The Average wages in Colombia

dwmte7 says on Jun 21, 2008, 17:13:

just did a whole long thread on that subject. use the search bar on the upper right of each page and see if your questions aren't answered. then, if not, all will be glad to help.

dwmte

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Monita Linda says on Jun 21, 2008, 17:16:

The minimum income in Colombia is about 400,000-500,000 pesos a month. Truth be told most people don´t make that much.
Yes there is a (higher) middle class that makes between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 but that is NOT normal.

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2008, 03:38:

'In Bogota the AVERAGE salary is around 1.2-1.3 million a month'
rubito

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJJIJIJIJIJIJIJJJJJAJAJAJAJAJAJ

rubito, rubito, rubito, we really have to get together for a drink, i think you're going loco in la fokin cabeza .
I know this tiny broad (wify's friend) from Bogota with a law degree, here illegally working in a freaking factory, now she's in Orlando selling jewlery in some fokin mall.
Her biggest fear is to be deported back to bogota.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2008, 03:47:

my cousin in bogota is making 5 millones de pesos a month but ONLY AND ONLY cus she's some big shot in NESTLE (not a colombian company), traveling all over the spic talking world.
Chit, i cleaned toilets in Manhattan,NYC and made 4 times that and the only traveling i made for my company was to BJ's in queens to pickup extra rolls of jopo (toilet) paper

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 22, 2008, 03:48:

I don't know what the average salary is but that is a misleading measure and does not tell us much about the typical income of a colombia worker. I have been trying to find the median salary in Colombia without much success but I honestly don't believe is more than 1 million. A graduate's starting salary in Bogota is only 800 000 COP and most people only have a bachillerato, which is hardly enough education in a place like Colombia.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2008, 03:55:

the AVERAGE SALARY IN ALL, ALL, ALL, ALL COLOMBIA IS FROM 400,000 TO 600,000
what do most people do with that salary?
save and save and save for years to buy one way ticket outta there, to USA
others marry guys with blue passport, problem solved!!!!

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 22, 2008, 03:57:

Elmo, we all know that is only costeno salary because you people are lazy and only work during non-drinking, non-dancing hours. :P

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2008, 04:03:

the way i look at it.
9.3 million colombianos living (mostly illegaly) in USA
Outta those 9.3 there are ony 17 barranquilleros, me, a couple in Hackensak and the rest in miami. why?
a little hint "barranquilla, el mejor vividero del mundo"

thank you!

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2008, 04:12:

ck, and what is wrong with a little drinking and dancing and singing?
here (below) a sample of costenos taking a little break after a day of very hard work

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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Monita Linda says on Jun 22, 2008, 06:17:

Rubito: you think that because that´s what thepeople around you make. That is NOT the norm!!!
Around 50-60% of Colombians don't even make minimum income....
It is very ignorant to think 1 million is a "normal" income.. it is NOT NOT NOT.......
450,000 for a younger person and 750,000 for someone in a company with years of experience...
(Yes, my husband makes 1.7 million, but he´s an accountant working for a foreign firm in Colombia)

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sanandressi says on Jun 22, 2008, 06:33:

You don't make money working for someone you mke money by having othes work for you and hence so many Colombians who always talk of opening a business. In the US and Europe it is OK to be "un empleado" but not in Colombia. What is the minumum wage by law in Colombia?

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rocinante says on Jun 22, 2008, 07:14:

JB007 - usually one in your shoes asks for an industry average. "Averages wage" is extremely generic and usually means something when you actually have an average class of people to tack that on to. Those average people are the middle or average class.

Colombia does not really have a middle class so the figure of "average wages" is meaningless. In the US where almost everyone is middle class when you average everyone's tax returns that average wage number represents over 100 million people.

In Colombia when you average in all the 15% unemployed zeros and the 65% minimum wage earners your average wage will be somewhere where elmo says - I would guess 500K-600K monthly.

