Medellín has emerged as a compelling Latin American destination for expats and nomads. Social media (#36 for TikTok Videos) brims with plant-lined balconies in El Poblado and café co-working scenes in Laureles. The #19-ranked Nightlife surely doesn’t hurt either. In the first half of 2025, Medellín secured $168 million in Foreign Direct Investment across 18 projects, which are expected to generate more than 8,100 jobs in technology, agritech, creative industries, manufacturing and logistics. Infrastructure development maintains momentum, with improved access to Rionegro’s airport dramatically reducing commute times. The Metro de la 80 light rail project secured funding this year, targeting a 2028 opening to link western barrios with the established metro network; Medellín’s already impressive #7 ranking for Public Transit will rise further.
Real estate markets show signs of maturation. Property values are forecast to rise at a measured 3%-7% in 2025, a correction from last year’s blistering 17% surge, while El Poblado and Laureles continue to attract high-yield short-term rental investment. Across the city, 1,500 public works projects were launched in 2025 under a $1.5-billion investment program to upgrade parks, roadways and public facilities across all 16 comunas.