Postcodes are essential in many parts of the world but they function a little differently in Colombia. Medellin locations can be identified with calles, carreras, comunas, diagonales, circulares, avenidas, departamentos and barrios. It can all get quite confusing but there is a clear logic behind the city’s long, complicated addresses and Medellin postcodes.
I have lived and worked in Medellin for 16 years and in this article I will explain what your postcode is, when you will need it and help you understand all of the other terms used to locate and describe an address in Colombia.
What are Postcodes used for in Colombia?
Postcodes in Colombia are 6 digit numbers used to identify zones of the city. These zones can include multiple neighbourhoods and are not as precise as other parts of the world, such as the UK, where they identify specific addresses. The postcodes can be useful when there are multiple neighbourhoods with the same name, as can be the case across Colombia.
They are used to support postal companies as well as used as a reference for public services and financial institutions.
The first 2 digits of the number identify the department of the country (the equivalent of the state in the US), the second 2 the city (always 00 for the capital city of the department) and then the final 2 for the area of the city. The postcode will include a variety of neighbourhoods but generally stay within one comuna.
How Important Is A Medellin Postcode?
Given that postcodes are not used to identify specific addresses or buildings, they are not used as much as in other parts of the world. For example, in the UK if you are scheduling a delivery or including your address on a form then your postcode and house number will provide all of the information needed. Given thousands of houses and offices share the same postcode, it isn’t something that will be needed frequently.
When will I need To Know Postcode?
You will need your postcode when you are filling in official documents about your housing situation, opening a bank account, registering to pay public services and other processes which require you to report your full address details. Also, when sending something internationally or completing a payment on an international platform, you will need to include a postcode.
what Is My Medellin Postcode?
Below I will include the postcodes for some of the most important or most popular neighbourhoods for foreign visitors
050021 – El Poblado (North)
Altos del Poblado, Asomadera No 2, Asomadera No 3, Barrio Colombia, Castropol, El Poblado, El Tesoro, La Florida, Lalinde, Las Lomas No 1, Las Lomas No 2, Manila, Villa Carlota
050022 – El Poblado (south)
Alejandría, Astorga, El Castillo, El Diamante No 2, La Aguacatala, Los Balsos No 1, Los Balsos No 2, Los Naranjos, Patio Bonito, San Lucas, Santa María de Los Ángeles.
050031 – Laureles
Bolivariana, El Velódromo, Florida Nueva, Las Acacias, Laureles, Lorena, Los Pinos, Naranjal, San Joaquín, U P B.
050034 – Estadio
050034 – estadio & Robledo (South)
Altamira, Batallón Cuarta Brigada, Bosques de San Pablo, Caribe, Carlos E Restrepo, Cerro El Volador, Cuarta Brigada, Ecoparque Cerro El Volador, Estadio, Facultad de Minas U Nacional, Facultad Veterinaria y Zootecnia U de A, La Pilarica, Los Colores
050032 – Floresta & Belen (northwest)
Barrio Cristóbal, Belencito, Campo Alegre, El Danubio, La América, La Castellana, La Floresta, Las Mercedes, Nueva Villa del Aburrá, Santa Mónica, Santa Teresita, Simón Bolívar.
050023 – Belen (South)
El Rincón, El Rodeo, Guayabal, La Colina, La Hondonada, La Mota y la vereda San José Del Manzanillo.
