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Colombia · Housing & Relocation

Renting in Colombia

Verified data Last verified June 15, 2026 Reviewed by Henry van de Vorming

Colombia's residential rental market is governed by Ley 820 de 2003, which sets a default one-year lease and bans cash security deposits, so landlords instead require a guarantee — typically a Colombian co-signer (fiador/codeudor) who owns property, a rental-guarantee policy (poliza de arrendamiento), a frozen bank CDT, or several months' rent paid in advance. Newcomers without a local guarantor usually start with a furnished mid-term rental (Airbnb, local agencies, expat Facebook groups) in hubs like Medellin and Bogota before signing a long-term unfurnished lease.

The rental basics

Typical lease
1 year
Deposit
—
Furnished
Furnished + unfurnished
Mid-term market
Strong mid-term market
Address registration
Required

Agency fee: Real-estate agency (inmobiliaria) commission is customarily built into the owner's side of the contract rather than charged to the tenant as a separate move-in fee; agencies typically earn roughly 7-10% or more on the rent. Foreigners renting directly from owners avoid the agency intermediary entirely.

Address registration

Foreigners granted a visa valid for more than 3 months must register with Migracion Colombia and obtain a Cedula de Extranjeria (foreign ID card) within 15 days of visa issuance or of entering Colombia; tourism, business and visitor visas are exempt. It is an immigration/identity registration (needed to open a bank account, sign contracts, access services) rather than a purely address-based municipal registry.

Your rights as a tenant

Ley 820 de 2003 protects tenants: it prohibits cash deposits and real guarantees (cauciones reales) to secure the tenant's obligations (Art. 16), caps annual rent increases at 100% of the prior calendar year's CPI/IPC inflation (Art. 20), defaults leases to a one-year term where not stipulated (Art. 5), and provides automatic renewal on the same terms and for the same period when both parties have met their obligations (Art. 6).

Good to know

  • No legal cash deposit: Ley 820 bans deposits, and in practice landlords often accept rent paid a few months in advance instead of a frozen sum
  • Strong furnished mid-term market in Medellin and Bogota makes a soft landing easy for nomads while they hunt for a long-term lease
  • Annual rent increases are legally capped at the prior year's CPI/IPC inflation, giving long-term tenants predictability
  • Renting directly from owners lets foreigners skip both the agency commission and the local-guarantor requirement

Watch out for

  • Long-term unfurnished leases usually demand a Colombian fiador/codeudor who owns property; without one, expect to pay several months' rent in advance, post a CDT (often roughly 5-9 months' rent), or buy a poliza de arrendamiento
  • Furnished (amoblado) units and expat-targeted listings/Facebook groups generally cost more than comparable local-market unfurnished rentals
  • Despite the deposit ban, money paid to agencies has been hard to recover in disputes — prefer reputable intermediaries and keep written proof
  • Register for the Cedula de Extranjeria within the 15-day Migracion Colombia deadline; missing it can bring fines and complicate later procedures

Where to look

Finca Raiz (fincaraiz.com.co)Metrocuadrado (metrocuadrado.com)ProperatiAirbnb and city-specific expat Facebook groups (furnished/short-term)

Platforms are listed for orientation only — we don't endorse or rank them.

Renting in Colombia: FAQ

Renting in Colombia: FAQ

How much deposit do I need to rent in Colombia?

There's no single published norm — deposits vary by landlord. Expect at least one month's rent held as security, plus the first month upfront, plus any agency fee (real-estate agency (inmobiliaria) commission is customarily built into the owner's side of the contract rather than charged to the tenant as a separate move-in fee; agencies typically earn roughly 7-10% or more on the rent. foreigners renting directly from owners avoid the agency intermediary entirely.).

Do I have to register my address in Colombia?

Yes — Foreigners granted a visa valid for more than 3 months must register with Migracion Colombia and obtain a Cedula de Extranjeria (foreign ID card) within 15 days of visa issuance or of entering Colombia; tourism, business and visitor visas are exempt. It is an immigration/identity registration (needed to open a bank account, sign contracts, access services) rather than a purely address-based municipal registry.

Can I find furnished or short-term rentals in Colombia?

Furnished + unfurnished and the mid-term market nomads rely on is strong mid-term market. Start your search on Finca Raiz (fincaraiz.com.co), Metrocuadrado (metrocuadrado.com), Properati.

Sources