Most Medicine in Colombia are Over the Counter

 

Most medicine in Colombia are over the counter - Amoxicillin, Viagra, Ibuprofen 1000mg, just to name a few. There are drug stores on every corner here in Colombia and most of them operate through delivery too.

Before I even thought of moving to Colombia, when I was only in high school, I suffered from middle ear infection at least two times a year. It was always pretty much the same treatment after spending time and money waiting to be attended to. The doctor would prescribe expensive 500mg Amoxicillin pills to be taken three times a day for ten days. The great thing about moving to Colombia was that as soon as the symptoms started up, I could just walk into a drug store and buy brand-name or generic pills at a fraction of the cost compared to the United States and no prescription was needed. And that goes for most all types of medicine. Since there are a lot of farmacias here and a lot of generic brands, prices tend to be very reasonable. In fact, they are so cheap that a lot of visitors and tourists end up taking some back home with them. The use of medicinal marijuana is also legal, even medicinal coca leaf products. These types of stores can usually be found in shopping centers and malls. There are teas and cookies that I highly recommend. They work well for a variety of different symptoms or needs. Some of the ‘Droguerías” I’ve used are Cruz Verde, Farmatodo, and La Rebaja. As far as medicinal cannabis and coca rubs, teas and cookies, I bought them at a shopping center in Bogotá called “El Centro Comercial Bulevar”. 

Things that are very expensive in Colombia

Upon arriving in Colombia, it may seem like everything is so cheap and inexpensive, especially if you have dollars or euros. A very nice elegant meal at a top-end restaurant might cost you 200 dollars in the USA or Europe, while here in Colombia you’d only pay around 50 bucks including the tip. You can get a “corriente’ lunch here for as little as 4 dollars. Corriente is a lunch-special that many small cheap restaurants offer around the business and university sectors. This meal usually consists of meat (chicken, pork, fish or beef), white rice, another carbohydrate (potatoes, spaghetti, or mixed vegetables), a small salad, a small bowl of soup and juice or lemonade. On the other hand, if you go to the grocery store to buy some icecream, it will be more expensive than in the USA and probably a lot less to choose from. The cheapest way to enjoy a bit of ice cream here is to get a cone from either McDonald’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken. Even specialty coffee can get pretty expensive, particularly if you go to Juan Valdez, Oma, or Starbucks. Yes, we do have Starbucks here! I prefer Juan Valdez. Their granizados are great, and they have a point program for free deals. A newer place called Café Quindio, it’s even better and usually more internet-friendly, plus more comfortable seating. Try their Café Moca Granizado. It’s delicious. Some other products that are quite expensive here are name brand products such as iPhone, Nike, Hugo Boss etc. Remember that Colombia also has a 19% sales tax too, plus their high tariffs. The price of cars, for example, is astronomical. That’s why Uber drivers are so numerous here. Most people use it as a second job to pay for their car loan. That makes Uber and inDriver a lot less expensive to use. If you download and check out the app inDriver, you will probably like it better since it gives you the option to use the recommended price, or you can put the price you want to pay. Sometimes being able to save as much as 50% off the recommended price. Also, remember that if you are paying by credit card, here in Colombia, some businesses give you the option to choose whether to be charged in dollars or pesos. Always choose dollars. Choosing dollars will get you the official exchange rate, but if you choose pesos it will give you the price the business chooses. Most things that are actually made here or prepared here in Colombia are going to be very cheap. Merchandise to check out would be leather products, emeralds, gold (especially at pawnshops), knock-off Nike sold in the San Andrecito areas, which are abundant in Bogotá and Medellín. Bogotá has an entire district that is dedicated to making leather goods. 

Please take into account I have lived in Colombia for over 20 years, and I’m just giving you my honest opinions, advice and suggestions so you are better informed upon your arrival. I’m not here to insult or degrade. This is just what I have experienced over time. Colombia is a fascinating country and so many things to see and do. Don’t be afraid to converse with the Colombian people as they love new visitors and making new friends. 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or write your questions and thoughts here. 

Taxis in Colombia - Things to know

El Paseo Millionario

Paseo Millonario - Article in English

In Colombia, taxis are the go-to solution for traveling in big to mid-sized towns and cities, especially for tourists. You can’t miss them, they are bright yellow and have their license plates painted on the sides. A lot of the taxis here in Colombia are connected to transportation apps like Uber and inDriver, so don’t be surprised if one shows up when using these apps. There are a few important things to know about taxis here in Colombia, especially when using them in the bigger cities. 

