Moving to Colombia from Portugal
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Portugal to Colombia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Portugal to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 35.8% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €64,304 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly COP149,010,678 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Portugal to Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → COP149,010,678
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 48.6% less
Groceries
pay 25.7% less
Transportation
pay 20.0% less
Housing
pay 50.4% less
Childcare
pay 49.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.3% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Portugal to Colombia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia 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
Portugal 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
Portugal 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
Portugal 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
Portugal performs better than Colombia across all family life metrics.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
Yes — Colombia is on average about 45% cheaper than Portugal. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly COP37,252,670 in Colombia on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Colombia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Colombia has 17.0 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?
Portugal 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 Portugal.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Portugal?
Portugal 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 57.7 in Portugal. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
