Cost of living in Colombia (2026): Medellín, Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali

Destinations Americas
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The cost of living in Colombia for a comfortable single remote worker is roughly COP 4.6m-7.8m a month (about $1,380-2,345) in Medellín, including a 1-bed flat, coworking and health insurance. Bogotá and Cali are cheaper on rent, while central Cartagena costs about the same as Medellín.

Last checked: October 2026. USD conversions use the 1 October 2026 rate (1 USD = 3,334 COP, open.er-api.com) and are rounded.

In short:

  • A 1-bed flat in central Medellín averages COP 3.35m a month (about $1,005), against COP 2.52m ($755) in Bogotá and COP 2.06m ($615) in Cali, per Numbeo’s latest figures.
  • Colombia’s digital nomad visa (visa V) lasts up to two years and needs income of three monthly minimum wages, or COP 5,252,715 a month (about $1,575) in 2026.
  • You become tax resident in Colombia after 183 days in the country, counted across separate stays, within any 365 consecutive days (PwC, July 2026).

The short verdict

Colombia is one of the cheapest places in the Americas to live well on a foreign income, and the nomad visa has a low income bar. Medellín is the established nomad base. Bogotá is the capital and the most reliable dataset, and cheaper on rent. Cartagena is the Caribbean option, with central rents close to Medellín’s. Cali is the budget pick on rent, with a thinner nomad scene. The trade-off everywhere is personal security, which needs more care than in most nomad hubs.

Monthly budget (Medellín)

A comfortable single professional, 1-bed in a decent area, working from a coworking space.

Item COP / month Approx USD Source
1-bed flat 2.0m-3.35m $600-1,005 Numbeo: 1,995,637 outside centre, 3,353,152 centre (updated 27 Sept 2026)
Utilities + home internet ~630k ~$190 Numbeo: 539,375 basic utilities (85 m² basis) + 90,778 broadband
Coworking 714k-840k $215-250 WeWork Medellín membership: 839,695 list, 713,741 promotional
Eating out 0.8m-1.4m $240-420 Our estimate from Numbeo prices (26,000 cheap meal, 150,000 mid-range for two)
Transport 248k-1.0m $75-300 Numbeo: 248,000 monthly pass; top end is a rough allowance for app-booked taxis
Health insurance 209k-592k $63-178 SafetyWing, ages 18-39: Essential $62.72 per 4 weeks, Complete $177.50/month
Rough total 4.6m-7.8m $1,380-2,345

Numbeo puts a single person’s monthly costs excluding rent at COP 2,659,726 in Medellín (about $800), from 52 contributors. Furnished flats in El Poblado or Laureles let to foreigners on short stays usually cost more than the “centre” average.

City comparison

City 1-bed, centre 1-bed, outside centre Single person, excl. rent Monthly transport pass
Medellín 3,353,152 ($1,005) 1,995,637 ($600) 2,659,726 ($800) 248,000 ($75)
Bogotá 2,523,000 ($755) 1,430,174 ($430) 2,275,324 ($680) 160,000 ($48)
Cartagena 3,330,000 ($1,000) 1,865,607 ($560) Not given 187,200 ($56)
Cali 2,056,250 ($615) 936,000 ($280) Not given 96,000 ($29)

All figures in COP from Numbeo. Bogotá (101 contributors) and Medellín (52) are the most reliable. Cartagena has only 16 contributors and Cali 14, with Cali last updated in August 2026, so treat both as rough. Bogotá’s centre rent comes in about 25% below Medellín’s.

Visa options for remote workers

  • Visitor entry: the UK FCDO says UK visitors can stay up to 90 days, and “cannot remain in Colombia for more than 180 days in any 12-month period”. Extensions are handled by Migración Colombia.
  • Digital nomad visa (visa V): Resolution 5477 of 2022 grants it for up to two years. You must show, through bank statements, income of at least three monthly minimum wages. Decree 0159 of 2026 sets the minimum wage at COP 1,750,905 (a transitional decree that replaced the suspended Decree 1469 of 2025 and applies until a final court ruling), so the bar is COP 5,252,715 a month (about $1,575). Fees and renewals: Colombia digital nomad visa: income, fees and tax rules (2026).

