Is the coworking in Medellin any good?
Medellin is a top digital nomad destination for good reason – the wifi is fast, the cost of living is low and there is a huge digital nomad community.
But this digital nomad lifestyle isn’t just about meeting people and exploring new cities…
…Getting work done is high on the priority list for any digital nomad serious about making this a sustainable lifestyle. Sometimes this means going to certain digital nomad destinations that can handle the necessities for remote work.
One of the best ways to ensure you stay focused on work is to join a coworking space. It’s so much easier to get to work when you intentionally place yourself in an environment that encourages it.
Spoiler alert: The coworking in Medellin is as good as you imagine.
We lived in Medellin, Colombia for nearly 4 months. As a digital nomad couple that loves the coworking vibes – you know we tried and tested out a few coworking spaces during that time.
In this blog post, we are going to share the best coworking spaces in Medellin for digital nomads to work from. But we will go a little more in-depth and talk about the features, amenities, costs and share our personal (+ honest) experience working from them.
Is The Coworking in Medellin, Colombia Any Good?
As digital nomads, there’s so much more to figure out that just where you’re staying and a ‘bucketlist’ of things to do. You need to figure out where the gym is, where to get groceries and more importantly, how you’re going to get your work done.
We heard good things about Medellin but we couldn’t help but ask ourselves:
- What are the wifi speeds going to be like?
- Are there coworking spaces available?
- Is there a cafe work culture?
- Will we meet fellow digital nomads?
Medellin, Colombia is a popular digital nomad hotspot – for good reason. The city has been dubbed the “Silicon Valley” of Latin America. With this title, you can rest assured that the wifi is fast, the innovation is thriving and the digital nomad community is growing.
After our first week living in Medellin, Colombia, we quickly realized there were going to be no issues as remote workers.
Bottom line: Coworking in Medellin is some of the best in the world. As a top digital nomad destination contender, it lived up to its name and hype. You’ll see why more below…
What Makes A Good Coworking Space For Digital Nomads?
Not just any coworking space will do!
If you are paying your hard-earned money for the space, there are some expectations and standards that they need to meet, right?
But what are the factors that define a good coworking space? Here are 3 factors that we consider before we sign up:
💻 High-speed Internet: If you need reliable wifi – you can count on coworking spaces to have the fastest wifi speeds in town (usually). You don’t want your wifi dropping out in the middle of a Zoom meeting, right?
💺 Comfortable Workspace: A good coworking space will provide decent tables and chairs to work from. These flimsy wooden chairs that you used to use in school won’t cut it (unless you’re in a tropical paradise like Bali, I guess). We love working from big tables and sitting on ergonomic chairs!
👯♀️ Vibrant Community: One of the biggest reasons we join coworking spaces is to meet fellow digital nomads. The best coworking spaces that value their members will create events, meetups and even workshops to bring the social aspect into the space.
These are some of the most important factors we consider when signing up at a coworking space. Now you know what makes them awesome, here’s a list of the best coworking in Medellin.
Coworking in Medellin – The Best Spaces To Work From For Digital Nomads
Planning on becoming a Medellin digital nomad soon?
It’s a great choice for remote workers or people just starting their digital nomad journey. The city is full of digital nomads to meet and well-equipped to handle any work needs (like fast wifi).
We spent nearly 4 months living in Medellin and we tried, tested and approved the coworking spaces below.
👩🏻💻 Here’s the thing: While there are a huge number of coworking spaces and we could overwhelm you with the list of all of them – that helps no one! We only included the 3 best coworking in Medellin and we have gone more in-depth about what it’s like to work with them.
Ready? Let’s go!
1. Semilla Cafe Coworking (Laureles)
Semilla Cafe Coworking is exactly as the name suggests. A cafe on the lower level combined with a coworking space located on the upper level. Semilla Cafe Coworking is a great place for digital nomads, remote workers and entrepreneurs to create, collaborate and get work done.
They are the leading coworking space in the neighborhood of Laureles and have a big building offering:
- cafe with a drink and food menu
- dedicated coworking space
- shared kitchen space
- private office space
- meetup events
We knew about Semilla before arriving in Medellin and we checked it out on our very first morning!
