Furnishing an Unfurnished Apartment in Medellín: Buy, Rent, Reuse

The cheapest sensible way to furnish a Medellín apartment is a mix: buy the few things that touch your body new, buy the bulky basics used, rent only if you are unsure how long you will stay, and skip everything that does not earn its space. Start by finding out what the apartment already includes, because “unfurnished” in Colombia can mean very different things.

If you are still deciding whether to go unfurnished at all, read furnished versus unfurnished first. This guide assumes you have chosen a long lease (the 12-month process is walked through separately) and now need beds, a fridge and a sofa.

Step 1: Find Out What “Sin Amoblar” Really Includes

An unfurnished listing (sin amoblar) may include nothing beyond walls and floors, or it may include a lot of fixed items. Check each of these on the viewing and write it into the contract or inventory:

• Kitchen: built-in cabinets, a countertop stove or cooktop, an oven, a range hood. Many kitchens come without a fridge.
• Closets: wardrobes are often built in, which changes how much furniture you need.
• Laundry area: look for the zona de ropas and its water and drain connections. That decides whether you can install a washing machine. See laundry in Medellín.
• Water heating: shower heater or central heater. Our guide to hot water, heating and A/C explains the types.
• Lighting and window coverings: bare bulbs or no curtains at move-in are common.

Photograph every fixed item at move-in and attach the list to the contract. Our move-in checklist shows how.

Step 2: Buy in Priority Order

You do not need to furnish the whole home before the first night. Work in three waves.

Waiting on the third wave is a feature, not a delay. After a month you know where you sit, where the light is and what you actually use.

Buying New: Where It Makes Sense

New is best for the mattress, bedding, small kitchen items and anything where hygiene or a warranty matters. Large Colombian retailers such as Homecenter, Éxito and Alkosto sell furniture and appliances, and delivery is common. Practical points:

• Keep the invoice (factura). Products come with a warranty (garantía) that you claim with it.
• Measure the elevator, the door and the stairwell before you buy a sofa or a wardrobe. Many Medellín elevators are small.
• Check bed sizes by their Spanish names (sencilla, semidoble, doble, queen, king) and compare dimensions, because sheets from home may not fit.
• Ask the seller about delivery windows and assembly. Delivery to an apartment building usually needs coordination with the front desk.

Buying Used: Where the Savings Are

The used market is active. Look on Facebook Marketplace, MercadoLibre and the groups described in our Facebook groups guide. Foreigners leaving the city often sell a full household at once, which can be the fastest way to furnish a place. Ask in local community chats too.

Inspect before you pay:

• Test appliances on site. Run the fridge, turn on the washer and check the door seals.
• Avoid used mattresses. Inspect any upholstered piece, seams and joints for signs of insects.
• Meet in daylight, bring a friend and pay on pickup.
• Do not give out your home address until you have decided to buy.
• Arrange transport in advance. Small moving trucks are common, and the term for the move itself is trasteo.

A simple trick: ask the outgoing furnished landlord or the previous tenant of your own apartment whether they will sell items they would otherwise throw out. That is how the furnished-versus-unfurnished guide suggests converting a stay.

Renting Furniture

Companies and individuals do rent furniture and appliances for months at a time, although offers change often. Renting suits you if you are unsure about staying beyond a few months, or if you hate resale work. Before you commit, ask for:

• the minimum term and the early-return conditions
• who pays for delivery, pickup and damage
• what happens to monthly charges if you extend
• an inventory signed by both sides

Then compare the total over your stay with buying used and reselling. For longer stays, buying used usually wins on cost, while renting wins on flexibility. At that point you might be better served by a furnished lease.

What You Can Skip

• Air conditioning or a heater. Most apartments are comfortable without either. Check the comfort guide before buying.
• A clothes dryer. Most households hang laundry. In wet months, plan a drying rack and a dehumidifier instead. See living through the rainy seasons.
• Matching sets. Mismatched used pieces are normal and cost less.
• Large decor. Wait until you know whether you renew.

Plan the Exit Before You Buy

Furniture you bought is yours to sell, but the contract is not. If you leave early, the early termination clause applies whether you have sold the couch or not. Buy things you can resell: neutral, solid, easy to transport. Photograph them on the day you buy them, and list the larger pieces for sale two to three weeks before your departure date. Tell the landlord in writing before you drill, paint or hang anything heavy.

The Bottom Line

Inspect the apartment, buy the bed and fridge first, add the rest slowly, and favor used where it is safe. If you need a place that fits a long stay and want us to look for unfurnished options with participating owners, you can use the form below.