I live on $1,200usd a month and spend freely, could def get under $1,000 if I budget better. But that includes a furnished apartment with all utilities included, spending freely on groceries and eating out a lot (for two), and spending freely on entertaiment (visiting a pueblo on weekend etc). If I manage better I can get under $1,000, but my quality of life for $1,200usd is great. I live in Armenia, a decent sized city but nowhere near as big as Medellin. Edit: Here is a better monthly breakdown of those $1,200usd 1. $350 for rent and everything included. 2. $300 for groceries 3. $550 for eating out, going out etc.
that is amazing!! It is still a very low amount that you live on! I love that area of Colombia. Some months I spend more also as I like to travel around to little pueblos also!!
You are 💯 correct. Avoid the expat areas and live for much less. Where we live in el centro we don’t pay anywhere near the prices in el Poblado, Laureles or Envigado.
Once again Sara, You’ve made a great video - so REAL and down to earth with your details. My next visit will explore costs of a low end finca in rural Colombia. Thank you.
Your videos that break down the costs are informative! Lower cost of living is always attractive but would be probably #5 on my list of priorities if I were to move to another country. But it's certainly #1 for many expats I watch who have to live on fixed income such as social security, which makes Latin America very attractive as you prove!
@@SaraBurdick To keep it short (?) I would say my #1 priority is sufficient infrastructure to maintain a new lifestyle equilibrium similar to my current situation. When we move to another location we lose and gain certain things to create new set points that are hopefully better than what we had. Equilibrium points: 1. Food nutrition - I tend to be a biohacker focusing on low-carb macronutrients. Whether that diet is transferable and sustainable in the new location would depend on availability of my main macronutrients plus potential supplements or suitable replacements. This might be the biggest challenge. 2. Living space - Very important. You need to feel comfortable in the space and have the amenities that match your lifestyle. I will say one thing though that is probably important is QUIET! I hear many expats complain about ambient noise - car alarms, motos, honking, loud music at all hours. My only real external noise are the landscapers that come through during the week. I think having to live and sleep with earbuds or my noise-canceling Bose streaming white noise would be a deal breaker. 3. Mental nutrition - I still work because I enjoy research though many of my colleagues are retiring. I’ll see in the next couple of years. This setpoint is more flexible but I would probably prefer to live in a city where there are universities so I could perhaps attend seminars or lectures, or even get involved in a project. I like cultural activities - historical sites, art performance, museums, etc. I live near DC so am able to take advantage of the dozens of cultural activities. It would be fun to volunteer in some capacity. 4. Cultural and social immersion - Immersing myself into the language and culture of the society is a must for me. I can simulate being in most countries of the world comfortably sitting at home and streaming 4K walk-about videos, TV channels and listening to podcasts. So making both expat and local connections and friends will be important. Although social integration when older is harder I think as folks have established connections. I think the flexpat model fits my current thinking - few months here, few months there and then back home. You did this a bit when you traveled to different countries for extended periods of time. I like my living situation at the moment so a permanent move abroad is not high on my list. Permanent moves also bring that extra layer of visa requirements and tax implications. Given the published costs of living in Latin America I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford the higher monthly budget probably needed to achieve my equilibrium points which is why low cost of living is not a high priority for me. Sorry for rambling and it's certainly more than you were asking for!! 🙂
@@octonion oooh I didn't see one.. sometimes TH-cam puts it in a different area. When I get on my laptop I'll see if it was placed in unread and not published idk why they do that..
I got a Honduran childhood friend in Valledupar, and he always telling me the same thing, that you can find nice 2 bedrooms apartments, with utilities included for $300 Or less, then, that will leave you with $700 for others fixed expenses, soo that means, you can certainly live there with $1000 a month, unless you are a womanizer and drinker, then you will have a problem with $1000 a month, so i don't neither of those vices to drag me down, but i would like to live in the coastal areas outside Cartagena Or Santa Marta, becuase of the variety of seafood product availability, regards from Boston MA!!
Your information is correct. But I would like you to clarify two things, one from this video and the other from another. Both are tied together. You mentioned that you have a marriage visa in one video and you mentioned the cost of health care in this video. I am a Flexpat( not an expat) and I am married to a Colombian for over twenty years. In order to get a marriage visa, you need to be married and you must have international health insurance among other things. Did you have health insurance when you applied and how long after were you able to get Colombian health insurance? This is important as people may find that the cost of the initial health policy may be quite expensive.
