Moving to Colombia from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Spain to Colombia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Spain to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 37.0% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly COP130,214,987 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle.

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 Spain to Colombia.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 COP130,214,987

To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 56.6% less

Groceries

pay 31.1% less

Transportation

pay 24.3% less

Housing

pay 47.9% less

Childcare

pay 40.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 51.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 3761.02 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?

How many people actually move from Spain to Colombia, based on official data.

Moved in 2021
915 ↑ 82% vs 2020

people moved from Spain 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Spain to Colombia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
CO
25.4
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

ES
78%
CO
51%

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
CO
$1,758
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
CO
24.5

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ES
10.0
CO
24.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
CO
1.8t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
CO
17.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
CO
4.4%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
CO
9.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
CO
$18,800

Spain generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
CO
74.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
CO
11.7

Spain generally does better on family life, though Colombia leads in education spending.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Bogota
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 61°/47°F (16°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 60°/45°F (15°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Bogota
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Colombia

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

Colombia passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Colombia passport holders can enter Spain 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 Spain?

Yes — Colombia is on average about 47% cheaper than Spain. 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 COP32,553,747 in Colombia on a €65,700 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 17.0 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?

Spain performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 51% of people in Colombia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Spain?

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Colombia?

The official language in Colombia is Spanish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES CO
Population 47,163,418 49,059,221
Currency Euro (€) Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +57
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 123