Expert: Juan Carlos Valencia - 7/29/2008

Question
Senor Juan Carlos
I have entertained the possibility of moving to Colombia in about 1 year. The city of Santa Marta looks very nice, with nice beaches. I do not speak enough spanish to get in trouble with myself. Should this prevent me from my plans.
I am retiring, so I will be on a pension when I do get to move.
Thanks
Jim

Answer
Dear Jim,

americans and europeans are retiring to different parts of central and south america. This trend is also starting in Colombia, a little late because of the violence of the 1990´s.

As for places where americans are arriving: I would say that Cartagena, a resort city in the caribbean coast is the top destination.  It has many charms: the old, 17th century walled city, a great marina, excellent beaches in the nearby, great restaurants, international tourists, great communications infraestructure, international airport. The drawbacks: hot weather year-round, not so clean beaches in the city itself, a great divide between very rich and very poor (extremely poor) areas. Safety is not extraordinary (common theft is nuance in some areas) but it´s not bad.

Americans and europeans are buying old houses in the walled city and refurbishing them. They are also buying modern apartments with ocean views in the Miami style area of Bocagrande. The prices are high for Colombia but fairly cheap for americans.

Santa Marta is an interesting alternative. It´s smaller, less trendy, cheaper. There´s more green, amazing natural parks in the nearby, more  fresh water, a good airport. But there are also drawbacks, a more provincial and conservative social environment. Less people speak english there, the city itself is small, there are not as many restuarants and the government, blind and short term as usual, is advocating coal minery in the region. Trains transport the coal to the port contaminanting the air and the beaches.

Political corruption is one of the biggest concerns in the area. Business and legal paperwork take ages unless you have contacts and are willing to pay bribes.

I would recommend that before taking a big decision you could study spanish, hire a private teacher and go to the cities that you are considering and spend a few months living there.It will be the only way to really know if you could feel at home.

There are some other spots where americans and europeans are buying property and retiring: Villa de Leyva, a pleasant small town about 4 hours from Bogota has nice colonial architecture, a pleasant weather with average temperature of 22 *C, nice surrounding countryside with hiking, biking and walking trails and all the conveniences of modern life. It´s a place to relax, eat healthy foods in a hippie/peasant/artistic enviroment, a sort of Santa Fe (New Mexico) kind of place.

If you want to be more adventuruos, some foreigners are setting up bed & breakfasts in some nice, isolated areas like San Agustin, a warm weather town in the south in the nearby of some of the most interesting pre-columbian ruins in the country.

Some others have bought haciendas in the coffee bean growing plantations on the slopes of the Andes, in the nearby of the cities of Armenia and Pereira.

There are some very charming small towns that could attract foreigners but are not very well known yet like Barichara, a very nice, clean and beautiful small town about 6 hours from Bogota and 2 hours from Bucaramanga.

A few americans can be seen in the big cities of Cali and Medelin, living a low-key type of living in nice neighborhoods.

A lot of americans are coming here to get medical care and have plastic or other surgeries. Prices are low compared to the U.S and a lot of M.D´s here have studied in U.S universities.

Cars are expensive because of high taxes. Real-state is becoming more expensive but it may not be so for americans. A good apartment in Bogota (100 square meters) in a nice area could cost 100.000 U.S dollars. People in Colombian cities tend to live in apartments not houses.

Let me know if I can help you a bit more.

Saludos

JC