Moving to Colombia from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Colombia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 38.3% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly COP152,000,000 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Australia and Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → COP152,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 43.7% less
Groceries
pay 31.1% less
Transportation
pay 12.2% less
Housing
pay 47.1% less
Childcare
pay 63.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 53.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Colombia compared to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Colombia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia generally does better on family life, though Colombia leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN) (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Colombia. To live, work, or study long-term in Colombia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Colombia's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Colombia than Australia?
On average Colombia is about 38% less expensive than Australia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Budget about COP38,000,000 for 3 months in Colombia (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Colombia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Colombia: 17.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Colombia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Colombia safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Australia?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Australia, the official language is English.