What To Expect Working From Semilla Cafe Coworking
Imagine working from a wooden-toned and greenery-filled space that’s got fast wifi and a buzzing atmosphere…
…That’s Semilla Cafe Coworking for you!
They have really done well to make their cafe and coworking space an inspiring space to work from. The green, white and beige tones are calming and help you remember why you don’t work from a bland office desk anymore.
The cafe below is absolutely buzzing! It’s one of the most (if not the most) popular cafes and coworking in Laureles. Many digital nomads, remote workers and even locals flock to Semilla to work.
The coworking space is on the 2nd floor of the building and it’s only accessible by members. They have done a great job of separating the cafe and coworking so you feel like you’re still getting your value for money as a member.
For example, the cafe’s wifi speed is around 20 Mbps while the coworking space is more like 80+ Mbps. This is one of the biggest differences between working from a cafe and joining a coworking space.
Features & Amenities At Semilla Cafe Coworking
Wondering what’s included in your membership? These are the features and amenities you’ll get as a member at Semilla Coworking.
Ergonomic Chairs & Spacious Desks
Tired of working from uncomfortable wooden chairs? Us too!
Whether you get a bad chair/desk set up at your Airbnb or the cafe’s seating just doesn’t cut it for a solid 6-8 hour work day – you need to take care of your back and posture to be more comfortable.
Cafe & Restaurant On-site
As a member of the coworking space, you still get access to everything the cafe offers. The best part? They bring it right up to your desk and you don’t have to lift a finger. You can order anything from:
- burgers
- salads
- acai bowls
- pastries
- hot/iced coffee
- and so much more…
They work on a tab basis in Semilla – we always paid our tab at the end of the day if we bought anything.
Note: You are not obligated to buy anything from their cafe. Don’t feel like you need to buy something as you’ve paid for your space unless you want to of course. You can simply head straight upstairs to the coworking, no one will ask you for an order and get to work.
Want to order food from Rappi or maybe you want to bring your own food? That’s not a problem! There’s a shared kitchen with a fridge and microwave to help you store and heat your food.
Community & Events
I have to hand it to Semilla Cafe Coworking for putting in the effort to organize some meetups. While we were there, they had a meetup on Thursdays at least once a month. They had one the first Thursday we arrived and we decided to put ourselves out there to make some friends.
Semilla offered 2×1 beers if I remember correctly. We did meet some people but the friendships didn’t go anywhere. I guess the issue for us was that there wasn’t a real organized agenda – it’s a meetup you just come, drink and chat with others which is totally normal. However, it was a little awkward as there seemed to be a lot of cliques that know each other already, therefore they just hung out as a group. Idk…if you go to a meetup to just hang with your friends, can’t you do that elsewhere? It was also hard to tell who was from the coworking space and who was just coming for the event. Oh well – digital nomad problems, hey?
As the pandemic comes to an end, we hope more coworking spaces will revive their social events.
Staff at Semilla Cafe Coworking
The staff is lovely at Semilla! It feels like they want to look after you and make sure you enjoy your coworking. They only speak Spanish so it’s great to practice if you’re learning. If you’re not, it might be hard to communicate and pay your bills as they didn’t really like using Google Translate.
We met Daniel, who we think is either the manager and/or the owner of Semilla and he was always so nice to us. He made sure the wifi always worked, helped us with our bills and was just a friendly face to see every morning. He also spoke great English which helps a lot!
Clean & Well-Maintained Facilities
The coworking space in Semilla is very clean and well-maintained. I believe they clean the space at least once a day and the bathrooms much more frequently.
Is There Fast & Strong Wifi At Semilla Coworking?
Yes, Semilla coworking provided wifi at 36+ Mbps. We never had any interruptions or problems when we did heavy streaming or had Zoom meetings. Once they set you up on the network, you’ll be set for the rest of the month.
If you work from the cafe, it’s a much lower internet speed at around 15 Mbps.
Costs & Monthly Membership at Semilla Cafe Coworking
You’ve just discovered one of the best coworking in Medellin…
…so what’s a membership at Semilla Coworking going to cost?
This all depends on the duration of your stay. The good thing about Semilla is that they have pretty flexible plans depending on what you need.
