Colombia Guides for Americans
Every guide I’ve written to make your move, trip, or investment in Colombia clearer — the free Field Guide plus the deep-dive playbooks, all from six years living here.
The Colombia Field Guide
Start here. Real budgets, the visa paths, and the best cities — plus a bonus 175+ word Colombian Spanish cheat sheet. No fluff, free, straight to your inbox.
Get the free guide →
The Visa Playbook
The retirement, digital-nomad, and investor visas broken down step by step — income lines, documents, and the order to do them in.
See the playbook →
My 5 Favorite Cities
The five cities I’d actually live in — climate, cost, healthcare, and the neighborhoods to start in for each. Not sure? Take the city quiz.
Read the guide →
The Property Buyer’s Guide
Independent research on five Colombian property markets — Bucaramanga, Pereira, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, and Cali — with real per-square-meter pricing, neighborhoods, demand drivers, risks, and a due-diligence checklist. Not a listicle.
See the guide →Which Colombia guide is right for you?
Not sure where to start? If you’re still weighing whether Colombia is realistic, the free Field Guide puts budgets, visa paths, and the best cities in one place. Ready to make the visa real? The Visa Playbook walks every legal path — retirement, digital nomad, and investor — step by step. Still choosing a city? Read My 5 Favorite Cities, or take the free city quiz first. And if you’re buying, the Property Buyer’s Guide breaks down five real markets with pricing and due diligence.
Who’s behind these guides
Most Colombia guides are outdated, generic, or written by someone who flew in for a week. Mine aren’t.
I’m Shep — six years living here, across five cities. These are the guides I wish I’d had before I moved.
I don’t earn commissions, and I’m not a lawyer, doctor, or financial advisor — just first-hand experience and current research on the visas, cost of living, and real logistics of moving to Colombia in 2026.
Colombia guides — FAQ
Is the Colombia Field Guide really free?
Yes — the Field Guide is 100% free; just add your email and it lands in your inbox (it even includes a 175+ word Colombian Spanish cheat sheet). The deeper playbooks — the Visa Playbook ($37), 5 Favorite Cities ($37), and Property Buyer’s Guide ($67) — are paid, low-cost guides for when you’re past the basics.
What’s the difference between the free guide and the paid ones?
The free Field Guide orients you — budgets, visa paths, and best cities at a glance. The paid guides go deep on one topic each: the full visa process, the five cities in detail, or the property-buying markets — so you can actually act.
Do I still need a guide if I’ve read the blog?
The blog answers single questions; the guides put the whole picture in one place, in order, so you’re not stitching 20 posts together. Many people read the blog, grab the free Field Guide, then buy the one guide that matches their next step. Want the interactive route instead? Try the free tools.
Are these official or legal advice?
No. They’re honest, first-hand experience from six years living in Colombia — not legal, tax, medical, or immigration advice. For anything official, confirm with a licensed professional or Colombia’s Migración Colombia.
