Requirement to have Un Tomador y Un Coduedor to Rent an Apartment

Yep.  Welcome to Colombia.

In lieu of a 'fiador' or 'tomador', there are insurance companies that have policies that cover this.  I believe SURA is one, but I'm not sure.  Haven't used it, so am unsure of the costs.

@NicolasVasquez

Welcome to Colombia. The fun is only beginning. Consider yourself lucky to even get a Viisa.

You should do what everyone else does and rent an AIRBNB until you get your cedula and take your time looking around  for an apartment and try and contact the owners directly.

Your friend should be able to help you with that.

You seem to be in a rush and puttting the cart way before the horse. Slowdown, Colombia wont speed up or change their bureucracy to suit your needs.

If you can afford to pay 12 months, you can afford to pay AIRBNB for a couple of months

@NicolasVasquez

Stick with AirBnB for now, then take your time to look for an apartment. It won't be easy. Have a Spanish-fluent local do the search for you, so as to reduce the risk of being gringo-priced.

I wish you had spoken to us (or other seasoned expats) before making the move... you'd have had the right expectations and maybe saved some money and stress.

<rant>

Renting an apartment in Colombia is one of the most irrationally and seemingly-needlessly difficult things that you'll ever do in your life as a traveler/expat. Don't be surprised if you fail, that's one of the sad things about Colombia... you can bring your resources, hopes, dreams, money... and do everything 100% right according to what you were told by Colombians themselves... and you'll likely still fail. The needless ("artificial") challenges in renting an apartment is just ONE of the various symptoms. It's a country that isn't quite "ready" to join the modern world... it's no doubt a GREAT place to come and PLAY, but not to STAY. And it's one reason that I and many other serious-minded expats I know are simply bailing out of the country, at least for now.

</rant>

But good luck in your apartment search, and please be safe ("no dar papaya").

And to add to the pain of renting in Colombia, it'd take a miracle to get your deposit back at the end of your tenancy. Sometime you'll get lucky and get some of it back but in general in Colombia, a deposit is considered a donation to the landlord.

@El Jer

I second that. I even had a lady in Bucaramanga try to get more than the deposit, trying to charge me for stuff that was obviously were and tear. I told her "take me to court"

But the good thing about Bucaramanga is (or was) , in the past you could easily find agencies who would rent to you without fiadores. Dont know if it is the same now

Well just know that the hassle of getting your rental deposit back is not limited to us gringo expats, as I have extensive first hand experience over the past 15 years of Colombian friends that experience the same.

Well just know that the hassle of getting your rental deposit back is not limited to us gringo expats, as I have extensive first hand experience over the past 15 years of Colombian friends that experience the same. - @South American Voyager

It's a pattern. It's part of that "criminal mindset" that exists here, in both social AND business settings.

my first apartment in Manizales a few years back asked for the same stuff to protect them….soooo, I offered them 6 months rent up front plus the usual damage deposit.  they like that idea!