How to rent an apartment in Cartagena as a foreigner

To rent in Cartagena as a foreigner, budget around COP 3,600,000 a month (today's median), have your passport and proof of income ready, and expect the landlord or agency to ask for a Colombian co-signer (codeudor) or an insurance-backed rental study (póliza). Furnished places for a few months are easier to get but cost more. Never pay before seeing the apartment and checking who owns it.

With data from 3,590 live listings today. Prices in Colombian pesos.

1. Set your budget

The median rent in Cartagena is COP 3,600,000 a month (half of listings fall between COP 2,500,000 and COP 5,500,000); a one-bedroom is around COP 3,000,000. Add a building fee (administración) if it isn't included. Rent by neighborhood →

2. Furnished or unfurnished?

Furnished apartments rent faster for shorter stays and usually skip the co-signer, but cost more. Unfurnished leases are typically 6 to 12 months and go through the standard rental study. Furnished neighborhoods in Cartagena →

3. The co-signer problem

Most agencies ask for a codeudor (a Colombian guarantor with income or property) or approve you through an insurance company's póliza based on your income. Without either, look for owners renting directly — today about 4% of listings in Cartagena are posted by individuals — or furnished rentals. By law a residential lease cannot require a cash deposit (Ley 820 de 2003, art. 16).

4. Documents

Passport (and visa or residence permit if you have one), proof of income (bank statements, employment letter or contracts) and sometimes a Colombian bank account. Requirements vary by agency: ask before paying for a rental study.

5. Avoid scams

Don't send money before visiting. Ask for the certificado de tradición y libertad and check the owner's name matches the ID of whoever rents. Be wary of prices far below the neighborhood median. Guía (Spanish) →

6. Sign and document the handover

Get a written lease with the rent, term and who pays utilities, and an inventory with photos on move-in day. Rent can rise only once a year, by at most the previous year's inflation (IPC).

FAQ

Can a foreigner rent an apartment in Cartagena?

Do I need a co-signer to rent in Cartagena?

Usually yes for unfurnished long-term leases: a Colombian codeudor or an insurance póliza approved on your income. Owners renting directly and furnished short-term rentals often don't require it.

How much is rent in Cartagena?

A median of COP 3,600,000 a month across 3,590 live listings; COP 3,000,000 for a one-bedroom.