Living in Colombia? Check out these useful tips
Living In Colombia – Some Tips
Colombia is an incredible country, which has become a popular tourist destination for people from all around the world. Not only is it a very interesting destination to go on vacation to, but also to live in, mainly due to its people and its weather.
The way in which Colombia has been advancing in the last 15 years has radically changed the face of the country, not only for the outside world, but also for its inhabitants.
Nowadays, Colombia is a country which you can feel safe to travel and live in. In this article we want to give people living in Colombia some tips when traveling around the country. If you are not sure about how safe it is, we would like to share this article about safety in Colombia with you.
If you act like a local — even though you’re not — life in Colombia will be easier for you. Here are 4 pieces of advice for foreigners living in Colombia:
1. Don’t pay too much for a taxi
Colombians also pay too much sometimes. It doesn’t only happen to tourists and foreigners living in Colombia. Here are some tips to help you avoid paying too much:
- If you grab a taxi, make sure that the driver turns on the This is a device that they have in the taxi, which measures the distance — in kilometers — driven. The price that you need to pay will show on the meter at the end of the ride.
- Rather call a taxi service or use a special app to order a taxi.
2. Bargain like a local
Regatear, or bargain, is a typically Colombian thing to do, and you should do it too. So, if you want to buy something, ask for the final price, but always ask if they can lower it. This is what they call playing with the final price.
The sellers will lower the final price almost every time. If they don’t, try another place. Then the original seller will be sure to lower the original price. This only applies to things that are sold on the street, not in malls or in restaurants.
3. When in doubt ask
Rather ask a local person the price of something that you want to buy, or how much it will cost to take a taxi from one place to another. This way you’ll have an idea of how much you are supposed to pay, and you’ll avoid paying too much.
Colombians are very kind to foreigners, so you won’t have any problems when asking a local for help.
4. Time is only relative
Some love it, some hate it. It is important to keep in mind that you are now living on Colombian time. This means that people will rarely arrive on time, meaning at the time agreed upon.
It doesn´t mean they direspect you or your time, but Colombians tend to leave their place at the time they are supposed to be somewhere. Add to this the sometimes hectic traffic jams and you can imagine that you shouldn´t stress too much. Relax is key here.
Furthermore, when Colombians saying ´ahorita´, we would translate it to ´now´. However, it shouldn´t be interpreted like that. It tends to mean ´in a while´or ´later that day´.
We recommend to take things easy and just go with the flow.
Living in Colombia: Conclusion
These tips will really help you when you are living in Colombia. It is important to understand that even though Colombia’s image has been stigmatized in past years, things are very different now.
Living in Colombia, doesn´t mean you shouldn´t do the effort anymore to discover more of the place you are staying at. We totally recommend to check out our tours in Medellin, tours in Bogota, and tours Cartagena, so you avoid getting bored.
Anyway, the advice we provided, you can probably also use it when you visit other countries. You are sure to fall in love with the country — Latin America´s gem. Check out specific tips about moving to Colombia here.
If you need help or guidance with the planning process of your trip to Colombia, don´t hesitate to contact us. We have a team of travel experts looking forward to help you have the best holiday of your life.