Moving to Colombia - is it good? where to go? (crime rate, best)
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Yesterday I posted a thread about Panama vs. Manila. However, after doing some more research I have found that I am eligible to move to Colombia.
I am a tall, single white man if that makes any difference.
Anyway.
Here are my questions about Colombia:
1. Is it safe to live there for a "gringo"? If not, then maybe there are at least one or two areas where it is safe? I know crime is everywhere of course. But as long as it's not worse than a major American city than I'm fine.
2. Do people in general understand English or must I improve my Spanish abilities?
3. Is it possible to get high speed internet for a reasonable amount of money? ($100 for 20mbit, is it possible?)
4. Which city is best? I have looked into Cartagena since it's by the beach. How is this town, can I walk outside when its dark without getting robbed/shot at?
Since I work via the internet, having a high speed internet service is an absolute must.
It would also be nice if the city had some good hospitals as well, just in case something goes wrong.
If you're not a former gangster and lack Spanish skills, you might want to check out Panama again. Colombia has one of the highest murder and kidnap rates in the world and there's both paramilitary rebel guerrillas and drug cartels out there. The crime has been dropping and the situation's improving, but the major cities have a extremely high crime rate.
I would be very careful of making hasty decisions. Check out the embassy rather than C-D...
If you're not a former gangster and lack Spanish skills, you might want to check out Panama again. Colombia has one of the highest murder and kidnap rates in the world and there's both paramilitary rebel guerrillas and drug cartels out there. The crime has been dropping and the situation's improving, but the major cities have a extremely high crime rate.
I would be very careful of making hasty decisions. Check out the embassy rather than C-D...
Ok. May I ask, have you been to Colombia?
Because when reading online 99% of the people that have actually been there claim its safe. They say "don't walk around with your smart phone in the street"...but other than that, it seems OK.
If you're not a former gangster and lack Spanish skills, you might want to check out Panama again. Colombia has one of the highest murder and kidnap rates in the world and there's both paramilitary rebel guerrillas and drug cartels out there. The crime has been dropping and the situation's improving, but the major cities have a extremely high crime rate.
I would be very careful of making hasty decisions. Check out the embassy rather than C-D...
Like Fabio pointed out, crime is nowhere what it used to be. Good luck running in to paramilitary or guerillas anywhere out side the jungles or in the far north of the country toward the Darien Gap, which you couldn't get in to even if you wanted. Bogotá and Cartagena especially aren't even particularly risky or anything.
Everyone I've heard from that visited Colombia loves it above all countries in South America, except maybe Brazil. I have never been there but I would love to visit Bogotá.
I can almost gurantee you will need Spanish beyond your first few months of enjoying the exotic-ness of the situation.
Cartagena is a colonial town and apparently pretty touristy. I would imagine all of Colombia is a good value if you are coming from USA, Canada, Aus, or the UK, etc. but Cartagena will be on the more expensive end of that.
And don't visit your embassy if you're American. They list everything as dangerous.
Very few people in Colombia speak English, however Colombian Spanish is pretty easy to learn since it tends to be more accent neutral compared with other countries. That being said though people tend to be pretty friendly overall compared with other places.
Anyways regarding safety I visited the country four years ago and I never had any problems with crime, and unless you are involved with drugs and stay out of the border areas and/or remote jungle areas (which probably won't hold any appeal to you as an expat) you are unlikely to be murdered or kidnapped.
Cartagena is one of the safest areas in the country. But also one of the most expensive. You really won't have a much cheaper lifestyle there or in most of the big cities compared to lower cost areas of the US. You really need to live in smaller cities where the lifestyle is much different.
As for the Internet I doubt you will find it to meet your needs. This is pretty common throughout Latin America, Internet is slow and expensive and can go out at times.
Yesterday I posted a thread about Panama vs. Manila. However, after doing some more research I have found that I am eligible to move to Colombia.
I am a tall, single white man if that makes any difference.
Anyway.
Here are my questions about Colombia:
1. Is it safe to live there for a "gringo"? If not, then maybe there are at least one or two areas where it is safe? I know crime is everywhere of course. But as long as it's not worse than a major American city than I'm fine.
2. Do people in general understand English or must I improve my Spanish abilities?
3. Is it possible to get high speed internet for a reasonable amount of money? ($100 for 20mbit, is it possible?)
4. Which city is best? I have looked into Cartagena since it's by the beach. How is this town, can I walk outside when its dark without getting robbed/shot at?
Since I work via the internet, having a high speed internet service is an absolute must.
