Colombia · South America
Medellín, Colombia: cost, safety and best time to visit (2026)
Population: 2.0MCurrency: COPTime zone: America/Bogota
US travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Best months to visit
Jan, Feb, Jul and Dec
highest visit score, Open-Meteo climate record
About Medellín
Medellín is a city of about 2 million people in Antioquia, Colombia, and it is not the national capital. Set in the Andes, it enjoys a mild, mountain-tempered climate year-round, with average highs generally between 26C and 28C and lows around 16C in every month of the year. Sunshine hours run from roughly 8.5 to 10.7 per day depending on the month, while monthly rainfall ranges widely, from about 91mm in January to 264mm in May. For visitors, a one-person daily budget runs about $35 for budget travel, $85 for mid-range, and $185 for luxury, which works out to $245, $595, and $1,295 over a week. Prices reflect local currency, the Colombian peso, converted at current exchange rates. Travelers should also be aware that the US State Department rates Colombia at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, at the country level, and the UK FCDO outlines security concerns that apply broadly across Colombia rather than to Medellín specifically.
Weather through the year
Average high in °C and monthly rainfall in mm, from the Open-Meteo archive.
Jan
27°
91mm
Feb
27°
134mm
Mar
27°
170mm
Apr
27°
254mm
May
27°
264mm
Jun
27°
208mm
Jul
28°
94mm
Aug
28°
155mm
Sep
28°
154mm
Oct
26°
248mm
Nov
26°
229mm
Dec
27°
117mm
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a week in Medellín cost?
A one-week budget trip runs about $245, mid-range travel comes to about $595, and a luxury week costs about $1,295. These figures are for one person per day across lodging, food, local transport, and activities.
When is the best time to visit Medellín?
January, February, July, and December stand out as the best months based on climate patterns, with more sunshine hours and comparatively lower rainfall than the rest of the year. These months also fall within the city's peak season, alongside August.
Is Medellín safe for travelers?
The US State Department places Colombia at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and the UK FCDO describes ongoing risks from armed groups, terrorism, and street crime that apply across the country. Both advisories are issued at the country level rather than specifically for Medellín, so travelers should research current conditions before a trip.
Can I visit Medellín on a tight budget?
Yes, the budget estimate of $35 per day covers basic lodging, simple meals, and local transport for one person. Traveling in the off-season months of March, April, or May can help stretch that budget further since these are the cheapest, quietest months.
What is the cheapest time of year to visit?
March, April, and May are listed as the off-season, making them the cheapest and quietest months to visit. This period also sees higher rainfall, with April and May recording 254mm and 264mm respectively, so travelers should expect wetter conditions in exchange for lower costs and fewer crowds.
What about food and getting around the city?
Meal costs vary widely from inexpensive set lunches to full restaurant dinners, and these are factored into the daily budget, mid-range, and luxury estimates. Local transport, including buses and the metro, is inexpensive and is also built into those same daily cost figures.
Keep reading
More on Medellín
Where it ranks
Country
Sources
- GeoNames city database — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 14, 2026
- Open-Meteo climate archive — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 21, 2026
- World Bank price level and exchange rate — CC BY 4.0, data year 2025
- US State Department travel advisories — public domain, fetched September 21, 2026
- UK FCDO foreign travel advice — Open Government Licence v3, fetched September 21, 2026
AI-written interpretation reviewed against the data above — claude-sonnet-5, generated September 21, 2026. Every number on this page comes from a dataset named here; the formulas are public.