Guide
Booking a December 2026 Stay in Medellín: When to Lock In a Furnished Flat
December is the hardest month to find a good furnished place in Medellín. Here is the timeline, the contract points and the payment setup that make it work.
Key takeaways
- Have a shortlist by mid-November and a signed agreement before late November. The 2025 Christmas lights went on November 28, and the 2026 dates had not been announced as of October 27, 2026.
- Stays under 30 days count as tourist lodging under Ley 2068 de 2020. Stays of a month or more in a home are usually set up as leases, which brings Ley 820 de 2003 into play.
- Under Ley 820, Article 16 bars cash deposits in urban residential leases. Article 15 allows only a utility guarantee, capped at two consecutive billing periods.
- Get the rent, dates, inventory, utilities and administración in a signed document. Ley 820 requires the landlord to hand you a signed copy within 10 days.
- If you pay from abroad, set up the transfer before you arrive. Bancolombia recipients must turn on Abono Automático, which takes 24 hours to activate, according to Wise.
Why December books up early
December stacks several draws into one month. The city's Christmas lights, the Alumbrados, run for weeks along the Medellín River and in parks across every comuna. National holidays cluster at the same time, and many Colombians who live abroad come home.
In 2025, the Alcaldía de Medellín reported that the lights were switched on November 28, 2025 and stayed on until Monday, January 12, 2026, a 46-day run. For 2026, Telemedellín reported on October 27 that installation of the first giant figures had begun on the riverbanks. It also said official lighting dates were still to come.
The holiday calendar for this season is already fixed. Calendario de Colombia lists these dates:
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| December 8, 2026 | Tuesday | La Inmaculada Concepción |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Navidad |
| January 1, 2027 | Friday | Año Nuevo |
| January 11, 2027 | Monday | Reyes Magos (moved to Monday) |
We are not going to put a percentage on how much prices rise or how fast units disappear. No public data source tracks furnished monthly inventory in Medellín reliably. What we can say is practical: owners who want the unit for their own family, or who prefer short holiday bookings, often stop offering it as a monthly rental. For how seasonal pricing tends to play out, see our breakdown of high-season rent spikes in Medellín.
When to lock in: a working timeline
Work backward from your arrival date. The goal is a signed document and a verified owner before any money moves.
| When | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Now to November 10 | Pick two or three neighborhoods. Set a budget that includes administración and utilities. Start contacting owners and inmobiliarias. | Units that cover all of December are usually committed first. |
| November 10 to 20 | Get video walk-throughs. Ask for the owner's name and the property's matrícula inmobiliaria. Compare written offers. | Lets you check ownership before paying. |
| November 20 to 30 | Sign. Set up and test your transfer method. Confirm the check-in process with portería. | The 2025 lights opened November 28. Holiday traffic starts building around then. |
| On arrival | Walk the inventory with the owner or agent. Photograph meters, furniture and any damage. | Protects you at checkout. |
If you plan to stay through winter, a single longer agreement can be easier than stacking a December booking onto a later one. Ask owners whether they offer a longer term that starts in December.
Furnished monthly options and which law applies
Furnished units in Medellín reach the market through three main routes. Each route tends to use a different kind of agreement, and the agreement decides which rules protect you.
Inmobiliarias (rental agencies)
Agencies list furnished apartments on Colombian portals. On October 30, 2026, we found furnished listings from agencies on both Finca Raíz and Metrocuadrado, described as "amoblado." Under Article 28 of Ley 820, professional rental businesses in municipalities over 15,000 people must hold a landlord registration. Article 31 says they must show that number in their advertising.
Direct owners
Owners renting one unit often prefer a simple monthly arrangement. That can work well. You still need the same written terms, and you should confirm the person is the owner (see the steps below).
Tourist-lodging operators
Ley 2068 de 2020 treats renting a property for stays under 30 days as vivienda turística, a tourism service. Article 3 of that law requires tourism providers to register in the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) before offering services. If you are booking fewer than 30 nights, ask for the RNT number.
