Affordable rates for lodging near to Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín

robhaynie says on Jul 18, 2005, 15:59:

its in a pretty shitty area of town...i wouldnt recommend a gringa live anywhere other than Poblado

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Anna Banana says on Jul 18, 2005, 16:12:

Is Poblado nearby Is Poblado near to the university because I think that's where I have to go! So how near is Poblado to the Universidad de Antioquia

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robhaynie says on Jul 18, 2005, 16:37:

i'll ask around I'm not too sure but I'll ask while I'm still in town but i heard something to the effect that the uni is not in a nice place......I know quite a few gringo oil workers living at a pretty nice, exclusive place. Gate community and furnished...i'll send you a link to the development.

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robhaynie says on Jul 18, 2005, 16:39:

forgot to add 650 month

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Anna Banana says on Jul 18, 2005, 16:52:

What about the Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales Do you know anything about this University in Bogotá, like the area in which it is situated and about lodging there? Thank you for your other replies.

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vladimiro says on Jul 18, 2005, 16:56:

I would ask the university to help you find a place within your budget. You don't have to live in El Poblado by any means in fact many middle and working-class neighborhoods are just as safe and they have a more interesting and livlier atmosphere in my opinion.

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Anna Banana says on Jul 18, 2005, 17:10:

Do you think i should be fairly safe So what do you think about me living there then? Do you think I should be fairly safe there then?

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robhaynie says on Jul 18, 2005, 18:44:

Forget Bogota I think its just way too dangerous in Bogota wherever you are in the city.....but personally, all the expat or gringo workers i have met all live in Poblado and I would suggest you do too. Why chance it?

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bjorn says on Jul 19, 2005, 02:57:

you don't have to live in Poblado Universidad de Antioquia is a very nice place, with a beautiful campus. But it's true that the neighbourhood is not the best. The university is situated a little north of Medellin centre and although the area is not like Poblado you should not worry to much about that. (Poblado is in the south of the city) Statements like "Poblado is the only place foreigners can live in Medellin" is just plain nonsense. I would suggest that you find a apartment or rent a room in the area around Santa Lucia, Floresta, Americas or Robledo. Nice areas, much cheaper than Poblado and you can take the metro or the bus to the uni. I spent a full semester at UdeA. Highly recommended! Since you are staying a full year you shouldn't have any problem finding a apartment or a room. check out the local newspapes. You should find a nice room at a local family for 100-150 US$ a month. This is probably the best options with your limited budget.

I agree with Vladimir that many middle and working-class neighborhoods are just as safe and has often a more interesting atmosphere than Poblado. There's a lot of nice places in Poblado but it's just not worth the high pricetag.

Bjorn

Bjorn

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viewpoint says on Jul 19, 2005, 04:58:

Anna Banana I would agree with BJORN'S comments and post. Don't pay any attention to the comments of ROBHAYNIE as they are not accurate or representative of Medellin. There are plenty of other areas of Medellin that are less expensive and safe for you to live within you budget other than Poblado. My secretary lives in Salvador in an two bedroom apartment with her sister who attends that university and their total rent is US$100.00 plus cable TV and other utilities of about US$50 more. Yes, it's possible to live on US$350/MO. but that would be a tight budget but about 40% (or more) of the city exists on less than that. A monthly welcome package of a few $$$ from MOM AND DAD would be appreciated to supplement that income would be helpful.

Personally, I think you should room with a family or another local person that is totally familar with Medellin and speaks spanish. I will PM you a phone number to call for some bilingual assistance. Living in Poblado as some people suggest presents some costly transporation problems in commuting from home to university. With your tight budget you need to be closer (in a safe area) to the University on a good bus route to cut your transportation costs (the buses and metro are your friend). Commuting via Taxi from Poblado to the University can cost you 22 X US$4.75 R/T = $104.50 per month (22 working days per month average).

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utopiacowboy says on Jul 19, 2005, 07:20:

Some excellent advice from Viewpoint, Vladimiro and Bjorn above.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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ColombiaBoard says on Jul 19, 2005, 07:32:

Where to live in Medellin I´d like to recommend other areas of Medellin with excellent living conditions:
-Estadio
-Laureles
-Conquistadores

Be sure to find a place close to a metro station because that´ll be your best transportation option to the UdeA (Universidad de Antioquia).

El Poblado is the most expensive area in Medellin, everything there is more expensive (including utilities)

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robhaynie says on Jul 19, 2005, 09:11:

You can pay attention to my comments or not but my comments are very representative of Medellin. She did ask about lodging close to U 0f A which is not a safe area. She might get her ass mugged living around there.

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morphus says on Jul 19, 2005, 11:10:

mugged? how? Medellin is the safest city in the world.

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cgazar says on Jul 19, 2005, 13:21:

Safest City... I don't know if I would say tha Medellin is the safest city in the world, but I feel safer there than in downtown LA. I just got back from there, and I can verify a few things; 1) the Metro is Clean, Safe & economical (about $0.43 a trip at current exchange rates). Poblado is relatively expensive - (I own a condo there) but you can find something reasonable anywhere if you have a contact (get the University to help). One thing for sure, the cost of living is fantastic compared to Southern California and, once you know how to get around, there are lots of fascinating things to see and do....

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utopiacowboy says on Jul 19, 2005, 15:37:

That wasn't what we disagreed with. It was this comment: "i wouldnt recommend a gringa live anywhere other than Poblado". That is what we disagree with. We don't spend any time in Poblado.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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