I have a marriage visa and no i actually do not have any health insurance, I included it in the price as someone who lives here (and will be my cost according to my research) , i am in process of applying for it now. So when I applied for the marriage visa I did not have international health insurance, to clarify, and I was approved my visa the beginning of August. I have to reapply next year, by then I will have to have insurance here in Colombia So you don´t need health insurance to apply and get the marriage visa, we did not use a lawyer or other service, we did it ourselves online through the immigration website. Like I said I am only now applying for health insurance, since you have to have your Cedula first, and I just received it a few weeks ago. I will do an updated video if there are any upfront costs, or if they have quoted me incorrectly when I start paying.
@@EvralTatum-Mcfield-ov2mi I want to return to Colombia or gain a dual citizenship but the plan is to retire in Colombia once I have some residual income or a business I can run from anywhere. I got a few things I’m working on so hopefully it will be sooner than later.
Hola Sara soy Marc de Alemania, yo viví en Colombia pronto regreso. Pero como pagas solo 35 dólares por un seguro Privado? Me interesa cual es. Gracias por tus videos, y pronto nos vemos en Colombia ;) Saludos
Let's say i wanted to come over there. I needed to buy a motorcycle and furnish the house aswell right? 200 is for unfurnished long lease right? If i stay the allowed six months, after that i need to pay rent and utilities for time im not there aswell. How the house and motorcycle stay safe during that time? Does your bf/partner pay his part, is that included calculation?
I rented a furnished apartment for 180 USD per month, with two bedrooms last March for two months. You can find furnished or unfurnished places for that price, at least what I have experienced. There are unfurnished places in my town for a bit less. If you are not in your apartment and want to keep it yes you would have to pay for it, unless you let them rent it out. If you have an apartment and are not living in it, it is recommended to have someone watch it for you that you trust. That is what most people do here. You can pay someone to do that. It also depends on where you live, and how safe the area is. Me and my partner pay the bills together, the price I listed in total, So we split the utilities , grocery bills and going out. So my total expenses are less than 600 plus we do not pay rent, since i own the house we live in, and I do not pay for a few other things I listed.
Not sure about the Pueblo Jerico where Sara lives but? Places like on the outskirts of Bogota like Chia have really great Hamburger restaurants. And even in smaller Cities like San Gil 50k population have Hamburgers on their menus. Colombian tourists towns for the locals usually have expat own us styled restaurants. But very sporadic to find a burger place. Do your research they exist.
yes where I live we have really good restaurants for a pueblo. There are a couple of places to get burgers with real beef, and they are good. Also agree with the comment below, I think places around Bogota will have better beef, since it is a bigger city, and closer to the plains region where the beef is more tender, and tastier. Colombians also love to eat burgers, so you will find burgers almost anywhere!
Santa Marta Caribbean beach front High End high rise 2nd line from beach semi beach view, fully furnished 2000 sq ft with pool, gym, doctor on site bldg $1500 a month ... in Miami $5000 a month
@@SaraBurdick Hollar when you're in this neck of the woods for you're vacation away from paradise to ... another one ...wife and I are already talking about Christmas in Aruba, because its a quick short flight
I live on $1,200usd a month and spend freely, could def get under $1,000 if I budget better. But that includes a furnished apartment with all utilities included, spending freely on groceries and eating out a lot (for two), and spending freely on entertaiment (visiting a pueblo on weekend etc). If I manage better I can get under $1,000, but my quality of life for $1,200usd is great. I live in Armenia, a decent sized city but nowhere near as big as Medellin.
Edit: Here is a better monthly breakdown of those $1,200usd
1. $350 for rent and everything included.
2. $300 for groceries
3. $550 for eating out, going out etc.
that is amazing!! It is still a very low amount that you live on! I love that area of Colombia. Some months I spend more also as I like to travel around to little pueblos also!!
Thanks sara nice informatie 😮
I hope it was helpful:)
Gracias mi Amiga Sara
con gusto!
You are 💯 correct. Avoid the expat areas and live for much less. Where we live in el centro we don’t pay anywhere near the prices in el Poblado, Laureles or Envigado.
yep! Even in Medellin, you can live in affordable places!
Once again Sara, You’ve made a great video - so REAL and down to earth with your details. My next visit will explore costs of a low end finca in rural Colombia. Thank you.
thank you so much:) there are a ton of them! I went to see a plot of land the other day for 18k! but remote, and only land.
