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Before I moved to Colombia, I never had an idea of which areas were the most livable cities in Colombia
And so one night I was in Barranquilla and I was exciting a motel at around midnight with my then girlfriend at the time in a taxi
On our way out, it was a dark and very rainy night during the months that Barranquilla has its rainy season
With all the rain pouring down, it became a very dangerous situation as flash floods were occurring and some streets had too much water to be driven on
And when our taxi driver turned the corner onto a small street, he had to stop his vehicle as he wasn’t able to keep on going
A flash flood had taken up the street in front of us and so we just had to sit there while we waited for the street to be safe enough to drive through and for the rain to get less intense
In that moment, I thought to myself “there has to be a better city in Colombia than Barranquilla”
And that’s an issue when it comes to living in Colombia – where should you live?
After all, not every city is the same and each city has its own positives and negatives
Also, everyone has their own preferences as some prefer to live in smaller cities while others prefer bigger cities like Bogota
And then there are people who prefer to live in small towns
Having written so much on different cities in Colombia when it comes to dating and which cities have the best women for something casual or when it comes to finding a faithful wife…
I believe it is also necessary, as I have said before, to also keep in mind the quality of life you can have in the city you choose to live in
Since there is more to a city than just the women
So in this article, we will be breaking down which places are the best areas for living and quality of life in Colombia with only minor consideration given to the women in the area. Mostly quality of life and that’s it
One: Bogota
Given that I have lived here for some time, it should be obvious that I am going to mention Bogota
For me personally, Bogota is the best city to live in
While it does have some issues like air contamination and chaotic traffic at times, it is also quite a reasonable city for long term living
It’s fairly priced and not expensive whatsoever
The climate is ideal for me personally as it is never too hot here
The nightlife and restaurants here are some of the best in the city
There are plenty of touristy areas in Bogota and outside the city worth checking out and offer plenty of entertainment when free
The women here are very feminine but also relatively loyal compared to other cities like Medellin
When it comes to raising a family, there are also decent educational and entertainment resources for them and the healthcare here isn’t bad either
Plus, it’s easier to get here as Bogota has an international airport – a small bonus
Overall, it’s a great option
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Bogota
Two: Medellin
A good deal of what I said about Bogota also applies to Medellin
It has good nightlife, touristy options, entertainment venues, decent restaurants, feminine women and a cost of living that is cheaper than the US
Also, the public transportation system and climate are better in Medellin than Bogota
Air contamination is not as bad in Medellin as in Bogota from what I know
However, the women are much less faithful and are not ideal for having a serious relationship with
Though they are more beautiful than the women in Bogota
And of course there are other issues with Medellin – the people tend to be arrogant, the women have bigger egos, the people are less warm than the ones in Bogota from my experience, etc
So between the two, Medellin is a close second for overall living
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Medellin
Three: Pereira
Pereira is a decent city in Colombia that has plenty of things going for it
It has plenty of outside nature and amazing hiking opportunities
The climate is great and the cost of living is much lower than in Bogota or Medellin
The people here are usually very friendly and warm to outsiders
And with that said, it’s much easier to get a good look at Colombian culture in a place like Pereira where people are friendlier
The only few negatives are that the city is a bit uglier than other cities on this list and the nightlife is not as good as Bogota or Medellin
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Pereira
Four: Manizales
Everything that was said about Pereira also applies to Manizales from my experience as both places are livable cities in Colombia
Except there are just a few minor differences that should be said
First, I generally find the people in Pereira to be a little friendlier than the people in Manizales. The difference isn’t that much but it should be noted
Also, Manizales is smaller and has less entertainment options within the city itself, so it can be a little bit boring
On the other hand, I find Manizales to be better looking as a city than Pereira
So both cities are pretty close to each other on this list and it’s difficult to say which is better
But I prefer Pereira over Manizales
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Manizales
Five: Popayán
Though Popayán makes it fifth on this list, I’d personally make it second if I was just thinking about my own likes and dislikes
Especially as I would be living here most likely if Bogota didn’t exist given it is one of the most livable cities in Colombia
However, I understand that not everyone might like this city as it comes with some negatives also
So let’s break it down as to why this is one of the most livable cities in Colombia
First, this city is a bit smaller in the sense that everyone kinda knows everyone
For those who prefer living in a bigger city, this would be annoying
Second, Popayán has a smaller nightlife with less decent restaurants and fewer entertainment options within the city given that it is a smaller place in general
Third, given that it is a smaller city and there are less foreigners who have been here, the locals here can be a little more watchful of you
Just because you are the foreigner here and they don’t get as many foreigners – it was something I noticed where people watch you more here