Here’s the USD prices for Semilla Coworking in Medellin, Colombia:
- Day Pass: $8.35
- Weekly: $39.24
- 1 Month Unlimited: $126.29
Is this expensive or cheap for a coworking space? We think it’s a reasonable price for a space like Semilla. It’s competitively priced and
It’s the most expensive option – but you get to enjoy the amazing features, amenities and community they offer. The monthly unlimited is the best option but if you only want to go a couple of times a week – the day pass is a great option too!
Opening Hours At Semilla Cafe Coworking
Monday-Saturday: 8am-8:30pm; Closed on Sundays; Holidays: 9:30am-5pm
We’ve had our fair share of experience working from coworking spaces. A lot of them usually offer 24/7 access like in Playa del Carmen and coliving/coworking spaces like Bali Bustle.
This isn’t a problem for us because we don’t work in specific time zones. If you work remotely for a company, this might be an issue if you’re working in European or Australian time zones. For US citizens, Medellin is in the same time zone as the east coast depending on daylight savings.
Matthew and I start work at 8am so these opening hours worked perfectly for us!
How To Book Coworking At Semilla Cafe Coworking
The best way to book your coworking membership at Semilla is by walking in and talking to them directly. You can also message them on WhatsApp (+57 317 5159876) to nail down the details and simply pay them on your first day.
There is no need to book in advance online.
REVIEW – Our Personal Experience & Thoughts
We loved the neighborhood of Laureles and Semilla Coworking is right in the heart of it. Before we booked our Airbnb, we made sure we were only 10 minutes walking from Semilla because we already knew that we were going to sign up for coworking.
The chairs are very comfortable and the desks were spacious enough to spread out (like most digital nomads love to 😉). The shared kitchen is great if you want to stick to your meal plan and/or preferred to have the flexibility to choose. The wifi is very fast and reliable for any kind of work (even Zoom) which brings me to one of the downsides…
…it was just noisy in the coworking space. We love a coworking friendship where you visit each other at their desks and chat for a bit. However, it seemed like it was normal to take a Zoom/video call on speaker inside the coworking space. This wasn’t Semilla’s fault because there are dedicated meeting booths!! Just be aware: the noise levels can get up there when you might be trying to concentrate.
With that said, we still believe that as far as coworking in Medellin, Semilla Coworking is the best one in the city!
If they add more events and workshops, we can see this coworking space become a real leader in the digital nomad scene in Medellin.
2. Open Space (Poblado)
Open Space is a creative coworking space located in the Manila area of Poblado (aka the best barrio). This space was created for the digital nomads, creative entrepreneurs and remote workers who want to be in an inspiring and collaborative workspace environment.
What does Open Space offer? Here are some of the things you can expect:
- spacious desks and chairs
- natural light-filled space
- friendly staff
- cafe with some pastry options
- 2 levels of space
Open Space isn’t your average coworking space and things work a little differently here. There’s no monthly membership available and it’s only a daily pass but here’s the catch: it’s competitively priced to a monthly membership.
For a coworking in Medellin, we think that Open Space has quickly earned its place as one of the top spaces to work from for digital nomads and remote workers.
What To Expect Working From Open Space
When walking around the Manila barrio, you can’t miss Open Space. It’s the big, bold and beautiful blue warehouse on a quiet street. As soon as you enter, you can see they have worked hard to make it a functional space for different needs.
Open Space had the fastest wifi speed we had seen for a coworking space in Medellin. We consistently got speeds of 220+ Mbps – yes you read that right! 220 Mbps is pretty darn fast for any kind of work you want to do.
Features & Amenities At Open Space
Curious what’s included in a daily pass at Open Space? It’s a little different so here is our best explanation of the features and amenities for this coworking in Medellin.
Ergonomic Chairs & Spacious Desks
There are plenty of desks you can sit at – it’s basically a hot desk situation. Pick wherever you want to sit – there are 2 floors. The first floor is a cheaper option for the daily pass which gets more crowded but we preferred it! The 2nd floor is a dedicated space only for people who pay a little extra to stay up there.
They have these wooden chairs at Open Space which are surprisingly comfortable even after 4+ hours of work. These wooden chairs aren’t flimsy in any way which helps! If you want more comfortable ergonomic chairs – you can find them on the 2nd floor which is only $5,000 COP ($1.27 USD) more.
