---
title: "Belém vs Medellín for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/belem-vs-medellin
description: "Under balanced weights Medellín edges it, 55 to 54, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Belém is stronger on air quality, safety; Medellín on cost of living, getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Belém vs Medellín for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Medellín edges it, 55 to 54, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Belém is stronger on air quality, safety; Medellín on cost of living, getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 50 | 69 | Medellín |
| Safety | 35 | 25 | Belém |
| Healthcare | 72 | 74 | Medellín |
| Internet | 62 | 61 | Belém |
| Visa ease | 77 | 77 | Belém |
| Getting there & around | 47 | 63 | Medellín |
| Climate | 8 | 0 | Belém |
| Air quality | 84 | 70 | Belém |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 | Medellín |

## Cost

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,300 | $804 | Medellín |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $651 | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 18.69 | 24.35 | Belém |
| Political stability (0–100) | 58.9 | 48.9 | Belém |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 82 | Belém |
| Life expectancy | 72.4 yrs | 74.5 yrs | Medellín |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 22.8 Mbps | 22.6 Mbps | Belém |
| Upload | 13.3 Mbps | 11.5 Mbps | Belém |

## Visa

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) | Digital nomad visitor visa (Visa V) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,500/mo | $1,605/mo | Belém |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 26 | 44 | Medellín |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 4 | Medellín |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Belém | Medellín | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 1 | 0 | Belém |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 12.3 µg/m³ | 18.4 µg/m³ | Belém |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Belém or Medellín?

Medellín is cheaper: about $804 per month versus $1,300 for one person.

### Is Belém or Medellín safer?

Belém scores higher on safety (35 vs 25), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Belém or Medellín?

Belém: a measured median of 22.8 Mbps versus 22.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Belém](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/belem) · [Medellín](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/medellin). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/belem-vs-medellin