Known as Raul Nomada on social media, Raul Mejia is a digital nomad who has lived in Medellin, Colombia, for almost two years. He recently shared his experience with ColombiaOne, discussing life as a foreigner and digital nomad in Medellin. He presented the city as ideal for his lifestyle.
Originally from Mexico City, he began working in digital marketing in 2020. The success of many Colombian entrepreneurs and digital marketers caught his attention, as most were living and working in Medellin. “I heard Medellin was the best place to connect with other entrepreneurs. I said, ‘I have to try it for myself,’ and, well, I am here,” explains Raul enthusiastically.
From Mexico to Colombia: Raul’s journey as a digital nomad
With over 53,700 followers on Instagram, Raul is a 22-year-old content creator and user-generated content (UGC) coach. He teaches people how to earn a living by promoting and generating content for businesses on social media, eventually helping them become digital nomads. “I help other digital nomads create content for online businesses so they can perform better on social media and earn money from it,” he explains. “I help them grow their follower base, revenue, and sales,” he adds.
After a difficult phase, Raul decided to move to Colombia, a decision that proved relieving. “I always tell people that coming to Medellin was the second-best decision I ever made in my life,” he says. “Here I started to realize that I was missing a place where I could feel at home. Medellin gave me that.”
Medellin: The new Mecca of Digital nomads
“Medellin is the best place to find other entrepreneurs and digital nomads,” says Raul. “You pick up a rock, and they pop out.” In recent years, Medellin and Colombia have become increasingly popular destinations for digital nomads.
One of the main side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the popularization of remote work, with millions of workers now partially or fully working from home. Many have decided to travel and explore the world because of the normalization of this practice. Medellin and Colombia have become favorites among digital nomads from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia.
‘Here, I feel like I am Colombian’
As Raul acknowledged, Medellin has many benefits and advantages for digital nomads. For him, the most important factor was the people, a key element in his decision to settle in Medellin. “Colombians are nice people. That’s the best thing about Colombia,” he says. “In Medellin, the people are open, warm, and kind. I feel like I’m in my hometown,” he claims.
As a Mexican, he quickly felt at home. “I especially love and appreciate the Colombian people. As a Mexican, I always thought we have a similar culture: we are very warm, joyful, and party people. We have a lot in common.” Colombians’ reputation for being warm surpassed Raul’s expectations. “I knew Colombians were warm, but man, they are warm. People here have made me feel like they are my family. I don’t feel like a foreigner here. Here, I feel like I am Colombian, that I am paisa [Medellin’s demonym].”
Living cost and working environment: Medellin’s assets for digital nomads
Raul was most surprised by the low cost of living in Medellin. “I used to think that Mexico was cheap, but man, Colombia is cheap. That’s something that surprised me, but that’s not the most important thing to me.” Colombia offers one of the best price-to-quality ratios in Latin America, particularly in Medellin, whether it’s housing, food, or services, including medical care.
Medellin also provides an excellent environment for digital nomads and remote workers. “There are plenty of coworking spaces, cafes, open coworks, and events for entrepreneurs,” he says. “The environment here is perfect for connecting with other people and digital nomads. It’s the best place to start new projects, network, attend events, and connect with other entrepreneurs,” he shares.
Nature has also been a plus for Raul. “The city is nice, with a lot of nature,” he says. “We are surrounded by mountains and nature. You can take a taxi and be 30 minutes away from lakes, rivers, and waterfalls,” he reveals.
Club Nomada: Raul’s project in Medellin
In Medellin, Raul launched a digital nomad community called Club Nomada, a group for digital nomads to network and connect. As he explains, “Being an entrepreneur is hard. Sometimes you are alone, you don’t know if what you are doing is right, and you keep trying and failing.” The initiative to create this group comes from the hardships of his professional career. “Being an entrepreneur is not what I thought,” he acknowledges. “You have to be resilient and strong mentally. That’s what made me start this group: to take the bad out of entrepreneurship.”
Through this group, Raul wants to provide a space for entrepreneurs and digital nomads to share this difficult path with like-minded people. “Club Nomada is a place where you can find people with the same mentality, ideas, and values.” With nearly 1,300 followers on Instagram, Club Nomada already has dozens of adherents from across the Americas.
Overall, Raul is very happy with his life in Medellin. “My quality of life is really good here,” he says enthusiastically. “Colombia is a beautiful place. Medellin gave me a lot of teachings and opportunities… I love you, Medellin!”