Moving to Colombia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Colombia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 44.0% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly COP132,471,832 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 New Zealand and Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → COP132,471,832
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 53.1% less
Groceries
pay 39.6% less
Transportation
pay 30.9% less
Housing
pay 53.3% less
Childcare
pay 60.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 63.3% 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 New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Colombia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
New Zealand performs better than Colombia across all family life metrics.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 New Zealand?
On average Colombia is about 46% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Budget about COP33,117,958 for 3 months in Colombia (based on a NZ$130,152 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?
New Zealand performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to New Zealand?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
