How to Furnish Your Apartment in Colombia: New, Used & What to Know

The first apartment I set up in Medellín came with a surprise: the ceiling had bare wires poking out where light fixtures should have been, the kitchen had a gas stub but no stove, and there was no water heater. The landlord, a friendly man in his sixties, was genuinely puzzled by my confusion. This was completely normal. Welcome to unfurnished Colombia.

Most long-term rentals here are bare-bones unfurnished — and I mean that literally. The good news is that once you know the system, setting up a livable apartment doesn't take long and doesn't have to cost a fortune. Medellín, Bogotá, and Cali all have active secondhand markets, reliable furniture chains, and local "furniture streets" that most new arrivals drive past without noticing. If you want to see real-world options right now, you can browse apartments and houses on Colombia Move — posting is completely free.

This is the guide I wish I'd had during my first week. Whether you're landing for six months or indefinitely, here's how to furnish an apartment in Colombia without overpaying or buying things twice.

• Expect bare walls — most unfurnished apartments have no appliances, no light fixtures, and sometimes no water heater
• Budget $600–1,200 USD total to furnish a 1–2BR apartment (mix of new + used)
• New furniture: Homecenter (Sodimac), Easy, and MercadoLibre are your main options
• Used furniture: Facebook Marketplace groups and classified ads are active — expat turnover keeps prices low
• First purchase: Light socket fixtures and bulbs — bare ceiling wires are miserable on night one
• Delivery runs 30,000–80,000 COP ($7–20) from most stores; local flete trucks handle the rest

What "Unfurnished" Actually Means in Colombia

Sin amueblar translates directly as "without furniture," but in Colombian apartment culture it often goes further than that. Here's what's typically absent:

• All furniture — beds, sofas, tables, chairs, desks, wardrobes
• Kitchen appliances — refrigerator, washing machine (often), sometimes even the stove
• Ceiling light fixtures — expect bare wiring in every room
• Curtains or blinds
• Water heater (calentador) in some older or budget buildings

What IS included: walls, floors, gas line connection, plumbing connections, and the building's common infrastructure. Mid-range and higher-end buildings usually include a gas stove built into the kitchen counter and sometimes a basic water heater. Ask explicitly before signing the lease — and get it in writing.

The upside of this system is real: you're not paying a monthly premium for someone else's worn furniture, and you control exactly what goes in. Colombian apartments, especially older builds from the 1980s–2000s, also tend to be smaller and more compact than North American equivalents. Closets are often built-in (alacenas) but narrow. Kitchens are typically galley-style. Buy accordingly — that king-size headboard you're eyeing might not clear the stairwell.

Buying New Furniture in Colombia

Homecenter (Colombia's Sodimac franchise) is the closest thing to a Home Depot. Most cities have at least one, and the range is solid — sofas, beds, dining tables, appliances, tools, décor, lighting. A decent fabric sofa runs 900,000–2,500,000 COP ($220–615). Delivery is available, usually at a flat rate, and their return policy is the most reliable of any chain. Check their app or website before visiting — they run frequent promotions.

Easy is Homecenter's smaller competitor and slightly less common. Prices are similar, occasionally cheaper on specific categories. Worth checking if one is near you.

MercadoLibre Colombia gets overlooked as a new-purchase source, but it's genuinely excellent for furniture. Dozens of small Colombian manufacturers sell directly on the platform — you can find a solid wood dining table for 400,000–700,000 COP ($100–175), often with free shipping to your city. Read reviews, check dispatch times, and you'll regularly find quality that matches Homecenter at 30–40% less. The catch: delivery windows are less predictable.

For kitchen basics — pots, pans, plates, glasses, utensils — go to D1, Ara, or Justo & Bueno (the discount chains). A functional starter kitchen kit runs 80,000–150,000 COP ($20–37) and covers everything you need while you settle in. Éxito and Carulla have better quality versions of the same items if you want to upgrade.

One category I'd skip buying new: mattresses. The secondhand market has acceptable options at a fraction of retail. That said, if a good night's sleep is non-negotiable for you, Colchones Americana and Spring are Colombia's main mattress brands and offer solid quality — a queen runs 700,000–1,800,000 COP ($170–440) depending on the line.

The Used Furniture Market

Expat turnover is Colombia's hidden furniture discount system. In El Poblado, Chapinero, Laureles, and Zona Rosa, there's a near-constant churn of people leaving — Europeans and Americans who rented for a year, furnished nicely, and are now selling everything for cash before their flights home. Time this right and you can furnish a full apartment for the price of one new sofa.