Your videos that break down the costs are informative! Lower cost of living is always attractive but would be probably #5 on my list of priorities if I were to move to another country. But it's certainly #1 for many expats I watch who have to live on fixed income such as social security, which makes Latin America very attractive as you prove!
@@octonion thank you.. cost of living for me is also not number 1.. but yes for a lot of people it is.. hence the videos 😂.. what is your #1?
@@SaraBurdick To keep it short (?) I would say my #1 priority is sufficient infrastructure to maintain a new lifestyle equilibrium similar to my current situation. When we move to another location we lose and gain certain things to create new set points that are hopefully better than what we had.
Equilibrium points:
1. Food nutrition - I tend to be a biohacker focusing on low-carb macronutrients. Whether that diet is transferable and sustainable in the new location would depend on availability of my main macronutrients plus potential supplements or suitable replacements. This might be the biggest challenge.
2. Living space - Very important. You need to feel comfortable in the space and have the amenities that match your lifestyle. I will say one thing though that is probably important is QUIET! I hear many expats complain about ambient noise - car alarms, motos, honking, loud music at all hours. My only real external noise are the landscapers that come through during the week. I think having to live and sleep with earbuds or my noise-canceling Bose streaming white noise would be a deal breaker.
3. Mental nutrition - I still work because I enjoy research though many of my colleagues are retiring. I’ll see in the next couple of years. This setpoint is more flexible but I would probably prefer to live in a city where there are universities so I could perhaps attend seminars or lectures, or even get involved in a project. I like cultural activities - historical sites, art performance, museums, etc. I live near DC so am able to take advantage of the dozens of cultural activities. It would be fun to volunteer in some capacity.
4. Cultural and social immersion - Immersing myself into the language and culture of the society is a must for me. I can simulate being in most countries of the world comfortably sitting at home and streaming 4K walk-about videos, TV channels and listening to podcasts. So making both expat and local connections and friends will be important. Although social integration when older is harder I think as folks have established connections.
I think the flexpat model fits my current thinking - few months here, few months there and then back home. You did this a bit when you traveled to different countries for extended periods of time. I like my living situation at the moment so a permanent move abroad is not high on my list. Permanent moves also bring that extra layer of visa requirements and tax implications.
Given the published costs of living in Latin America I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford the higher monthly budget probably needed to achieve my equilibrium points which is why low cost of living is not a high priority for me.
Sorry for rambling and it's certainly more than you were asking for!! 🙂
@@SaraBurdick I sent you a rather long response yesterday but it appears it got deleted
@@octonion oooh I didn't see one.. sometimes TH-cam puts it in a different area. When I get on my laptop I'll see if it was placed in unread and not published idk why they do that..
@@SaraBurdick Sometimes the YT filter just hallucinates and thinks the text is something it isn't. I will try to post again later.
I got a Honduran childhood friend in Valledupar, and he always telling me the same thing, that you can find nice 2 bedrooms apartments, with utilities included for $300 Or less, then, that will leave you with $700 for others fixed expenses, soo that means, you can certainly live there with $1000 a month, unless you are a womanizer and drinker, then you will have a problem with $1000 a month, so i don't neither of those vices to drag me down, but i would like to live in the coastal areas outside Cartagena Or Santa Marta, becuase of the variety of seafood product availability, regards from Boston MA!!
I had to google where that was! exactly those vices will break you! Oh yea the food on the coast is the best in Colombia!!
Your information is correct. But I would like you to clarify two things, one from this video and the other from another. Both are tied together. You mentioned that you have a marriage visa in one video and you mentioned the cost of health care in this video. I am a Flexpat( not an expat) and I am married to a Colombian for over twenty years. In order to get a marriage visa, you need to be married and you must have international health insurance among other things. Did you have health insurance when you applied and how long after were you able to get Colombian health insurance? This is important as people may find that the cost of the initial health policy may be quite expensive.
I have a marriage visa and no i actually do not have any health insurance, I included it in the price as someone who lives here (and will be my cost according to my research) , i am in process of applying for it now.
So when I applied for the marriage visa I did not have international health insurance, to clarify, and I was approved my visa the beginning of August. I have to reapply next year, by then I will have to have insurance here in Colombia
So you don´t need health insurance to apply and get the marriage visa, we did not use a lawyer or other service, we did it ourselves online through the immigration website.
