You open your laptop, join a Zoom call, and it doesn’t buffer.
That’s the Colombia most digital nomads and remote workers experience today — and it’s a far cry from the spotty connections the country was known for a decade ago.
Internet speed and connectivity in Colombia has improved dramatically, and the numbers back it up.
If you’re planning to work remotely from Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, or anywhere else in the country, here’s everything you actually need to know before you land.
Check flight prices to Colombia → and start planning your remote work setup now.
📌 Colombia Connectivity: At a Glance
How Good Is the Internet in Colombia, Really?
Better than you probably expect.
Colombia ranked 30th globally for fixed broadband speeds as of February 2026 — ahead of plenty of Western European countries.
The national average fixed broadband download speed hit 244 Mbps at the end of Q3 2025, up 20 Mbps year over year.
The country now has over 10.25 million fixed broadband lines, and fiber adoption is growing fast.
Mobile internet is more modest — median download speeds sit at around 49 Mbps with 42ms latency — but it’s more than enough for calls, navigation, and working from a café.
The gap between urban and rural connectivity is still real, though.
Major cities like Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Cartagena have genuinely fast, reliable internet.
Once you leave the city, coverage gets patchy — something to plan around if you’re heading to rural areas or coffee country.
💡 Pro Tip: Before committing to an Airbnb or apartment, always ask for a speed test screenshot. Speeds vary wildly even within the same neighborhood.
Internet Speed by City
Not all Colombian cities are created equal when it comes to connectivity.
Here’s how the major cities stack up for remote workers and travelers:
Bogotá
Bogotá leads on latency — just 12ms median — which matters a lot for video calls and real-time collaboration.
Compare hotels in Bogotá → and look for apartments in Chapinero or Usaquén for the most reliable connections.
Medellín
Medellín is the digital nomad capital of Colombia, and the internet reflects that.
El Poblado and Laureles are packed with coworking spaces running fiber optic connections with upload speeds over 180 Mbps.
Browse coworking-friendly hotels in Medellín → — most apartments in El Poblado come with high-speed fiber included.
Cartagena
Cartagena’s speeds are strong, but latency is higher (46ms) — something to keep in mind if you’re on constant video calls.
WiFi in hotels and guesthouses in the tourist-friendly Getsemaní and Bocagrande neighborhoods is generally reliable for moderate work.
💡 Pro Tip: In Cartagena, coworking spaces tend to have more consistent speeds than Airbnbs. If calls are critical to your day, consider booking into a coworking space for key meetings.
The Best Internet Providers in Colombia
Fixed Broadband Providers
These are the four major players for home or apartment internet:
1. Movistar — Fastest fixed ISP in Colombia
Movistar topped the charts in H1 2025 with a median download speed of 298.97 Mbps and upload of 269.98 Mbps.
They offer fiber plans up to 500 Mbps starting at approximately 109,900 COP/month (~$26 USD).
Best for: Anyone staying 1+ months who wants the fastest possible connection.
2. ETB
ETB is a strong option, especially in Bogotá, where it recorded the lowest latency of any provider at 8ms.
Plans start around 99,900 COP/month (~$24 USD) for 300 Mbps fiber.
Best for: Bogotá-based workers who prioritize low-latency calls and video conferencing.
3. Claro
Claro has the widest coverage network in Colombia — not the fastest in cities, but your best bet outside major urban areas.
Fiber plans go up to 500 Mbps at around 119,900 COP/month (~$28 USD).
Best for: Travelers and nomads moving between cities or spending time in smaller towns.
4. Tigo
Tigo is reliable in cities and competitive on price.
A solid backup option if Claro, Movistar, or ETB don’t have great coverage in your specific neighborhood.
Best for: Budget-conscious remote workers in urban areas.
[CTA: Ready to Book Your Colombian Base? Compare Hotels Now →]
SIM Cards & Mobile Internet in Colombia
Getting a local SIM card is the first thing you should do when you land.
It costs almost nothing, takes about 10 minutes, and gives you a mobile data safety net for every café, beach, and bus ride.
Here’s what the major carriers offer for prepaid mobile:
You can find SIM cards at any airport on arrival, or at carrier stores and large supermarkets (Éxito, Jumbo) across the country.
Expect to pay between $5–$15 USD for a prepaid data package with several gigabytes — a fraction of what international roaming costs.
💡 Pro Tip: Claro has the best rural coverage. If you’re heading to the coffee region, Tayrona, or anywhere off the main city grid, Claro is your safest bet for staying connected.
eSIM: The Modern Alternative
If you’d rather skip the airport SIM hunt entirely, an eSIM is a great option for short stays.