But Rubi is right as well and he's probably thinking that you are asking for a number that would represent the middle class. Anyone making 1-2 millones monthly would be considered middle or average class. Top paid doctors/surgeons peak out at 11-14 millones a month, and top notch programmers can garner up to 4 millones a month although 2.5 is more likely. Clean business owners can easily be north of 2 millones.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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rocinante says on Jun 22, 2008, 07:17:

I think graduates should find out the hard way - it builds character.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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dwmte7 says on Jun 22, 2008, 09:47:

90 % of colombians wish they had anything like the incomes above. the poster who said about $450,000.00 was closer to right than any of the others. and those professionals who make upwards of a million and a half to the 10 million mark are precious few.

dwmte

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 22, 2008, 13:38:

I have a friend in Cali who is a professor.
She barely makes $330 a month US.
And she supports her family and the house.
No Chit!

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JumboBond007 says on Jun 22, 2008, 15:27:

Thank you very much. I could easily hire a Fashion designer for 400 - 500,000 COP a month PLUS bonus when customers buy items. I will have to find a suitable fashion designer :)

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adrimm says on Jun 22, 2008, 15:59:

I'd tend to agree with Monita Linda on wages. I am sure that DANE has some stats somewhere.

aha.. here we go the large coral/orange/pink map in the centre shows the average per capita income in each locality of Bogota.

http://contenido.metrocuadrado.com/contenidom2/ciudyprec_m2/inforbog_m...

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 22, 2008, 16:17:

Hey Jumbo... I happen to know an experienced fashion designer in Cali....
She has a unique and vibrant eye for design.
Let me know if you'd like her info....

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 22, 2008, 16:17:

professional use only:)

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JumboBond007 says on Jun 22, 2008, 17:22:

NY Bombero

Yes I am very interested to know about her and would like to see some of her portofolio
Am I allowed to leave my e-mail here???

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 22, 2008, 17:31:

you can or just email me with it....

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toneloc24 says on Jun 22, 2008, 18:09:

JumboBond - For a fashion designer, 400.000-600.000 pesos/month ain't gonna cut it. Anyone worth their weight already has some connections, and know their worth. For instance, the people who work in the supermarkets and Exito make about 400.000-500.000/monthly.

I used to know a couple of fashion designers on the coast. They were living independent estrato 5 and up lifestyles. No debt. Plus fashion connections and clientele around Colombia, and also in Miami and Spain.

Re: median salary in Colombia.

If over 50% of the country is in poverty, and the majority of Colombian wages are between 400.000-1.000.000 pesos monthly, how is 1.200.000 pesos/month the average??? The numbers just don't bear out.

Most of the people I know make more than this, but even they don't fool themselves. That is not an average Colombian life. One guy makes over 2.000.000 pesos a month, but works 3 jobs to do so.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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JumboBond007 says on Jun 22, 2008, 18:36:

Toneloc..... I mentioned 'plus BONUS' did I? I cannot pay fashion designers wages unless thet sell well.... so to be fair, I'll pay the wages plus bonus if it sells well

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MaFe says on Jun 22, 2008, 18:41:

I agree with monita linda...and everyone else who agrees with those numbers...

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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MaFe says on Jun 22, 2008, 19:17:

I know in Pereira and Cali that's the norm...what monita linda wrote..

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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Philly says on Jun 22, 2008, 23:22:

By law, 433,000 pesos is the min. or around 14,000 pesos a day, sometimes with lunch and transportation, however I have found many people making much less. When I was living in Pamplona, I worked in an Ferriteria(spelled something like that). I worked my ass off for 433,000 pesos, and my wife´s sister owns the place. I worked for UPS in the states, nothing compares to how hard I was working here. I eventually left that job to work as an English teacher. I was paid by the hour so I made around 1,200,000 to 1,400,000 a month. depending on holidays. Now, I was working full time but they never paid for my insurance or my pension, which is required by law. Oh, they used the excuse that I am paid by the hour so they are not obligated to pay those things. After a year of being paid late, and a little bit at a time I decided to try my luck in a bigger city. I moved to Cucuta and found an excellent teaching job. This school is the complete opposite of my first school. I have a work permit, after paying 500,000 fine to DAS for being in Colombia illegal, a cedula, a pension plan,a bank account, and health insurance for my family. My salary is more then double from what I was making before. I see all the other teachers salaries, and they are very low, 400,000 to 700,00 with many years of working at the school. Yes, I am an American with two Master´s degress and teaching experience, but it is not the norm for any job in Colombia. OH, FOR ALL OF YOU WHO REMEMBERS ME. I AM BACK. DID I WIN THE PHOTO CONTEST?

