Bogota Reports

[Nyc Expat]

Hi guys.

Thanks very much for your response. It is CTG that's under consideration since she lives there. I'm aware extra income beyond the min. I already receive would be helpful.

Will check it out while I'm there 2 weeks from today.
Enjoy.

[Mamey]

NYC,

$300k a month is not the average wage in Colombia. But, $360k a month is the MINIMUM wage allowed by the government to an employee. So the average earned, obviously would be more than $360k.

You can easily find a decent place to live for about $600k a month not including utilities and the like. I would say for less than a million you can do ok. The rest of your money can be for expandables.

Anyone else mongering in Bogota now?

Memin

[Bill12]

As to your post, yes, it is possible to support a family on that amount, but it would be better to have more. The main expense is rent and rent runs all over the map in Bogota, depending on the area you want to live.

Knowing english is not necessarily a help. Getting jobs there is tough, especially with no spanish. Jobs with multi-nationals are highly coveted by the locals. Basically, as in this country, the only way to get a good job as a foreigner is to be able to offer a skill that can't be had locally.

Most Americans seem to gravitate toward teaching english.

[Nyc Expat]

It was mentioned on this thread the average wage is 300000 P per month.

Question for the experienced members living in Colombia. Can I survive and/or possibly support a wife (GF) and 2 teenagers with a minimum monthly income of (USD 1450) 3.6-3.9 million pesos.

Can an American find a job with his english fluency as an advantage on the job market. My spanish is limited today but I am learning.

Thanks for any serious reply.

[Beko9]

Capital and Sheraton 4 points in Bogota are next to each other, and own/run by the same owners.

Both are located in a nice residential area, and there is a shopping mall near-by.

But there is no bars/club/etc in the area, and Zona Norte is 14.000pesos/20 minutes taxi ride.

Be prepared that if you want to take a girl into your room, both hotels would want to regester the girl's ID at reception and charge 70.000 pesos for an extra person in the room.

[Bill12]

Hi all,

New to the forum. And learning so much, despite the fact that I have been to Bogota 8 times and spent over a year there.

I originally went down there to find a "nice" girl, but lo and behold discovered the "finer" establishments, mostly the clubs. I got pretty adept at them, but must admit I know nothing about the web outcall services, or the massage places or picking them up on the street, or any of that.

One thing I discovered amazed me vs the hookers here. Many are just part time and many many of them you could convert to your girlfriend in a week. In fact, a buddy of mine is marrying one of them! Down there they don't really "choose" this line of work, they simply turn to it out of desperation, because of not finding a job, because of having a kid, or because even if they found a job the wages are on average around only 300,000 pesos a month! I maintain that after meeting ten of them a person could find a great wife out of this endeavor. I realize most of us aren't looking for that, but just threw out the comment.

Now, to show my naivity, can I ask a few questions from you experts?

1) I see you all talking about the cost of incalls, outcalls, etc etc.. I see the hints you talk about about not buying them drinks and about how it is better to deal with them late at night or after the club closes, and on and on. But my question is: What if you find one you like and want to keep her around? Do you or can you just pay her for a week and have her on-call just for you? And how much for this option generally? I suspect you would want to do this personally with her and not thru whoever they might work for or through.

2) Is it better to pay her up-front in the room or afterwards?

3) Do most guys like in-call or out-call?

Thank you for your input on my 3 questions.

By the way, a little something I learned on my recent trip...again, maybe of no use to you, is: The girls seem to get paid 20,000 a nite in most of the clubs, just to be there. A little more if they dance on stage. They also make a percentage of the drinks they sell, usually 10%, but only on the individual drinks and not on the bottles. Many of the clubs REQUIRE them to stay til closing, but not all. And as I said, I know nothing about massage places or anything else. I go in and drink slow, since I'm not there to make the club rich on overpriced drinks.

I'll be down there in September if any of you want to be shown around.

Thank you very much.

EDITOR's NOTE: Posting of this report was delayed pending revisions to remove the multiple periods throughout the text. To avoid delays in future reports, please consider using a comma to separate the phrases in your sentences and a single period at the end of each sentence. Thanks!

[Ron99]

Just got back from a week in Bogota. After 10 years of traveling to Colombia, I still believe Bogota is the best city for ladies of the night. The Lido is still great. Chuscas.com was the only honest web-based outcall service. I always stay at Charlies Place for my hotel. Try Bogota Beer Company, a microbrewery in Zona Rosa for hot babes hanging out.

Ron

[Surfer]

Hotel Capital is QUITE nice and not in a bad area safetywise. There isn't anything nearby though. If you are using outcall services, who cares if it takes an extra 15 minutes for the girl to arrive? Taxis are cheap. The issue is more about restaurants, bars etc being far away. Just my 2 cents.

[LatinTraveller]

Hawk

The capital is indeed very close to the airport and vry far from the action.

If you can change, I would recomend the Casa Dann Carlton (94 con 19) or the Dann Carlton (15 con 103). They are in a much safer area and possibly mopre interesting.

If you need more info; pm me

Take care

LatinTraveller

[Hawk_28]

Thanks for all the useful information.

I’m going on a business trip so there is no option, it is Bogota, that’s why for this, my first trip, I’d prefer the outcall services, Spanish is not a problem for me, but I’ll wait for other time, I would like to make some locals friends before I can go and explore the night in Bogota.

I already know that my Hotel will be Hotel Capital, near the airport, I think somebody report something about outcall services at Hotels near the airport???

Hawk.

[SandRabbit]

I will be in Bogota the middle of August, is anyone else gonna be in town that same time ? El Conejito

[Foss]

thanks all for the info!! good to know that blonds are popular as i have blond hair. yipee...

i'm don't subscribe to the terror fever either - but just being careful...

perhaps i will just go to a club and buy drinks for people and hope for a nice non-pro gfe. who knows....

i will report.

any massage places worth a look?

thanks,
foss

[Ferolga777]

Foss said

"I am more than a bit scared!!"


I wasn't going to say anything and leave you to your own abilities, but I grow weary of the terror campaign.

Bogota is not Switzerland safe. It's Colombia safe. Chances are that if you stay in the zona rosa you'll be as safe as any wealthy Colombian.

You will stay at a fancy hotel, you will go to the expensive chica clubs and call the expensive escort services. You will not care about the price. Why? Because it's safer!

DO NOT go out walking at night. If you need exercise tell the hotel and they will get you a temporary membership at a health club. I walked out everywhere at night. But I'm big and crazy and no one will miss me when I die.

Ferolga

[Dollar Bill]

info deleted - see "General Info" Section for news info on killings

[Surfer]

The guy who takes buses around Bogota has cojones (balls)!
Bucaramanga does have a reputation for lots of hotties (known a couple, but never been to Santander Department). Might go next month.

Foss asked "Is Bogota worth it" to which i must ask "Compared to what"? Compared to ANYWHERE in North America, I'd say Yes. Is it the best place in Colombia for hobbying? I'd say no.

If your Spanish is SOLID, and you are risk tolerant, then there are LOTS of better cities. If NOT, and if you LIKE to see other gringos once in awhile, I'd opt for Cartagena instead. BOG is cold, crowded and less friendly, and GFE from PROS is harder to obtain, but there are TONS of options and lots to do. And there are lots of non pros who LOVE blonde gringos. The Paisa (people from from Antioquia, where Medellin is located) are often blond, so worry LESS about pigmentation and MORE about language skills and dress.