A complete relocation hub for anyone moving to Colombia — whether you are relocating for work, joining family, retiring or moving a household internationally for the first time. Costs, shipping, visas, customs, housing, schools, pets and vehicles in one place.
Colombia treats household goods as menaje doméstico, cleared by a licensed customs agency against your visa and cédula de extranjería. The inland leg from the Caribbean ports up to Bogotá or Medellín is a real part of the timeline and the cost.
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Quick facts
Indicative planning benchmarks for an international household move — not a quotation.
Typical moving cost
from $5,100
Door-to-door benchmark, 20ft container entry point
Typical transit time
5–8 weeks
Ocean freight to Cartagena, Barranquilla or Buenaventura; transit varies by origin, and inland delivery to Bogotá or Medellín adds several days
Cost of living
$
Bogotá is the highest-cost hub
Key visa routes
M visa — work or spouse · V visa — digital nomad
M visa — retirement / pension income · R resident visa · Investor visa
Customs difficulty
Moderate
DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales grants relief on Menaje doméstico declaration lodged by a licensed customs agency (agencia de aduanas), but the paperwork must be complete before arrival.
Major arrival cities
Bogotá · Medellín · Cali
Bogotá (BOG) · Medellín (MDE) · Cartagena (CTG)
Plan
Overview
How households actually arrive in Colombia: where they move from, how their goods travel, and what customs and tax treatment to expect.
Customs treatment depends on your origin as much as on Colombia — see the origin selector below.
| Household | Volume | Usual shipping option |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / partial load | 3–5 CBM | LCL groupage or luggage express |
| 1-bedroom apartment | 8–12 CBM | LCL consolidated groupage |
| 2-bedroom home | 18–22 CBM | 20ft sole-use container |
| 3-bedroom home | 28–32 CBM | 20ft high-cube or 40ft container |
| 4+ bedroom home | 45–60 CBM | 40ft high-cube container |
DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales grants relief on Menaje doméstico declaration lodged by a licensed customs agency (agencia de aduanas), but the paperwork must be complete before arrival. Required registration: Cédula de extranjería, plus a RUT tax number where you work locally.
Household goods entering Colombia are in principle liable to import duty and 19% import VAT. Menaje doméstico (household goods) is the relief that removes that charge for genuine transfers of residence, filed with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales. New purchases, goods owned for less than the qualifying period, alcohol, tobacco and vehicles are assessed separately and are the most common source of unexpected charges.
Shipments arriving from the United States are treated as a third-country import into Colombia. Relief from duty and the 19% import VAT normally depends on Menaje doméstico declaration lodged by a licensed customs agency (agencia de aduanas) filed with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales, evidence that you lived in the United States for the required qualifying period, and an itemised inventory. Documentation issued in the United States (proof of address, visa, ownership records) is what customs will ask for.
| Shipping option | Typical volume | Indicative cost | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean LCL (shared container)Partial household moves and apartment shipments | Under 14 CBM | $35 – $90 / CBM ($1,500 minimum) | 3 – 8 weeks |
| Ocean FCL — 20ft container1–3 bedroom full household moves | 14 – 33 CBM | $2,500 – $13,000 per container | 3 – 8 weeks (EU) / 6 – 10 weeks (Oceania) |
| Ocean FCL — 40ft container3–5 bedroom moves plus vehicle transport | 33 – 67 CBM | $4,000 – $19,000 per container | 3 – 8 weeks (EU) / 6 – 10 weeks (Oceania) |
| Air freight (expedited)High-value gear and time-critical relocations | Any — charged by weight | $2.50 – $8.50 / kg | 3 – 7 days |
| Cross-border FTL / LTL (ground)Direct surface moves to Mexico and Canada | Full or partial trailer | $1,200 – $5,500 per trailer | 1 – 5 days |
Price
Households typically budget from $5,100 door-to-door for a container move, with the final figure set by volume, service level and season. Use the estimator for a route-specific range.
Volume in cubic metres is the single largest driver — decluttering before survey is the cheapest saving available.
Port-to-port, partial pack and full door-to-door packing differ by thousands on the same load.
Narrow streets, stairs and permit parking in Bogotá can require a shuttle vehicle and extra crew.
May to September sailings and vans book out first and price highest; shoulder months are materially cheaper.
Terminal handling, DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales inspection, quarantine and storage are billed to you and are usually excluded from headline freight rates.
