Colombia car hire

Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Colombia are Localiza (8.3, 50 reviews), and Alamo (6.3, 201 reviews).

Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in Colombia are Bogotá (83% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in Colombia), Cartagena (8%) and Medellín (8%).

Getting around Colombia in a car can require defensive driving around cities and busier towns, as the flow of traffic can be fast-paced. It is also advised not to drive at night due to stray cattle and the abundance of cars, trucks and motorcycles without headlights. There are some major roads with tolls, and most of them are paid electronically. Ask about this with your rental car provider to ensure that you have the correct means to pay.

To rent a car in Colombia, you must be at least 18 years of age. However, drivers that are between 18 and 21 will be subject to an additional surcharge, which varies between different rental car companies. You can drive in Colombia with your US license, but you must have an international permit if you’re from a country with a non-Roman alphabet.

Filling up your petrol tank in Colombia will cost you nearly the same amount of money as in the United States, depending on the individual cities or towns you’ll be traveling to. Petrol costs an average of around 9,000 COP (2.76 USD) per gallon in Colombia, which is only slightly more expensive than the US average price of 2.50 USD per gallon.

The speed limits imposed on roads in Colombia are similar to those in the US and much of Europe. The speed limit on residential roads is up to 30 km/h (18 mph), the speed limit on roads in rural areas is up to 80 km/h (50 mph) and the speed limit on major motorways can be up to 100 km/h (62 mph).