🇪🇸 Las Palmas vs Medellín for digital nomads 🇨🇴
If you are weighing up Las Palmas vs Medellín as a remote-work base, the short version is this: Medellín costs about 26% less per month, and the rest comes down to what you actually want from a city.
On the map, Las Palmas is in Spain, Medellín in Colombia. Everything below is scored on the same scale, so you are comparing like with like rather than two tourist brochures.
Short answer
Las Palmas and Medellín score almost identically overall (4.4/5 vs 4.4/5), so cost is the tiebreaker — and Medellín is $450 a month cheaper.
| Metric | 🇪🇸 Las Palmas | 🇨🇴 Medellín |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $1,700 | $1,250 ✓ |
| Nomad score | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Internet | 4.2/5 ✓ | 3.8/5 |
| Safety | 4.5/5 ✓ | 3.2/5 |
| Walkability | 4.3/5 ✓ | 3.8/5 |
| Fun & nightlife | 4.1/5 | 4.5/5 ✓ |
| Weather | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 |
| Air quality | 4.4/5 ✓ | 3.3/5 |
Cost of living: Las Palmas vs Medellín
The monthly budget gap is the clearest difference between these two: Medellín runs at roughly $1,250, Las Palmas at $1,700. That is a 26% difference, or $5,400 a year — enough to fund several months of travel, a serious gear upgrade, or simply a much shorter runway to worry about. Neither figure is a backpacker number. They cover a private one-bedroom, a normal social life, local transport, data and a desk you can take calls from. Short lets and central districts push the number up; a longer lease signed locally usually pulls it well down.
Time zones and the working day
The time difference between Las Palmas and Medellín is 5 hours — Las Palmas runs on UTC and Medellín on UTC-5, putting Las Palmas ahead. Overlap on a 9–6 day is roughly 4 hours. That is workable for a daily standup but tight for anything collaborative — expect to shift your morning or your evening.
Internet and wifi for remote work
On internet, Las Palmas is the stronger of the two: 4.2/5 to 3.8/5 for Medellín, a modest edge. The score covers fixed-line speed, mobile coverage and how reliably you can join a video call from a public space rather than your flat. Both are solid enough for day-to-day remote work; a local data SIM covers you on the odd bad day.
Safety, walkability and nightlife
Las Palmas rates higher for safety (4.5/5 versus 3.2/5) — a big margin in day-to-day terms like walking home late, petty theft and how comfortable solo travellers report feeling. On walkability Las Palmas takes it at 4.3/5 against 3.8/5, which in practice decides whether you can live without a car or a daily ride-hail habit. For nightlife, events and the general odds of meeting people, Medellín scores 4.5/5 to Las Palmas’s 4.1/5.
Weather and air quality
Climate scores are identical at 4.9/5, so weather is not the deciding factor here. Las Palmas sits noticeably further from the equator than Medellín (28° against 6°), which usually means sharper seasons, shorter winter days and a bigger gap between your best and worst months. Air quality is the bigger split: Las Palmas rates 4.4/5 and Medellín 3.3/5. If you run, cycle or have any respiratory sensitivity, that gap is worth more than a few hundred dollars of rent.
Visas and how long you can stay
This is where the two genuinely diverge. Spain offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1-year visa, convertible to a 3-year permit and requiring around $3,000 a month in proven income. Colombia offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid Up to 2 years and requiring around $1,000 a month in proven income. Always confirm current rules with the relevant consulate before you book anything long.
Las Palmas vs Medellín: the verdict
- Choose Medellín if your priority is stretching your runway — it is the cheaper base at $1,250 a month, saving you $5,400 a year.
- Overall scores are level at 4.4/5, so neither city is objectively the better base — it is down to which strengths you actually use.
- Want to stop thinking about where you leave your laptop? Las Palmas scores better on safety. Want the bigger social scene and more going on after dark? Medellín. On calls all day? Las Palmas is the safer bet for wifi. If daily life on foot matters, Las Palmas is built better for it.
Dig deeper on each city
Useful next: the meeting time-zone planner, the digital nomad visa index, and how to get paid while working abroad.
Ready to go? Set up for Las Palmas or Medellín
Whichever you choose, here's the remote-work kit worth sorting before you land:
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Las Palmas vs Medellín: frequently asked questions
Is Las Palmas or Medellín cheaper for digital nomads?
Medellín is cheaper, at roughly $1,250 a month against $1,700 for Las Palmas — a difference of $5,400 a year. Both numbers assume the same lifestyle — private one-bedroom, some meals out, local transport and a desk to work from.
What is the time difference between Las Palmas and Medellín?
5 hours. Las Palmas is on UTC and Medellín is on UTC-5, and a normal 9–6 working day overlaps by about 4 hours.
Which has better internet, Las Palmas or Medellín?
Las Palmas rates 4.2/5 for internet and Medellín 3.8/5, so Las Palmas is the safer bet if you live on video calls.
Which is safer, Las Palmas or Medellín?
Las Palmas scores 4.5/5 for safety and Medellín scores 3.2/5, giving Las Palmas the edge for solo travellers and late-night walks home.
Las Palmas or Medellín — which is better overall for remote work?
Overall, Las Palmas leads with a 4.4/5 nomad score against 4.4/5 for Medellín. But the right base depends on your priorities: cost, climate, safety, community or visa access. The full breakdown above splits it metric by metric.
Can I get a digital nomad visa for Las Palmas or Medellín?
Spain offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1-year visa, convertible to a 3-year permit and requiring around $3,000 a month in proven income. Colombia offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid Up to 2 years and requiring around $1,000 a month in proven income.
Which has better weather, Las Palmas or Medellín?
Climate scores are level at 4.9/5.
Related comparisons
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