Moving to Cartagena

Honestly, you should be pulling in at least 4,000,000 a month to live decently. Prices here are going up. Also, as a foreign teacher you should be making more. Also, don't work at an institute, only a legitimate grade school. Institutes will pay you way less than they claim, if anything at all.

Thank you for your answer Stevens. The company in question is Berlitz school which is represented in other Colombian cities and other countries. Do you know it? Is it reliable?

Its international, so thats good.

My experience teaching my way around the world Asia and Europe (25 yrs ago) was anytime get a contract USA they'll rip you off -berlitz too! Better get a job in-country for higher pay. I'm getting ready move outside medeillin but plan cartagena within 6 mo. But I'm retired...early but still retired. Good luck Susan! Btw can always quit berlitz and get a job teaching at one of the myriad other schools after you get your feet wet. ;-)

He is right. The best way is to come here first and find work. You can probably find work in a month. Bogota has many more opportunities. Bigger city, more cosmopolitan, etc. They pay more there also. 2.6 million sounds like way to much for a private institute to pay.

Susana,
I live in Cartagena, by far the most expensive city in Colombia to live in. 4,000,000.00 Pesos per month is the minimum you would need to get by here. That's just over $300.00 US a week and prices are going up daily! Berlitz is a good company but they do not pay as much as you were told unless you work a full week every week. You work for them based on the number of students they have for you to teach. Normally people work for them part time as they usually don't have enough students for the teachers they hire. My suggestion is for you to come to Colombia for several weeks and look around before you decide to make the move.

How about Cali? I guess the cost of living is lower than Cartagena. Is my salary more suitable?

Yes, you can get a rough idea here of the difference in costs between Cali and Cartagena:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/co … Comparison