Moving to Colombia from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Netherlands to Colombia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Netherlands to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 55.9% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,577 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly COP96,559,562 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Netherlands and Colombia.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 COP96,559,562

To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 69.5% less

Groceries

pay 42.0% less

Transportation

pay 52.8% less

Housing

pay 68.4% less

Childcare

pay 66.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 68.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 3687.07 COP (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?

What the data shows about people moving from Netherlands to Colombia.

Moved in 2021
224 ↑ 64% vs 2020

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

Who's moving to Colombia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Colombia compared to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.8
CO
25.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
CO
16.2

Netherlands 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

NL
$8,195
CO
$1,758
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
CO
24.5

Netherlands 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

NL
13.0
CO
24.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
CO
1.8t

Netherlands 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

NL
44.4
CO
17.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.1%
CO
4.4%

Netherlands 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

NL
3.6%
CO
9.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
CO
$18,800

Netherlands 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

NL
82.2 yrs
CO
74.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
CO
11.7

Netherlands performs better than Colombia across all family life metrics.

Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Bogota
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 61°/47°F (16°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 60°/45°F (15°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Bogota
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Colombia

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

Colombia passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Colombia passport holders can enter Netherlands 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 Colombia than Netherlands?

On average Colombia is about 60% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Colombia?

Budget about COP24,139,890 for 3 months in Colombia (based on a €65,577 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: 17.0 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?

Netherlands performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Colombia?

The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL CO
Population 17,400,824 49,059,221
Currency Euro (€) Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages Dutch Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +57
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 123