Moving to Belgium from Colombia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Colombia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.5 times more expensive than Colombia overall. A COP247,099,766 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly €142,988 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Colombia to Belgium.

What does your salary buy?

COP247,099,766 €142,988

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.7 times more

Groceries

pay 89.4% more

Transportation

pay 71.3% more

Housing

pay 2.7 times more

Childcare

pay 2.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 COP = 0.0003 EUR (July 2026)

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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Colombia to Belgium, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
872 ↑ 8% vs 2022

people moved from Colombia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Belgium?

Top countries of origin for Belgium's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CO
25.4
BE
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CO
51%
BE
62%

Belgium performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CO
$1,758
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CO
24.5
BE
63.9

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CO
24.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CO
1.8t
BE
7.3t

Colombia generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CO
17.0
BE
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CO
4.4%
BE
51.9%

Belgium 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

CO
9.6%
BE
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$18,800
BE
$63,600

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CO
74.9 yrs
BE
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CO
11.7
BE
3.2

Belgium performs significantly better than Colombia across all family life metrics.

Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bogota Brussels
Jan–Mar 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Bogota Brussels
Jan 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.

Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Colombia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Belgium than Colombia?

Day-to-day costs in Belgium run about 118% higher than Colombia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a COP247,099,766 comparable salary, that's around €35,747 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Colombia and Belgium.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Belgium performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Colombia?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 24.5 in Colombia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).

What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Colombia?

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CO BE
Population 49,059,221 11,847,338
Currency Colombian Peso (COP) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +57 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 123 112