Resources & Tools We Recommend for Life in Colombia

March 30, 2026Colombia Move

The best travel insurance, banking, VPNs, Spanish learning tools, housing platforms, and moving resources for expats and travelers in Colombia — all personally vetted.

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Colombia Move — Marketplace Gratis

Publica o encuentra vivienda, servicios, empleos, vehículos, tecnología y más en toda Colombia. Listar es gratis.

Medellín · Bogotá · Cartagena · Cali · Barranquilla · Remoto

Publicar gratis →

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Casa Clara — Vivienda con Más Transparencia

Explora anuncios de vivienda, fincas y datos del mercado para comparar mejor antes de contactar.

Arriendos · Ventas · Fincas · Barrios · Datos de mercado

Explorar vivienda →

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Comunidad Colombia Move — Pregunta y Responde

¿Tienes preguntas sobre mudarte, trabajar o vivir en Colombia? Pregunta a la comunidad.

Visas · Impuestos · Vivienda · Salud · Trabajo remoto · Vida diaria

Hacer una pregunta →

Traveling Mailbox — Virtual US Mailbox

Get a real US street address that receives your mail, scans it, and lets you manage everything online from Colombia. Deposit checks, forward packages, shred junk mail. I've used it for over a year — it's essential for any American living abroad. Plans from $15/month. Sign up for Traveling Mailbox | Read my review

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Tools & Resources We Actually Use

Everything on this page is something we personally recommend for expats and travelers in Colombia. Some links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this site free.

📦 Digital Products

Guides and tools we created specifically for Colombia expats.

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Colombia Relocation Kit

2026 Edition — $19

The complete guide to relocating to Colombia — pre-move checklist, real budget breakdown, visa guide, Medellín neighborhood comparison, and essential apps. Everything in one place.

Get the Kit →

✈️ Travel Insurance

Non-negotiable for life in Colombia. These are the plans expats actually trust.

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SafetyWing

Best for Nomads

The go-to travel insurance for digital nomads worldwide. Affordable monthly plans, solid Colombia coverage, and easy claims process. Used by thousands of expats in Medellín.

Get Covered →

🔒 VPN & Online Privacy

Protect your data on public Wi-Fi, access content from home, and stay secure while working remotely in Colombia.

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NordVPN

Best VPN for Expats

Fast, reliable, and trusted by millions. Secure your browsing on Colombian café Wi-Fi, access streaming from your home country, and protect sensitive work data. Plans start around $3–4/month on annual deals.

Get NordVPN →

💸 Banking & Money Transfers

Stop losing money on exchange rates. These tools save expats hundreds every year.

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SoFi

Best US Bank for Expats

No account fees, no foreign transaction fees, and up to 4.6% APY on savings. SoFi is the top-rated US bank for expats — manage everything from Colombia with a great mobile app.

Open Free Account →

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Charles Schwab

Best for ATM Withdrawals Abroad

The go-to brokerage and checking account for expats. Unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide — withdraw pesos from any ATM in Colombia and get every fee refunded. No foreign transaction fees, no monthly fees, no minimum balance. FDIC insured.

Open Free Account →

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ARQ

Best for Global Spending

The tool of choice for global-first finance. Spend globally, exchange seamlessly, no hidden fees. Built for expats living between currencies — perfect for life in Colombia. Join through our link and earn $10 USDc when you spend $50 USDc internationally.

Get $10 USDc →

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Remitly

Best for Sending Money

Send money to Colombia — or receive transfers from family abroad — at rates far better than any bank. Fast, reliable, and trusted by millions of expats worldwide.

Send Money →

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Venmo

Free International Transfers

Venmo now offers free international transfers to PayPal accounts worldwide. Send money from the US to Colombia at no cost — a great option if your recipient has PayPal.

