Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT: THE BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
  • Home
  • Countries

    Top Destinations:

    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Panama
    • Belize
    • Colombia
    • Cyprus
    • Mexico
    • France
    • Montenegro
    • Browse All Countries

    Best For:

    • The Best Places To Retire
    • Health Care Abroad
    • Cost Of Living
    • Investing in Real Estate
    • Establishing Residency
    • Gun Laws In The World
    • English-Speaking Countries
    • Safest Places For Retirement
    • Best Places In Latin America
  • Budgets

    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
  • Resources

    Global Living

    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore & Diversification

    Making Money

    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing

    Follow Us:

    • Meet Our Experts
  • Real Estate

    Join our Weekly Newsletter
    Overseas Property Alert

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






      We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

      Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

      • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

      Explore Our Latest Posts

      • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

      Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

      • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
    • Conferences

      Upcoming Events

      • Explore Our Events Site

      Live and Invest In Spain Conference

      Offshore Wealth Summit

      Greece Workshop

      VALENCIA, SPAIN

      Sep. 17-19, 2025

      PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

      Oct. 15-17, 2025

      VIRTUAL

      Nov. 13, 2025

      LEARN MORE
      DISCOUNT
      LEARN MORE
      PRE-REGISTER
      LEARN MORE
      PRE-REGISTER
      • MORE EVENTS

      Contact Our Events Team

      Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
      1 (888) 627 8834
      From Outside North America:
      1 (443) 599 1221
      Working Hours
      Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

      Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

    • Store

      Unlock The World

      • Access Your Library

      Overseas Havens Reports

      • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

      Conference Kits

      • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

      Lahardan Books

      • Titles on living and investing around the world
      • Explore Our Store
      Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

      Services

      overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
      The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
      Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

      Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

    • My Library
    Live and Invest Overseas
    • Home
    • Countries

      Top Destinations:

      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro
      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

      • The Best Places To Retire
      • Health Care Abroad
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Laws In The World
      • English-Speaking Countries
      • Safest Places For Retirement
      • Best Places In Latin America
    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
    • Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
      • Offshore & Diversification

      Making Money

      • International Real Estate
      • Banking
      • Employment
      • Investing

      Follow Us:

      • Meet Our Experts
    • Real Estate

      Join our Weekly Newsletter
      Overseas Property Alert

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

        Explore Our Latest Posts

        • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

        Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

        • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
      • Conferences

        Upcoming Events

        • Explore Our Events Site

        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

        Offshore Wealth Summit

        Greece Workshop

        VALENCIA, SPAIN

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        Oct. 15-17, 2025

        VIRTUAL

        Nov. 13, 2025

        LEARN MORE
        DISCOUNT
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        • MORE EVENTS

        Contact Our Events Team

        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
        1 (888) 627 8834
        From Outside North America:
        1 (443) 599 1221
        Working Hours
        Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

      • Store

        Unlock The World

        • Access Your Library

        Overseas Havens Reports

        • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

        Conference Kits

        • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

        Lahardan Books

        • Titles on living and investing around the world
        • Explore Our Store
        Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

        Services

        overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
        The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
        Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

        Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

      • My Library
      Live and Invest Overseas
       Moving Out Of The U.S?

      THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

      the 10 best places to retire in 2025

      PLUS: A SPECIAL BONUS DESTINATION

      Simply sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report… absolutely FREE






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Home Retirement/Living

        Cosmopolitan City Living From US$1,384 A Month

        by Sophia Titley
        May 04, 2023
        in Retirement/Living
        0 0
        Night view of Medellin, Colombia. best places to retire 2025

        Adobe Stock/Javier D. Sandoval P


        The fun-loving locals are undeniably proud of their city and famous for their friendliness. They speak Spanish but have their own regional lingo and lilt, so you’ll want a basic grasp of Spanish to live well here.

        The colorful regional culture here is famous. As an expat, you can experience it simply by sticking around for a year and living out its jam-packed events calendar.

        A world-renowned flower festival happens every August; the International Poetry Prize, International Jazz Festival, and International Tango and World Latin Dance Festivals are held every year…

        There are museums all over town, including open-air ones like the Botero Sculpture Park, where all you need to do is walk around to marvel at the iconic, larger-than-life statues to take in fine art.

