How to Watch US Netflix, Sports & Streaming in Colombia

The first Sunday after I moved to Medellín, I tried to watch an NFL game. I had my beer, I had my snacks, and I had absolutely no idea how to make my American streaming accounts work from Colombia. Three hours of troubleshooting later, I caught the last five minutes of garbage time. Lesson learned — the hard way.

The good news: once you've sorted the setup, streaming from Colombia is completely fine. The bad news: there are a few real hurdles — geo-restrictions, apps that won't load, sports packages that detect your IP — and none of them are obvious until you run into them at the worst possible moment.

This guide covers everything: how to access US Netflix and other streaming services, where to watch NFL, NBA, and major sports, which local streaming apps are actually worth knowing, and how to set up a VPN that won't drive you crazy. I've tested all of this from Medellín and Bogotá.

Why Your Streaming Library Shrinks in Colombia

Streaming platforms license content by territory. When Netflix detects a Colombian IP address, it switches you to the Colombia catalog — which is smaller than the US catalog and has different movies, shows, and availability windows. The same goes for Disney+, Amazon Prime, and especially sports packages.

It's not that the Colombia versions are bad. Netflix Colombia has solid content and a lot of Spanish-language originals that are genuinely excellent. But if you've been paying for a US account and expecting the same library, you'll notice the gaps fast — especially when specific shows or movies are US-only.

Beyond Netflix, the bigger problem is services that don't work in Colombia at all. Hulu doesn't operate here. Peacock is unavailable. Some sports packages like NFL Sunday Ticket block access from non-US IPs entirely. For those, a VPN is the only practical solution.

The Fix: Setting Up a VPN in Colombia

A VPN routes your traffic through a server in another country, making streaming services think you're browsing from the US (or wherever). It's legal in Colombia, widely used, and the single most useful tool for expats who want to keep their existing streaming subscriptions running normally.

Not all VPNs are equal for this. Free VPNs almost always fail with Netflix — the platforms actively block known VPN server IPs, and free services don't update their infrastructure fast enough to keep up. You need a paid VPN with good streaming unblock rates.

How to Set It Up

Setup is simpler than it sounds. Download the app on your phone, laptop, or smart TV (NordVPN has apps for all platforms including Android TV and Apple TV). Connect to a US server — I usually pick a New York or Chicago server for lowest latency. Then open Netflix or whatever service you're trying to use. That's genuinely it.

One thing worth knowing: you don't need the VPN running all the time. I use it specifically for US content and switch it off for everything else. Running it constantly does add a bit of overhead, and Colombian content — Rappi, Bancolombia, local news — works better with the VPN off anyway.

Does It Slow Down My Internet?

Slightly, yes — but not enough to matter for streaming. A decent paid VPN on a good Colombian fiber connection (which most apartments in Medellín and Bogotá have) will still give you 20–40 Mbps throughput, more than enough for 4K. Where you'll notice a difference is on slow connections — if you're on a weak WiFi signal at a café, the VPN overhead can tip you from "fine" to "buffering". In those cases, drop to 1080p or disconnect the VPN and see if the content is available on the Colombia version.

US Streaming Services: What Works and What Doesn't

Netflix

Netflix is available in Colombia and works fine without a VPN — you just get the Colombia catalog instead of the US one. The Colombia catalog is substantial and includes most Netflix originals. The main reason to use a VPN with Netflix is to access US-only content, older seasons that haven't been licensed to Colombia yet, or shows you were already watching before you moved.

One thing I've noticed: Netflix Colombia is actually cheaper. A Premium plan runs around $45,000–55,000 COP/month (~$11–13 USD). If you cancel your US subscription and subscribe locally, you save money and avoid the foreign transaction fees your US card would charge.

Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video

Both work in Colombia without a VPN. Disney+ Colombia has most of the same Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar content as the US version — the catalog difference is smaller than Netflix. Amazon Prime Video similarly covers most of the same titles, though some regional licensing gaps apply.

Worth noting: Prime Video in Colombia requires a separate subscription (you can't just use your US Prime account seamlessly without a VPN). Both services cost slightly less here than in the US when paid in pesos.

HBO Max (now Max), Peacock, Hulu, Paramount+

This is where things get complicated. Max is available in Colombia through some cable/internet providers but not directly as a standalone subscription the way it is in the US. Hulu simply doesn't operate in Colombia — no amount of workarounds will fix this without a VPN. Peacock is similarly unavailable. Paramount+ has limited availability.

For all of these, a US-based VPN connection is the only reliable solution. Log in with your existing US account, connect to a US VPN server first, and they'll work as normal. Just make sure you're maintaining a US payment method for the subscription — these services may cancel accounts they detect as primarily accessing from outside the US.