Ley 820 governs urban residential leases. A December booking of 30 nights or more in a home is usually a lease, but the exact label depends on how the contract is written. If an operator calls a month-long stay "hospedaje" and asks for a large deposit, ask which law the contract is under before you sign.
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Request a furnished rental match Or message us on WhatsAppWhat to confirm in writing
Article 3 of Ley 820 says a residential lease can be verbal or written. For a December stay booked from abroad, insist on written. That same article lists what the parties must agree on, and those items make a good minimum checklist.
| Item | What to get on paper | Legal hook |
|---|---|---|
| Parties and property | Full names and ID numbers, full address, unit number, parking or storage included | Ley 820, Art. 3 |
| Price and payment | Monthly rent in pesos, due date, method, who pays transfer fees | Ley 820, Art. 3 |
| Exact dates | Start and end date. Without an express term, a lease defaults to one year. | Ley 820, Art. 5 |
| Utilities | Which party pays electricity, water, gas and internet | Ley 820, Art. 3 and 9 |
| Administración | Whether the building's monthly fee is included in the rent | Ley 675 de 2001, Art. 29 |
| Furniture inventory | A signed list of furniture, appliances and kitchenware, with photos | Protects you under the duty to return the unit in good condition (Art. 9) |
| Early exit | What happens if you leave before the end date | Ley 820, Art. 24 |
| Receipts | A written receipt for each payment, with date, amount and period | Ley 820, Art. 11 |
Two rules deserve extra attention. Under Article 8, the landlord must give you a signed copy of a written lease within 10 days. Under Article 29 of Ley 675 de 2001, the owner and the occupant are jointly liable for ordinary building fees. If the owner says administración is included, put that sentence in the contract.
Early exit matters in December because travel plans change. Article 24 of Ley 820 lets a tenant end a lease early with three months' written notice and an indemnity of three months' rent. That is costly on a short stay, so match the contract end date to your real plans. Our guide to what to sign in a Medellín lease covers more clauses.
Deposits under Ley 820
This is the rule most visitors don't expect. Article 16 of Ley 820 says that in urban residential leases, a landlord cannot require deposits in cash or real guarantees to secure the tenant's obligations. The article adds that this cannot be done indirectly, through third parties, in separate documents or under another name.
There is one narrow exception. Article 15 lets a landlord require a guarantee for public utility bills when the tenant pays them. That guarantee cannot exceed the charges for two consecutive billing periods.
What this means for a December booking
- If your agreement is a residential lease, a "damage deposit" equal to a month's rent conflicts with Article 16.
- A utility guarantee is allowed, but only up to two billing periods of charges.
- If your stay is under 30 days, you are in tourist-lodging territory under Ley 2068, and Ley 820's deposit rule may not be the governing rule.
- Article 32 of Ley 820 gives municipal mayors' offices oversight of these rules.
Landlords often ask for a co-signer or a rental guarantee policy instead. Our explainer on what a landlord can ask for instead of a deposit covers those options.
Paying from abroad
Do not send money until you have a signed document and have confirmed who owns the unit. Once you have both, a transfer service that pays straight into a Colombian bank account in pesos is usually the cleanest setup.
Wise is one option. According to its COP transfer guide (checked October 30, 2026), a personal recipient needs these details on file:
- Full name, account number and account type (current or savings)
- Address and phone number
- ID type and number, which must match what the bank has on record
The same guide notes three things that trip people up:
- Bancolombia recipients must turn on Abono Automático. Otherwise the transfer fails, and activation takes 24 hours.
- A recipient's first international payment needs a Declaración de Pago, which they complete in their own bank. Wise says Banco de Bogotá does not require it.
- Each transfer is capped at 24,000 USD in COP equivalent. Monthly and yearly limits vary by account.