        There’s opera in season, symphonies, theater, and orchestra performances, and major concerts… There’s also great shopping, dance clubs, nightclubs (even for the silver-haired crowd), and fine dining…

        Locals are active and fit. The whole city seems to come out on Sunday mornings when a major road is closed to motorized vehicles. They also know how to have a good time…

        With its vibrant art, music, and culinary scenes, the city’s energy is infectious. It’s easy to feel this and be a part of it, whether by checking out the street art, sitting down at a new restaurant, or signing up for salsa lessons.

        No matter what your interests are, you’ll never be bored here.
        As with anywhere, lifestyle and location will have a huge effect on your cost of living. Neighborhoods (or estratos) are ranked from one to six by wealth, with six being the wealthiest.

        Medellín can be an extremely affordable place to live if you choose to go local and live in a lower estrato, shop local brands, and eat at local restaurants.

        Taking a middle-of-the-road approach, expect to pay about US$650 for a comfortable two-bedroom apartment (in expat favorite neighborhoods El Poblado or Laureles), about US$370 on monthly groceries, and about US$25 on the average nice meal out for two.

        Start Your New Life Overseas Today!
        Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In 2025.
        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        A couple’s basic monthly budget here should come to about US$1,384.

        Health care is a major selling point for Colombia. Many of the best hospitals in all of Latin America are found in Medellín including Colombia’s only JCI-accredited hospital (Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe).

        To access local health care as a resident, you’ll first need a visa and a cédula (local ID). Then you’ll be eligible for a local plan under Entidadas Promotorasde Salud, or EPS. These are basic health care plans that everyone in Colombia must have by law.

        These plans cost 12.5% of your monthly income, or pension for retirees. They cover medical, vision, and dental, but at a basic level. Each plan has its own network, so you’ll need to be clear about which hospitals and doctors you can visit.

        Most expats opt to sign up for some kind of private coverage, known as medicina prepaga, in addition to EPS.

        The cost depends on a variety of factors, such as your age and pre-existing conditions. These plans ensure shorter wait times and fewer hoops to jump through to see a specialist. There are a few different insurance companies you can go through to get set up, with SURA being a favorite among expats.

        One great thing about health care here is that you don’t even need to go to a clinic or hospital to get diagnosed and buy medication. Pharmacists in Medellín can give basic medical advice, and many medications are readily available over the counter.

        It’s not difficult to find a doctor that speaks English here, as many have completed some of their studies abroad and are used to treating international patients.

        Like any other big city, Medellín has some issues with crime. It used to have a reputation as the murder capital of the world, but things have changed, and today it’s a much safer place than most people realize.

        Since the late 1980s, the city’s homicide rate has dropped by 95%, and the extreme poverty level has plummeted by 66%.

        While the safety situation has drastically improved, incidents do happen. Card skimming has been reported at ATMs, so stick to those located within banks or offices, preferably with guards on duty during business hours.

        The most common crime is pickpocketing but with a little common sense and awareness, you can protect yourself from the majority of dangerous situations.

        Colombia offers a handful of different residency options and it stands out for the clarity of government information about its residency types and the ease of the application process.

        Most retirees coming to Colombia apply for a Pensionado Visa, a category of its Migrant M-Type Visas.

        The basic requirements of the Pensionado Visa include; being in receipt of an income (pension) of at least US$700 per month (this is about three times Colombia’s minimum wage, which changes annually), providing a mental and physical fitness certificate, proof of health insurance, and a criminal background certificate.

        The Pensionado Visa is valid for one to three years (based on the discretion of the immigration officer), but it loses validity if you stay out of the country for more than six months consecutively.

        After five uninterrupted years of holding the Pensionado Visa, you can convert to permanent residency.

        Colombia also allows you to jump straight to permanent residency if you make a significant investment in the country (about US$141,200 invested in real estate or local business).

        Resident Visas don’t expire; you just have to get a new ID card every five years.

