Owning a car in Bogotá is kind of like buying a treadmill.

It’s expensive.
It rarely gets used the way you imagined.
And somehow, it still leaves you exhausted.

Because here’s the reality: you don’t really drive in Bogotá.
You sit. Sometimes for 30 minutes… to go six blocks.

And the funny part? I don’t even own a car here—and I get everywhere faster and cheaper.

I’m Matt. I live in Bogotá. And people are always surprised when I tell them I don’t own a car. Not because I can’t. Not because it’s impossible. But because once you understand how this city actually works—traffic, costs, walkability, and alternatives—car ownership stops feeling like freedom and starts feeling like a recurring mistake you forgot to cancel.

Let’s break it down. Not with vibes. With data, real numbers, and lived experience.

Before anyone says, “Come on, traffic isn’t that bad”, let’s talk facts.

According to the TomTom Traffic Index—global, data-driven, no-excuses traffic analysis—Colombian cities regularly rank among the most congested on Earth.

Here’s how it stacks up globally:

For context:

In Bogotá, the average travel time is nearly 30 minutes to go just 10 kilometers (about 6 miles). That adds up to roughly 119 hours per year sitting in traffic.

That’s not commuting.
That’s a part-time job you don’t get paid for.

You age in traffic here. You build patience you didn’t ask for. You reconsider life choices. And after years of watching this play out, I realized something simple:

If I’m going to lose time to traffic anyway, I’d rather not be the one driving.

Traffic is annoying. Money is what seals the deal.

Let me give you real numbers—no cherry-picking.

My last 20 Uber rides in Bogotá totaled:

Some of those rides? Literally a dollar or two.

Now compare that to owning a car:

After all that… you still sit in the same traffic. Just angrier.

With Uber or taxis:

Instead of paying thousands per year for the privilege of driving, I pay a few dollars and let someone else earn their “flight hours.” That’s not just cheaper—it’s smarter.

This surprises almost everyone.

Yes, Bogotá sits at 8,600+ feet above sea level.
No, it is not a steep, leg-day nightmare.

Unlike Medellín or Manizales—where every walk feels like a gym membership—Bogotá sits on a plateau. Most of the city is remarkably flat.

And when you live in the right neighborhoods—Chapinero, Zona G, Parque 93, Usaquén, Parque 97—daily life becomes extremely walkable:

Instead of fighting traffic and hunting for parking, I walk.

Bonus side effect no one warns you about?
You accidentally get healthier. You move more. You feel less rushed. The city shrinks—in a good way.

Bogotá isn’t a “car city.” It’s a dense service city. Once you see that, owning a car becomes optional.

Quick honesty: I’ve never ridden TransMilenio. Not because it’s bad—just because I haven’t needed to.

What I do use constantly? Intercity buses. And they’re wildly underrated.

Real trips I’ve personally taken:

No gas. No tolls. No white-knuckle mountain driving.
You sit. Someone else drives. You arrive.

Colombia isn’t designed around car ownership. It’s designed around mobility. Once you accept that, a car stops feeling like freedom and starts feeling like unnecessary responsibility.

Money is easy to calculate. Time is what people forget.

In Bogotá alone, drivers lose about 119 hours per year sitting in traffic. That’s weeks of your life—gone.

And traffic doesn’t just steal time. It drains mental energy.
You arrive annoyed. Already tired. Already depleted.

When I’m in an Uber or taxi, that time isn’t wasted. I can work, think, relax—or do absolutely nothing, which is also valuable.

When you’re driving, you’re locked in. You don’t get that back.

This isn’t really about transportation.
It’s about deciding how much of your life you’re willing to hand over to congestion.

It’s not because I can’t.
It’s because I’ve done the math.

Owning a car here doesn’t feel like freedom.

For me, freedom is opting out—letting someone else drive, reclaiming my time, and refusing to turn traffic into a lifestyle.