We're building detailed benchmarks for the world's most-used relocation corridors, so you get your move size, recommended shipping method and a realistic door-to-door cost before you request quotes. If your route isn't benchmarked yet, we'll help you with a manual estimate.
Estimated moving cost range
A realistic low-to-high bracket for your route
Recommended shipping method
Shared container, full container or air freight
Typical transit time
How long your belongings are likely to travel
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This is an estimated relocation cost for planning purposes, not a binding quote. Final pricing is confirmed by a vetted international moving partner after a survey.
Plan
High-level educational overview of the residence routes most relocating households use. This is not legal or immigration advice.
Most commonly used by: Remote professionals, Retirees, Families.
Educational information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, thresholds and processing times change frequently and depend on your nationality and circumstances. Confirm current requirements with the Colombia immigration authority or a qualified adviser before you commit to a moving date.
Execute
Rentals in Bogotá and Medellín are good value and often furnished in the expat segment. Standard local leases require a co-signer or a rental guarantee policy; short-term furnished apartments are widely used for the first months.
Find furnished temporary housing through our AltoVita partnership.
MyExpatGo helps connect you with temporary housing options. Availability is subject to AltoVita and provider inventory — MyExpatGo does not guarantee or book accommodation.
| City | Profile | Cost index |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | Capital and corporate base at altitude; apartment towers with booked lifts | $ |
| Medellín | Main remote-work hub; hillside neighbourhoods with narrow access streets | $ |
| Cali | Warmer valley city with the shortest run from Buenaventura | $ |
| Cartagena | Caribbean coast; shortest port leg but humidity-sensitive packing | $ |
Plan
Bogotá, Medellín and Cali have established bilingual and international schools with IB and American curricula. The academic calendar varies by school — some follow February to November, others August to June — so confirm before you plan the move date.
Working language: Spanish. Apply to schools before you ship — admission dates rarely align with container transit.
Plan
Pet import rules for Colombia are set by the national veterinary authority and typically involve microchipping, rabies vaccination and an official health certificate issued close to travel.
Execute
Used-vehicle import is restricted and heavily taxed, so most arrivals buy locally. Bogotá and Medellín both have extensive mass-transit systems.
Calculate landed vehicle taxesExecute
Traffic drives on the right in Colombia.
Bogotá is served by the TransMilenio bus rapid-transit network, and Medellín has a metro, cable cars and trams that reach the hillside neighbourhoods. Ride-hailing is widely used in both. Outside the main cities a car is more practical. Main international gateways: Bogotá (BOG), Medellín (MDE) and Cartagena (CTG).
Whether you can drive on your existing licence, for how long, and whether it can be exchanged rather than re-tested depends on the country that issued it and on your residence status in Colombia. Check the national licensing authority before your current entitlement runs out.
Execute
The menaje doméstico route depends on your visa category and your cédula de extranjería application. Confirm your status with DIAN or your broker before shipping.
Every item is listed and valued, with serial numbers for electronics. Household goods that fall outside the regime are assessed at duty plus 19% VAT.
Firearms, drones, medicines, food and plant products are controlled. Quantities that look commercial are treated as an ordinary import.
Most shipments clear on the Caribbean coast and travel by road to Bogotá, Medellín or Cali. Build that transit and its cost into your delivery date.
Prove continuous residence outside the destination country for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before the move.
Every shipped item must have been owned and personally used for at least 6 consecutive months before departure. Newly purchased goods are valued and taxed normally.
Goods must arrive within 12 months of the formal residency transfer, and cannot be sold, rented, pledged or transferred for 12 months after import.
Execute
The first-30-days sequence specific to Colombia, in the order most households need it.
Complete local registration
Register your address as required in Colombia — Cédula de extranjería, plus a RUT tax number where you work locally.
Confirm customs clearance status
Your mover or broker lodges the import declaration with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales; keep the cleared declaration.
Open a local bank account
Needed for a long-term lease, utilities and salary payments.
Register for healthcare
Enrol in Colombia's health system or activate private cover from day one.
Arrange utilities and connectivity
Electricity, water, internet and a local mobile number for delivery coordination.
Sort driving entitlement
Low cost of living, a fast-growing remote-work community in Medellín and Bogotá, and comparatively simple long-stay visa routes.
Book school places
International and bilingual schools in the main cities admit on waiting lists.
Schedule delivery and unpack
Confirm access, parking and lift booking before the container is released.
Customs step
Your moving company or licensed broker lodges the import declaration with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales.
Customs step
Ports of entry commonly used: Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Buenaventura.
