Medellín continues to make headlines. On March 27, 2026, the body of Erick Molina, an American Airlines flight attendant was found 100 kilometers south of Medellín. Erick had been a victim of a very popular drugging scam in Medellín: Scopolamine. It is a natural drug that is found in the Brugmansia plant family. The plant is most commonly known as floripondio, or more appropriately, borrachero. On occasion, doctors use it to treat motion sickness, but if ingested in large quantities, a person loses their ability to make decisions and can voluntarily give up their personal information. There have been countless news articles, documentaries, and interviews made about the dangers of this drug.

Danger is relative. Gun violence is something to be worried about in the United States; not so much in Colombia. Colombia has it’s own unique set of dangers that can affect you if you aren’t careful. Your best bet is not to look for sex and drugs. Locals would consider you are “giving papaya” and pursuing the quickest way down the Medellín crapshoot if you choose any of the later activites.

But “giving papaya” isn’t the only way to get yourself in trouble. Often times, people romanticize Latin American hospitality. People like to think that people are more hospitable, kind, and warm. While that might be true, it is a proven method local criminal organizations use to earn your trust and commit their crime. Please be cautions because amigo, el ratón del queso!

Medellin is one of the most visited cities in Latin America today. Travelers come for the spring-like weather, the mountain views, and the energy of a city that has reinvented itself over the past few decades.

But like any city, Medellín has its own social codes. Here are some tips you should follow to avoid misunderstandings that can create awkward moments.

1. Don’t Call Medellín “Cheap”

Many visitors arrive in Colombia and are surprised by how affordable things feel compared to the United States or Europe.

But saying “Medellín is cheap” rarely comes across the way people intend.

First, announcing how inexpensive everything is can unintentionally reveal how far your money goes, which isn’t always wise when traveling. But more importantly, for locals this isn’t a vacation destination, its their real life.

To put things into perspective, Colombia’s legal minimum wage currently sits around 1,750,950 COP, plus a 250,000 COP transportation subsidy for workers who qualify. Depenidng on the exchange rate, that comes out to roughly $500 – $550 USD per month.

At the same time, a large share of Colombia’s workforce is informal and earns below the legal minimum wage. In cities like Bogotá or Medellín, many salaried jobs fall somewhere between two and two-and-half the minimum wage.

So if you find accommodations, food, and nightlife far below the prices you are used to, enjoy it. Just keep the commentary to yourself.

2. Don’t Get Too Informal Too Fast

Pasias (people from Medellín) are famously warm and friendly. But Medellín is still a fairly traditional and socially conservatiev city, and formality matters more than many visitors expect.

A good rule of thumb:

• Address older people as Señor or Señora
• Use usted instead of tú when meeting someone new

Overtime, relationship often become more relaxed. But starting with respect goes a long way.

Another thing to understand is that in Medellín, friendship and family are two different circles. Locals may welcome you warmly into their social lives, but family spaces tend to be more private and are earned graudally over time.

3. Don’t Skip the Greetings

In Medellín, interaction usually begins before the request.

Whether you’re entering a doctor’s office, walking into a shop, or passing someone in your building, there is typically a greeting first:

• Buenos días
• Buenas tardes
• ¿Cómo estás?

For visitors from more fast-paced cultures, this might feel like small talk. But here its a fomr of social acknowledgement.

The greeting establishes a conncetion before the transaction.

Ignoring that step can make interactions feel abrupt or even rude.

4. Don’t Treat Lunch Like a Quick Bite

In Colombia, lunch isn’t just another meal. It’s often the main event of of the day.

A traditional lunch usually follows a structure known as “sopa y seco.”

First comes the soup.

Then comes the seco. Typically rice, beans, a protein, plantain, and sometimes avocado.

In other words, a full meal.

Beacuase of this tradition, foods like burgers, pizza, and hot dogs are usually seen as lighter or more casual meals, often eaten in the evening rather than at midday.

So if someone invites you to lunch in Medellín, don’t expect a quick bite. It’s usually mean to be something more substantial.

5. Don’t Confuse Warm Weather with Beach Culture

Medellín’s climate is famously described as “eternal spring.”

But warm weather doesn’t mean beach culture.

Even on casual days, locals tend to dress with intention. Style matters in Medellín. It is not something flashy but rather something put together.

You’ll rarely see locals walking around shirtless, in flip flops, or in a swimwear otuside pool areas.

Personal presentation is seen as a form of social respect. The way you dress signals how seriously you take youself and the space you are in.

6. Don’t Throw Trash on the Streets

Medellín has worked hard to transform itself over the past few decades.

Parks, public transit, sidewalks, and community spaces are all part of that transformation. Many locals take real pride in the city’s appearance.

Because of that, littering isn’t just seen as messy, it is often interpreted as disrespectful.