Cafe & Restaurant On-site
There is a cafe right at the front where you can order Colombian coffee, tea or other fizzy drinks like a passionfruit soda (aka my fave). Unfortunately, there weren’t any food items on the menu. We heard that they were going to set this up in the future though.
The coffee at Open Space was a pleasant surprise! We weren’t really sure what to expect but it exceed it that’s for sure. This made it a no-brainer decision to keep going to Open Space while we lived in Poblado.
They have an interesting deal or combo that they offer which is: buy a daily pass ($15,000 COP) and you also get $5,000 COP worth of drinks from the cafe included in the price. Well…that’s hard to say no!
Community & Events
Open Space really shines in this area. There were always events happening throughout the week!
While we were there, I attended yoga classes hosted at Open Space which was awesome. Here are just some of the events we saw happening during the month we were there:
- Yoga classes
- Show your job talks
- Branding workshop
- and so much more….
As there isn’t a monthly membership, sometimes these classes are free and sometimes they are paid. For example, it’s $30,000 COP ($7.60 USD) for a 1-hour yoga session!
The daily pass gives you the flexibility to choose which is a cool way to do it!
Staff at Open Space
The staff is super friendly at Open Space. They are all young, stylish and very cool! It’s also easy to chat with them because a lot of them speak English.
Whenever you want a daily pass, you can pay at the end of the day (when you can leave for lunch and come back). We loved how chill everyone is with this!
Clean & Well-Maintained Facilities
It’s always clean and maintained well! There isn’t a chair out of place and they regularly clean the bathrooms (which have the cutest aesthetic 😍).
Is There Fast Wifi At Open Space?
Yes, the wifi speed is 244+ Mbps at Open Space coworking in Medellin!
It’s the fastest we have seen in Medellin for a coworking space and the connection was always reliable enough for streaming or a video call.
Costs & Monthly Membership at Open Space
Open Space is a hidden gem for coworking in Medellin! When we walked around our neighborhood and stumbled upon it – we thought we struck gold!
Remember how I said Open Space’s membership works a little differently? Well, this is how the pricing works:
- Daily (1st floor): $15,000 COP ($3.80 USD)
- Daily (2nd floor): 20,000 COP ($5.06 USD)
What’s the difference? The 2nd floor has better chairs – the comfortable, rolly, ergonomic ones. It’s also much quieter and less busy at the top!
Remember: These prices include a $5,000 spend for drinks at the cafe! We loved this option because it felt like you got way more value for money.
Opening Hours
Monday-Sunday: 7:30am – 7:30pm
The opening hours are perfect for us! We love an early start and it’s one of the earliest opening times for coworking in Medellin.
You need to follow their Instagram page to get up-to-date info about opening hours though. Sometimes, they are closed and you only find out a few days before and it’s only on Insta!
How To Book Coworking At Open Space
No need to book in advance. Simply show up on the day you want to try it out and tell them you’d like a daily pass – that’s it! You can pay at the end and make sure to ask about the coffee + cowork combo if you want a drink included.
3. Quokka Coworking (Poblado)
Another great option for coworking in Medellin is Quokka Coworking! This coworking space is located in Poblado on a quiet street, close to the famous Masaya Hostel.
Quokka Coworking has been around for a while and has made it a staple in the digital nomad community. We had to check it out for ourselves and see what it was like!
Features & Amenities At Quokka Coworking
This is one of the more popular coworking spots for not just digital nomads but also for the locals that work remotely (which is a good amount btw). It’s an indoor and outdoor space with lots of greenery to help you not feel like you’re in an ‘office’. The ergonomic chairs are comfortable for long work hours and there are plenty of spacious desks to choose from.
Quokka Coworking has a beautiful garden area for when you want to do some casual work or just switch up the environment at times. The facilities are new and modern – they have a Skype room, chillout area and silent zones when you want to focus and not listen to other people’s meetings.
The staff is very friendly and ready to help you with what they could. They offer free tea/coffee for members, personal lockers and shared kitchen space to microwave your food.
Costs & Monthly Membership at Quokka Coworking
Quokka Coworking is a great space for digital nomads and remote workers to work from if they live in the Poblado area. Especially if you don’t want to feel like you’re back in a cubicle!
