Key takeaways
- Furnishing and term matter too: in Guatapé and El Peñol the short-term range of 8 to 15 percent gross exists because weekend demand pays more per night than a year-round tenant pays per month.
- A typical Guatapé apartment at about US$153,000 on a long-term contract sits in the 5 to 9 percent gross band; run short-term it sits in the 8 to 15 percent band, with more work, turnover and furniture.
- Buyer closing costs run about 2 percent: notary 0.27 percent, registry 0.67 percent, beneficencia 1 percent, plus your lawyer.
- Check the administration regulations too: some prohibit short-term letting outright, which converts a 15 percent plan into a 5 percent plan overnight.
- The Devimed concession reverts on July 31, 2026, the financing trust is expected in 2027 and handover to Invías in 2028, so major works would not begin before late 2027.
There is no single national rent figure worth quoting, because rent in Colombia is set property by property, not city by city. What you can price is the other side of the equation: long-term rentals in Antioquia have yielded 5 to 9 percent gross a year and short-term 8 to 15 percent, and those percentages are applied to a purchase price you can actually check.
Checklist · Before you sign a promesa
The 12 documents I check on every deal
Tick them off as you collect them. Saved on this device.
Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro, online; valid 30 days
The notaría where it was signed; ask for a certified copy
The municipality's tesorería or hacienda office
The building's or gated community's administración
From the seller; the RUT downloads from the DIAN site
Granted at a notaría, or at a consulate if the seller is abroad
Printed on the predial bill, or from the municipal catastro
In the deed and on the cadastral record
Latest paid bills from EPM or the local operator
Declared before the notary in the deed itself
Drafted by your lawyer or agent; never sign the seller's version unread
Curaduría urbana or the municipal planning office
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Where each document comes from
- Certificado de tradición y libertad: Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro, online; valid 30 days
- Prior deed: The notaría where it was signed; ask for a certified copy
- Property-tax good standing: The municipality's tesorería or hacienda office
- HOA good standing, if applicable: The building's or gated community's administración
- Seller's ID / RUT: From the seller; the RUT downloads from the DIAN site
- Power of attorney, if the seller is represented: Granted at a notaría, or at a consulate if the seller is abroad
- Cadastral appraisal: Printed on the predial bill, or from the municipal catastro
- Survey and boundaries: In the deed and on the cadastral record
- Utilities up to date: Latest paid bills from EPM or the local operator
- Family-home protection certificate: Declared before the notary in the deed itself
- Promesa de compraventa draft: Drafted by your lawyer or agent; never sign the seller's version unread
- Building permit, if applicable: Curaduría urbana or the municipal planning office
Google · Preferred source
The full checklist is ready.
Add Mike Zapata Real Estate as a preferred source on Google and all 12 documents show here, with where to get each one and a printable version. One click, no email, no call.
Why is there no reliable average rent for Colombia?
The rental stock is not comparable within a single city, let alone nationally. A one-bedroom in Medellín, a family apartment in Rionegro and a lakefront cabin in Guatapé that rents only on weekends are three different businesses. Furnishing and term matter too: in Guatapé and El Peñol the short-term range of 8 to 15 percent gross exists because weekend demand pays more per night than a year-round tenant pays per month. Tell me the property and I will tell you the rent. For the tenant-side breakdown by city, the full guide covers it.
What does the asset behind the rent actually cost?
| Property type | Guatapé and El Peñol | Antioquia |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment, entry | about US$86,000 | about US$90,000 |
| Apartment, typical asking | about US$153,000 | about US$189,000 |
| Country house, entry | about US$187,000 | about US$144,000 |
| Country house, typical asking | about US$297,000 | about US$919,000 |
| Finca, entry | about US$234,000 | about US$261,000 |
| Finca, typical asking | about US$443,000 | about US$562,000 |
A typical Guatapé apartment at about US$153,000 on a long-term contract sits in the 5 to 9 percent gross band; run short-term it sits in the 8 to 15 percent band, with more work, turnover and furniture. Lots are the exception to the cheaper-near-Guatapé pattern: they typically ask about US$416,000 against about US$255,000 across Antioquia, because lake proximity is priced into the land.
What does "gross" leave out?
- Annual property tax: 0.3 to 1.2 percent of cadastral value, depending on the municipality.
- Administration fees on apartments and gated developments, monthly, rented or empty.
- Furnishing and replacement for short-term units.
- Vacancy.
- Management, if you are not in the country.
What does it cost to get into the position of collecting rent?
Buyer closing costs run about 2 percent: notary 0.27 percent, registry 0.67 percent, beneficencia 1 percent, plus your lawyer. Closing takes 30 to 45 days once the deal is agreed. Capital gains are taxed at 15 percent when held two years or more. Appreciation has historically run 7 to 8 percent a year, history rather than a forecast, and should not go into a rental projection.
What do I verify before buying anything I intend to rent out?
The certificate of tradition and freedom, requested with the registry number (registered owner, mortgages, liens, encumbrances); if the seller is not on it, stop. And the municipal territorial plan, which determines whether a parcel allows country housing, subdivision, or agricultural use only. Check the administration regulations too: some prohibit short-term letting outright, which converts a 15 percent plan into a 5 percent plan overnight.
Does the road situation change the rent picture in Oriente?
The Devimed concession reverts on July 31, 2026, the financing trust is expected in 2027 and handover to Invías in 2028, so major works would not begin before late 2027. Price what the road is today.
How we knowFigures as of November 14, 2026. Prices: active listings we verified ourselves; USD rate: TRM 3,316.70 COP per US$1, valid November 14, 2026 (Banco de la República, via datos.gov.co).
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Colombia?
No reliable national figure exists. The measurable one is yield: 5 to 9 percent gross a year long-term, 8 to 15 percent short-term.
How much does an apartment cost if I want to rent it out near Guatapé?
From about US$86,000, typically asking about US$153,000; across Antioquia from about US$90,000, typically about US$189,000.
What costs come out of a rental yield in Colombia?
Property tax (0.3 to 1.2 percent of cadastral value), administration, furnishing, vacancy and management.
Can I legally run a short-term rental in any property?
Not always. Building regulations can prohibit it, and the territorial plan limits rural land use.
What tax do I pay when I sell a Colombian rental property?
Capital gains of 15 percent when held two years or more.
