Considering Colombia

3POSTS

7 years ago

Hey all,

I am very new to this forum and I just wanted to say that it is a pleasure to meet other likeminded folks.

I am in my mid-30s, single (but rarely alone and always dating

) I have a flourishing career as a writer in the film industry. I live in NYC and visit LA often for work: I used to live in LA, can't do it anymore. Frankly I am hitting a wall with NYC living and specifically the real estate in the city. I pay $2700 for a very nice apartment in Brooklyn but I just can't see a future as a house owner in NYC. I am not in hedge funds. I make low 6 figures and I feel like my income is going out of the window - specifically in my landlord's pocket. Truthfully I am starting to wonder if NYC itself isn't as alluring as it was in my 20s and even early 30s.

So what 's the alternative? Move to another city in the US (I really like Chicago but don't know anyone there and it almost doesn't feel like a big enough change).

Or... put a foot in Latin America. I would maintain US residency and a strong connection to the US, but I would make sure that my life isn't US-based.

My plan would be to continue working in the US (remotely) and earn US dollars.

In Latin America, I have only been to Mexico City and Colombia (spent 2 months there) and adore both. I have friends in both countries. Are there other options? Sure. I hear Argentina is gorgeous and I am Italian so I would probably fit in really well there. But it's very far. I also hear Chile is stunning and the most "tranquil" of Latin countries. But again- no connection to it.

So it really looks like Mexico City or Bogota are my best bets.

Since I am on the Colombian forum...I have a bunch of Colombian questions! perhaps some of you amigos can illuminate me.

- I have been to Bogota and felt as safe there as I do in Downtown Brooklyn. But more generally.. how safe is the country overall? I can't put a finger on it. One one hand I read that drug production is at an all-time high. On the other hand I'm a staunch cynic of the US's portrayal of Latin America and feel like it's completely blown out of proportion- especially since I traveled all over Colombia for 2 months and felt totally safe. Am I naive?

- How do real estate prices compare with, say, New York City? Again, am I naive for thinking that I can find a really lovely property in an upscale area (eg Chapinero Alto) for, say, $300k? And Airbnb it to tourists when I am out of the country?

- What's life in Bogota like? I have to confess, the first week I was there I thought it was a remarkably unattractive city. The second week it looked completely different and I started to really love it. Never changed my opinion about a place so radically. Is it of comparable beauty and interest to other 2 major latin cities (Buenos Aires and Mexico City) ? And by the way... I just don't see myself in Medellin. It lacked depth/culture. Hard to explain- maybe it's the narcocultura that pervaded the air.

- To those who earn US dollars and live abroad, how did you deal with the whole taxation conundrum? Did you continue paying taxes in the US and also in Colombia?

- Does Colombia have health insurance?

- What type of Visa would I need to live part-time in the country?

- Is it unfeasible to invest in a property in Bogota, live half the year there and the other half in Los Angeles or NYC? Ironically my flight from Bogota to Los Angeles (where I'd hold film-related meetings) would be shorter than the current one from NYC to LA so distance really is relative.

- I remember a Colombian telling me that, objectively, he felt Mexico City was the capital of Latin America. I am curious to know if you guys agree. I absolutely fell in love with Colombia the country but ironically I felt that Bogota was the ugliest thing about it. I can't say the same about Mexico City.

Thank you so much for reading... excited to hear everyone's thoughts!

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cccmedia Ecuador/Colombia Expert

10285POSTS

7 years ago

Based on your initial post and the tax situation, you might want to consider a snowbird scenario.

Live up to 180 days a year in Colombia on tourist stamp/tourist-stamp extension. These can be 180 consecutive days.

When not in Colombia, you could live in USA AirBNB apartment(s) in different cities in successive years to "try out" different cities.

As far as your interest in potentially buying a 300,000-dollar property in Colombia, you're mentally moving too fast. Consider doing the tourist-stamp thing to start .. and don't seriously contemplate buying anything until you have lived in the target area for at least 12 total months.

