything your read!
We will be coming for three weeks in September. Really excited! Any recommendation for cafes where we can work from or even cafes with veggie options? We will for sure practice our Spanish! Thanks for this video, really useful :)
Coworking Spots: if you're in Poblado check out Pergamino (the one near Click Clack), or in Laureles go to Semilla Cafe.
Veggie Options: Vegan & Veggie Restaurant in Manila or Zorba (best pizza)
@@AKJoel thank you very much 😊
2 cents from me:
- for me air pollution was much worse in Poblado, especially near parque lleras. It's constant traffic there, taxis and motos. It was very hard to breathe at first
- noise I think is everywhere and there are quiet streets both in Laureles and Poblado
Yes fair point! That being said you can find quiet pockets in both 👍🏾
This is always my first choice when I come to visit Medellin. I like to joke that there is no such thing as quiet in South America. I dont find Poblado to be any quieter at night if close to Provenza, and I feel the car exhaust is an issue anywhere in the city and in most cities in Colombia and Ecuador.
You can actually find very quiet pockets, but you're right - basically everywhere is loud lol
@@AKJoel If you get out in the fincas past Guatape there is quiet lol
Which are the best websites for finding a place to rent longterm? Thank you!
I currently live in Mexico City...Before that I lived in Peru for 6 years...I am looking for a more local experience.CDMX is not the friendliest place on the planet nor the cheapest.Would like to be near a big park for my dog.And in an area with friendly people.I feel like I am invisible and living in the states being here lol..Any suggestions?
I was very curious about Medellin before, but after watching this video and others my interested is starting to drop. It's said to be green but there are only two small parks? There are more parks in Bucharest, Romania, and they don't have really that many. Stockholm for example, where I come from, is extremely green in comparison and still a city with good street life. Maybe smaller towns in Colombia are more interesting.
Yeah in the heart of the city it's not that green, you'll have to head to the mountains outside the city.
I seem to like the San Joaquin area
Is it expensive ? I mean, buying an apartment ?
Apartments usually range from $100k+ depending on which area you're looking for and your requirements. Let us know here if you need any help: www.medellinmasterclass.com/realestateinvest
Is there pickleball at the sports complex?
I'm pretty sure there's pickleball at Unidad Deportiva Andres Escobar in Belen
@@AKJoel Thank you so much
❤❤❤
Always surprises me that Americans talk about Laureles. Most Europeans go to other places. Envigado is the place to be, is my personal opinion. For native Colombians, rich and poor, Envigado is #1.
What's the average price for a meal in a restaurant?
If you go to a local restaurant you should be able to get a meal for COP 20,000 - $5.
A "fancier" restaurant where you might go for a date will cost you probably double that.
@@AKJoel that's okay
Hot all the time. I don’t think so. So far I’ve been here 4 months, sept-dec, and weather is perfect. Moving from Cali, so to me, that was hot. Don’t want to move back there again. You are correct about traffic definitely. My allergies is terrible here. We are moving in March to Envigado, hopefully it’s better if the reason is the smog.
I will just say it’s interesting that this was voted best neighbourhood in the world but it for sure is not the best neighbourhood in Medellin, the best neighbourhoods are a closely guarded secret help by long term Expats who speak Spanish and who are against gentrification!!!!😂❤
Ill be there in 2 weeks! I wish I had an Airbnb there, its like printing money with all the tourist that stay there.
Yeah, it's a super profitable business right now.
aye bro, i'm in laureles too, who's ya barber? lol
I usually go to Beardman Barber on Calle 10a, Poblado. Mateo is the guy who cuts my hair, highly recommend!
@@AKJoel great. I’ll make an appt for next Friday. Thank you brother. Also- how much is it? I don’t know a clue of pricing for haircut here
Orlando Barber
cant wait to see belén & envigado to a lesser extent
I'll definitely be doing a video on Envigado, but not on Belen. Check out the free course, we have a section on Belen.
There really isn't much difference in character between Laureles and the northern portion of Belén directly adjacent to it. The municipal airport and Parque Belén to the south act as a virtual dividing line where below that it becomes VERY Colombian and where you will see few to any gringos other than those lining up outside the Migración office to get their cedulas. So if you want a REAL authentic Colombian experience, that's where you'll find it.
@@juanvaldez7633Yes, you're right. In Belén, just to name a few, there are nice neighborhoods like Alameda, Rosales, Malibú, La Palma or Miravalle, with good quality of life and very well provided public services. A bonus is the access to Encicla, the public bycicles, and Metroplús, the buses that are part of the public transport system.
Bogus Article: There is nothing unique about Lauleres , yes there is La 70 with many restaurants/bars/clubs ... its simply an entertainment district ... Every city throughout the world has streets like this , multiple streets like this. Its a somewhat better neighborhood by Colombian standards , by U.S. standards it would be considered "the hood" ....
Now..I am a Colombian speaker living in USA( NYC and LA) for many years… and to call this article bogus tells me that you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about…now excuse me if you are from Beverly Hills but actually if you go to palmas or llano grande you can find million dollar mansions and modern houses to their level of quality and comfort. if you know LA, laurels can be compared very easy to Hancock Park neighborhood and I don’t know where you have lived but that’s not the hood AT ALL.
Calling Laureles the best neighbourghood in theworld...issnt it......aaaa little bit too tooo tooo much??
Colombian who lived in Laureles here
They've totally ruined El Poblado. Let's hope they don't destroy la 70. It is great
Wrong rating! #1 Canggu #2 Ubud #3 Uluwatu 😆😆😆👍
Is Bali still good? I've been 7 times but last time I went was back in 2016. Even then Canggu was getting too packed with tourists.
@@AKJoel Yes, it is more busy but depends on what you are looking for. You can find any types of neighborhoods on this tiny island! If Canggu is too crowded - you can move to Bukit (Uluwatu, Ungasan, Nusa Dua) or even Amed :) Bali is the biggest love forever! ❤
I already know Spanish and Latino culture I feel like it be easy for me to
Definitely!
@@AKJoel question though mate , do you know about can girls there?
Nothing - I don't hang in those circles.
I hope all the Colombian native realize yall prices about to go up. It's called gentrification, and white people n Westerners do the same thing to lower income areas in 🇺🇸 that make the "cool" list in those magazines 😂
La Setenta 70 does not run through barrio Laureles
Many (all?) of the comunas have a name that is the same as one of its barrios. Laureles is no different. The video was talking about comuna Laureles, not just the small barrio called Laureles which is inside of comuna Laureles. La 70 is in comuna Laureles.
There is no comuna called Laureles @@JWinch
But there is a Comuna called Laureles-Estadio
Yes it does.
😂😂😂 Time Out needs to get OUT a bit more, and I live in Laureles. These lists are so often a total joke, and this one is no different.
To be completely honest, I live in Laureles and when I saw the news I was surprised too haha
Laureles is over rated Envigado is better
Please don’t come here! 😅 Isn’t cool at all!