        When you consider the standard of living in Medellín, all of this adds up to incredible value for those seeking out a new life in a cosmopolitan setting.  

        Sincerely, 

        Sophia Titley signature

        Sophia Titley
        Editor, Overseas Living Letter

        Share83Tweet52
        Sophia Titley

        Sophia Titley

        For Sophia Titley, home is a subjective concept. She was born in Singapore but grew up in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia… and has since lived in Canada, Spain, Colombia, and, most recently, Panama. She studied political science and Spanish at the University of British Columbia, and in her free time enjoys trying new recipes, playing soccer, and salsa dancing.

        Start Your New Life Overseas Today!
        Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on The 10 Best Places To Retire In 2025.

        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
        Our Expertise Unlocks The World

        quick links

        • Best Places To Live
        • Best Places To Retire
        • Finding A Job Overseas
        • Real Estate

        LIOS Resources

        • New To LIOS
        • Ask An Expert
        • Media Center
        • Contact Us
        • FAQs
        the 10 best places to retire in 2025
        Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2025






          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

          As seen in

          US Media Logos

          © 2008 – Live and Invest Overseas™ – All Rights Reserved.

          About Us / Contact Us / Privacy Policy / Terms / Unsubscribe
          Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube Linkedin-in Instagram

          Welcome Back!

          Login to your account below

          Forgotten Password?

          Retrieve your password

          Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

          Log In
          HOME

          Top Countries

          • Spain
          • Portugal
          • Panama
          • Belize
          • Colombia
          • Cyprus
          • Mexico
          • France
          • Montenegro

          Best For:

          • Health Care Abroad
          • Retirement Living
          • Cost Of Living
          • Investing in Real Estate
          • Establishing Residency
          • Gun Ownership
          • English Speakers
          • Safety
          BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

          Budgets

          How Much Will It Cost
          To Live Overseas?

          Super Cheap

          • Chitré, Panama
          • Santa Marta, Colombia
          • Phuket, Thailand
          • Dumaguete, The Philippines

          Cheap

          • Medellin, Colombia
          • Boquete, Panama
          • Kyrenia, Cyprus
          • Hua Hin, Thailand
          • The Algarve, Portugal

          Affordable

          • Valencia, Spain
          • Cascais, Portugal
          • Las Terrenas, The DR
          • Pisa, Italy
          • La Rochelle, France
          • Mazatlán, Mexico

          Luxury

          • Ambergris Caye, Belize
          • Kotor, Montenegro
          • The Panama City Beaches
          • Paris, France

          Resources

          Global Living

          • Living & Retiring Overseas
          • Raising A Family Abroad
          • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
          • Offshore & Diversification

          Making Money

          • International Real Estate
          • Banking
          • Employment
          • Investing
          Meet Our Experts

          Real Estate

          Overseas Property Alert 

           

          How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams

          VISIT SITE

          Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

           

          Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

          READ MORE

          Explore Our Latest Posts

           

          Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

          EXPLORE

          Conferences

          Live and Invest In Spain Conference

          VALENCIA, SPAIN Sep. 17-19, 2025
          LEARN MORE
          DISCOUNT

          Offshore Wealth Summit

          PANAMA CITY, PANAMA Oct. 15-17, 2025
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER

          GREECE WORKSHOP

          VIRTUAL Nov. 13, 2025
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER
          MORE EVENTS

          Contact Our Events Team:

          Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
          1 (888) 627 8834

          From Outside North America:
          1 (443) 599 1221

          Working Hours
          Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

          Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

          Store

          Overseas Havens Reports

          • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

          Conference Kits

          • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

          Lahardan Books

          • Titles on living and investing around the world

          Services

          • Overseas Living Letter: Affordable Retirement Guidance
          • The Simon Letter: Wealth Protection Insights
          • Global Property Advisor: Global Investment Opportunitites
          VISIT OUR STORE

          Free Report

          THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

          FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To retire in 2025

          Sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report…






            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

            LIBRARY

            Follow Us:

            © 2008 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

            RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY

            Sign up for FREE to learn how. Plus, check out our FREE report on THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE


            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

            RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY

            Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.