Free Transfers US to PayPal Instant

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Mercury

Best US Business Bank

The go-to bank for remote entrepreneurs and freelancers. No fees, no minimums, and a clean interface built for people who run their business from anywhere — including Colombia. Open a US business account 100% online.

Open Free Account →

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Cash App

Best for US Transfers

Send and receive money instantly with people back home. Cash App is one of the most widely used payment apps in the US — perfect for splitting costs, receiving payments, and moving money quickly. Sign up with our link and get a bonus when you send your first payment.

Get Cash App →

📈 Investing / Trading

Build wealth in dollars while living on pesos. These platforms let you trade US markets from anywhere in the world.

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tastytrade

Best for Options Trading

The platform built for active traders. Commission-free stock trades, the lowest options fees in the industry, and powerful tools designed for serious investors. Trade US markets from Colombia.

One of the most trusted crypto exchanges in the world. Buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and hundreds of other assets. A solid choice for expats in Colombia looking to diversify into crypto or hold stablecoins between currencies.

Start Trading →

🎒 Tours & Experiences in Colombia

The best way to discover Colombia is with a local guide. These are the experiences worth booking.

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Viator

Best for Booking Tours

The world's largest tours & experiences platform with hundreds of Colombia options — Medellín street art tours, coffee region day trips, Cartagena boat tours, and more. Book with free cancellation and instant confirmation.

Browse Colombia Experiences →

🏠 Finding Housing in Colombia

The platforms and tools that actually work for finding apartments in Medellín and beyond.

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Metrocuadrado

Best Local Platform

Colombia's largest real estate platform. Best selection of local apartments and houses at local prices — not gringo-inflated rates.

The top platform for buying property in Colombia. Listings from individual owners and agencies across all major cities.

Browse Listings →

📊 Crypto Tax Reporting

Track your crypto transactions and generate IRS-ready tax reports.

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CoinTracking

Crypto tax reporting for US expats

Auto-import from Kraken, Coinbase & 100+ exchanges
Generates IRS Form 8949 & Schedule D
Tracks every swap, trade & stablecoin conversion
Free plan for up to 200 transactions

🇺🇸 Essential if you use crypto to move money to Colombia

Try CoinTracking Free →

🔐 Privacy & Security

Protect your email, data, and online identity abroad.

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Proton Mail

Encrypted email, VPN, drive & passwords

End-to-end encrypted email — no ads, no data mining
Swiss-based — strongest privacy laws in the world
Includes VPN, cloud storage, calendar & password manager
Free tier available — paid plans from ~$4/month

🔒 The Gmail replacement for privacy-conscious expats

Try Proton Mail Free →

📲 eSIM & Connectivity

Stay connected from the moment you land in Colombia.

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Saily eSIM

International eSIM by the makers of NordVPN

Colombia data plans from ~$4
150+ countries — perfect for Latin America travel
5-minute setup, no physical SIM needed
Built by Nord Security (NordVPN)

📱 Set up before you fly, connected on landing

Get a Saily eSIM →

☁️ Cloud Hosting & Tech

Tools for remote workers, freelancers, and online business owners.

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DigitalOcean

Cloud hosting for developers & businesses

Cloud servers (Droplets) from $4/month
Managed databases, app hosting & storage
Simple, predictable pricing — no surprise bills
Perfect for hosting websites, apps, or client projects

🎁 Get $200 in free credits for 60 days

Try DigitalOcean Free →

📚 Recommended Reading

Books and guides that give you a real picture of life in Colombia.

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Killing Pablo

History

The definitive account of Pablo Escobar and Medellín's transformation. Essential context for understanding the city you're moving to.

Read on Amazon →

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Lonely Planet Colombia

Travel Guide

The most comprehensive English travel guide to Colombia. Great for planning trips beyond Medellín.

Get the Guide →

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Missing something?

Have a tool or resource that transformed your life in Colombia? We'd love to hear about it.

Tell Us About It →

Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we genuinely believe in and that are relevant to life in Colombia.

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