3-6 month sabbatical in Colombia - $500 per month ok? - Colombia forum

Kenny Ross

Member

Member since 25 November 2015

Blackwood

Kenny Ross

25 November 2015 04:27:20

Kenny Ross

25 November 2015 04:27:20

Blackwood

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and looking for some information on cost of living in Popayan.

I'm a 33 year old working professional and I'm looking to do a sabbatical and would like to know would $500 a month be enough for me to survive each month?

I'm looking to build skills. So my main focus is working 10-12 hrs. a day.

I don't care about traveling throughout the country. I've done that. I've been to Colombia twice.

I just need to eat well, workout, have Wifi access, cheap lodging, wash clothes, and socialize.

That's it. Could $3000 get me through a 6 month sabbatical?

OsageArcher

Colombia Expert

Member since 11 February 2015

Cali

OsageArcher

25 November 2015 16:40:30

1522

OsageArcher

25 November 2015 16:40:30

1522

Cali

$500 USD/month is around $1.5 million COP at today's exchange rate. That's at the lower end of the earnings range for many people in Colombia, depending on their profession. But they live on it.

You can get a rough idea of what the Colombians make monthly here:
http://www.tusalario.org/colombia/Porta … tu-salario

For instance a high-school teacher of math or information sciences with 15 years of experience averages $2.2M COP, a carpenter with 15 years of experience averages $1.6M COP, etc.

Popayán is going to be considerably cheaper than many other cities, but I don't know any exact figures.

Personally I would not want to live on any less than $1000 USD/month or about $3M COP/month, in Cali, which is pretty reasonably priced for many things, but that's just me - we've had posts from others who say that $500/month is adequate.

I suggest you look at the threads you can find here:
https://www.expat.com/forum/518-22-cost … ombia.html

K1VisaKing

Active member

Member since 22 April 2012

New York

K1VisaKing

01 December 2015 00:59:24

K1VisaKing

01 December 2015 00:59:24

New York

OsageArcher gave you some good advice. Basically you can do it if you can live in near poverty. I lived in Cali for 6 months and I lived lower middle class and I probably spent over $1,000 per month when you factor in the cost of our furniture and appliances. I rented a cheap unfurnished 2-bedroom for about $200 a month and that meant I had to spend 2 or 3 thousand to furnish it. Not really a smart move, but we gave the furnishings to my wife's very poor parents when we left. Maybe we could've sold them for $1,000 after 6 months.

3-6 month sabbatical in Colombia - $500 per month ok?

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