Plan
Colombia has both public and private healthcare. International residents commonly rely on private providers or international cover, particularly in the first months, while eligibility for public care is confirmed. Many households keep international or travel medical cover in place for the gap between departure and local enrolment. This is general information, not medical or insurance advice — confirm cover for your own circumstances before you move.
Moving to Colombia? Before you leave, review how you'll handle healthcare and international coverage in your new country — and make sure you understand what is and isn't covered for your situation. SafetyWing offers two Nomad Insurance options to explore; check current pricing, eligibility and full policy details directly with SafetyWing.
Coverage, eligibility, pricing and exclusions vary. Review the current policy details before purchasing.
Partner recommendation · MYEXPATGO may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Compare
Accredited international moving companies in our network with proven capability on this destination. MyExpatGo is an independent platform — we are not a moving company.
🇺🇸 Miami Gardens, FL, United States · since 2004
Family-run, FAIM-certified US mover with East Coast hubs in Miami, Atlanta and Maryland.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR · since 1968
Asia's leading relocation group with 14 country offices across the region's primary commercial centres.
🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates · since 2011
UAE-based international removals specialist serving the GCC and worldwide destinations.
🇮🇳 Chennai, India · since 2010
India-based global relocation specialist offering fine art and pet relocation services.
🇮🇳 Bangalore, India · since 1971
India's longest-established international mover, with a door-to-door network spanning 180+ countries.
🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · since 1996
Malaysia corporate-relocation specialist and UniGroup Worldwide UTS partner with a 1,200-office network.
Partner availability on any specific corridor is confirmed when you request quotes. How we vet our partners.
Plan
Small things that make the first months easier — and the ones people most often leave too late.
Resources
There is no single country-wide price: the cost depends on where you are moving from, how much you ship, the service level and the season. Households moving a container to Colombia typically budget from $5,100 door-to-door as a planning benchmark. Use the MyExpatGo estimator for a route-specific range, or request quotes from vetted movers for a real price.
Plan for around 5–8 weeks door-to-door on a typical lane. Ocean freight to Cartagena, Barranquilla or Buenaventura; transit varies by origin, and inland delivery to Bogotá or Medellín adds several days. Customs clearance, destination handling and delivery access all sit on top of the sailing time, so confirm the schedule with your mover for your specific route.
Used household goods and personal effects are the normal shipment. Relief from duty and the 19% import VAT is applied for through Menaje doméstico declaration lodged by a licensed customs agency (agencia de aduanas) with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales, subject to eligibility. New purchases, alcohol, tobacco, vehicles and any restricted items are assessed separately — check the current rules with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales before you pack.
Visa requirements depend on your nationality, purpose of stay and intended length of residence. Routes commonly used by relocating households include M visa — work or spouse, V visa — digital nomad, M visa — retirement / pension income. Confirm current requirements with the Colombia immigration authority or a qualified adviser.
Bogotá, Medellín, Cali are the main arrival cities for international households. Most people rent first, often using temporary or serviced accommodation for the first weeks while they view long-term homes and wait for their shipment to clear.
Colombia has both public and private healthcare. International residents commonly rely on private providers or international cover, particularly in the first months, while eligibility for public care is confirmed. Many households keep international or travel medical cover in place for the gap between departure and local enrolment. This is general information, not medical or insurance advice — confirm cover for your own circumstances before you move.
We rate it moderate. DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales grants relief on Menaje doméstico declaration lodged by a licensed customs agency (agencia de aduanas), but the paperwork must be complete before arrival. Complete, accurate paperwork filed before arrival is the single biggest factor in avoiding storage and demurrage charges.
Confirm your visa or residence route, get a moving cost benchmark, compare quotes from accredited movers, file your customs relief paperwork, arrange temporary accommodation, and plan pets, vehicles and school places well ahead of your shipping date.
Start with an independent cost benchmark for your route, then compare quotes from vetted movers who work this destination.
This Colombia guide is published for general education and planning. It is not legal, tax, immigration or customs advice, and it is not a quotation. Always confirm current requirements with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales, your visa authority or a qualified professional before shipping. Costs and transit times are indicative benchmarks.
Regulatory and customs content last reviewed 2 September 2026.
Moving cost guide
How international moving pricing is built up.
Customs & Transfer of Residence guide
Relief rules, eligibility and paperwork.
LCL vs Groupage
Which shared-container option suits your load.
Relocation support services
Packing, storage, pets, vehicles and admin.