It would also be nice if the city had some good hospitals as well, just in case something goes wrong.
Would appreciate any help (will rep+).
Cheers
How are you moving there? I mean from a legal standpoint.
To answer your questions, its an amazing place. I spent a few weeks in Bogota and loved it. I would definitely check it out if you like big cities. And you gonna need to learn spanish.
I've spent time in Colombia. I was in Bogota, Medellin, Bucaramanga and Cartagena. Bogota was my favorite, but it is not for everyone and definitely not what you'd consider your typical Latin American city. I wasn't a big fan of Cartagena, too many people selling things.. you're treated way too much like a tourist and it just feels uncomfortable.
In regards to safety, being a tourist and living in a city are two very different things. Colombia is pretty safe, but.. compared to United States it is not. You have to be smart and not go in places you shouldn't. I was never robbed, but I know people who were. If you go down there and are smart, you could get robbed.. but you probably won't. If you go there and play stupid, you could get killed.
English, no.. just no. lol. You might be able to get someone to give you some sign language to show you how to get to carrera 19, but if you want to really enjoy your time there and interact/meet people you're going to have to speak Spanish very well. No one is going to speak to you in English.
To ask which city is best is just impossible. I think you should do a little more research on Colombia if you're considering moving there.
I work online also, I know some people with my work who are working form Colombia and not having problems... but it's definitely not up to the standards of the United States.
I've been to Colombia numerous times and it's quite a beautiful country. My wife is from Bogota and I have been traveling there for a decade or so. Actually, I am traveling to Medellin, Cartegena and Santa Marta for the first time in a couple weeks. We usually go to Bogota and Cali where my wife has family but I wanted to get out of Chicago for a bit (winter blues you might say) and those are a few areas that I haven't been to yet, although my parents did go.
Being a tall, white man probably doesn't make much difference there. Colombians are probably some of the most ethnically diverse people in the world really. Almost anyone, and I do mean anyone could look Colombian. There are blond hair blue eyed people (my wifes mother for instance) all the way to black people (my wifes half brother for instance [actually mulato technically]). Plus, the various indeginous groups, many of which look Asian. Actually my wifes close friend is a Colombian buddhist that has traveled to Nepal before. People only knew she wasn't Nepalese by the nice shoes she wore. Basically it's not so easy to say what a Colombian looks like anyways.
First and foremost you should travel around there first. You can get to Colombia from Miami for as little as 300 bucks so go see what you think before you jump in.
Is it safe for a gringo? For the most part but that's kind of like asking is America safe. It can be but what you define as safe and where you go will dictate that. I live in Chicago and I never had a problem but some might think its not safe here either. If you are street smart and cognizant of your surroundings then you should have few issues.
English is spoken but not widely. You will have to learn Spanish if you want to be able to communicate effectively there. There are no English neighborhoods or anything like that that I know of in any of the major cities. But Colombians are friendly and most will try and work with you.
High speed internet? Maybe but not to the level that it is here in the states. You'll have to research that out a bit.
Which city is best is too subjective a question. Go visit and tour around. I doubt Cartagena would be on your list though. Even though I have yet to go there (two more weeks!), I have read and know enough people who have gone to know that it is a beautiful city but its one if not the most touristy cities in Colombia. So prices are inflated and it can get quite crowded. Bogota is a great city and many foreigners live there. It has a lot to offer, although traffic can be nuts. My parents were recently in Medellin and they loved it. It has very good infrastructure, a subway, beautiful climate (its nickname is the city of the eternal spring), great restaurants, culture, etc.. Actually, Medellin was named the city of the year last year.
Colombia is a wonderful country. The climate varies by the altitude. Bogota is cool (50-70F), Medellin (60-80F) Cali (70-90F) and Cartagena which is pretty hot and muggy I believe since its on the coast. So you can find the one that suits you best. It has amazing natural beauty and diversity. It is a bio hot zone after all. The foods and fruits are great. The women...Wow!!! That's a whole post and a half itself (don't tell my wife ). Obviously it has gone through a lot of hardships and is still working many of them out but it is a far cry from years past. Go see yourself though. Reading and talking can only tell you so much. You'll just have to experience it first hand to be the judge. And it's definitely worth a visit regardless of if you move there or not.
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). Obviously it has gone through a lot of hardships and is still working many of them out but it is a far cry from years past. Go see yourself though. Reading and talking can only tell you so much. You'll just have to experience it first hand to be the judge. And it's definitely worth a visit regardless of if you move there or not.