The first is that you need to be cautious and use common sense. You should never take a taxi that pulls up to you and asks if you need a ride. You should be the one that hails down the random taxis of your choice if you choose to grab one on a street corner. Taxis are known to be used for committing “Paseos Millonarios” or millionaire trips, which means using a taxi to rob people. In short, they pick up an unsuspecting client, hold him at gunpoint and drive around to ATMs and withdraw all the money in their accounts, sometimes even making huge purchases with their credit cards online. To avoid this from happening to you, I would suggest downloading and using the apps as soon as you arrive in Colombia. If you have to or want to use the taxis in the street, then never let one pick you. These are usually ones that are parked alongside the road or that are driving slowly down the road looking for passengers.  Always be the one to pick the taxi. Let a few taxis drive by and then hail one down that is driving down the street at a normal speed. There should be a big laminated card in the back seat with their information and fee prices. Taxis do have a taxi meter that will either show you the final price or a number that can be looked up on the laminated card. 

The second one is vital and may seem trivial, the closing of the door. Cars in Colombia don’t have the strict safety manufacturing regulations that other countries have, meaning that a lot of the doors on the cars are lighter, especially on cheaper cars. So, after getting in or out, never slam the door shut, or you may get an earful or more. Many foreigners make this unconscious mistake, don’t let it be you.

The third helpful thing to know is that although tipping your taxi is acceptable, it’s not very common here in Colombia. Most Colombians do not tip or, if so, it’s less than 10%. 

The final thing to know is that traveling in a taxi from 7pm until 4am has a surcharge that is added to the fare at the end of the ride. The price of that surcharge is on the laminated card. 

Note: It’s common for car windows to be broken at stop lights by motorcycles looking to snatch a purse, cellphone or watch (especially in Bogota, Medellin and Cali) so I usually put my backpack on the floor board and don’t use my cellphone while in a taxi. 

If you have any questions about traveling to Colombia please feel free to contact me or leave your questions here. 

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Basic Things to Know and Understand Before Traveling to Colombia

Some basic things to know and understand about Colombia South America before traveling here are the following:

1. The currency is the COP or Colombian Peso.

2. Yearly inflation and the devaluation of the peso usually run quite high, so saving money here in pesos is not a good idea. 

3. The capital of Colombia is Bogotá, and it is a central government, which means the entire country is run by the government in Bogotá, not by each department or state. All laws are countrywide. 

4. Usually a tourist visa is good for three months and can be extended for an additional three months through a government department, which is called D.A.S. (Administrative Department of Security). After your six month total is up then you are required to leave the country and reenter. 

5. A lot of people nowadays that are traveling here to Colombia prefer to try and apply for a Nomad Visa, which, to my understanding, lasts one year. 

6. In general the police can’t always be trusted. Police here in Colombia are not well paid so they are easily subordinated and corrupted. 

7. Scopolamine (known as the date rape drug) is used frequently here by delinquents to commit crimes.

8. Uber is one of the safer ways to travel locally. 

9. Many Colombians, especially in the larger cities, are able to understand and communicate in basic English. This is in part due to the fact that English is taught in elementary schools and is a prerequisite to graduating from college. 

10. Traveling locally by plane in Colombia is fairly inexpensive, especially with Latam, Avianca, and Viva. 

11. The dollar goes very far here in Colombia. For example, you can get a bottle of clean drinking water at Ara or D’una for less than 25 cents. 

12. Most Colombians are very friendly and helpful but don’t be naive. 

13. DO NOT slam the doors of Taxis when you get out. Cars here are not made to the USA standard and the doors are very light, slamming them will likely piss off the taxi driver.

14. It’s better not to wear expensive jewelry or count your money in public, use your common sense, there are a lot of needy and poor people here. 

15. The current minimum wage in Colombia is 1,623,500.00 pesos per month (48 hour week) Around 100 dollars a day. 

16. In the street, you can always barter the price; it’s considered normal, and almost everyone does it. Usually, foreigners are charged at least double the price, so never be afraid to barter. Eample: 

Me: How much for this mango? 

Them: 10,000 pesos.

Me: No, thanks. Yesterday I bought one for 2,000.

Them: Ok, 5,000.

Me: I only have 4,000. (And I start to walk away. If I walk away, and they say nothing, then now I know the real price is 5,000.)

Them: Ok, 4,000. 

Throughout my blog I will be giving examples of how I use different methods and tactics when dealing with Colombian society, which is extremely different from ours.

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