Nomad Guide to Living in Colombia

The Cost of Living in Colombia

Colombia offers an excellent, low-cost up-scale living ratio. In a country where one would expect otherwise, there exists an array of first-world amenities and infrastructure. Rent and cost of living will vary from place to place, but in general, you can expect the following to be true:

Dining out during lunch hours will cost you about $5 for the traditional Colombian lunch (soup, main, drink, and dessert). That can, of course, cost more depending on the areas where you dine. Dinner will cost about $10 – $20 a plate in a touristy area, however, the options are as vast as they are rich in variety.

There are many options for transportation in almost any part of Colombia. Bogota’s traffic is known to be stressful during rush hours, so it’s advisable to travel at other times if possible. City buses will cost you around $0.60-$0.90 one way, while taxis generally cost around $0.60 per kilometer in the cities.

Rent in cities like Medellín and Bogota runs around $400-$1,000 for an average apartment. Nicer flats designed for expats can be rented for around $1,500-$2,000 per month. Utilities are reasonable and should only cost you around an average of $60/month for gas and electricity. Groceries costs vary depending on location, however, a couple can expect to pay around $375/month in food. A liter of milk in the grocery store will cost about 75 cents, one dozen eggs around $1.50, and a decent bottle of red table wine around $10.

The Best Places to Live in Colombia

Medellín

Medellin was dubbed the ‘Worlds Most Innovative City’ back in 2012 by Citi and Wall Street Journal. A growing number of expats, tourists, and entrepreneurs are flocking to the city’s endless spring weather and cosmopolitan lifestyle.

A promising IT hub awaits, built on free after-school computer programming lessons and other government-funded programs. A strong educational culture with a blossoming arts scene provides a fresh and inventive workforce.

Santa Marta

Santa Marta is perfect for those looking to retire or unwind from the daily grind. This paradise on earth is complete with tropical rainforest, snow-capped mountains, and a Caribbean coast. Tayrona National Park protects these pristine landscapes.

One of the oldest surviving cities in South America, Santa Marta has become a developed city many property buyers descend upon for its choice real estate. The largest urban city on the Caribbean coast in Colombia, Santa Marta’s economy is based mostly on trade, tourism, fishing, agriculture and port activities.

This tropical highland is capital to Colombia and home to over 13 million people in its metropolitan area. Home to many business headquarters, Bogota conveniently lies just five hours by plane from New York, Mexico City and Sao Paulo. In the north, there are chic and sophisticated neighborhoods in many areas of the city.

Bogota

Cali

Cali is the largest city in Colombia, after Bogota, with 3 million inhabitants. Founded in 1536, it contains a bustling industry of coffee, sugar, meats, cotton, tobacco, textiles, paper and more — all of which are traded and produced here. The world capital of salsa, Cali pulses with its infectious salsa clubs and urban culture. This is Colombia’s only major city that gives access to the Pacific coast. It’s Colombia’s Southwest economic hub with one of the country’s fastest growing economies.

Second Citizenship in Colombia

Expats and investors desiring a second citizenship can obtain citizenship in Colombia in as little as 5 years. This will require an investment in either property or business in the country itself, and at least one visit to Colombia each year in order to keep your residency active.

After spending as little as five years in the country, you can apply for naturalization. A Colombian passport is much better than it used to be and will grant you visa-free access to over 100 countries, including Europe’s Schengen Area and traditionally difficult countries like Russia. As a dual citizenship country, you will not have to renounce your current citizenship to become a citizen of Colombia. For more information on obtaining residency and citizenship in Colombia, visit this page or apply for help.