Greece vs Colombia for Retirement
Retiring in Greece vs Colombia
Same data, same definitions, side by side. Where they genuinely differ is at the bottom of this page.
| Greece | Colombia | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budget, couple | $2,600 | $2,000 |
| Comfortable budget, single | $2,000 | $1,500 |
| Cost index (U.S. = 100) | 48 | 33 |
| Lowest visa income bar | $3,815 / mo | $1,370 / mo |
| That route | Financially Independent Person Visa (FIP) | Migrant Visa M-11 (Pensionado / Retirement Visa) |
| Time to residency | 8 months | 2 months |
| Healthcare score | 6 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Safety score | 8 / 10 | 5 / 10 |
| Tax treatment score | 9 / 10 | 5 / 10 |
| Currency risk | Yes, EUR | Yes, COP |
| Document route | Apostille | Apostille |
| Translation required | Yes | Yes |
| English usable day to day | ●●●● | ●● |
Greece
Greece competes for American retirees on two things: a 7 percent flat tax on all foreign-source income for fifteen years for retirees who transfer their tax residence, and a cost of living that is among the lowest in the eurozone. English proficiency is high, particularly on the islands and in Athens, and Greeks are notably welcoming to foreign residents. The obstacles are the income threshold for the Financially Independent Person visa, which at 3,500 euros a month is higher than Spain and much higher than Portugal, and a bureaucracy that can be slow and inconsistent. Healthcare is the genuine weak point: the public system was hollowed out during the debt crisis and has not fully recovered, so most foreign retirees rely on private care, which is inexpensive but concentrated in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Colombia
Colombia has become the fastest-growing retirement destination in South America, and the numbers explain why. A retirement visa keyed to three times the Colombian minimum wage puts the threshold near 1,400 dollars a month, well below Mexico or Portugal. The health system is genuinely excellent, ranks among the best in Latin America, and costs a fraction of U.S. prices, with several MedellĂn and Bogotá hospitals appearing in regional top-ten lists. MedellĂn sits at 1,500 metres and has a climate so consistent it is called the city of eternal spring, needing neither heating nor air conditioning. The peso has been persistently weak against the dollar, which is painful for Colombians and enormously advantageous for anyone spending dollars. The trade-offs are a real language barrier, security that requires local judgement rather than blanket assumptions, and a currency whose weakness could reverse.
The real difference
- Colombia costs roughly 23 percent less per month for a couple living comfortably.
- Colombia has the lower income bar: $1,370 a month against $3,815.
- Colombia has materially stronger healthcare on our assessment, which matters more than any other line here if you expect to need it.
- Colombia is substantially faster to residency: about 2 months against 8.
Greece or Colombia: common questions
Is Greece or Colombia cheaper to retire in?
Colombia is cheaper. A couple living comfortably needs about $2,000 a month there, against $2,600 in the other, a difference of roughly 23 percent. That is a large enough gap to change what your income supports.
Which has the lower income requirement?
Colombia, at $1,370 a month on the Migrant Visa M-11 (Pensionado / Retirement Visa), against $3,815 for the other. Remember that a visa threshold is what the government asks you to prove, not what you need to live on, and the two numbers are often very different.
Which is faster to get residency in?
Colombia is typically faster: about 8 months for Greece and 2 months for Colombia. In both cases the decision is rarely the slow part; appointment availability and document lead times are.
Do my documents need an apostille for both?
Yes. Both Greece and Colombia are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille is the whole chain for each. Your FBI Identity History Summary still goes to the U.S. Department of State rather than a Secretary of State, because it is a federal record.
Which has better healthcare?
Colombia scores higher, 8 against 6 out of 10. If you expect to need care, weight this above almost everything else on this page.
Verified Sep 7, 2026 Primary sources: migration.gov.gr, www.aade.gr, www.mfa.gr, www.cancilleria.gov.co, www.migracioncolombia.gov.co, www.minsalud.gov.co
This resource is provided free by Federal Apostille as an educational tool. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Immigration rules, income thresholds, fees and processing times change frequently and often without notice, and consulates apply them differently. Always confirm current requirements with the official government source and the specific consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state of residence before you act. Every figure on this site carries the date we last verified it and a link to the primary source.
