Moving to Colombia from Peru
What to Expect
Considering a move from Peru to Colombia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Peru to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 11.9% more expensive than Peru overall. A PEN254,104 salary in Peru would need to be roughly COP241,479,499 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bogota averages 61°F vs 72°F in Lima, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Peru and Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
PEN254,104 → COP241,479,499
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 13.0% more
Groceries
pay 4.8% more
Transportation
pay 16.6% more
Housing
pay 18.4% more
Childcare
pay 33.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.1% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Peru to Colombia.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Colombia compared to Peru.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Peru 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
Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia 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
Colombia performs significantly better than Peru 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
Colombia generally does better on infrastructure, though Peru leads in electricity per capita.
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
Peru generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in gdp per capita.
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 Peru leads in infant mortality.
Data: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria, 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 | Lima | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lima | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú,
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Peru 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.
Peru passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting Peru
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 Peru?
Colombia and Peru are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Budget about COP60,369,875 for 3 months in Colombia (based on a PEN254,104 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?
Peru generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.7 in Peru. About 51% of people in Colombia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Peru?
Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 16.2 in Peru. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Peru: 71).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Peru?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 72°F in Lima. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lima gets 0.5 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Peru, the official languages are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish.