You activate it before you even board your flight and arrive with data already working on your phone.
Get a Colombia eSIM before you fly → — Holafly offers unlimited data eSIMs for Colombia that work as soon as you land.
Works best if your phone supports eSIM (most iPhones from XS onwards and many modern Android devices do).
Urban vs. Rural Connectivity: What to Expect
Let’s be honest about the gap here.
In major cities — Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla — you get 4G/LTE everywhere, fast WiFi in hotels and cafés, and fiber-optic speeds at most coworking spaces.
In rural and mountainous areas — including parts of the Coffee Region (Eje Cafetero), jungle regions like the Amazon, and Caribbean beach towns like Palomino — connectivity drops significantly.
You’ll often find 3G or weaker signals, inconsistent WiFi in guesthouses, and data that disappears entirely in remote areas.
Plan accordingly: if your livelihood depends on a stable connection, build a buffer day before heading into rural zones, or test connectivity before committing to a long stay somewhere remote.
[Internal link: → Best Places to Stay in Colombia for Digital Nomads]
[Internal link: → Colombia Destinations Guide: Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena & Beyond]
Connectivity at Colombian Airports & Bus Terminals
Major international airports offer free WiFi:
- El Dorado Airport, Bogotá — Free WiFi available, though speeds may throttle after 30–60 minutes
- José María Córdova Airport, Medellín — Free WiFi in terminals
- Rafael Núñez Airport, Cartagena — Free WiFi available
Major bus terminals in big cities may offer WiFi, but it’s inconsistent.
Pro move: have your local SIM activated and loaded with data before you reach the bus terminal — don’t rely on terminal WiFi for anything mission-critical.
Working Remotely from Colombia: The Honest Verdict
Is Colombia actually good for remote work?
Yes — with a few caveats.
The infrastructure in major cities is genuinely strong.
Average national speeds of 244 Mbps on fixed broadband and a global ranking of 30th put Colombia ahead of most people’s expectations.
The cost is another win: fiber internet runs $24–$28/month, a coworking pass averages $115/month, and a full monthly living budget averages around $1,350 USD.
The caveats: mobile speeds are more modest (~49 Mbps), rural connectivity is unreliable, and power outages — while not common in major cities — do happen.
For the vast majority of remote workers, digital nomads, and expats, Colombia’s internet is more than good enough.
The city you choose matters more than the country itself.
Compare hotels and apartments in Medellín → to set yourself up in the best-connected neighborhood.
[CTA: Book Your Colombia Trip & Lock In Your Dates →]
FAQ: Internet Speed & Connectivity in Colombia
Yes — for the majority of remote workers, absolutely.
Colombia’s national average fixed broadband speed hit 244 Mbps in Q3 2025, and major cities like Bogotá and Medellín consistently deliver reliable, fast connections for video calls, uploads, and everything else a remote job demands.
Bogotá and Medellín are the top two for remote work.
Bogotá leads on latency (12ms median), while Medellín has a thriving coworking scene with fiber connections exceeding 180 Mbps in El Poblado and Laureles.
Cartagena is solid but has higher latency at 46ms.
Claro is the most widely recommended for coverage across the entire country.
Movistar is the fastest in cities.
If you’re staying in urban areas only, either works great — if you’re exploring rural regions, go with Claro.
Prepaid SIMs are available from around $5–$15 USD with several gigabytes of data included.
You can buy them at the airport on arrival, at carrier stores, or at major supermarkets like Éxito.
Yes, in cities virtually all hotels, hostels, and most Airbnbs include WiFi.
Quality varies — budget hostels may have slower shared connections, while mid-range hotels and apartments typically offer fast, reliable service.
Always ask for a speed test before booking a long-stay apartment.
5G is being rolled out in Colombia but is still in its early stages.
For now, 4G/LTE is the standard in urban areas and delivers consistent mobile speeds for travel and remote work needs.
For video calls (Zoom, Teams), 10–25 Mbps download is the general minimum — easily available in every major Colombian city.
For larger uploads, cloud backups, or streaming while working, aim for a coworking space or apartment with 50+ Mbps for a comfortable experience.
Medellín consistently ranks among the top 10 digital nomad cities in the world.
Between the fast internet, affordable cost of living (~$1,350/month average), active nomad communities, and a growing digital nomad visa route, Colombia has become a genuinely compelling base for location-independent workers.
