How to Call Colombia from USA: 8 Best Methods (Free & Cheap)

📅 2025-11-10 ⏱️ 20 min read ✍️ BubblyPhone Team

Complete guide to calling Colombia from USA in 2025. Compare free and paid options, learn dialing format, time zones, and save 99% on calls. Rates from $0.01/min.

Looking to call Colombia from the USA? With over 1.3 million Colombian Americans and growing business ties, calling Colombia is a common need. This guide shows you 8 proven methods from free options (WhatsApp used by 90% of Colombians!) to ultra-cheap paid services at $0.01/minute.

⚡ Quick Answer: BubblyPhone ($0.01/min) offers the best value for calling any Colombian number. For free calls, use WhatsApp (90% of Colombians have it!). Save 99% vs. AT&T ($1.50-3.00/min).

How to Dial Colombia from USA

Standard Format:

            011 + 57 + 10-Digit Number
          

or use: +57 + 10-Digit Number

Example: Bogotá Mobile

+57 301 234 5678

(10 digits total, mobile starts with 3)

Example: Bogotá Landline

+57 601 234 5678

(10 digits total, landline starts with 6)

🔑 Key Difference: Colombia uses a 10-digit numbering system where you do NOT drop any leading digits - dial all 10 digits exactly as shown. No leading "0" to remove!

Major Colombian Area Codes:

601-608 - Bogotá: Capital city, largest population
604-605 - Medellín: Second largest, innovation hub
602-603 - Cali: Third largest, Pacific region
607 - Bucaramanga: Santander department
300-351 - Mobile: All mobile numbers start with 3

8 Best Ways to Call Colombia

🏆 1. BubblyPhone - Best Overall

Rate: $0.01/min

Visit BubblyPhone.com → Buy credits → Enter +57 number → Click Call. Works in browser. Perfect for calling landlines or people without smartphones.

💚 2. WhatsApp - Most Popular in Colombia

Rate: FREE (90% of Colombians use it!)

WhatsApp is THE dominant app in Colombia. Everyone uses it - not just for personal calls, but businesses, restaurants, customer service, and even government services use WhatsApp for communication. If they have a smartphone, they have WhatsApp. Free calls and messages over WiFi/data.

💬 3. Skype

Rate: $0.023/min

Reliable backup for calling landlines when BubblyPhone isn't available.

📱 4. Google Voice

Rate: $0.01/min (US residents only)

Same low rate as BubblyPhone, includes free US number.

🍎 5. FaceTime Audio

Rate: FREE (iPhone to iPhone only)

Works for iPhone users, but most Colombians prefer WhatsApp regardless of device.

Cost Comparison

Service	Rate/Min	1 Hour/Week	Annual Cost
🏆 BubblyPhone	$0.01	$0.60	$31.20
💚 WhatsApp	FREE	$0	$0
Google Voice	$0.01	$0.60	$31.20
Skype	$0.023	$1.38	$71.76
AT&T	$1.50-3.00	$90-180	$4,680-9,360

💰 Real Savings Example:

Carlos calls his family in Bogotá for 1 hour every week:

With AT&T: $1.50/min × 60 min × 52 weeks = $4,680/year

With BubblyPhone: $0.01/min × 60 min × 52 weeks = $31.20/year

Carlos's Annual Savings: $4,649 - enough for a round-trip ticket to Colombia!

Time Zone: USA to Colombia

Colombia uses Colombia Time (COT, UTC-5) year-round with NO Daylight Saving Time:

From US Eastern: Same time (winter) or 1 hour behind (summer)
From US Central: 1-2 hours ahead
From US Mountain: 2-3 hours ahead
From US Pacific: 3-4 hours ahead

Best times to call from Eastern Time:

9 AM-12 PM ET = 9 AM-12 PM Colombia (business hours)
6-9 PM ET = 6-9 PM Colombia (personal calls)

Pro Tip: Since Colombia doesn't observe DST, the time difference is very predictable. When US is on Standard Time, Colombia matches US Eastern. When US is on Daylight Time, Colombia is 1 hour behind US Eastern.