Living in Barranquilla
Colombia · tropical
Barranquilla is a big city of roughly 1,300,000 people with both the sea and mountains close by in Colombia. The climate is tropical. It has a lively, popular feel though personal safety is worth weighing carefully. A typical month of living costs around $1,100. Healthcare is reasonable, and the internet is generally reliable. People come here for swimming, nightlife, diving.
Anyone born here is a citizen, whatever the nationality of the parents.
Barranquilla at a glance: cost, climate, safety
Who tends to love living in Barranquilla
- Making a budget stretch further
- Getting around on foot
- A genuinely good food scene
- Anyone into swimming
- Anyone into nightlife
All parameters
💉 Childhood vaccines: Compulsory by law
Childhood vaccination is required by national law here. We have the rule and the penalty, not the official count of how many vaccines the law covers.
If you skip them: No nursery or school place until the child is up to date.
Exemptions: The law names none.
Source: Georgetown AMP EID, survey of national legislation, 2024
🚀 Popularity & prices: Growing fast
Accommodation prices have moved about +53% in the last 5 years.
Estimates, for orientation only.
🔭 Where this place is heading
Today’s data. Tap a year to see where it is heading.
What to know before moving to Barranquilla
- • Can get busy with visitors in peak season.
- • Safety genuinely needs attention here; research recent conditions.
⚠️ The downsides of living in Barranquilla
- •Yellow fever risk, vaccination is required or recommended.
- •Malaria is present, mostly in rural areas and the wet season.
- •Tap water isn't reliably drinkable, budget for filtered or bottled.
- •Air quality: PM2.5 averages ~18 µg/m³ (WHO guideline is 5).
- •Violent-crime rate is high (~26 per 100k), choose neighbourhoods with care.
Health, air (WHO PM2.5), water & crime figures are rough country-level estimates, verify for your case.
Where is Barranquilla?
₿ Spend Bitcoin around Barranquilla
Open the Bitcoin merchant maps for this area, cafés, shops and ATMs that accept Bitcoin.
Merchants: BTC Map, from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Events and meetups: Club Orange.
Questions, answered
How much does it cost to live in Barranquilla, Colombia?
A typical month in Barranquilla costs around $1,100, covering rent and everyday expenses for one person. It is an estimate meant for comparing places, not for budgeting exactly.
Is Barranquilla, Colombia safe?
Arcadia rates personal safety in Barranquilla at 2 out of 5, which is limited.
What is the internet like in Barranquilla?
Internet in Barranquilla is rated 3 out of 5 for remote work, which is reasonable. Starlink is available in this country.
What is the weather like in Barranquilla?
Barranquilla has a tropical climate. It is on the coast. Mountains are close by.
Is healthcare good in Barranquilla?
Healthcare in Barranquilla is rated 3 out of 5 overall, which is reasonable. Public healthcare is 3/5 and private healthcare 4/5.
How easy is it to move to Colombia?
Arcadia rates the ease of getting residency in Colombia at 4 out of 5, which is good. The place page lists the visa routes that apply and which depend on your passport.
Is Barranquilla actually right for you?
Barranquilla is one of 3,500+ places we compare. Answer a few honest questions and we will tell you the handful that truly fit your life, ranked and explained.
Find my place →⏱️ ~5 min · one payment · no newsletter