Medellin Postcode
| Postcode | Barrios |
| 050035 | Area de Expansión San Cristóbal, Blanquizal, Calasanz, Calasanz Parte Alta, El Pesebre, Ferrini, Juan XXIII La Quiebra, La Pradera, Los Alcázares, Metropolitano, Olaya Herrera, Santa Rosa de Lima y la vereda Área De Expansión San Cristóbal. |
| 050025 | Diego Echavarría, Granada, Las Playas, San Bernardo. |
| 050026 | Altavista, Area de Expansión Altavista, La Gloria, La Loma de Los Bernal, La Palma, Las Violetas, Los Alpes y las veredas Altavista Sector Central, Área De Expansión Altavista, Área De Expansión Belén Rincón, La Esperanza, San Pablo. |
| 050027 | Aguas Frías. |
| 050028 | |
| 050029 | Área De Expansión San Antonio De Prado, Buga Patio Bonito, El Salado, San José. |
| 050030 | Belén, Cerro Nutibara, El Nogal, Los Almendros, Fátima, Los Conquistadores, Miravalle, Rosales. |
| 050031 | Bolivariana, El Velódromo, Florida Nueva, Las Acacias, Laureles, Lorena, Los Pinos, Naranjal, San Joaquín, U P B. |
| 050032 | Barrio Cristóbal, Belencito, Campo Alegre, El Danubio, La América, La Castellana, La Floresta, Las Mercedes, Nueva Villa del Aburrá, Santa Mónica, Santa Teresita, Simón Bolívar. |
| 050033 | Antonio Nariño, Betania, Eduardo Santos, El Corazón, El Salado, El Socorro, Las Independencias, Nuevos Conquistadores, San Javier No 1, San Javier No 2, Santa Lucía, Veinte de Julio y las veredas Eduardo Santos, El Corazón El Morro, La Loma. |
| 050034 | Altamira, Batallón Cuarta Brigada, Bosques de San Pablo, Caribe, Carlos E Restrepo, Cerro El Volador, Cuarta Brigada, Ecoparque Cerro El Volador, Estadio, Facultad de Minas U Nacional, Facultad Veterinaria y Zootecnia U de A, La Pilarica, Los Colores. |
| 050024 | Campo Amor, Cristo Rey, Parque Juan Pablo II, Santa Fé, Tenche, Trinidad. |
| 050036 | Cucaracho, Fuente Clara, Robledo, Santa Margarita y las veredas Área De Expansión Pajarito, Cabecera Urbana Corregimiento San Cristóbal, La Palma, Las Playas, Pedregal Alto, Travesías. |
| 050037 | El Astillero, El Llano, El Patio, El Uvito, La Cuchilla, Naranjal, Volcana Guayabal. |
| 050040 | Alfonso Lopez, Córdoba, Cementerio Universal, Francisco Antonio Zea, Kennedy, Lopez de Mesa, Oleoducto, Terminal de Transporte. |
| 050041 | Aures No 1, Aures No 2, Bello Horizonte, El Diamante, Palenque, Villa Flora y la vereda Pajarito. |
| 050042 | Belalcázar, Castilla, Girardot, La Esperanza, Pedregal, Tricentenario. |
| 050043 | Doce de Octubre No 1, Doce de Octubre No 2, El Triunfo, Mirador del Doce, Picachito, Picacho, Progreso No 2, San Martín de Porres. |
| 050044 | Boyacá, Florencia, Héctor Abad Gómez, Las Brisas, Plaza de Ferias, Santander, Tejelo, Toscana. |
| 050047 | Monteclaro, Pajarito. |
| 050048 | La Aldea, La Esmeralda, La Frisola, La Sucia, La Suiza, Los Pomos, Potrera Miserenga. |
| 050013 | Barrio Caycedo, El Pinal, Enciso, La Ladera, La Libertad, LLanaditas, Los Mangos, Sucre, Trece de Noviembre. |
| 050002 | Aldea Pablo VI, Carpinelo, El Compromiso, La Avanzada, La Esperanza No 2, Popular, Santo Domingo Savio No 1, Santo Domingo Savio No 2. |
| 050003 | Granizal, La Rosa, Moscú No 1, Moscú No 2, San Pablo, Santa Cruz, Villa Guadalupe. |
| 050004 | Aranjuez, Berlin, Bermejal, Los Alamos, La piñuela, Palermo, San Isidro. |
| 050005 | Campo Valdés No 2, La Salle, Las Granjas, María Cano Carambolas, Oriente, San José La Cima No 1, San José La Cima No 2, Santa Inés. |
| 050006 | Brasilia, Campo Valdés No 1, Las Esmeraldas, Miranda, Moravia. |
| 050007 | Barro Blanco, La Honda. |
| 050010 | El Chagualo, Estación Villa, Hospital San Vicente de Paúl, Jardín Botánico, Jesús Nazareno, Manrique Central No 1, Parque Norte, San Benito, San Pedro, Sevilla, Universidad de Antioquia. |
