SpanishSpeakingPractice🇨🇴 Colombia guide

Renting an apartment in Colombia

Furnished Airbnb-style rentals to year-long leases — the Spanish you need.

Most digital nomads in Medellín and Bogotá rent furnished month-to-month from platforms like Airbnb, Nomady, or directly through Instagram brokers. Year-long leases through inmobiliarias are cheaper but require a 'fiador' (guarantor) or 'seguro de arrendamiento'.

Two words you'll see in every listing: 'administración' (HOA fee, often $200K–$600K COP/month) and 'estrato' (1–6 social-economic stratum that affects utility costs).

Vocabulary

SpanishEnglish
apartamento / aptoapartment
amoblado / sin amoblarfurnished / unfurnished
arriendorent (Colombia uses 'arriendo', not 'renta')
administraciónmonthly HOA / building fee
estratosocial-economic stratum 1–6 (affects utilities)
servicios públicosutilities (water, electricity, gas)
fiadorguarantor
seguro de arrendamientorental insurance (replaces fiador)
inmobiliariareal estate agency
depósitodeposit (usually 1 month)
contrato a un añoone-year lease
visitaviewing
se arriendafor rent
porteríadoorman / lobby
parqueaderoparking spot

Real dialogues

Practice both sides out loud.

Asking about a listing

WhatsApp to a broker about an apto in El Poblado.

  • You

    Buenas tardes, vi el apto que tiene en El Poblado. ¿Está disponible?

    Good afternoon, I saw the apt you have in El Poblado. Is it available?

  • Asesora

    ¡Hola! Sí, está disponible. ¿Para cuántas personas y por cuánto tiempo?

    Hi! Yes, it's available. For how many people and how long?

  • You

    Para una persona, por seis meses mínimo. ¿El arriendo incluye administración y servicios?

    One person, for at least 6 months. Does the rent include HOA and utilities?

  • Asesora

    El arriendo incluye administración e internet. Servicios públicos van aparte, estrato 5.

    Rent includes HOA and internet. Utilities are separate, stratum 5.

  • You

    Perfecto. ¿Piden fiador o aceptan seguro de arrendamiento?

    Perfect. Do you need a guarantor or accept rental insurance?

  • Asesora

    Para extranjeros aceptamos pago de dos meses por adelantado, sin fiador.

    For foreigners we accept 2 months prepaid, no guarantor needed.

  • You

    Listo. ¿Cuándo podemos hacer la visita?

    Got it. When can we do the viewing?

At the viewing

Walking through the apartment with the asesora.

  • You

    ¿De qué estrato es el edificio? ¿Cuánto suelen ser los servicios?

    What stratum is the building? How much are utilities usually?

  • Asesora

    Estrato 5. Los servicios salen como trescientos mil al mes para una persona.

    Stratum 5. Utilities are about 300,000 COP/month for one person.

  • You

    ¿El edificio tiene gimnasio y parqueadero?

    Does the building have a gym and parking?

  • Asesora

    Tiene gimnasio, piscina y portería 24 horas. Parqueadero es aparte, por cien mil más al mes.

    Has gym, pool and 24h security. Parking is extra, 100,000 more per month.

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Colombia local tips

Estrato matters

Utilities scale with stratum. Estrato 6 in El Poblado can cost 3x more in water/electricity than estrato 3 in Belén.

Foreigners often pay 2 months upfront instead of fiador

Standard workaround. Negotiate this from the first message.

Use 'arriendo', not 'renta'

'Renta' in Colombia means income or rental yield, not monthly rent. Use 'arriendo'.

Practice prompts

  1. 01Send a voice note asking 4 questions: availability, what's included, fiador vs prepayment, and viewing date.
  2. 02At the viewing, ask about stratum, utilities, building amenities, and parking.
  3. 03Negotiate a lower price for paying 3 months upfront.

FAQs

Do I need a fiador to rent in Colombia as a foreigner?

Most landlords accept 1–3 months prepaid in lieu of a fiador. Some use 'seguro de arrendamiento' from companies like Liberty or Mapfre.

How much is rent in Medellín for an expat?

Furnished 1-bed in El Poblado/Laureles: $2.5M–$5M COP/month ($600–$1,200 USD). Unfurnished long-term: $1.5M–$3M COP.

More Colombia scenarios

Ordering at a tienda or panadería

Tintos, pandebonos, and the warm small talk locals expect.

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Ordering Rappi and dealing with delivery

Portería pickup, missing items, and refunds — handled in Spanish.

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Taking Uber, Cabify and taxis in Colombia

Uber, Cabify, yellow taxis — pickup, route, and small talk.

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Opening a bank account in Colombia

What to say at Bancolombia, Davivienda or BBVA in Medellín or Bogotá.

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Going to the doctor in Colombia

Describe symptoms and navigate EPS or prepagada in Spanish.

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Getting a SIM Card in Colombia

SIM, recarga, and why strangers sell minutes on the street.

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