Moving to Colombia from Mexico
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Mexico to Colombia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Mexico to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 12.9% more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly COP276,000,000 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bogota averages 61°F vs 74°F in Mexico City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Mexico to Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,400,000 → COP276,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 12.0% less
Groceries
pay 6.3% less
Transportation
pay 17.3% more
Housing
pay 22.8% more
Childcare
pay 85.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.2% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Mexico to Colombia, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mexico to Colombia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Mexico generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Colombia performs significantly better than Mexico across all environment metrics.
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
Mexico 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
Mexico 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Colombia generally does better on family life, though Mexico leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN) (2016). 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 | Mexico City | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa FreeData: 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 Mexico?
No — Colombia is on average about 13% more expensive than Mexico. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly COP69,000,000 in Colombia on a MX$1,400,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Colombia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Colombia has 17.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Colombia safe for expats?
Mexico generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Colombia is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Mexico. About 51% of people in Colombia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Mexico?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 25.9 in Mexico. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
Both Mexico and Colombia share the same official language: Spanish.
