International Living, Colombia Today, Retire Cheap, Live Your Dreams, Meet Women

It sounds dangerous; and a little mysterious. But after a visit to Colombia you’ll remember a country
with dramatic Andean peaks and valleys, with hundred-mile views and some of the world’s best weather.
You’ll conjure images of Spanish America’s most beautiful colonial cities, one of its most-fascinating and rich cultures,
long stretches of beautiful beaches, and one of civilization’s few remaining walled cities.

These are not the impressions that many of us start off with when we think of Colombia.
Typically, it’s a country that will garner images of drug lords, kidnappings and Tom Clancy novels.
Some people aren’t sure if the U.S. Government even allows its citizens to travel to Colombia.
But after you’ve been to Colombia, you’ll have a very different image.

Once you’ve been here, you’ll know of a country where you can live a dignified lifestyle
on a Social Security check… and a luxury lifestyle on just a bit more.

Located at the tip of South America, Colombia is where the Pacific and the Caribbean
collide with the Andes and the Amazon. It’s a country that is more beautiful, dramatic, and diverse than nearly any other.
It offers sparkling colonial cities in the highlands and world-famous (and safe) resorts along the Caribbean.
Cartagena, a walled colonial city on those turquoise shores, is one of Spanish America’s most beautiful enclaves.

What’s more, Colombia boasts beautiful areas where the cost of living is
the lowest you’ll find anywhere in South America.

Lee Harrison, International Living’s Roving Latin America Editor,
recently returned from his third trip to Colombia. This is what he said about the country:

“I knew Colombia had a lot to offer International Living readers. Critical things—
like low cost of living, inexpensive properties and a colorful and diverse culture.
I can’t think of a single segment of the IL membership concerned with climate, culture and lifestyle that couldn’t find their niche in Colombia.

“Colombia can offer you a sophisticated, modern urban scene or a cabin in a remote section of desert…
a colonial walled city by the sea, or a sleepy Caribbean beachside town…
spring-like weather high in the Andes, steamy tropics or the “perfect” weather in between…
North American enclaves or indigenous outposts.
Unless you’ve got your heart set on snow, you’re almost certain to find your ideal spot in Colombia.”

In this report we’ll give you a snapshot of what life in Colombia can offer and tell you about our favorite locations here.

Fast Facts

History: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse
of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela).
A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups,
principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s.
The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002.
More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006
and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function.
In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries.

The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country,
and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments.
However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
In January 2011, Colombia assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.

Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,
between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama.

Area: 439,735 square miles (1,138,910 square kilometers). Slightly less than twice the size of Texas.

Geography: Flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, and eastern lowland plains.

Head of State & Government: President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon (since 7 August 2010).

Communications

Telephone system: Modern system in many respects with a nationwide microwave radio relay system,
a domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations, and a fiber-optic network linking 50 cities.
Telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s. Multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services.

The Economy in Colombia

The Santos administration has highlighted five “locomotives” to stimulate economic growth:
extractive industries; agriculture; infrastructure; housing; and innovation.
Colombia is third largest exporter of oil to the U.S. President Santos,
inaugurated in August 2010, introduced unprecedented legislation
to better distribute extractive industry royalties and compensate Colombians who lost their land due to decades of violence.
He also seeks to build on improvements in domestic security and on President Uribe’s pro-market economic policies.

Foreign direct investment reached a record $10 billion in 2008, but dropped to $7.2 billion in 2009,
before beginning to recover in 2010, notably in the oil sector.
Pro-business reforms in the oil and gas sectors and export-led growth,
fueled mainly by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act, have enhanced Colombia’s investment climate.

Inequality, underemployment, and narco-trafficking remain significant challenges
and Colombia’s infrastructure requires major improvements to sustain economic expansion.
Because of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia’s exports,
Colombia’s economy grew only 2.7% in 2008, and 0.8% in 2009 but rebounded to around 4.5% in 2010.

In late 2010, Colombia experienced it most severe flooding in decades, with damages estimated to exceed $6 billion.
The government has encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base beyond the U.S.
and Venezuela, traditionally Colombia’s largest trading partners;
the Santosadministration continues to pursue free trade agreements with Asian and
South American partners and a trade accord with Canada is expected to go into effect in 2011,
while a negotiated trade agreement with the EU has yet to be approved by the EU parliament.
Improved relations with Venezuela have eased worries about restrictions on bilateral trade,
but the business sector remains concerned about the pending U.S. Congressional
approval of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

Labor force by occupation: Agriculture: 18%
Industry: 13%
Services: 68% (2010 est.)

Export commodities: Petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, and cut flowers.

Import commodities: Industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, and electricity.

Where to Buy Real Estate in Colombia

Bogota

Bogota sits in the high sierra, on a mountain-rimmed plateau at an elevation of about 8,650 feet.
Its 6.7-million residents enjoy spring-like weather, with a seasonal temperature variation of less than 1° F.

This city has a broad appeal, with the best areas lying to the north and east of Centro.
You’ll find an exciting mix of small quasi-independent municipalities with their own town centers…
sectors of gleaming new high rises surrounded by towering eucalyptus trees,
renowned restaurant and shopping districts, expansive parks, chic cafes, and plenty of fine dining.
Other popular zones here areUsaquén, Rosales, and El Chico.

As you move south you’ll eventually leave the upscale cafe culture behind,
and instead find a lively and inviting Latino feel, with salsa music and swaying ballads playing,
lively nightlife, and down-home mom-and-pop restaurants where you can enjoy
a homemade pastry and some of the world’s best coffee for a dollar.

Aside from the air pollution—which is worse in the western and southern parts of the city—
it’s hard to find fault with the lifestyle that Bogota has to offer. It’s expensive by Colombian standards,
but it’s the heart of Colombia…and quite reasonable by world standards.

A three-bedroom, one-bathroom house in La Candelaria.
Covering 1,076 square feet, it is located in the center of Candelaria. Price: $98,800.
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the El Chicó area.
This property features hardwood floors and has two car parking spaces and is located in a gated community. Price $123,520.

Medellin

Medellin sits at the perfect 5,000 feet above sea level, which explains the ideal climate
withdays that are pleasantly warm, and nights were agreeably cool.
The city is bustling, modern, and has everything from large shopping malls to mom-and-pop stores.
You can get almost anything you can back home. In lush, green neighborhoods,
modern high-rises look out between towering eucalyptus trees,
and Medellin also offers a colonial-style historic center as well as clean, residential neighborhoods…
each with its own ambiance and lifestyle.
Most expats gravitate towards El Poblado, the sector known for its shady parks,
trendy restaurants, sidewalk cafes, great shopping, and Medellin’s most-active property market.

Property samples in Medellin:

A one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the El Poblado district of Medellin.
It comes with oversized windows, ceramic floors and granite counters. Price: $78,000.

A 1,755-square-foot apartment also in El Poblado.
Consisting of three bedrooms and two bathrooms, it also has a large balcony and ceiling and crown molding throughout. Price: $158,103.

Santa Marta

Santa Marta is Colombia’s oldest city, lying where the desert meets the Caribbean.
The area referred to as “Santa Marta” usually refers to the region bounded by Taganga—
five minutes north of the city—to El Rodadero, which is about 10 minutes south.
Due to the city’s orientation, most of Santa Marta’s coastline is actually facing westward,
so even though you’re on the Atlantic, you’ll be treated to a dazzling nightly spectacle as the sun sinks into the sea.

The first remarkable aspect of the area is the lack of humidity,
thanks to the prevailing wind that comes from the surrounding desert.
And with Santa Marta’s heat, you’ll appreciate the fact that it’s at least dry.

For many years, the main draw in the area has been the suburb of El Rodadero.
On the oceanfront, it offers a fine sandy beach lined with palm trees on warm, calm waters.
Stately yachts bob in the sea. The brick boardwalk is anything but glitzy.
Instead, it’s shaded with palms, filled with people walking,
patronizing the occasional kiosk selling everything from fresh-made pizza to fresh-squeezed fruit juice.
It’s what you’d call “unpretentious Caribbean”.

But once you’re off the beachfront road, El Rodadero is another story.
You’ll find open-air markets, shops, restaurants of all types, and residential sectors.
People are bustling about while Latino music plays in the background. In other words, rather “un-Caribbean”.

But there’s even more to Medellin. It offers a pleasant historic district,
much of which is restored and well-maintained.
You’ll also find a few neighborhoods that are a good blend of quiet,
tree-lined residential areas and city conveniences.

On El Rodadero’s beach is a 1,440-square-foot apartment,
with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two oceanview balconies. Price: $138,350.

A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment of 1,237 square feet.
This beachfront apartment is on the 14th floor and has two living rooms and a large balcony.
The building had a swimming pool and beach access. Price: $163,100.

Buying Real Estate

Purchasing procedure

The purchase process is relatively straightforward in Colombia.

There are no restrictions on foreign buyers in Colombia, whether or not they are residents;

You can repatriate your gains and earnings to your home country;

If desired, you can set up a corporation fairly easily, with which to buy your property;

Colombia has a sound process for tracking property titles, and for recording liens and encumbrances against titles.

Renting in Colombia

At International Living, we always recommend that you rent before you buy.
Before you plunk down money on a house or condo in a new place,
stay awhile and see if it suits your needs. Start your search for a rental on the Internet.
You’ll find plenty of websites out there. Also some real estate agents in Colombia often offer rental properties.

The classified section of online local newspapers is also a good source (especially to get a feel for prices).

Visa Requirements

Pensionada visa: A pensionista in Colombia is a pensioner
who is receiving a guaranteed income from a government, or from a public or private company.
To qualify, you’ll need a certification issued by the authority responsible for paying your pension.
This can be a government, public, or private pension.
(If you are using Social Security benefits to apply, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota can help with this.)
This certification must be legalized by the Colombian consulate.
The minimum income level is three times the minimum wage,
which would total $763 per month at this time. This visa is valid for one year.

Rentista visa: A rentista is anyone who receives an income from a source outside of Colombia.
To apply, you must present a certification of the amount you’re receiving,
issued by the entity from which you receive the income.
The money can be from a public or private company.
The minimum income requirement for the rentista visa is 10 times the current minimum wage
in effect when you apply. At this time, the total would be $2,544 per month.

ResidenteCalificado (Qualified Resident) visa:
The Qualified Resident visa is usually for people who have been on a temporary visa
for a specified length of time, and who want to become permanent residents.
Applicants are generally eligible to apply after five years of continuous and uninterrupted residency on a temporary visa.
The Qualified Resident visa does not expire unless you leave the country for more than two years.

Embassies

Embassy of Colombia in the U.S., 2118 Leroy Place, NW 20008 Washington;
tel. (202) 387-8338; fax (202) 232-8643; e-mail: emwas@colombiaemb.org; website: www.colombiaemb.org.

U.S. Embassy in Colombia, Calle 22D-Bis # 47-51,
Carrera 45 # 22D-45 Bogota; tel.+57 (1) 315-0811;
website: http://bogota.usembassy.gov.
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday through Thursday.

Embassy of Colombia in Canada, 360 Albert Street, Suite 1002 Piso 10
Ottawa, Ontario; P.O. BOX: K1R 7X7 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,
tel. (613) 230-3760 (general) ; fax: (613) 230-4416;
e-mail: embajada@embajadacolombia.ca; website: www.embajadacolombia.ca.

Canadian Consulate in Colombia, Edificio Centro EjecutivoBocagrande,
Carrera 3, #8-129, Oficina 1103; Cartagena, Colombia;
tel. + 57 (5) 665-5838; fax +57( 5) 665-5837; e-mail: honcartagena@enred.com.

Cost of Living in Colombia

One of the main benefits of living in Colombia is the low cost of living.
And what’s more, it’s a low cost of living in a country that offers many of
the first-world amenities and infrastructure that you’d expect in a much more expensive location.

In other words, Colombia’s a good value from the perspective of an expat or second home buyer.

If you move to Colombia, count on spending at least $1,300 per month for two people
if you own your property; and $1,700 per month if you’re renting an unfurnished apartment.
A full-time maid will cost more, as will owning a car.

Here is a sample budget for a couple renting an unfurnished apartment in Medellín:

Rent	$593
Gas	$15
Electricity	$89
Water	$10
Telephone	$30
Internet	$37
Cable TV	$40
Food	$371
Entertainment	$346
Public transportation	$81

Monthly total:	$1,611

Taxes in Colombia

Sales tax: The value-added tax (IVA) is a variant of the sales-tax.
This tax charges 16% of the price of sale of all kind of merchandise, goods,
and services, with some exceptions: the public transportation, the water supply
and sanitation, and the transportation of natural gas and hydrocarbons.

Income tax: Colombian citizens and foreign individuals who have lived continuously
or cumulatively in Colombia, for a total of five years are thereafter
subject to individual income tax based on a system of graduated marginal tax rates, ranging from 0% to 33%.

Financial Matters

Opening a bank account: To open a bank account in Colombia,
you must either have a cedula (which you receive after obtaining legal residency)
or otherwise be able to prove to the bank that you have been living in Colombia for six months (hard to do without a cedula).
You must have a valid passport, visa, Cedula de Extranjeria (Foreigner Identification Card)
and your address details when opening the account in the bank.

Expat Contacts

When you move, or if you’re just thinking of moving, somewhere new,
it’s a good idea to talk to people who have already done what you’re about to.
Get in touch with expats in Colombia, they’ll be able to help you with any questions
or concerns you might have and you’ll be able to compare notes on moving here.

International Living Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InternationalLiving.
This is a great place to meet other like-minded, Colombia-bound expats and get advice.

Expat Exchange; website: www.expatexchange.com.
One of the most extensive expatriate sites online, providing a wealth of resources and articles, as well as a forum.
The site has a few useful articles and links about Colombia.

Expatriates.com; website: www.expatriates.com.
An online community for expatriates, has a section on Colombia, with classified ads, links, and a bulletin board.

Tales from a Small Planet; website: www.talesmag.com.
A webzine with news, stories, links, excellent message boards, and other resources for travelers and expatriates.
The Colombia section features “Real Post Reports” by expatriates living in Colombia, as well as useful links.

Travel Info: How to Get to Colombia Flight service
to Colombia’s major cities is convenient these days;
especially from the U.S. Colombia has international airports
with routine flights from Barranquilla, Bogota,
Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali.

Bogota has nonstop service to Miami, New York, and Houston.
The actual flight time from Miami is just over three hours.
Medellin offers nonstop service to both Miami and New York at this time,
with fares coming in at just a few dollars more than Bogota.

Making Money in Colombia
Getting a work visa

Temporary work visa: To obtain a work visa, you must have a work contract
from your employer in Colombia, an existence certificate or registration from the company
or entity in Colombia and a letter from the company stating the name and position of the applicant,
detailed purpose of the trip, and company’s commitment to assume financial responsibility for the foreigner,
including his return to the country of origin or last country of residence.

You’ll also need a Certificado de Proporcionalidad issued by the Ministry of Social Protection
(Ministerio de la Proteccion Social), stating that the ratio of national and foreign workers has been respected.

ResidenteInversionista (Resident Investor) visa:
Applicants who make a direct foreign investment in Colombia that conforms to the regulations
set forth in the Estatuto de InversionesInternacionales, and other regulations specified by the Ministerio de RelacionesExteriores.

This visa will expire if the visa holder is absent from Colombia for more than two continuous years.
To maintain the visa active, the investment must remain in Colombia for at least three years.
The minimum investment is $100,000 for non-real estate investments, and $200,000 for real estate investments.

Setting up your own business

For information on setting up your own business in Colombia,
see the U.S. Commercial Service website: www.buyusa.gov/colombia/en/.

Making money overseas

If you’re interested in finding a way to fund your life overseas,
there are a whole host of “jobs” that you can do from anywhere in the world.
These are jobs that you can do from the front porch of your beach house…
jobs that allow you to work in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for relaxing, reading, snorkeling, sailing…

These days, the world is more interconnected than ever and the possibilities for a portable paycheck are almost never-ending.
You don’t need an MBA or thousands upon thousands of start-up cash to create a business for yourself that can easily fund your life overseas.

Travel writing: Of all the kinds of writing you can do—fiction, academic, marketing, technical, etc.
travel writing is the most fun…and the most rewarding.
Perhaps you already took a long vacation this year.
You might find it hard to explain to that voice in your head—the one that monitors your bank account—
that you’re going to take another.
But if you can make enough money selling a story about your trip to cover its cost…
or at least defray, say, the cost of the airfare…well, then, that is not such a bad arrangement.

Take Sandra Kennedy. She retired from teaching and wasn’t sure how she’d keep myself busy.
But now here she gets paid to travel, take pictures along the way,
and write about what she recommends other people do and see.
She finds it hard to believe it’s even a real job!

Sandra has stayed at lavish haciendas, eaten the freshest foods in Ecuador,
gotten to know the smiling, helpful locals. She’s been to a Shaman healing ceremony,
rode horses in the Andes and learned to weave. And then she sat sipping fresh mango juice, relaxing by the pool.
Sandra takes notes and photos along the way and spends a few evenings writing up
her impressions while they’re fresh in her mind. Once she’s back home,
she puts them into proper sentences and then finds an editor who will pay her for them.

Five-years on, and Sandra’s portfolio is filled with travel articles and photographs from
Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, Alaska, Maine, Oregon and Washington.
And many of those articles came out of trips she enjoyed for next-to-nothing or even free.

An online business: Did you know that there’s a great way to make money from
the comfort of your own home anywhere in the world, doing exactly what you’re doing now?

When Larry and Beatriz visited Medellin, Colombia they fell in love and knew they had to
live there.Luckily for them, they were easily able to use their existing skills
to create a business opportunity that translated from Coral Springs to Colombia.

At first, it was every two months. Then once a month. But that wasn’t often enough for
Larry Snyder. So in 2008 he packed his bags, and he and his German shepherd, Hans, took a one-way flight to Medellin, Colombia.

“I started traveling to Colombia with my girlfriend Beatriz—who’s now my wife.
She was making frequent trips for her clothing business in Florida.
My work as a nurse in the Coral Springs E.R. meant
I could schedule six days back-to-back and then take eight days off,” Larry says.

Beatriz started her own clothes manufacturing company in Colombia
and Larry had an online business offering continuing education to nurses—
something he could run from anywhere. So he went back to America and cleaned out the house.
As a registered nurse, Larry knows about health care and hospitals
so he turned his existing skills into an online business he can run from anywhere. And he couldn’t be happier.

Photography: Walk into your back yard, kneel down, and snap a photo of a flower in your garden…
or capture a shot of your grandchildren playing with a football.
Did you know that these photos could earn you $25…$50…even $150 or more for each one?

Imagine if, every time you went on vacation, with your camera in tow,
you could make up to $800 for those pictures you snap.There is no great secret to breaking into photography—
even if you have no experience and only use a simple point-and-shoot camera,
it can still be a way to fund a new, more relaxed, and fun lifestyle.

Photos are used everywhere…newspapers, magazines, billboards, websites,
technical manuals, and almost any published material. Someone has to take those pictures.
Why shouldn’t that someone be you?

Take David Morgan. He wasn’t any hot-shot photographer when,
with a Vivitar camera in hand, he traveled across Asia for six months.
He dined with the Privy Counsel to the King of Thailand…met the late Mother Teresa…
and shook hands with the Dalai Lama. He took a week-long, four-wheel-drive journey across Tibet.
He went trout fishing in a pristine mountain stream in Bumburet, a hidden valley in the Hindu Kush.
He also got to see secret religious ceremonies rarely witnessed by outsiders.

The icing on the cake was that he found a textbook publisher who needed the photos from his trip.
Not only did his connections save him money, but he actually made money… over $6,000!
What’s more, a few years later, the publisher offered to pay him again when the book went to a second edition.

Photography really can open up the world to you. As a “working” photographer,
you can pickup-and-go any time you choose…get on a flight to any number of far-flung destinations…
and enjoy the freedom of the photographer’s life.

A money-making website: A few years ago I decided to try my hand
at creating a website that would make me some extra money.
My idea was simply to create an informational site that would make money through people clicking on ads and other money-making links.

When it comes to retirement income, I want the money coming in, regardless of where I live.

Having a money-making website gives me that flexibility.
I can do this from anywhere in the world. All I need is a laptop and an internet connection.
If I choose to retire abroad permanently, I just have to make sure I have internet access.
And if I decide to spend a year or more traveling the world, I can just plug in at hotels or cafes along the way.

I didn’t want to “go into business” and have to source and ship products, or deal with customers.
I just wanted to write informative pages, and make some money with ads.

The site I created was CoffeeDetective.com.As its name suggest, it’s about coffee.
I’m not a coffee professional, and have never worked in the coffee business. I just like coffee.
I wanted to write about something that interested me, and see if I could make some money along the way.
Well, the site has been up for almost five years. It now gets over 3,000 visitors a day.
And this month it looks like the site will be making me about $6,000.

Copywriting: Why exactly did you buy a whole caseload of nutritional supplement
made from the oils of mold-infested Bolivian tree bark?
Spend $3,000 to drink foul-tasting mare’s milk whilst undergoing the Spartan regime of a yoga retreat in Outer Mongolia?

Undoubtedly, it was because some devilishly clever person persuaded you to.
It was something that you simply had to have...had to experience.

The big earners of the writing market are copywriters.
Effectively dream sellers, many of them can earn fantastic money.
By writing letters for the direct mail market (you and I might call it junk mail or spam),
they persuade consumers to buy companies’ products—health products, financial products,
self-improvement products, and travel products.
You name it, and you can bet there’s a copywriter involved somewhere along the line.

Hospitals use copywriters, charities use copywriters.
Whenever a business or organization needs to pro-mote itself
(through a press release, leafleting, online, a newsletter, or other forms of media), it also generally hires a copywriter.

Paul Hollingshead went from making $6.50 an hour stacking shelves in a grocery store to making $400,000 a year as a copywriter.
Paul “works” a few hours a day. He writes one, maybe two letters a month.
Recently, he moved with his family to a little historic town in the Vermont countryside.
He has no bosses, no commute. He writes from a little cottage steps from his house,
where he is surrounded by peace and quiet.
For a break, he says he’ll walk over to the old Inn across the street for lunch…grab a coffee at the local market...

A top-notch copywriter can easily command $8,000 per letter.
Imagine getting $96,000 in fees each year just for writing 12 letters.
But that’s only the start of things. But, before you get carried away, note that not all copywriters earn quite as much.
To get a six-figure income, you’ll first need to establish a track record.
Of course, there are many countries in the world where that kind of money goes a long way.
And again, it’s another wonderful career you can do from anywhere in the world.

Colombia Further Resources

Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day

For 30 years International Living has been the number one resource to help people live better, for less around the world.

More comprehensive, and regularly updated, information is available in the pages of
International Living’s Magazine and through the members-only section of our website.

Check it out for yourself and see how membership with International Living can help you live the life you’ve always wanted.
Visit us here to learn more about the industry’s most respected magazine on living and investing abroad...International Living Magazine.

------------------------------------
There's no doubt that Colombians work hard, whether as a sugar cane farmer
or a street seller they simply have a better work-life balance and they put more emphasis on the important
things like spending time with family.

Perhaps the Colombian people hold the secret in their unique genetic and cultural mix which pre-defines them to be more accepting.
In my opinion, the most valuable thing Colombia has to offer is it's not gold, emeralds or stunning diverse scenery.
It is her remarkable people from whom I am learning to smile, be happy and devote more time to friends and family.
But perhaps the most important lesson is that the only way to improve anything is by first accepting it.
Wherever we are in the world we all have the right to live happy lives and the Dalai Lama says that to achieve this
"a calm and peaceful mind is something very essential"
It's true that Colombia has a long way to go in terms of building infrastructure, improving education and combating poverty
but I feel there is so much they can teach the rest of the world about how we can live from the heart and enjoy a more simple, carefree life.

For me living in Colombia has not been without it's problems but it has brought me closer to my wife and kids,
it has helped me realize my of dream living abroad and running a business and has taken further towards perfecting my Spanish.
Added to this I have experienced (mostly) good weather, clean air, mountains and rivers, fresh healthy food and some amazing people.
All these things make grateful to have experienced such a quality of life where one occasionally takes a step back to reflect on how lucky you are.
-------------------------------------

Don’t Know Where to Retire? Try this…

Dear International Living Reader,

“It’s a quarter of the budget we lived on in the U.S.,” reports one happy retiree from the spot that takes the top honor
in this year’s 2011 Global Retirement Index.

“Many expats say they have trouble spending over $1,200 a month for all expenses per couple,” says another.

“We live in a nice high rise condo overlooking the ocean,” a third explains. “Even with two spoiled cats in need of gourmet food and our love of eating out with friends, we enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle—even more luxurious than we had in California. You can live on less, no doubt, but including everything except rent ($500), we are currently spending $1,500 a month.”

In this special place, you’re spoiled for choice… beaches with endless stretches of sand, highland villages where the air is crisp year-round, colonial cities where flowers bloom and rivers rush over rocks amidst mountain surrounds…

And everywhere—extraordinary value for your dollars. This is a place where you can “trade up” overseas to live better (maybe a housekeeper, a view of the ocean, time and funds left to enjoy yourself) and still spend a small fraction of what you’re accustomed to handing over at home.

You can rent a furnished, two-bedroom apartment in the historic center of one town we recommend for just $220… or buy a large condo for $66,000.

This place has a lot to recommend it, no question… yet it’s just one of the 23 top retirement havens ranked in our 2011 Global Retirement Index.

In another destination that earns top billing, you’ll find white sand beaches and turquoise seas… centuries-old Spanish-colonial cities with winding, cobblestone streets and fountain-filled plazas… towering ruins left by ancient civilizations… guitars being strummed on moonlit evenings… along with first world infrastructure and excellent healthcare. All the romance (and the practical tools of life) you need—for about 40% less than you’d pay for a comparable lifestyle at home…

"Our favorite thing about being here is our freedom to decide our own fate. There are no time clocks or wristwatches, no commutes, stress or worries. We have the opportunity to see animals in their natural habitats, to sit and listen to the birds and the wind blowing, to watch a beautiful sunset…we take full advantage of it all...” – Bill B., in one of our top havens

Plus your holding costs and your cost of living here would be much less than you’re accustomed to paying. In this overseas haven, you can live comfortably for as little as $1,500 a month…

If it’s a European retreat you’ve always dreamed of… you’ll find one of those on our list of top picks, too. In this warm-weather escape, you have access to Mediterranean beaches… big cities with world-class museums… and a vast interior of green, rolling hills dotted with sun-baked villages. This is storybook Europe… yet here you can still get a three-course meal with a bottle of wine for just $14.

This year’s Global Retirement Index reveals a tremendous variety of retirement solutions for somebody looking to live better for less overseas. We rank and rate, in fact a full 23 countries worth your consideration.

Maybe you’re in the market for a part-time escape… or maybe you’re looking for a full-time adventure… perhaps you dream about a day when you can see the ocean out your window… or live within sight of the mountains in a place where the sun shines and the weather is cool…

Whatever you dream about… in the destinations profiled in our Global Retirement Index this year… you could find a new reality. A lot sooner—and a lot more affordably—than you may imagine.

To be honest, the decision about where you live is not always readily subject to logical analysis. In the end, it’s about where you feel good. It’s about finding the place that’s just, well, a good fit.

And while you’re busy musing… we’ll take care of the “logical” concerns. Like where your dollars buy you most… where the weather is best… where the locals are friendliest… where it’s most comfortable and safe… where the healthcare is both excellent and affordable… and more.

In fact, we’ve just spent the past few months concentrating on exactly this task.

Our staff has been traveling, crunching statistics, and talking with our contacts and correspondents around the world… all in the interest of compiling our annual picks for the world’s top retirement havens.

You Don’t Need to Be Rich to Retire Luxuriously…
You Just Need to Know Where to Go

The Best—and Easiest—Way to Target Your Search
for the Perfect Paradise

In the Global Retirement Index, we consider each destination by category: real estate, special benefits for retirees, cost of living, cultural offerings, healthcare facilities and cost, infrastructure, safety and stability, and climate. And we include a full report on the top picks.

Point being: This resource gives you a well-rounded view of each place. It’s not just facts. It’s the perspective we bring to them.

And that’s what’s so important. Because everybody is different. And what’s a priority for you might not be for somebody else.

Say you’re of “retirement” age and looking for a place to stretch your savings. The cost of living and the availability of good-quality, affordable health care might be your top concerns.

On the other hand, if you’re in your thirties or forties with school-aged children, their education and the ease with which you can do business locally might be more important to you.

That’s why our Global Retirement Index is so powerful a tool. Because no matter what your own personal priorities are, you can use it to easily hone in on the places that make sense for you and your family.

You’ll find details about all the top picks, and more. In fact, we rate a full 23 nations in total.
And right now you can gain instant access to the brand new 2011 Global Retirement Index.

All I ask in exchange is that you take a risk-free look at our monthly magazine, International Living.

You already know something about International Living since you get our free e-letters.
But what you may not know is that these emailed dispatches are just the beginning. There’s always a lot more to every story.

In fact, there's a whole world of information and benefits that we reserve exclusively for readers of our magazine.
Our annual Global Retirement Index is just one of them.

You’ll have unfettered access to the Global Retirement Index… and all of the extraordinary secrets International Living
reveals to its readers about good-value ways and places to live, retire, invest, profit, and enjoy life for less overseas.

International Living Gives You Access to Opportunities
Nobody Else Talks About

The mainstream press devotes an untold number of pages and on-air hours to unemployment numbers, effects of the recession, skyrocketing health care costs…

But what they don’t tell you is what to do about it. We, however, DO tell you. International Living is about solutions. For instance, did you know you can…

So say there’s a country on the Global Retirement Index that feels like it might be a good place for you to consider. You can search our archives for details.

Read longer-form articles in past issues about that place. Even get our contact list of reliable people living there on the ground—the folks who can really help you go from dreaming about a life overseas to actually living it.

Our experts have been quoted by The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes Personal Finance, The Wall Street Journal, Kiplingers, U.S. News and World Report, Market Watch, ABC News, the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsweek, and beyond.

And our track record of success speaks for itself. We’ve been pointing readers to markets where opportunity abounds—for three decades now.

In 1984, for instance, we told readers to consider an investment on the Samara Bay in Costa Rica. Back then, you could get in for between $2,000 and $4,000. Today, that investment would be worth more than $140,000. Costa Rica Samara Bay current comparison:

In the 1990s, we pointed readers to this kind of play again in Belize... and watched as the values soared. A reader who bought on the tropical, palm-lined island of Ambergris for $29,950 back then could sell for $125,000 today.

Like the "next Cancun," where a government agency has been charged with attracting as many beach-loving North American tourists as possible.
Their budget is $1.5 billion. You don't have to like what's going to happen to this coast to understand your potential for profit if you can buy right. International Living tells you where and how to do it.

We’ll show you how to stake a claim on a pre-construction condo here with just a modest down payment and as little as $800 a month (With great rental potential, these could prove an excellent way to shelter some of your nest egg outside the dollar, outside the States, outside stocks and bonds… an investment poised to go up in value, and one you can actually enjoy, too!).

As an International Living reader, you’ll know exactly where the deals like that are. And how – even with very little in the bank – you can take advantage of them.

When you take me up on this offer to test-drive International Living today, not only will you gain instant access to our brand new 2011 Global Retirement Index and to all the helpful resources posted in the members-only section of our website…

But you’ll also get a FREE copy of a unique – and invaluable – report called How to Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day (regular price $19.95 – yours FREE).

In it you’ll find out where you can live downright luxuriously on a Social Security income alone… first run movie: $4, trim at a barber shop: $5, dinner for two at a trendy restaurant, wine included: $30.

You’ll find out where to grab a Caribbean island escape for less than $50,000… own a place for $7,500 in an eco-traveler’s haven… live like a millionaire for $17,000 a year…

Every Month in International Living Magazine,
You’ll Meet Folks Enjoying Life Overseas…

In every issue of International Living, we bring you the stories of readers just like you who have traded up overseas. They share their lives, what they like, how they got there, so you can get a concrete sense for whether a place would make sense for you…

There’s Lee and Peg Carper, for instance. They live today on $600 a month in Ecuador – two hours north of Quito in the small Andean village of Cotacachi. And that $600 a month? It covers their food, utilities, medical expenses, even the rent on their new, 1,200-square-foot apartment.

“I haven’t felt this good in so long I can’t remember,” Lee says. “I used to take pain medication, but here I rarely take an aspirin. I don’t pick up a phone or get on the computer. I used to be glued to all that at home.”

The Hardmans are “making a go of it” overseas part time. Six months a year, they live in France. On a barge, no less. In 2003, they bought their boat. And since then they’ve spent April through September crawling through the canals of Europe (mainly France) at 5 miles an hour. Then they return home to Dallas, Texas, for the winter months, where they do a little work, though they’re retired. Might sound above your pay grade, but you know what? Right now you could own your own barge for $31,600.

Marika Ripke is retired at 38… living in Costa Rica, a few steps from a white sand beach. She says, “My cost of living is $450 per month, including housing and groceries. Add to that my weekly massage and daily bus fares and my total monthly expenditure is $600… My $300-a-month (including electric, phone, and water). 900-square-foot studio home sits on an acre of land and it’s directly across from a lonely, secluded beach.”

