Impact of the increase in the minimum wage in Colombia by 2025: what will increase and how much?

With an increase of 9.54%, traffic fines, co-payments and other essential services will also increase.

The National Government has made official the increase in the minimum wage by 9.54% for the year 2025, establishing it at $1,423,500 per month, with a transportation allowance of $200,000, for a total of $1,623,500.

This increase, which benefits more than 2.2 million Colombian workers, represents an effort to improve purchasing power in the face of a projected inflation of 3% in 2025.

Read: Minimum wage in Colombia will increase by 9.54% in 2025: This is what it looks like with transportation assistance

However, it also brings significant adjustments in various aspects of the national economy.

Traffic Fines: New Values

One of the most direct impacts of the increase in the minimum wage is reflected in traffic fines, cIts value is directly indexed to the Current Legal Minimum Daily Wage (smdlv). With the 9.54% adjustment, the costs will be like this:

Type A Violations: Currently at $173,300 (4 smdlv), they will increase to $189,833. These violations include:
- Travel through prohibited areas.
- Failure to respect traffic signs.
- Driving without lights.
Type B Violations: From $347,000 (8 smdlv) they will go to $379,600. Examples:
- Driving with an expired license.
- Circulate without both plates.
- Wash vehicles on roads or bodies of water.
Type C Violations: They will rise from $650,000 (15 smdlv) to $711,750. These include:
- Parking in prohibited places.
- Not wearing a seat belt.
- