Most foreigners come to Colombia chasing buzz. Nightlife. Rooftop pools. Instagram angles. Medellín. Bogotá. Cartagena. The usual suspects.
But what if you don’t want buzz?
What if you want clean air, quiet streets, real Colombian prices, and a city that isn’t trying to sell you a lifestyle brand?
That’s where Tunja comes in.
Tunja is cold by Colombian standards. Historic as hell. Conservative, walkable, deeply local—and shockingly affordable. It’s not Medellín. It’s not Bogotá. And honestly, that might be the entire appeal.
On this channel, and in The Passport, we don’t do hype. We do real numbers, real listings, and real cost of living—the stuff that actually matters if you’re thinking about living abroad. So let’s break down what Tunja really costs, what life here actually feels like, and who this city is for… and who should absolutely skip it.
What Kind of City Is Tunja, Really?
Tunja sits at roughly 2,280–2,800 meters (around 9,200 feet) above sea level—about 500 feet higher than Bogotá. If you feel winded walking around your first week, that’s normal. It passes.
The city has around 180,000–190,000 residents, which puts it in a sweet spot:
Big enough to have hospitals, universities, malls, and government services.
Small enough that traffic is manageable and daily life feels personal.
Tunja is the capital of Boyacá, about 2.5 hours from Bogotá and one hour from Villa de Leyva. It’s a university city, a government city, and one of the most historically important cities in Colombia.
What it is not:
A party town
A digital nomad hotspot
A place chasing foreigners
There are no rooftop infinity pools calling your name. And that’s by design.
Climate: Cool, Calm, and Cheap to Maintain
Tunja has a cool, high-altitude Andean climate. Daytime highs typically sit between 55–65°F (13–18°C). Nights can dip into the 40s (7–9°C).
What that means in real life:
Hoodies and light jackets year-round
Blankets at night
No air conditioning
No tropical humidity
No mosquitoes, spiders, or snakes
No AC-driven utility bill anxiety
Cloudy mornings, sunny afternoons are common. Rain exists, but this isn’t rainforest living. If Bogotá feels familiar to you, Tunja will feel similar—just quieter, calmer, and a little cooler.
Safety: Low Drama, Predictable Living
Tunja is generally considered one of the safer mid-sized cities in Colombia.
Violent crime is low compared to major cities. Most issues are petty theft, not violent incidents. There’s no major cartel presence, no “wrong neighborhood and you’re in trouble” vibe.
It’s a city built for families, students, and long-term residents—not transient party traffic.
Is it crime-free? Of course not. This is still Colombia. But relative to Bogotá, Medellín, or coastal party cities, Tunja is calm, predictable, and low-drama.
Tunja isn’t trying to impress you. People here focus on family, work, school, and stability. If you’re looking for excitement, this city will bore you to death. If you’re looking for peace, it might feel like relief.
Real Estate: Why the Prices Actually Make Sense
Tunja’s real estate market only looks confusing if you don’t understand estratos. This is not a hype-driven Airbnb market. Prices are based on local salaries and long-term living, not foreign demand.
Houses for Sale
Estrato 3 (La Fuente / La Laja)
3-bed / 3-bath, ~110 m²
~230 million COP
Practical, local, lived-in. Real Colombian housing at real Colombian prices.Estrato 5 (La María)
4-bed / 5-bath, ~220 m²
~560 million COP
Upper-middle-class sweet spot. Quiet streets, newer builds, very livable.Estrato 6 (Comuna Uno)
5-bed / 6-bath, ~348 m²
~1.65 billion COP
Large lots, privacy, high-end finishes. Aimed at wealthy Colombians—not expats.
Houses for Rent
Estrato 3:
4-bed house for ~900,000 COP/month
Family-sized house under a million pesos. Let that sink in.Estrato 4:
Large 4-bed home around ~3.27 million COPEstrato 5:
Massive 7-bed homes up to ~8.5 million COP
Rare, but shows the ceiling of the market.
Apartments for Rent
Estrato 3:
3-bed for ~1.55 million COPEstrato 5:
3–4-bed units between ~2.2–2.7 million COP
Newer buildings, quiet zones, good layouts.
Tunja isn’t cheap because it’s bad. It’s cheap because it’s not trendy and not transient.
Utilities: Boring in the Best Way
This is where Tunja quietly dominates.
Electricity: 120,000–180,000 COP ($30–45)
Water & trash: 40,000–70,000 COP ($10–18)
Gas: 25,000–50,000 COP ($7–13)
Internet: 70,000–120,000 COP ($18–30)
Mobile phone: 30,000–50,000 COP ($8–13)
Total utilities: ~300,000–450,000 COP ($75–115/month)
No AC. No surprises. No stress.
Food & Daily Life Costs
Groceries for 1–2 people: 450,000–700,000 COP ($115–180)
Local lunch: 10,000–15,000 COP
Casual restaurant: 20,000–30,000 COP
“Nice for Tunja” restaurant: 35,000–50,000 COP
No Michelin stars. No foodie hype. Just consistent, affordable meals that don’t destroy your budget.
Monthly Budget Scenarios
Modest, Local Life
Total: ~2.5 million COP (~$630)
Stable. Comfortable. Sustainable.
Comfortable Expat Life
Total: ~3.9 million COP (~$980)
No scraping. No stress. No constant budgeting.
Very Comfortable, Low-Key Upper Middle Class
Total: ~5.8 million COP (~$1,450)
Large home, frequent dining out, trips to Bogotá.
Tunja offers a sub-$1,000 lifestyle or a very comfortable life under $1,500 without sacrificing safety or dignity.
Who Tunja Is (and Isn’t) For
Tunja is for you if you value:
Peace over parties
Space over status
Predictable costs over hype
Living in Colombia, not next to foreigners
Tunja is not for you if you need:
Nightlife
International coworking scenes
Trendy cafés and rooftop pools
And that’s its biggest strength.
The Bottom Line
Tunja is shockingly livable.
Not flashy. Not sexy. Not trying to sell you anything. But if you want clean air, safety, space, and one of the lowest burn rates in Colombia, Tunja quietly makes a lot of sense.
It’s not for everyone—and that’s exactly why it works.