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Located at the northern tip of South America, the gateway country of Colombia is where the Pacific and the Caribbean collide with the Andes mountains and the Amazon rainforest. It’s a country that is more beautiful, dramatic, and diverse than nearly any other. It offers colonial towns and thriving cosmopolitan cities; places to enjoy the mountains and Caribbean beach towns to soak up the sun. Just three hours from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Colombia welcomes nonstop flights into its major cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Armenia, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Cartagena, and Cali.
Colombia offers something that will appeal to just about everyone. You will find that Colombia is a more developed country than most in Latin America, with the infrastructure, modern products, and services you’d expect in a country on the move. Colombia is no longer Latin America’s best-kept secret because more and more expats are moving here to start a new life in this beautiful country…either retiring or continuing to generate an income.
Colombia provides high-quality healthcare at a low cost with easy access for expats. I spent 30 years working in healthcare when I lived in the States, so I know good healthcare when I see it. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks Colombia’s health system at number 22 in the world, far better than Canada at number 30 and the U.S. at number 37. Colombia is home to 24 of the top 58 Latin American hospitals. Four of them are Joint Commission International accredited hospitals. Two are in the capital of Bogotá, one is in Medellín, and one is in Bucaramanga.
Medellín is one of the fastest-growing expat havens in Colombia. Due to the near-perfect climate, flowers are constantly in bloom and dot the streets with color year-round. Spend just a few hours walking around the city and you will see why it is nicknamed “The City of Eternal Spring.” This is what first drew me to the city. I lived in Maine for 27 years before I moved to Medellín in 2012, and I am ecstatic to announce that I have not had to deal with snow since my move.
If you want hot and tropical, consider retiring to the lovely Caribbean coastal cities of Santa Marta or Cartagena. These cities are havens for sun and sea worshipers. The clear, tranquil waters off the beaches offer scuba divers the opportunity to spend hours exploring the coral reefs and photographing the large variety of vibrant-colored tropical fish, who have made their homes in the wrecks. Or spend hours soaking up the sun on the sandy beaches.
Eddie Echeverri opened the Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel in the quaint town of Salento, within Colombia’s coffee triangle. He says, “for tourists, they kill three birds with one stone in Salento. There is colonial architecture, coffee farms, and then one thing that no other town has, even other colonials: Valle Cocora. That’s the number one attraction. It’s a beautiful hike of five to six hours that takes you through a striking landscape. I haven’t met anybody who wasn’t impressed by it.”
Visiting Colombia is simple. You can come for 90 days with just your U.S., EU, Canadian, or Australian passport, and then extend for another 90 days. Any longer than that and you will need a visa. Retirement visas are relatively easy to get, require proof of at least $750 monthly Social Security income, or $2,500 from a private pension or 401K, and are issued for up to three years.
Retirement dollars go much further in Colombia. A couple can live in many cities around Colombia for $2,000 per month or less. Of course, your cost of living will depend on your lifestyle and where you choose to live. I can tell you that my living expenses are 60% less than they were back in Maine. Just the fact that I don’t have to pay heating or cooling costs has saved me about $3,400 per year alone.
Michael Huseby freelances as a copywriter for clients around the world from his home in the coffee triangle region. “My modern, top-floor apartment in Manizales, Colombia—with a gym and a balcony—costs $500 per month. I found this accommodation through Airbnb, and in my experience, long-term rentals on Airbnb tend to have reasonable rates in Colombia. Many of the country’s larger cities also have English-language websites dedicated to helping expats find furnished houses and apartments.
“Other living expenses are likewise significantly cheaper than in the U.S. In Manizales, a movie theater tickets cost $2, beer at a bar costs $1, and a cross-town taxi rarely costs more than $5. Meanwhile, health insurance premiums run up to 70% less than in the States.”
The dark days of Colombia’s past are gone, and it has been transformed into a country that is thriving. One of the best things about the country is the warm, welcoming Colombian people. Don’t let a lack of Spanish keep you from trying out life here. As the expression goes, “You don’t meet a Colombian…you meet the entire family.” Here you’ll always feel part of the community.