Treating public places with care is one of the easiest ways to show appreciation for the city.

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Medellín is an incredibly welcoming city, and most visitors have a great experience here.

But understanding a few social norms can make your time in the city smoother and more respectful, both for you and for the people who call this place home.

If you follow these six guidelines, you’ll move through Medellín with much greater ease. Here are a few other tips you can follow!

Hi Everyone!

As a tour guide in both Medellín and New York City, I have compiled a list I think you will find useful during your trip to Medellín Colombia.

If you are interested in joining my tour, you can reserve your spot here!

Transportation

Metro System

At the moment, Medellín is the only city in Colombia with a rapid transit system. The Metro is a very important part of the culture and a great source of pride for Paisas. I highly recommend using the metro to engage and mix in with locals. But before you do that, there are some rules you should adhere to before hoping along.

• No eating or drinking allowed on the Metro. This may be a bit confusing since you will find food kiosks and some stations may even have vending machines, but you’ll notice that they are placed before the turnstile.
• No large packages are allowed on board. If you are traveling with luggage and plan on taking public transportation from the airport in Rionegro to your accommodation in Medellín, you are only going to get half way. Take the buses available at the airport and then hail a cab to your final destination.

Car Etiquette

No slamming car doors or trunks in Medellín. These cars are usually the driver’s primary source of income and are handled with lots of care since repairs can be expensive. Slamming can also be interpreted as a form of microagression suggesting you are unhappy with the services.

Hygiene

Maintaining good hygiene is a way to show consideration for others and seen as basic courtesy.

• Maintain personal care practices like brushing your teeth, smelling fresh, and well dressed.
• Burping is considered extremely rude. Please excuse yourself if you are sharing space with others if you find yourself in the need.
• Medellín is a very clean city. Please hold on to your trash until you find the appropriate recipient.

Trust

Building trust is very important to Paisas. There are several ways to go about it.

• Always greet them before engaging them. ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? It goes a long way!
• Paisas are big on offerings. They may offer you a cup of coffee, a shot of aguardiente, or a snack. Rejecting them may be interpreted as a sign of mistrust.

Tipping Culture

Tipping culture is present in Colombia. Although its not mandatory in most restaurants, they are greatly appreciated. They call it a service fee. The customary amount is 10% of the total bill.

Pablo Escobar & Narco Tourism

Contrary to what Hollywood makes you believe, this kind of tourism in not welcomed in Medellín.

The number of casualties that arose due to the inner city violence in the 80s and 90s is difficult to calcualate, but its safe to say that they are in the thousands. Each of the people who met their death as a result from the violence have loved ones who still mourn them. If we take that into consideration, the number of people affected by the violence are in the hundred thousands or even millions if we consider Colombians all around the world.

If you look you will find tours that cater to people curious about this horrific time period. Some of them are even sold on the perspective of the victims. However, there is a very telling thing about these tours that lets you know how Paisas feel about this: they are only held in English. They get really upset when guides tell these stories.

Safety

If your travel plans are a long list of things your mother told you not to do, Colombia is not the place you want to try them out.

• Dating Apps are not the best place to meet people.
• Read the room. If you are walking down the street and you don’t see anyone with their cellphones out, you should probably follow.
• Looking at your phone while you wait for a light change to cross the street is also not a great idea.
• Colombia is not the place you want to show off your purchasing power. Valuables should stay in a safe place either at your hotel room or back home.

Critiquing Culture through a Foreign Lens

It’s really important to remember our role as guests when we travel. It is natural to filter everything we come acorss through our experiences, habits, and comfort zone but ss guests we don’t decide what is right or wrong based on how we do things at home.

When we visit our friend’s house, we don’t walk in observing how the laundry is folded or how dishes are washed. The same should apply to travel.

We are walking into a country’s rhythm and that rhythm is not auditioning for approval.

The Colonial Dimension to Travel

Travel is really important because it contributes to the spread of culture, gives us access to different points of view, and it helps us grown as individuals. But there is a colonial dimension to tourism, especially in developing countries, that is often not spoken about.

A lof of it comes from entitlement. Sometimes it’s intentional, but a lot of the time it is unconscious.

For the most part, tourists have a larger purchasing power than locals. This allows access to more choices and mobility, but access does not translate to ownership.

Yes! Tourism is a big part of the ecoonomy, and that matters. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t limits or that everything is up for consumption just because you paid for a flight.

Social Media

There’s also a performative side to travel. Sometimes when we experience something new, our instict is to turn it into content. Sometimes with a sense of over-excitement with the purpose of it going viral. I know that we are all after the likes, views, and clout, and sometimes the excitement can be genuine, but its worth pausing to remember that what feels new to us is often someone else’s everyday life and culture.

I hope you find these tips helpful!

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!