After covering some fun facts about Colombia back when the FIFA World Cup 2018 was held in Russia, this time we're going to talk about what you can do under $10 USD in the capital city: Bogotá.
So yes, after covering other cities like Cartagena and Cali, this time we're going to talk about how you could live a frugal yet efficient lifestyle in Bogota.
Thanks to Venaugh, let's find out how you could get $10 in Bogotá!
In Colombia, the cost of living is generally pretty low with the local currency being Colombia Pesos (COP). For this post, we will be talking about what you can buy in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia for $10 USD.
US$10 is equivalent to approximately 37,000 COP which is definitely enough money to buy some goodies. There are several different ways you can spend this money throughout the day!
Did you know?
Compared to other cities in Colombia, Bogotá has many cultural venues, including at least 58 museums, 62 art galleries, 33 library networks, 45 stage theaters, 75 sports and attraction parks, and over 150 national monuments!
Option 1: Food
With 37,000 pesos in Bogotá, one person can get a full day of meals. The places I will mention are usually places that locals will know or if you're opening to discover. My favorite Colombian breakfast is arepas de cuajada as they are very filling.
I only need one which costs about 2,500 COP. Someone with a bigger appetite may need up to three of them. As for a tinto (regular black coffee), this would be 700 COP. That brings breakfast for 3,200 COP.
Then onto lunch in Bogotá, there are small shops that have specials on lunch, some for as low as 10,000 COP which includes an appetizer – soup or fruits, then the main course of rice, chicken, and vegetables, plus a refillable drink (usually lemonade).
Source: Unsplash.
Let's indulge a little and buy some ice cream for dessert, a cheap one would be around 1,500 COP. We have eaten, breakfast, lunch, and dessert for 14,700 COP.
Onto dinner in Bogotá, I absolutely love fried fish, coconut rice, and salad which is a meal of the regions closer to the Atlantic. You can find this for about 18,000 COP or you can get other options for around this price.
And that's a full day of meals for one person costing around 31,200 COP with 5,800 pesos left to spare. Maybe to buy some more ice cream.
However, if you would like to buy a meal at a nice restaurant, this is still in range with $37,000 pesos as you can usually get this for about 35,000 COP which is especially lovely after you arrive.
Option 2: Clothes
When it comes to clothes, prices aren't necessarily that cheap unless you go to the center which I wouldn't usually do to shop for clothes.
There are different price ranges for clothes shopping in Bogotá and you can still get something at each level. For high-end shopping like H&M, when they have sales, you can get a shirt for about 35,000 COP.
There are also popular department stores where you can also buy clothes. You can find some bargains for around $25,000. However, if you're on a budget, you can get clothes in the supermarket for example, Éxito where you can get a vest for about $15,000 COP, or even a pair of shorts for about 25,000. You can even buy these things via the many apps of Bogotá.
Option 3: Dollarcity
This is the equivalent of Dollorama in the United States. In Bogotá, prices range from 3,000 COP to 10,000 COP. This is my go-to store if I want to shop because items are cheap and what's better than that?
My Dollarcity list usually consists of eyeglasses wipes (4,000 COP), 2 boxes of different sized resealable bags (8,000 COP), 4 packs of gummy bears (6,000 COP), 3 bags of potato chips (9,000 COP), and 10 pairs of ankle socks (10,000 COP). We do a lot of walking in Bogotá, so I need my comfortable shoes and lots of pairs of clean socks. I can get all of this for $37,000 COP.
Conclusion
The cost of living in Colombia allows you to buy many different things for US$10. These examples show a couple categories and price ranges that you will find in Bogotá. Many worry about safety in Bogotá but once you do the right things, this won't be an issue while seeing the sites of Bogotá.
Contributor: Venaugh
Venaugh grew up in the Caribbean and moved her whole life to Colombia before going to Mexico as an expat spouse. Expat life is definitely something to be prepared for, and she wants to share her experience through her struggles and opportunities in her blog.
