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Compare · Digital nomad edition

Lisbon vs Medellín for digital nomads

Portugal · PTColombia · CO

Side by side

MetricLisbonMedellín
Population
517,802
1,999,979
Winter low
8°C
16°C
Summer high
28°C
28°C
Safety (Numbeo 0–100)
80/100
40/100
Internet (est. median)
125 Mbps
118 Mbps
Monthly cost, solo (est.)
€1,960
€1,820
Cannabis
decriminalized
decriminalized
LGBTQ+ legal
fully_protected
legal_no_protections

Per-axis verdict

  • CheaperMedellín — about €140/mo less for a solo nomad.
  • SaferLisbon — 80/100 vs 40/100.
  • Faster internetLisbon — est. 125 Mbps vs 118 Mbps.
  • Warmer wintersMedellín — winter low 16°C vs 8°C.
  • Cooler summersTie — within 2°C on summer highs.

Verdicts are computed from the same underlying data as the /place pages. Anything within ~5% counts as a tie — no false precision.

Portugal · PT

Lisbon

Seven hills, constant sun, and a tram that’s more roller coaster than transport.

The catch: You will spend a lot of time walking up and down hills, but the constant sun and river views make it tolerable.

Full profile → /lisbon-pt

Colombia · CO

Medellín

Perpetual spring within an Andean valley; a city reinventing itself with cable cars and universities.

The catch: Pleasant weather offsets the need for constant vigilance regarding street-level theft and bureaucratic hurdles.

Full profile → /medellin-co

Neither is the right answer for everyone.

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