Watching US Sports from Colombia: NFL, NBA, MLB & More

Sports are honestly the trickiest part of streaming abroad. Live games involve rights deals that are even more fragmented than regular content, and most sports packages actively check IP addresses to enforce blackout rules.

NFL: Sunday Ticket and NFL+

NFL Sunday Ticket (now on YouTube TV) is technically accessible via VPN, but YouTube has gotten aggressive about detecting VPN connections. The more reliable approach is NFL+, which streams out-of-market games and is accessible with a consistent VPN connection. For live local games, it's genuinely easier to just find a sports bar in your city — Medellín and Bogotá both have expat bars that broadcast NFL games live on Sundays.

NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass works reasonably well with a VPN. Connect to a US server, log in with your existing account, and you'll get the full US feed including local game broadcasts. The latency from routing through a US server doesn't noticeably impact live streams. Alternative: the NBA app sometimes works directly in Colombia with a Colombian subscription at a lower price point — worth checking if you just want games and not the full US commentary package.

ESPN+ and DAZN

ESPN+ is US-only and requires a VPN. ESPN Deportes, however, is widely available in Colombia through cable TV packages and broadcasts a lot of the same content in Spanish — useful if your Colombian apartment came with cable. DAZN has expanded to Colombia and covers a decent range of international sports including boxing and some football leagues, no VPN needed.

Finding a Sports Bar in Medellín or Bogotá

Honestly, for big games — Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Cup — going to a sports bar is the better call anyway. In Medellín, check El Poblado: Café del Río, Selina, and a few bars near Parque Lleras reliably show NFL and NBA games. In Bogotá, the Zona Rosa neighborhood has expat-friendly bars that broadcast American sports. The atmosphere is better than watching on a laptop, and you'll meet other expats who've been through the same streaming struggles.

Local Streaming Worth Knowing

Once you're settled in Colombia, some local streaming options are genuinely useful. Claro Video (from Claro, one of the main telecoms) covers a mix of Spanish-language originals, Hollywood films, and live Colombian sports. Tigo Sports broadcasts Liga BetPlay (Colombian football) and other regional competitions — if you get into local football, it's worth it.

For music, Spotify works perfectly in Colombia without any configuration. Pricing is notably cheaper in Colombian pesos — I switched my account region and now pay about $15,000 COP/month (~$3.50 USD) for Premium. Same content, significant discount.

For the full picture on apps that actually make life easier here, check out Rappi, iFood & Delivery Apps in Colombia — it's not just food delivery, there's a lot of Colombia-specific functionality worth knowing.

Internet Quality in Colombia: What to Expect

Colombia's fixed internet infrastructure in major cities is solid. Fiber connections are common in Medellín and Bogotá apartments, typically running 50–200 Mbps. Streaming 4K, video calls, and VPN usage simultaneously is realistic on a standard apartment plan.

Mobile data is decent but inconsistent for streaming — fine for quick clips, unreliable for live sports. See our Colombia cost of living breakdown for typical internet plan costs (they're cheaper than you'd expect).

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Can I use my US Netflix account in Colombia?

Yes, but you'll see the Colombia catalog by default. To access the US library, connect to a US VPN server before opening Netflix. Your existing US subscription and login work fine — you just need the VPN to trigger the US catalog.

❓ Is using a VPN legal in Colombia?

Yes. VPN use is legal in Colombia. There are no laws restricting VPN use for personal purposes, and millions of Colombians and expats use them regularly for privacy and content access.

❓ Which VPN is best for Colombia?

NordVPN is the one I've used consistently. It has servers in Colombia (useful for local speeds) and in the US (for content access), and it reliably unblocks Netflix, HBO Max, and other streaming services. ExpressVPN is the main alternative — slightly faster but more expensive.

❓ Can I watch the NFL live in Colombia?

Yes, with some effort. NFL+ via VPN works for out-of-market games. YouTube TV Sunday Ticket is harder because YouTube detects VPNs aggressively. The easiest option for big games is honestly a sports bar — Medellín and Bogotá both have spots that show Sunday games live.

❓ Does Hulu work in Colombia?

Not without a VPN, and even with one it's inconsistent. Hulu has become more aggressive about blocking VPN IPs. If Hulu is essential, keep a US billing address, use a premium VPN, and try a few different US server locations until you find one that isn't blocked.

Start Streaming Before You Land

Set this up before you arrive in Colombia — it's much easier to configure your VPN and verify your accounts while you're still in the US. Once you're here, the local apps take over for day-to-day use, and the VPN becomes something you flip on specifically when you want US content.

Have questions about your specific setup or streaming situation? Drop them in the community at colombiamove.com/comunidad — others have probably solved the exact same problem.