And that can get annoying over time as it really makes you feel like an outsider
Having said that, the people here are very friendly, warm and they mean well
It’s just that they don’t see as many foreigners as other Colombian cities so they are curious
On top of that, the city itself is very beautiful, calm and quiet with plenty of white colonial buildings
So it comes with a lot of great culture and history as well that is unique and will give you a closer look into Colombian culture that others don’t always see
Not to mention that it is very cheap to live here compared to other Colombian cities
Overall, it’s a great option
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Popayán
Six: Salento
Even though Salento is not a large city, I decided to put Salento on the list because understandably some people will want to live in a small town instead
And out of all the small towns in Colombia, Salento is by far one of the best
Close to Pereira, this small town has plenty of nature and hiking options with the Los Nevados National Natural Park nearby
It also comes with plenty of colonial buildings within the town, which gives Salento a nice look and makes it more physically attractive as a town
And despite having some tourism given its location, it’s still pretty cheap compared to what you would pay in the US
And the people in Salento are also very friendly and have that usual “small town friendly vibe” that you get with people from small towns normally
The only negative is that this small town doesn’t have as many educational opportunities and resources for raising a child as a larger city would
But given its proximity to Pereira and other nearby cities, you have plenty of other options in that regard nearby
Overall, it’s a decent place to live
Seven: Bucaramanga
Known as the “city of parks,” Bucaramanga is another favorite of mine within Colombia and is one of the most livable cities in Colombia
It is a very green city with plenty of places to visit and also has plenty of hiking opportunities outside the city as well
On top of that, it’s a decent place to raise a child as the city is big enough with plenty of educational opportunities and resources as well
Not to mention that it is also a bit cheaper than other large cities in Colombia like Medellin
The only negative here is that the people in the city are just a little more reserved to foreigners but it’s only because the people here are a little bit shy and not as open to meeting a new person
However, they are friendly and nice once you get to know them
Interested in more? Read this extensive guide to Bucaramanga
Eight: Valledupar
With a lot of outside activities that could be had outside this city, Valledupar is another place that I enjoy quite a bit
It’s also a bit peaceful and quiet as well with not too much happening here
Which is both a good and a bad thing
Good in that the city isn’t too dangerous from what I have seen
Bad in that it is also a little bit boring here with not much to do within the city itself
Nightlife is average and the quality of the restaurants is decent but not the best within Colombia
On the bright side, Valledupar offers a good look into Colombian culture as this place is the ideal area to experience vallenato music and a deeper look into this aspect of Colombian culture
And because of how peaceful and quiet the area is, it’s not a bad place to raise a family – especially as it is relatively affordable compared to other big cities
Nine: Zipaquirá
With the Salt Cathedral nearby, Zipaquirá is a decent city with a few cool touristy options that makes living here fun
This place also has other attractions such as the Zipaquirá Archaeological Museum and the Casa del Nobel Gabriel García Márquez
Mixed in with all the parks in the area also and this city has plenty to offer for entertainment for yourself and also your family
Compared to other cities on this list, I will say that some parts of the city do look a little bit shady but nothing too extreme in general
Overall, Zipaquirá was peaceful enough that I never noticed anything out of the ordinary
Additionally, I also found this place to be just a little bit more expensive than other cities on this list like Valledupar
Perhaps in part because of the tourism to this city but regardless of that, this city is still very reasonably affordable
In the end, it’s a good option all around
Ten: Barichara
Given that plenty of people prefer to live in small towns, Barichara serves as another great town to live in Colombia
And by far one of the best options for small town living
This town has cobblestone streets and plenty of colonial architecture
Overall, it’s a great sight to see and is a small town that you could really see yourself waking up to everyday
It’s very calm and peaceful as well with a very friendly population
Out of all the areas mentioned on this list, I would say Barichara is one of the most friendly places to visit in Colombia
When compared to Salento, both towns are great places to live in
For me personally, I prefer Salento because of the access to Pereira and also the nearby access to some of the outdoors nature in that part of Colombia
However, there is a decent amount of outside nature to enjoy here in Barichara – just that I prefer the mountains and the coffee trails near Salento
Regardless, this place is very affordable also and overall is a great example of one of the livable cities in Colombia
Thanks for Reading
If you have any questions or insight of your own about which places are livable cities in Colombia, let me know below in the comment section.
And if you are now planning your trip to Colombia, make sure to travel prepared with a decent travel bag and also a flight booked with Avianca Airlines
If you are serious about living in Colombia for some time, check out this article that discusses in some detail visa issues that foreigners encounter while living here
Additionally, this article about certain expat problems you may encounter while living here is important also to read
Thanks and take care!
Hasta luego parceros,
Seth
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