By Trevor Hogarth · Last updated October 25, 2026
If you’re thinking of moving to Colombia, it helps to know what people there actually earn, whether you plan to work locally, hire help at home, or just want to understand why your budget goes further than in North America. This guide covers the 2026 minimum wage, how pay differs between cities, and how local salaries compare with what foreigners typically spend. For the numbers in each city, see my Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena cost of living guides.
Minimum wage in Colombia in 2026
Colombia’s minimum wage (salario mínimo mensual legal vigente, or SMMLV) for 2026 is:
| Pesos per month | Approx. USD per month* | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | 1,750,905 | 560 |
| Transport allowance (auxilio de transporte) | 249,095 | 80 |
| Total for a minimum-wage worker | 2,000,000 | 640 |
*At roughly 3,126 pesos per US dollar (September 2026). The peso moves, so check the current rate.
The 2026 increase was unusually large: 23%, up from 1,423,500 pesos in 2025 (Decrees 1469 and 1470 of 2025). The transport allowance is paid to workers earning up to two minimum wages.
The minimum wage matters far beyond minimum-wage jobs. Many prices in Colombia are tied to it, from some fines and fees to visa requirements. For example, the pension visa requires a pension of three times the minimum wage, so its dollar requirement rose sharply in 2026 too.
What is the average salary in Colombia?
There’s no single official “average salary” in Colombia, and you’ll see very different figures online. A few reliable reference points:
- A large share of workers earn around the minimum wage. For many jobs in retail, security, cleaning and hospitality, pay is at or close to one SMMLV.
- Informality is high. According to DANE, 54.5% of workers nationally and 40.7% in the 13 main metro areas worked informally in April–June 2026, without formal contracts or benefits, and often earning less than minimum wage.
- Professional salaries are much higher but vary widely. Engineers, IT workers, doctors and managers in big cities can earn many times the minimum wage, especially in Bogotá.
Salaries by city: which cities pay the most?
Official statistics compare cities by average labour income rather than salary. DNP’s analysis of DANE survey data and salary studies show a clear pattern:
| City | How pay compares | Unemployment (Apr–Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | Highest in the country: average labour income about 21% above the 13-city average | 8.8% |
| Medellín | About 5% above the 13-city average; salary studies put it around 16% below Bogotá | 7.1% (lowest of the big cities) |
| Cali | Salary studies put it around 15% below Bogotá | 8.6% |
| Barranquilla | Salary studies put it around 22% below Bogotá | 8.7% |
| Bucaramanga | No comparable published figure | 8.4% |
| Pereira | No comparable published figure | 7.2% |
| Cartagena | Among the lowest average labour incomes of the main cities | 13.2% |
Sources: DANE GEIH (unemployment, April–June 2026); DNP analysis of DANE data (labour income, Q2 2025); salary study reported by El País Cali (city salary gaps, 2023).
Cartagena stands out. It’s one of the most expensive cities for foreigners, but local incomes are among the lowest and unemployment is the highest of the big cities. That gap between tourist prices and local wages is one of the reasons Cartagena feels so unequal.
Local salaries vs what expats spend
This is the comparison that surprises most people. Here’s a typical comfortable expat budget in each city (from the guides on this site) compared with the 2026 minimum wage plus transport allowance, about 640 USD:
| City | Comfortable expat budget (USD/month) | In minimum wages |
|---|---|---|
| Cartagena | 1,500 – 2,500 | 2.3 – 3.9× |
| Bogotá | 1,400 – 1,900 | 2.2 – 3.0× |
| Barranquilla | 1,300 – 1,900 | 2.0 – 3.0× |
| Pereira | 1,200 – 1,800 | 1.9 – 2.8× |
| Cali | 1,200 – 1,800 | 1.9 – 2.8× |
| Ibagué | 1,000 – 1,600 | 1.6 – 2.5× |
In other words, a comfortable foreigner’s budget is two to four times what a full-time minimum-wage worker earns. Colombians manage on much less because they rent locally, often live with family, don’t pay for private international health insurance, and buy far fewer imported products.
Can foreigners live on a Colombian salary?
It’s possible, but hard. Most foreigners who live comfortably in Colombia earn in dollars, euros or Canadian dollars: remote work, pensions, or their own business. Local jobs open to foreigners, such as teaching English, often pay only one to two minimum wages, which works for a simple, local lifestyle but not for the expat budgets above. If you’re planning to work locally, the cheaper cities in my guide to living on $1,000 a month in Colombia are a good place to start. I also wrote about how my own move went in moving from Canada to Colombia.
What it costs to hire help at home
Because many prices are tied to the minimum wage, so is the cost of household help. A full-time domestic worker must be paid at least the minimum wage, plus social security contributions, the transport allowance and legally required benefits (prestaciones sociales), so the real monthly cost to the employer is well above 1,750,905 pesos. Day rates for cleaning help vary by city.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Colombia in 2026?
1,750,905 pesos a month, plus a 249,095-peso transport allowance for eligible workers: 2,000,000 pesos in total, about 640 USD.
Which city in Colombia has the highest salaries?
Bogotá, by a clear margin, followed by Medellín.
Is 2,000 USD a month a good salary in Colombia?
Yes. It’s roughly three times what a minimum-wage worker earns. See my guide: Can you live on $2,000 a month in Colombia?
Related guides
- Can you live on $1,000 a month in Colombia?
- Can you live on $2,000 a month in Colombia?
- Best cities to live in Colombia for foreigners
- Colombia Cost of Living Calculator
About the author
Trevor Hogarth — I’m a Canadian who moved to Colombia in 2020. I’ve lived in Medellín, Antioquia, and Ibagué, Tolima, and the costs on this site come from real life here, not guesses. Read my story: moving from Canada to Colombia →