Week four in Medellín, Colombia consisted of perfecting the daily routine of working online, midday gym runs, café visits, and a few tourist attraction visits toward the end of the week.

At this point of the stay, picking up an order of palitos de queso from a street vendor as a first meal had become part of the routine, along with an empanada de carne. Many stands have them available, and the combination keeps you full for a few hours.

The gym membership investment proved to be valuable, as it kept the day productive until sunset. By this point, a rhythm had also been established for making each session as efficient as possible.

The end of the week closed out with a birthday gift to myself through a visit to Caldas, where horseback riding and sightseeing were experienced.

Saturday was booked with a visit to Comuna 13 which offered ample opportunity to take in the sights and build a strong catalog of pictures to share and document. The commute to the nearest international airport the following day was seamless.

Cutural diversity is vast. If you place value in Indigenous and Afro-Latino-inspired culture, Medellín offers tons it. Between the murals, graffiti, color inspiration throughout different barrios, food, and language, there is no shortage of it. The population is diverse, and depending on your demographic background, you’ll be sure to find people who look like you.

A recommended barrio visit is Comuna 13. This location was historically very dangerous, but as of mid-2026, the area has undergone vast change and safety has improved tremendously. Comuna 13 is still home to Colombians, but now holds space to highlight artistic expressions of its history.

Expect locals of all ages, even children, to approach you and sell miscellaneous merchandise. You can simply decline or accept the offering. A convenient drop-off point when using rideshare is D Barrio Store 13, right before congestion begins. Best time to arrive is 10am to 1pm.

Destination Comparisons

At this point in our weekly issues, we’ve hit three countries: Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia. If you’re trying to determine which location would best serve your travel and lifestyle needs, here are some considerations.

Social scene rated highest. Compared with Buenos Aires and Mérida, Medellín offers the strongest party and social scene. Its number of cafés and walkability also ranked highest out of the three. The city is a frequent travel destination for citizens throughout the Americas, creating opportunities to connect with people from around the world and neighboring countries.

Everyday affordability was the best. Medellín offered the lowest prices for dining out, rideshare, groceries, and coffee orders. Lodging price depends heavily on how far in advance you book, the barrio selected, and the time of year. Based on cost-to-value, Medellín receives a 10/10 based on my accommodation. Food delivery through DiDi was most affordable in Mérida, with Medellín ranking second.

Weather you cannot beat. If tropical-like weather weighs heavily in deciding where to live, Medellín beats Mérida and Buenos Aires by large. The year-round spring climate is difficult to beat if you’re comfortable with daily rain showers.

Medellín requires the most vigilance out of the three, even in tourist friendly areas. If you aren’t confident in your basic street-smart skills, build them through a shorter trip or travel with someone on your first visit.

Avoid wearing flashy jewelry, dress modestly, walk with your phone put away in public, stick to well-lit streets after dark, and refrain from waving taxis down. If you aren’t willing to make these adaptations, reconsider the location.

Would another extended stay in Medellín happen? Certainly yes. The factors that create a fulfilling and sustainable life each rated highly for myself. I plan to make more travel memories here in the near future.

We spoke on the power of an owned audience in the form of a newsletter in the issue here, but we’ll now go further into the operations and actual components of this type of media asset. I’ve also included platforms that make operations easier through their automation capabilities.

The audience, or subscriber base, serves as the value-holding portion of a newsletter. Two variables that determine the quality of the media asset being built are acquisition, which means acquiring readers, and monetization, which means generating a profit from those readers.

The success of the company depends on how well the audience can be monetized while using as few acquisition resources as possible.

Acquisition relates to the cost of growing the audience. Monetization determines the revenue generated from the time spent creating content, the effort required to publish consistently, and the capital invested directly into the newsletter or its operating resources.

There are many ways to monetize an engaged audience, including:

The options are vast, but it’s best to stick to your expertise and what you can realistically produce. Giving the audience measurable value should always remain a priority when deciding which offers to incorporate.

On the acquisition side, there are several methods available. When starting from zero or with a small network, it’s best to first become accustomed to free acquisition options. The two main channels are social media and newsletter recommendations.

Social media allows you to circulate your content and the value you’re adding to the worldwide web without any direct expense. The quality of your network and consistency with publishing will greatly determine how many subscribers are acquired.

Some of the strongest platforms for newsletter growth are LinkedIn and X. I’d only prioritize Instagram if you already have experience on the platform and an audience built already there.

Recommendations can be formed through platforms such as Substack, beehiiv, Kit, and SparkLoop. Their built-in integrations allow creators to recommend one another and exchange exposure.

Beyond subscriber growth, recommendations can help build long-term relationships with creators in your niche. These connections have provided inspiration and kept me accountable while in the early stages of building a newsletter. The value is immeasurable.

As of early August 2026, Colombia has strengthened immigration screening at its entry points. Migración Colombia reported that nearly 1,600 foreign travelers had been denied entry during 2026, bringing the total to almost 19,000 since August 2022. Common reasons include missing visas or supporting documents, providing false information, criminal records, and security concerns.

Visa-exempt travelers should arrive with a valid passport, proof of onward travel, accommodation details, and evidence of sufficient funds. The free Check-Mig form can also be completed between 72 hours and one hour before arrival or departure. It is officially optional, but submitting it can shorten the immigration interview and reduce processing time.

Global Country Reforms & Updates

The B1 Visa on Arrival costs approximately $28 USD and permits an initial stay of 30 days. It may be extended once for a maximum total stay of 60 days.

Source: Indonesia Directorate General of Immigration.

As of July 1, 2026, the Visitor Visa Subclass 600 for applications made outside Australia starts at approximately $176 USD. Depending on the approval, travelers may receive a stay of three, six, or 12 months, but employment is not permitted.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs.

An NZeTA costs approximately $10 USD through the mobile app or $14 USD online, plus an International Visitor Levy of approximately $59 USD. It remains valid for two years, and applicants should allow up to 72 hours for processing.

Source: Immigration New Zealand.

Close out the Medellín series through the YouTube channel, featuring more POV walks, neighborhood footage, and everyday moments captured throughout the city below.

Explore this week’s curated collection of partner newsletters and publications covering travel, remote work, global mobility, and location-independent living.

Medellín left a strong impression through its café culture, social energy, and the routines that made daily life feel sustainable. This series closed with a greater understanding of what the city offers and why another extended stay remains in consideration.

Any guesses on where you think the next destination will be?

Until next dispatch,
Structured Nomad