Like I said I am only now applying for health insurance, since you have to have your Cedula first, and I just received it a few weeks ago. I will do an updated video if there are any upfront costs, or if they have quoted me incorrectly when I start paying.
@@SaraBurdick Thanks for the information. You did a great job getting your visa
@@MichaelTrimboli-m4c thanks .. I hear it depends on the person processing the request.. so I def got Lucky!
Did you bring the satellite in the suitcase from the US to Colombia ? This is the mini version?
@@gadgetgrader no it's the big one . My friends ordered it online from starlink and they shipped it here.
I spent $800 a month in not so popular Ibague and ate like a king and lived like I was retired lol.
Soo, after you left with your wife, are you left for good, Or you will eventually return to Colombia??
@@EvralTatum-Mcfield-ov2mi I want to return to Colombia or gain a dual citizenship but the plan is to retire in Colombia once I have some residual income or a business I can run from anywhere. I got a few things I’m working on so hopefully it will be sooner than later.
that is amazing!! It is still possible 100% and Ibague is much bigger than where I live!
Great video….😊
thank you:)
Hola Sara soy Marc de Alemania, yo viví en Colombia pronto regreso. Pero como pagas solo 35 dólares por un seguro Privado? Me interesa cual es. Gracias por tus videos, y pronto nos vemos en Colombia ;) Saludos
Hola, mucho gusto! porque tengo cédula aquí en colombia.Tienes una Cedula de acá?
@@SaraBurdick Mucho Gusto Sara! Si lo tengo la Cedula de Extranjería y la Visa residente. Pero page mucho más. Tú tienes la EPS o Medicina Prepagada?
@@marcguidesLes informaré una vez que hable con mi esposo, él está lidiando con eso ahora.
I agree that country living is way better.
so much better!
Let's say i wanted to come over there. I needed to buy a motorcycle and furnish the house aswell right? 200 is for unfurnished long lease right? If i stay the allowed six months, after that i need to pay rent and utilities for time im not there aswell. How the house and motorcycle stay safe during that time? Does your bf/partner pay his part, is that included calculation?
I rented a furnished apartment for 180 USD per month, with two bedrooms last March for two months. You can find furnished or unfurnished places for that price, at least what I have experienced.
There are unfurnished places in my town for a bit less. If you are not in your apartment and want to keep it yes you would have to pay for it, unless you let them rent it out.
If you have an apartment and are not living in it, it is recommended to have someone watch it for you that you trust.
That is what most people do here. You can pay someone to do that. It also depends on where you live, and how safe the area is.
Me and my partner pay the bills together, the price I listed in total, So we split the utilities , grocery bills and going out.
So my total expenses are less than 600 plus we do not pay rent, since i own the house we live in, and I do not pay for a few other things I listed.
we did buy a motorcycle earlier in the year, used it was around 2k for a good moto, with very few miles.
Hi Sarah h r u ? Thx for vidéo
good. thank you for watching
Sara la contadora!! 😆
jaja!
Any places to get a burger? real beef?
Not sure about the Pueblo Jerico where Sara lives but? Places like on the outskirts of Bogota like Chia have really great Hamburger restaurants. And even in smaller Cities like San Gil 50k population have Hamburgers on their menus. Colombian tourists towns for the locals usually have expat own us styled restaurants. But very sporadic to find a burger place. Do your research they exist.
yes where I live we have really good restaurants for a pueblo. There are a couple of places to get burgers with real beef, and they are good. Also agree with the comment below, I think places around Bogota will have better beef, since it is a bigger city, and closer to the plains region where the beef is more tender, and tastier. Colombians also love to eat burgers, so you will find burgers almost anywhere!
Santa Marta Caribbean beach front High End high rise 2nd line from beach semi beach view, fully furnished 2000 sq ft with pool, gym, doctor on site bldg $1500 a month ... in Miami $5000 a month
@@HappyInSantaMarta that is amazing!! Sounds great
@@SaraBurdick the forward facing full beach view was $500 more
@@HappyInSantaMarta I think a semi beach view is perfect! I really like Santa Marta!
@@SaraBurdick Hollar when you're in this neck of the woods for you're vacation away from paradise to ... another one ...wife and I are already talking about Christmas in Aruba, because its a quick short flight
@@HappyInSantaMarta ooh that sounds amazing! yess if i make it up there I will let you know:)
Can you buy a place in the country side for about $70.000US
@@glennmarino3856 yes . Mine was less than that!