| 050011 | Batallón Girardot, El Pomar, El Raizal, La Cruz, Manrique Central No 2, Manrique Oriental, Versalles No 1, Versalles No 2. |
| 050012 | Boston, La Candelaria, La Mansión, Los Ángeles, Prado, San Miguel, Villa Hermosa, Villa Nueva. |
| 050001 | Andalucía, La Francia, La Frontera, La Isla, Pablo VI, Playón de Los Comuneros, Villa del Socorro, Villa Niza. |
| 050014 | Alejandro Echavarría, Barrios de Jesús, Juan Pablo II, La Sierra, Las Estancias, Ocho de Marzo, San Antonio, Villa Lilliam, Villa Turbay, Villatina, Calle Nueva y la vereda Media Luna. |
| 050015 | Calle Nueva, Centro Administrativo, Corazón de Jesús, Guayaquil, La Alpujarra, Perpetuo Socorro. |
| 050016 | Asomadera No 1, Barrio Colón, Bomboná No 1, Buenos Aires, El Salvador, Gerona, Las Palmas, San Diego. |
| 050017 | Barro Blanco, El Llano Se, El Placer, El Plan, Mazo, Perico, Piedra Gorda. |
| 050018 | |
| 050020 | Bomboná No 2, Cataluña, La Milagrosa, Loreto, Los Cerros El Vergel, Miraflores. |
| 050021 | Altos del Poblado, Asomadera No 2, Asomadera No 3, Barrio Colombia, Castropol, El Poblado, El Tesoro, La Florida, Lalinde, Las Lomas No 1, Las Lomas No 2, Manila, Villa Carlota. |
| 050022 | Alejandría, Astorga, El Castillo, El Diamante No 2, La Aguacatala, Los Balsos No 1, Los Balsos No 2, Los Naranjos, Patio Bonito, San Lucas, Santa María de Los Ángeles. |
| 050023 | El Rincón, El Rodeo, Guayabal, La Colina, La Hondonada, La Mota y la vereda San José Del Manzanillo. |
How Are Neighbourhoods And Addresses identified In Colombia?
One reason why postcodes are less necessary in Colombia is because the full address can give a very specific location. To send post to a Colombian address you would first have the name and number of the apartment, if such exists. You would then include the street where the building is located followed by the nearest intersection. In Medellin the streets from north to south are ‘calles’ and from east to west are ‘carreras’. Then you have the name of the neighborhood, then the city, then the department and then the country.
For example Obelisco Mall in Laureles would be:
Centro Comercial Obelisco
Cra. 74 #No 48-37,
Laureles – Estadio,
Medellín,
Antioquia,
Colombia
Taxi and delivery drivers will immediately be able to work out an approximate location, using the interception information. Medellin is also divided by 16 geographic zones known as comunas. Every neighbourhood falls within a comuna but it is interesting that only certain areas use this title regularly, such as comuna 13 which has become famous in recent years.
What is the process of sending and receiving internationally?
When sending post to Colombia you should use the full address as above plus you will usually need the postcode. This won’t necessarily be used by the local delivery company but it will be required by the international couriers. Sending to Colombia can be expensive or slow or sometimes both. If you send goods of a higher value, they can also be held up by customs which can add time and cost.
How can I send things within Colombia?
Deliveries drivers have always been a big part of daily life in Medellin even before the advent of popular delivery apps. Almost every resident of Medellin would have dozens of stickers or magnets on their refrigerators with the numbers of the fast food restaurants, corner stores, plumbers and locksmiths from their neighborhood. Deliveries have become even more popular but are still very cheap and convenient. Rappi is the biggest delivery app and is highly recommended – you can get your shopping delivered in under 10 minutes using Rappi Turbo on the app.
To send things between cities you can use delivery companies such as Inter Rapidísimo or Servientrega. It will usually take 2-3 days to be delivered, depending how close the address is to a major city.