For this coworking in Medellin, they offer various membership options and this is what they cost:
- Daily: $38,000 ($9.60 USD)
- Weekly: $150,000 ($38 USD)
- Monthly Unlimited: $450,000 ($114 USD)
We think this is fairly cost-effective for the value that Quokka brings! It’s one of the more affordable coworking in Medellin, specifically in the Poblado area too!
Open Space is a hidden gem for coworking in Medellin! When we walked around our neighborhood and stumbled upon it – we thought we struck gold!
Opening Hours
Monday-Saturday: 7:00am – 7:00pm; Closed on Sundays
If you love to work early in the morning – Quokka opens at 7am which is pretty early for coworking in Medellin.
How To Book Coworking At Quokka Coworking
The best way to book is going to be to show up on the day and sign up! You don’t need to message them beforehand and you can have a little tour to see if you like it.
BONUS: Free Zones For Coworking In Medellin
You’re probably wondering…
…what do you mean by ‘free’ zones for coworking in Medellin?
Well…I’ve already mentioned that the digital nomad scene is booming in Medellin, Colombia. They understand what it means to work online and the need for a space to do just that so we can explore more of their beautiful country!
In a lot of the malls in Medellin, they have dedicated zones for coworking – sometimes more than 1 zone in a big mall. These zones are completely free to use for anyone that needs the space! It also comes with free wifi that you can access. You don’t need to do anything else other than sit down and take up a spot! Medellin is already lightyears ahead, right?
They are usually very modern and designed beautiful with wooden details. While the chairs are simple wooden ones, they are perfect to bang out a couple of hours of work!
You can find free coworking zones at these malls:
- El Tesoro Shopping Park
- Centro Comercial Oviedo
- Centro Comercial Viva Envigado
- Santafé Mall
The only problem we realized with this is…if you’re a solo digital nomad, you might need to pack up your stuff and unpack to simply go to the bathroom. If you plan to work at the zones, bring a friend so you can look after each other’s stuff!
Why We Didn’t Include Selina Cowork & WeWork…
If you’ve read any of our coworking blog posts like in Antigua Guatemala, you’ll already know we aren’t fond of Selina’s or WeWork’s.
Why?
Selina is a huge hostel chain that is quickly expanding globally after taking over Latin America. They seemed to want to take some of the digital nomad market and included coworking spaces at all their locations. But at the end of the day…it’s still a hostel filled with backpackers on their gap year not actually doing much work online. The Selina in Medellin is no different!
WeWork in Medellin has one of the best office views in the entire city. With that said, it’s still just glorified office space! I like coworking spaces that don’t totally feel like I’m working in a cubicle if that makes sense? That’s why I escaped the 9-5 life right… It’s also slightly more expensive than the local coworking spaces which offer much better customer service!
Coworking Not Your Thing? Work From These 3 Cafes Instead.
We get it – coworking is not everyone’s slice of toast (you get what I mean).
You might enjoy working from cafes instead, and so do I from time to time. Matt’s an avid coworking person but I love to get out and try new cafes for the buzzing atmosphere (and some people-watching iykyk).
Here are just 3 of the best cafes in Medellin to work from for digital nomads:
- Pergamino Cafe (Poblado)
- Delmuri Cafe (Laureles)
- Hija Mia Coffee Roasters (Poblado)
Want more cafe suggestions? Read our complete guide of the 9x best cafes to work from in Medellin.
Coworking In Medellin Is A Digital Nomad’s Dream
Medellin is a digital nomad hotspot for good reason. The wifi is fast, the facilities are modern and the community is growing!
The best coworking in Medellin is Semilla Cafe Coworking, in our opinion. We absolutely loved it – from the friendly staff to the fast wifi and greenery-filled facilities that make you feel like you’re a digital nomad (not a 9-5er).
Open Space was a close second as far as coworking in Medellin but both are great, to be honest. You won’t have trouble getting work done in Medellin as there are so many ways and facilities to help you do that!
Make sure to try out the free coworking zones at the malls – they are very cool and remind you why Medellin is considered the “Silicon Valley” of Latin America!
Which coworking in Medellin do you love most? Comment below and let us know your thoughts!