Healthcare and insurance costs

The nomad visa requires a health policy covering Colombia “against all risks”, including accident, illness, hospitalisation and repatriation, for the length of your stay (Resolution 5477). Check that your policy wording matches before you apply. SafetyWing charges $62.72 per 4 weeks for Essential (ages 18-39) and $177.50 a month for Complete.

The public EPS system is mainly for residents. ColombiaMove says enrolment needs a cédula de extranjería (foreigner ID card), which it says visa V holders do not get (verify with Migración Colombia: Cancillería says only some visa V activities are exempt from the cédula). It also says independent workers contribute 12.5% (verify the income base this applies to). Most nomads stay on private or international cover.

Safety note

The US State Department rates Colombia at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel” (17 April 2025), noting that “violent crime, like murder, assault, and robbery, is common in many areas”. Arauca, Cauca (except Popayán), Norte de Santander and the Venezuelan border are Level 4, “Do Not Travel”. The UK FCDO names Bogotá, Cali and Medellín for pickpocketing, mugging and armed robbery. It warns that criminals “use dating applications and websites to identify and lure foreign nationals”. It also flags drugging with scopolamine, and calls express kidnappings by fake taxi drivers “common”. Meet dates in public and book taxis by app.

Tax note

PwC (reviewed 21 July 2026) says you are tax resident if you stay in Colombia “for an aggregate period of time of 183 days within a period of 365 consecutive days”, whether in one stay or several. Because the window rolls, two long stays either side of a calendar year end can add up to residency. Plan your days before you commit to a second long stay. Background: Tax residency explained: why the 183-day rule is a myth for most countries.

Who it suits / doesn’t

Suits: remote workers who want a low-cost base close to US time zones, people who meet the low visa V income bar, and anyone happy to learn Spanish and settle into one city for months.

Doesn’t suit: people who want to be careless about nights out, dating apps or street phones, anyone planning 183+ days without tax advice, and those who need a deep founder scene outside Medellín and Bogotá.

Medellín in depth: Living in Medellín as a digital nomad (2026): cost of living, visas, safety · Visa details: Colombia digital nomad visa: income, fees and tax rules (2026) · More cities: Best cities for digital nomads in 2026: 12 picks by budget and lifestyle

Related guides: Expat health insurance for digital nomads: SafetyWing vs Genki vs Cigna and more

Quick answers

Q: How much does it cost to live in Colombia per month?
A comfortable single remote worker in Medellín should budget roughly COP 4.6m-7.8m a month, about $1,380-2,345 at 3,334 pesos to the dollar. That covers a 1-bed flat, utilities, coworking, eating out, transport and health insurance. Rent is the biggest line at COP 2.0m-3.35m.

Q: Is Bogotá cheaper than Medellín?
On rent, yes. Numbeo puts a central 1-bed at COP 2,523,000 (about $755) in Bogotá against COP 3,353,152 (about $1,005) in Medellín. Numbeo’s single-person costs excluding rent are also lower in Bogotá, at COP 2,275,324 against COP 2,659,726, and its monthly transport pass costs less.

Q: How much income do I need for Colombia’s digital nomad visa?
Three monthly minimum wages, shown through bank statements. With the 2026 minimum wage at COP 1,750,905, that is COP 5,252,715 a month, or about $1,575 at the 1 October 2026 rate. The visa lasts up to two years and requires health insurance covering Colombia.

Sources

This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.

Over to you: If you have lived in Bogotá, Cartagena or Cali, what did you pay for a furnished 1-bed and in which barrio? And if you hold visa V, which insurer did the consulate accept, and what did it cost you a month?

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