Regional Economic Bulletin: Bogotá, First Quarter of 2026
The Regional Economic Bulletin is published by the Regional Economies Section of the Technical and Economic Information Department at Banco de la República. The views and potential errors are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not compromise Banco de la República or its Board of Directors.
During the first quarter of 2026, the main economic activities in the Bogotá-Cundinamarca region showed positive year-over-year performance. Domestic demand remained dynamic, reflecting the increase in retail sales and imports of consumer goods, with hybrid and electric vehicles and technology products standing out. Manufacturing registered modest growth, driven by food and beverage production in Cundinamarca, but was slowed by a decline in textile and apparel manufacturing. In the construction sector, civil works in the capital city increased, while the constructed area of buildings declined. In Bogotá, inflation rose and remained above the national average, while unemployment decreased, and the city recorded the lowest informality rate in the country.
Retail sales increased and surpassed the national average, driven by new hybrid and electric vehicle models marketed under favorable financing conditions. Tourism increased due to regional events, boosting spending on food and beverages, although hotel occupancy showed little change.
Regional manufacturing grew modestly and outperformed the national average, supported by the food and beverage, chemical, auto parts, pharmaceuticals, toiletries, and veterinary products industries. This dynamism reflected stronger demand and commercial strategies. Industrial confidence remained neutral, combining favorable expectations of higher production in the short term with a sharp decline in current orders.
The region recorded mixed results in the construction sector. The constructed floor area of buildings showed a sharp decline, while housing project launches, particularly low-income housing (VIS in Spanish) and new home sales increased, supported by subsidies from local governments. In Bogotá, civil works continued to be driven by progress in the construction of the metro system, while cement and concrete dispatches decreased.
Regional Economic Bulletin published to date (since 2025)
In order to present this content to the English-speaking public, since 2025 Banrep has been providing translations of the summaries. The full document, as well as the interactive bulletin, are published only in Spanish.