With International Living, you’ll find hundreds of stories at your fingertips. Each one is different – but always interesting, useful, informative, helpful as you discover the kind of life you’re looking for… and where you can find it…

The opportunities, solutions, and secrets we deliver in the pages of International Living every month could be worth thousands – even tens of thousands – of dollars for you. Both in savings… and in potential gains.

They’ve proven their worth many times over for thousands of readers in the last three decades.

Folks who, today, have their nest eggs tucked away in a beachfront home or in a cosmopolitan escape in a burgeoning market… people living like royalty on a Social Security income…

They’re everyday folks enjoying the kind of good-living perks they simply couldn’t afford back home, like employing a maid to clean or a personal chef to cook, traveling, loving an adventure-filled life… and not worrying any more.

If you paid a “financial advisor” to bring you the kinds of secrets International Living delivers each month, you might reasonably pay him $1,000 a year – and it would be money well-spent.

After all, you could easily recoup it ten times over on one good-value opportunity alone. And the truth is: Private investment advisors in this arena can charge ten times that amount.

But at International Living we’re committed to value. And that’s why the cover price is just $69 a year.

Yet today it’s yours for much, much less. Test-drive International Living today and you can…

In case you’re still on the fence, let me sweeten the pot a little. Here’s an even better-value deal. And that no-risk guarantee still applies – always.

You can test drive 2 years of International Living risk-free for just $89.That means you can have 24 issues of International Living delivered to your mailbox for less than 12 cents a day.

And when you take me up on this best-value deal now, you’ll not only benefit from a chance to preview the Global Retirement Index – but I’ll also send you a second Special Report, too.
So that means you’ll receive…

It’s a whole new world out there when it comes to travel and price. Fare-beating techniques that worked last year are obsolete today.

But we’ve “road tested” the latest tips, techniques, and expert secrets we share in How to Get the Best Deal Every Time You Travel.
And they can shave tens – even hundreds or thousands – off every trip you take.

Find out the single most important money-saver for any trip (we knocked $2,100 off a flight to Madrid this way)…
a neat trick to use when flying to South Florida that can save you hundreds of dollars… how to get into VIP airport lounges for free... and lots, lots more…

How to Get the Best Deal Every Time You Travel (retail price: $19.95) is yours free when you choose two years of International Living now,
risk-free.

Six Months from Now, You Could Be Living Large
on a Whole Lot Less than You Spend Now

If you’re like many folks these days – not entirely sure your retirement savings will go the distance…
or not sure where to put what’s left of your nest egg so it’s safe and growing…

Then I encourage you to give International Living a try right now. There’s no risk for you.

And wouldn’t it be nice to know that while most Americans are feeling pinched, you could relax and breathe easy?
We’d like to show you how fun and easy it really can be.

The truth of the matter is: An international lifestyle isn’t just for the rich and famous.
It’s for anybody willing to take advantage of the best-value opportunities in welcoming communities around the globe.

And it’s our mission at International Living to help you do just that!
To help you find the place that makes the most sense given your own personal priorities… the place that just feels right for you.

I hope you’ll take me up on this offer to gain access to the 2011 Global Retirement Index and full International Living subscriber benefits NOW.
Click below to activate your subscription today
.
Sincerely,

Table of Contents

Fast Facts

Communications

The Economy in Colombia

Where to Buy Real Estate in Colombia

Buying Real Estate

Renting in Colombia

Visa Requirements

Embassies

Cost of Living in Colombia

Taxes in Colombia

Financial Matters

Expat Contacts

Travel Info: How to Get to Colombia Flight service
to Colombia’s major cities is convenient these days;
especially from the U.S. Colombia has international airports
with routine flights from Barranquilla, Bogota,
Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali.

Making Money in Colombia
Getting a work visa

Setting up your own business

Making money overseas

Colombia Further Resources

Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day

Table of Contents
Fast Facts
Communications
The Economy in Colombia
Where to Buy Real Estate in Colombia
Buying Real Estate
Renting in Colombia
Visa Requirements
Embassies
Cost of Living in Colombia
Taxes in Colombia
Financial Matters
Expat Contacts
Travel Info: How to Get to Colombia
Making Money in Colombia
Colombia Further Resources

Table of Contents

Travel Info: How to Get to Colombia Flight service to Colombia’s major cities is convenient these days; especially from the U.S. Colombia has international airports with routine flights from Barranquilla, Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali.

Making Money in Colombia Getting a work visa

Setting up your own business

Making money overseas

Retire in Paradise on $30 a Day

Travel Info: How to Get to Colombia Flight service
to Colombia’s major cities is convenient these days;
especially from the U.S. Colombia has international airports
with routine flights from Barranquilla, Bogota,
Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali.

Making Money in Colombia
Getting a work visa