Moving to Colombia from Barbados

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Barbados to Colombia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Barbados to Colombia, 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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Key Indicator Comparison

How Barbados and Colombia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BB
15.3
CO
25.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BB
10.0
CO
16.2

Barbados performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BB
$1,153
CO
$1,758
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BB
29.7
CO
24.5

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BB
19.0
CO
24.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BB
2.5t
CO
1.8t

Barbados generally does better on environment, though Colombia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BB
37.6
CO
17.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BB
87.5%
CO
4.4%

Barbados generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BB
8.0%
CO
9.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BB
$17,400
CO
$18,800

Colombia generally does better on employment & economy, though Barbados leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BB
78.5 yrs
CO
74.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BB
9.6
CO
11.7

Barbados performs better than Colombia across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Barbados, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Barbados 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.

Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting Colombia

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Colombia without a visa.
Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
Colombia passport holders can enter Barbados without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Colombia?

With 17.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Colombia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Barbados and Colombia.

Is Colombia safe for expats?

Barbados performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.3 in Barbados.

How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Barbados?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in health coverage index. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 29.7 in Barbados. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Barbados: 77).

What language do they speak in Colombia?

The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Barbados, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

BB CO
Population 302,674 49,059,221
Currency Barbadian Dollar (BBD) Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1246 +57
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 123