Pros and Cons of Living in Colombia

Last updated on Feb 12, 2023

Summary: The pros of living in Colombia include its diverse culture, vibrant cities, and beautiful landscapes. Colombia is also known for its friendly people, delicious cuisine, and affordable cost of living. Additionally, the country has a strong economy and is home to many world-renowned universities. On the other hand, the cons of living in Colombia include its high crime rate, political instability, and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, the country has a high rate of poverty and inequality, and the healthcare system is not as advanced as in other countries.

What are the pros and cons of living in Colombia?

Expats, digital nomads and retirees living in Colombia responded:

"Like: The weather is awesome. Public transportation is excellent both locally and other cities. Domestic airfare is cheap as well. The Colombian people could be the nicest people anywhere. The city is really clean (coming from Boquete, Panama, that is so refreshing) and you can drink the water out of the tap. Utilities and wifi is modern and efficient. Appointments run on time, no "latin time" here but many businesses close 2 hours for lunch. The country itself is amazing from the Caribbean beaches to the Amazon in Leticia. The cost of living is very low. Even without insurance, doctor's and prescription medicine are very low cost. Don't Like: The pollution is bad. Sometimes it's worse than bad. There's pica-placa (cars can only be used in the city based on the last digit of your tag) but there's so much traffic, it has no effect. With all the great things Medellin has to offer, it's pollution that is causing us to move. ," remarked one expat in Medellin.

"Nearly everything about Medellin is favourable to expats EXCEPT the levels of corruption and extortion.," explained one expat living in Medellin.

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What do expats in Colombia appreciate most about the local culture?

"Family, this is something that for the most part does not exist where I am from. Watching a family all holding hands as they walk," explained one expat.

"Everything, especially how Colombian deal with relationships. Since relationships are so close, and everyone talks, there's more gossip. But in the end people do care and want to help any way they can," said one person in Villavicencio.

What do expats find most challenging?

"The language is a problem but of course it become less as I learn. One must be very careful as to where you go do to the problems of crime," remarked one in Medellin.

"I have the American sense of time ingrained in my very soul. I am really struggling to accept that things don't always happen when I want them to. I purchased a refrigerator that was promised to be delivered the next day at 4pm. 4pm came and went with no refrigerator being delivered. I then called the company and they assured me that it would be delivered by 8pm that night. Again, it was not. This pattern continued for several more days, until it was finally delivered. It didn't HURT me to wait, but was extremely frustrating for me," explained one expat.

About the Author

Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.