Keep in mind that mortgages are unavailable for new arrivals with no credit history in La República.

Supervising the management of a part-time AirBNB unit via long distance is not a walk in the park, especially for a non-English-speaking country. Don't complicate your life and your tax situation any time soon by committing to that.

cccmedia

cccmedia Ecuador/Colombia Expert

10285POSTS

7 years ago

it's really not possible to "put your finger" on security in Colombia.

In recent times, Medellín and the Coffee Zone have been safe for Expats.

The country is in a transition period following the FARC treaty signing, which created a power vacuum in parts of the country that is being filled by unsavory cutthroats. For instance, there are rural parts of the border area near Ecuador that are controlled by the infamous El Guacho .. or are a no-man's land.

However, I just spent nine months in the border city of Ipiales, Nariño, near Tulcán, Ecuador, and it seemed perfectly safe within the city of Ipiales.

You seem to know about some of the safer areas of Bogotá. That's a good start.

Driving on intercity roads at night is a no-no in much of Colombia. I learned about this first-hand the hard way when moto-bandits forced me off the road south of Popayán on my first day/night driving north into Colombia. I caught a break and survived unhurt. My rear windshield was destroyed by rocks thrown by the malditos. That damage was fixable.

cccmedia

dumluk Serial expat

430POSTS

7 years ago

@CC.........Is El Guacho the leader of a renegade band of FARC or is he ELN? Cuz when I went thru there not long ago, it was the ELN who had control of that border area.......It was the ELN who took the 3 Ecuadorian periodistas prisioners...... and when the Ecuadorian military wen tin there to try and rescue them, they all ended up dead......Now truth be told, we dont know if they were killed by the ELN forces or by friendly fire.......How many times has that happened? But if the ELN and El Guacho are not connected, then there could be evne bigger trouble in that area..cuz as I understand it, the ELN nd the FARC dont get along very well............Supposedly it was ELN who blew up the police station in Esmeraldas......but who knows........all we know really is that chit is happening in that zone, and it is not safe.......

The Colombia expat guide

Updated in 2026, comprehensive and free

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cccmedia Ecuador/Colombia Expert

10285POSTS

7 years ago

Gringos can go a bit crazy

if they attempt to study seriously the 'inside baseball' of Colombia's breakaway groups and paramilitary .. how the government is interacting with them .. and what the future holds.

Here's what Expats need to know...

1. The border with Ecuador is problematic. Other than staying within the city limits of Ipiales, Nariño, or a chaperoned visit to Colombia's most famous church, Las Lajas, a few miles away, spend as little time as possible around border areas. Gringos do not need to go to Pasto except as a brief layover en route to somewhere else.

The northern border with Venezuela near Cúcuta, Colombia -- just forget about it!

2. There are two e-publications I recommend that provide coverage of any major happenings at the border or with respect to this topic. The English-language site www.cuencahighlife.com out of Ecuador. And the site www.colombiareports.com .. also in English.

3. Stay off intercity roads at night. We used to say that driving in the Coffee Zone was safe at night. Now, who knows? Unless you find a rare six-lane highway, the nighttime roads are basically unpatrolled, especially later at night.

The 'delincuentes' know this. Gringos need to know it too. Stay off the intercity roads after dark -- just do it.

4. For multi-block travel, plan to take taxis within your city at night as most buses typically stop running after early evening. Walking, even with a partner, can feel unsafe in 'desconocidas partes' of Cali or Bogotá or whatever city.

5. Figure out where a clinic or hospital is in a city that is new to you .. and how to get there in a pinch. Probably going by taxi is a decent plan in many places.

6. Colombia has long-term prospects of instability and a local Bat Signal is not going to be activated if you run into trouble. So resist the urge to buy or build on property. Whatever you want is probably already built and can be rented.

cccmedia

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