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Travel · Colombia · 110V / 60Hz

Colombia: nothing to buy, unless you carry on south.

Colombia runs 110V at 60Hz on Type A and Type B sockets — flat blades, optional round earth pin, the US arrangement exactly. No adapter, no converter, no dongle. The trap is regional rather than local: fly a couple of hours south and the voltage doubles.

Plugs, voltage, and what fits

SpecColombiaConsequence
Plug typesA (two flat blades) and B (two blades plus round earth pin)Every US plug fits, grounded ones included
Voltage110V nominalBelow US nominal, and harmless — no device notices
Frequency60HzIdentical to the US
What fitsUS two-blade and three-prong plugs, unmodifiedNothing to pack
What does not fitType C, F, G, I and N plugsOnly relevant to gear bought outside the Americas

The 110V figure sometimes worries people who expect 120V. It should not. A supply rated 100–240V regulates its own output and draws slightly more current at the lower input — an iPhone on a 20W brick charges at the same speed in Medellín as in Miami. Resistive appliances run a few percent cooler, and that is the whole effect.

The trap is the next flight, not this one

South America does not share one grid, and Colombia sits on the friendly side of a line many itineraries cross:

CountryVoltagePlug typesDo US plugs fit?
Colombia110V / 60HzA, BYes — nothing needed
Peru220V / 60HzA, CYes — and that is the hazard
Brazil127V or 220V / 60HzNNo — Type N adapter needed
Chile220V / 50HzC, LNo — Type C adapter needed
Argentina220V / 50HzC, INo — Type C or I adapter needed
Costa Rica120V / 60HzA, BYes — nothing needed
Mexico127V / 60HzA, BYes — nothing needed
The single-voltage rule for a multi-stop trip: anything that makes heat or spins a motor and is labelled 120V-only should stay home the moment Peru, Chile, Argentina or northeastern Brazil appears on the itinerary. Electronics marked 100–240V never need reconsidering — the only variable left is the plug shape, which the plug types by country reference resolves country by country.

What to actually pack for Colombia

With no adapter to buy, the only gain is weight and socket count. A room with two accessible outlets and four devices is the real problem, and one multi-port brick beats three cubes.

  • 65W

    Anker 735 Nano II 65W

    Three ports from one Colombian socket: laptop, phone and earbuds simultaneously, with folding prongs for the bag.

    Output
    65W total
    Ports
    2× USB-C, 1× USB-A
    Input
    100–240V
    Check price on Amazon
  • 37Wh

    Anker 10,000mAh USB-C power bank

    About 37Wh, well under the 100Wh cabin limit — the answer to long bus legs between cities.

    Capacity
    10,000mAh ≈ 37Wh
    Output
    USB-C PD
    Baggage
    Carry-on only
    Check price on Amazon
  • 45W

    UGREEN Nexode 45W 2-port

    The minimalist pick when there is no laptop: two USB-C ports, folding prongs, still dual-voltage for the next country.

    Output
    45W
    Ports
    2× USB-C
    Input
    100–240V
    Check price on Amazon

Grounding, and flying with the batteries

Type B grounded sockets are standard in Colombian construction, so a three-prong US plug generally seats without drama — a better situation than Mexico or Costa Rica, where older two-slot outlets are common. Older Colombian buildings can still present two-slot sockets, and the fix there is the same: use the two-blade folding duckhead or a double-insulated 65W GaN charger rather than a cheater adapter that defeats the earth. On the flight itself, power banks go in the cabin only, under 100Wh without approval, per the limits collected in the airline rules for chargers. The rest of the country guides are on the travel adapter hub.

FAQ

Do I need a travel adapter for Colombia?

No. Colombia uses Type A and Type B sockets at 110V and 60Hz, the same shapes as the United States, so US plugs fit unmodified — including grounded three-prong plugs.

Is 110V a problem for a US device rated 120V?

No. Switch-mode supplies rated 100-240V regulate their own output and charge at the same speed. Resistive appliances such as hair dryers run marginally cooler, which is the only observable difference.

Does my Colombia adapter also work in Peru or Chile?

You will not have bought one for Colombia. Peru's sockets accept US flat blades but run at 220V, so the issue there is the device label rather than the plug. Chile and Argentina need a genuine Type C or Type L or Type I adapter.

Can I bring a power bank to Colombia?

Yes, in carry-on baggage only. Under 100Wh requires no approval, which covers every bank up to about 27,000mAh. Spare lithium batteries are never allowed in checked bags.