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Liam101 says on Jun 23, 2008, 01:19:

I'll throw what I know into the debate. My gf is a dentist who currently makes 2 million pesos a month after all deductions. But her cousin who works in Cafe Del Mar in Cartagena as a waitress gets only 30,000 pesos for a 7-8 hour shift there despite most of their drinks being that much. So tip kindly to waitresses as they get a real raw deal in my opinion (not to mention being sleezed over by old gringos as part of the job!)

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tomtom33 says on Jun 23, 2008, 03:21:

30K is good money. My novia was making around 20K for 8-10 hours per day as a social worker.

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Saltador says on Jun 23, 2008, 03:33:

Damn, and here I always thought me sleazing over them WAS their tip...
But seriously, the propina is included on the cuenta at most of these places, and us gringos always pay it. Don't the servers get any of it?

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 03:41:

400,000 pesos a month is concidered a splendid job and to get it you gotta have a libreta militar for guys and la libretica del DAS for broads.
It will cost you 43 mil barras, i got mine.
If you aint got those then 100 to 200 mil peos a month is the norm.
This is freaking colombia for chist sake, the third fokin world and Bogota at that.
If the freakin gringos decided to open the door, everybody and their mother would be leaving bogota to live in fokin queens.
The colombian infestation was mostly concentrated in queens now is spilling over to other bouroghs of NYC, i even hear cachaco accents in MY manhattan.
I have a video that many of my compatriotas will not be happy to see, i will be labeled a anti colombiano, comunista, leftist and a malpario mama burra, but this is the most honest portrait of colombia i've ever seen.
Please don't force me to post it, i'm not in a good mood, later today i have to look for fokin work, just to prove to these gringos that i'm trying to find a fokn job.
And i will not work for less than 80k a year, fok that!!
work is for suckers.


Thank you!

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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dwmte7 says on Jun 23, 2008, 03:59:

to answer your question about the propina....no the employees do not get it. it is just more take for the house. you can raise a fuss about refusing to pay it and sometimes get away with not paying it. just give the coin/$$$ to the workers, then not only earn it, they need it.

if there's a way to short/rip off/use/abuse employees, the colombians have it down pat. it's like rocket science to them. it's just more of the haves wielding power over the have nots...thereby controling the status quo.

dwmte

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Saltador says on Jun 23, 2008, 04:26:

Good info. I usually leave more anyway, but good to know.

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toneloc24 says on Jun 23, 2008, 07:28:

at JumboBond007 - in repsonse to

"Toneloc..... I mentioned 'plus BONUS' did I? I cannot pay fashion designers wages unless thet sell well.... so to be fair, I'll pay the wages plus bonus if it sells well"

You might be better served trying to mine universities if that what you're willing to pay. Or placing legitimate ads in local papers. Even try asking in some of the boutiques in the cities that you're looking into. I know there are several in Zona Rosa in Bogota, and quite a few in Medellin and Barranquilla.

But, I wouldn't get my hopes up at those target wages. To start, anyone worth their weight is gonna ask for at least 1.000.000 more than your range, PLUS the bonus.

Best of luck.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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toneloc24 says on Jun 23, 2008, 07:28:

at Rubito - in response to "In Bogota the AVERAGE salary is around 1.2-1.3 million a month."

"In Bogota the average celador makes 800k and that's not exactly a high-level job.

One more BIG point in Bogota's favor :P"

How many average salaries does Bogota have? Do you even remember when you're pulling these numbers out of your ass? LOL!!!

EVERYTHING costs more in Bogota too. That 800k sounds great, until placed up against the costs.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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tasco66 says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:36:

I pay my (live in) empleada 1 million a month, am I paying her too much?

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 15:20:

Tasco, you are paying the DOUBLE of what she should earn.

Toneloc: ofcourse they will ask you 1,000,000 or more if they know you are willing to pay it, and because you are a foreigner....

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JumboBond007 says on Jun 24, 2008, 10:47:

Toneloc

Not every Fashion designers are already in employment. You do not pay people who does not sell life insurance!!!

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toneloc24 says on Jun 24, 2008, 10:52:

As I already stated, good luck with that venture. I even mentioned a couple of possible options. Please report back to the board with your findings.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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