Compare countries

Colombia vs Peru

Two places, side by side — for anyone weighing where to move.

CO flagPE flag
South America
CO flag
Colombia
Capital Bogota · 50M people · Peso
South America
PE flag
Peru
Capital Lima · 32M people · Sol
Cost of living
Peru
$301/mo
Safety
Peru
0.3/5
Getting around
Colombia
0.5/5
Culture
Peru
0.1/5
Passport reach
Peru
not scored
Airports
Colombia
55M passengers/yr
Climate
Depends on you
not scored
Overall
Peru edges it, 3–2.
Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.

Cost of living

monthly median · solo budget

Peru leads
$1,275/mo
Colombia
$974/mo
Peru

Cost in the three biggest cities

Bogotá$1,322
Medellín$1,228
Barranquilla$1,094
Lima$1,015
Arequipa$828
Cusco$974

Peru is cheaper: $974/mo against Colombia's $1,275/mo. Colombia is cheaper than 8 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is cheaper than 14 of 15 Latin America countries.

Safety

safety index

Peru leads
1.0/5
Colombia
1.4/5
Peru

Peru is safer: 1.4/5 against Colombia's 1.0/5. Colombia is less safe than 9 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is safer than 9 of 15 Latin America countries.

Getting around

transit & transport systems

Colombia leads
2.6/5
Colombia · everyday transit
2.1/5
Peru · everyday transit
2.0/5Walkability2.1/5
2.8/5Transit1.9/5
2.4/5Cycling1.0/5
3.4/5Airport access2.9/5

Colombia scores higher on mobility: 2.6/5 against Peru's 2.1/5. Colombia is easier to get around than 11 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is harder to get around than 9 of 15 Latin America countries.

Culture

cultural depth

Peru leads
3.3/5
Colombia
3.3/5
Peru

Top cultural centers

Colombia
3.8/5
Bogotá
Arts
3.3/5
Cartagena
Museums
2.3/5
Medellín
Festivals
Peru
3.5/5
Lima
Arts
3.3/5
Cusco
Museums
1.3/5
Arequipa
Festivals

Peru scores higher on culture: 3.3/5 against Colombia's 3.3/5. Colombia is richer in culture than 8 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is richer in culture than 10 of 15 Latin America countries.

Passport reach

what the passport opens

Peru leads
72Visa-free destinations81
35%GDP reach58%
842Heritage sites reachable997

Colombia's passport reaches 72 destinations visa-free to Peru's 81 — Peru opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.

Airports

international connectivity

Colombia leads
12Major airports7
92MAnnual passengers37M

Colombia is better connected: 92M passengers/yr against Peru's 37M passengers/yr. Colombia is busier than 65 of 87 countries worldwide; Peru is busier than 48 of 87 countries worldwide. Colombia sees ~2 air passengers per resident a year; Peru sees ~1 air passenger per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.

Climate

where most people live · °C

Depends on you
Colombia15°C to 28°C

Extremes — coldest Ipiales 6°C; hottest Planeta Rica 41°C

Peru11°C to 31°C

Extremes — coldest Sicuani -7°C; hottest Puerto Maldonado 39°C

-15°0°20°30°50°

Colombia runs 15°C to 28°C for most people; Peru runs 11°C to 31°C for most people. Ipiales runs colder, at 6°C and Planeta Rica runs hotter, at 41°C; Sicuani runs colder, at -7°C and Puerto Maldonado runs hotter, at 39°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.