Wise's Colombia page says most transfers arrive within a working day, and it shows the fee before you send. For a full comparison of methods, read our guide to paying rent in Medellín from abroad.
Set up your peso transfer before you fly
Send USD or other currencies to your landlord's Colombian account in COP, with the fee shown upfront.
Open a Wise transferA seven-step booking plan
- Decide your dates. Write down exact arrival and departure dates. Decide whether you will stay 30 nights or more.
- Set the full monthly budget. Include rent, administración if separate, utilities and internet.
- Ask for proof of ownership. Ask for the matrícula inmobiliaria. The Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro sells a certificado de tradición y libertad online for COP 21,900 (checked October 30, 2026), which shows the registered owner.
- Get a live video tour. A real-time call is harder to fake than photos. Ask to see the building entrance and the unit number.
- Sign the written terms. Use the checklist above. Check that no cash deposit is hidden under another name.
- Test the payment route. Send a small first payment if the landlord agrees. Keep every receipt.
- Do the move-in inventory. Photograph everything, note meter readings, and get the inventory signed.
Bogotá's security secretariat warned in August 2026 about fake rental listings that ask for half a month's rent to "hold" a unit. Its advice applies in Medellín too: see the property or verify it before paying, and pay nothing without a signed contract.
Skip the December scramble
Share your dates and budget once, and we'll come back with furnished monthly options that fit.
Find a rental matchFAQ
Is it too late in late October to book a furnished flat for December 2026?
No, but the useful window is short. Aim to have a shortlist by mid-November and a signed agreement before you send any money. Units that suit a whole December stay tend to be committed earliest, so waiting until December itself narrows your choice.
Can a Medellín landlord ask me for a cash deposit?
For an urban residential lease governed by Ley 820 de 2003, Article 16 says cash deposits and real guarantees cannot be required, directly or indirectly. Article 15 separately allows a guarantee for utility bills, capped at two consecutive billing periods. Stays under 30 days are treated as tourist lodging under Ley 2068 de 2020, so the rules for a short holiday booking can differ.
When will the 2026 Alumbrados dates be announced?
As of an October 27, 2026 Telemedellín report, installation of the first figures had started along the Medellín River and official lighting dates were still expected. For reference, the 2025 lights were switched on November 28, 2025 and stayed on until January 12, 2026.
What do I need to send rent to a Colombian bank account with Wise?
Wise's COP transfer guide lists the recipient's full name, account number, account type, address, phone number, and ID type and number, which must match the bank's records. Bancolombia recipients must turn on Abono Automático first, and a recipient's first international payment needs a payment declaration in their bank.
Which holidays fall in the December 2026 to January 2027 window?
La Inmaculada Concepción on Tuesday, December 8, 2026; Christmas on Friday, December 25, 2026; New Year's Day on Friday, January 1, 2027; and Reyes Magos, moved to Monday, January 11, 2027.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Whether Ley 820 or tourism rules apply depends on how your contract is written and how long you stay. For a dispute or a large payment, read the law on the Senado's official site and talk to a Colombian lawyer.
Sources
- Ley 820 de 2003, Secretaría General del Senado de la República
- Ley 2068 de 2020, Secretaría General del Senado de la República
- Ley 675 de 2001 (Propiedad horizontal), Secretaría General del Senado de la República
- En Navidad, Medellín te quiere (Alumbrados 2025), Alcaldía de Medellín
- Installation of the 2026 Christmas lights begins on the Medellín River, Telemedellín
- Festivos de 2027 en Colombia, Calendario de Colombia
- Furnished apartment for rent in Laureles (listing), Finca Raíz
- Furnished apartment for rent in El Poblado (listing), Metrocuadrado
- Certificado de Tradición y Libertad, Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro
- Guide to COP transfers, Wise Help Centre
- Send money to Colombia, Wise
- Ojo con estafas de falsos arriendos a través de redes sociales en Bogotá, Alcaldía de Bogotá
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