Facebook Marketplace is the most active channel. Search your city name plus keywords like "muebles usados" or "sofa" and filter by price. There are also dedicated Facebook groups — "Expats Medellín Furniture Sale" is active and posts regularly. Prices are almost always negotiable; 15–25% below the listed price is fair to ask, especially for cash.

Colombia Move's classified listings at colombiamove.com/categoria/muebles list furniture from individuals and small shops. The advantage over Facebook: no spam bots, sellers have visible profiles, and WhatsApp contact is direct. Filter by city and price. It's free to list — if you're selling furniture yourself before leaving, post there.

OLX Colombia still exists but has thinned out. Use it as a third check rather than your primary source.

Timing matters. The best deals appear at end of month (lease turnover), and in January–February when universities restart. In expat-heavy areas, late November through January sees a wave of departures before the holiday season — that's when quality pieces appear at low prices.

One thing I noticed quickly: "used" in Colombia often just means owned for a year by one careful family. Colombians generally take good care of their furniture. A sofa listed at 280,000 COP ($69) might genuinely be in excellent condition. Show up, check for stains, test the frame, smell it (seriously), and ask for a small discount. Most sellers expect it.

What to Budget for a Full Setup

Here's a rough breakdown to furnish a 1–2 bedroom apartment, based on a realistic mix of new key pieces and used finds:

Most expats land somewhere in between — buy the mattress new (you'll sleep better and never regret it), get the sofa and dining set used, pick up appliances from MercadoLibre or a used-appliance shop, and stock the kitchen from D1. The combined spend usually falls in the $700–1,100 USD range for a fully functional apartment.

Practical Tips Before You Buy

Measure doorframes and elevator dimensions before buying anything bulky. A sofa that fits the living room might not fit through the front door or the elevator cab — a frustrating and expensive mistake. If in doubt, break it down into components (modular sofas are widely available at Homecenter) or buy from a store with a clear returns policy.

Delivery from stores is not always automatic. Street-market furniture sellers typically don't offer delivery and expect you to arrange a flete yourself. Apps like Mudango or WhatsApp groups for local flete trucks connect you to pickup-truck drivers who'll move furniture across a neighborhood for 50,000–120,000 COP ($12–30). Useful number to have saved before you need it.

For local furniture streets: Medellín has a stretch on Calle 30 in Barrio Colombia with dozens of small furniture makers selling direct — prices are 20–40% lower than Homecenter for comparable pieces, and negotiation is expected. Bogotá has a similar stretch near Puente Aranda (Calle 13 and surrounding blocks). Not tourist-friendly, but well worth the trip if you know what you want.

If your apartment doesn't include a water heater (calentador), a gas instantaneous unit costs 180,000–350,000 COP ($44–86) new. Installation adds another 50,000–100,000 COP from a licensed gas technician (gasfitero). It's worth negotiating with your landlord before signing — some will install it or deduct the cost from your first month. A missing calentador is a known landlord pressure point that's much easier to resolve before you're living there.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is IKEA available in Colombia?

No, IKEA doesn't operate in Colombia. The closest equivalent in terms of range and format is Homecenter (Sodimac), which is nationwide. MercadoLibre also has local vendors selling IKEA-style flatpack furniture manufactured in Colombia at competitive prices.

❓ Is it better to rent furnished or unfurnished in Colombia?

Furnished apartments run 30–60% more per month and are designed for short-term stays. If you're staying longer than 3 months, unfurnished almost always wins financially. Budget $600–1,100 USD upfront for furniture and you'll typically break even within 2–3 months versus a furnished alternative.

❓ How long does it take to furnish an apartment from scratch?

Buying everything new from Homecenter and MercadoLibre: 3–7 days if you're organized. Going the secondhand route: budget 2–4 weeks for good deals to appear. Most expats prioritize bedroom and kitchen first, then add pieces over the first month.

❓ Where can I find used furniture in Colombia?

Facebook Marketplace and dedicated expat groups ("Expats Medellín Furniture Sale" etc.) are the most active channels. Colombia Move classifieds are growing and have the advantage of verified seller profiles and direct WhatsApp contact. OLX Colombia exists but is less active than it used to be.

❓ What do I need to buy that the apartment definitely won't include?

Light fixtures — always. Curtains or blinds. All furniture. Often: refrigerator, washing machine, water heater. Sometimes: gas stove (it depends on the unit). Confirm in your lease what stays and what doesn't — Colombia's rental agreements rarely spell this out clearly, so ask explicitly.