Yes, a foreigner can buy property in Medellín, and the entry bar is lower than most people assume. You do not need a visa, residency, or Colombian citizenship to hold title. You do not need to live in the country. And there is no minimum purchase amount to acquire real estate at any price point. The property purchase and the immigration question are two separate tracks that people constantly conflate. Buying gives you an asset. It does not, by itself, give you the right to live in Colombia long-term. Understand that split and the rest of the process becomes straightforward.
Ownership rights and registering your purchase as foreign investment
Colombia grants foreigners the same property rights as nationals. You take title in your own name, freehold, with the same protections a local buyer has. Deeds are executed before a notary and registered at the public registry office, and the chain of title is verifiable. The one procedural step outsiders miss is registering the incoming capital as foreign direct investment with the Banco de la República. This is not optional paperwork you can skip. It is what legally documents that the money entered the country as investment, and it is what later lets you repatriate proceeds and profits when you sell. Move funds through the formal exchange market, keep the registration clean from day one, and your exit is protected. This registration is also the paper trail that underpins any future visa claim tied to the asset.
The investor (M) visa and the ~350 SMMLV threshold
If your goal is to actually live in Medellín, the property can serve as the basis for a migrant investor visa (type M), but only above a threshold. The investment must reach roughly 350 times the monthly minimum wage (SMMLV) to qualify, which in current terms lands in the neighborhood of a mid-six-figure USD sum, around one hundred fifty thousand dollars and change. Buy below that line and you own real estate but earn no visa from it. Buy at or above it and register the FDI correctly, and the same purchase opens an immigration door. This is the key distinction: no minimum to buy, a real minimum to convert that purchase into the right to reside.
The end of the instant "golden visa" and the M-10 five-year path
Here is the update that catches returning investors off guard. The instant path to permanent residency through real estate is gone. Resolution 5477 eliminated the fast-track "golden visa" mechanism. Owning qualifying property no longer buys you a permanent resident card outright. Instead, you enter through the investor M visa (specifically the M-10 category tied to real estate investment) and you must hold that status continuously for five years before you become eligible for permanent residency. Plan for a runway, not a shortcut. The asset still qualifies you to start, but permanence is now earned over time, not stamped on arrival.
Short-term rentals and the RNT requirement
Many buyers underwrite Medellín deals on nightly rental income, and that market is real, but it is regulated. Operating short-term rentals legally requires registration in the National Tourism Registry (RNT) and compliance with building and municipal permissions. Some residential buildings restrict or prohibit tourist rentals outright through their bylaws, so the horizontal-property rules of a specific building can override your business plan. Verify the RNT path and the building's own regulations before you assume a unit can run as a short stay.
Why Medellín
The pull is straightforward. Medellín sits in a valley at altitude that gives it a mild, stable climate year-round, the reason it is called the city of eternal spring. No seasons to design around, no heating or cooling arms race. Layer on a cost of living that stretches foreign income further than most comparable cities, a walkable urban texture, and a lifestyle that has drawn a steady international community, and the appeal compounds. It is a rare combination of climate, value, and city life in one place.
FAQ
Do I need residency or a visa to buy? No. Any foreigner can purchase and hold title without a visa, residency, or citizenship, and without living in Colombia.
Is there a minimum amount I have to spend? Not to buy. You can purchase at any price. The minimum only appears if you want the purchase to qualify for an investor M visa, which needs roughly 350 SMMLV.
Can I still get instant permanent residency by buying property? No. That instant route was eliminated under Resolution 5477. You now hold the M-10 investor visa for five years before qualifying for permanent residency.
Can I run my property as an Airbnb? Only with the right permissions. Short-term rentals require RNT registration and compliance with municipal and building rules, and some buildings prohibit tourist stays entirely.
---
Kev Living reads these markets as territory, not brochures, advising international buyers on where ownership, immigration, and yield actually line up on the ground. If Medellín is on your map for 2026, start with a clear read of the terrain before you commit capital. Explore the full territory intelligence at Kev Living.