Digital Nomads

I recently got back to Medellin and really loved it. The culture, the people, the weather, the mountains, etc. However, I did have one bad night there, I won’t get too much into the details unless someone in the comments wants me to, but I did fall victim to getting drugged/scoped one night and it was really a smack in the face, that this is a city that I need to be cautious in and that I should have my guard up more.

I was there for 40 days, so I feel like one bad experience shouldn’t deter me from somewhere. Just need to learn from the experience. But I have heard of a lot of scoping/drugging cases in Medellin. Also, in the r/medellin subreddit there are numerous posts of people being pickpocketed on the streets. And there’s always at least a couple comments saying “welcome to Colombia”.

So the first part of my question is: for the people that live/lived in Medellin, do you feel that it’s safe if you take the correct precautions (stay of tinder, don’t invite people you don’t know well to your home, don’t go out alone late, etc.)? Or do you feel this is a place where things can and do happen anytime anywhere?

My second question: Are there any countries near that people would recommend? I’m looking for an inexpensive city that is lively. A place with a beach and areas to scuba dive is a plus, but not completely necessary. A couple places I am thinking about are Lima, Peru and Panama City.

Happy travels!

Edit: I should also add that I’m a solo traveler from the U.S. and work remotely.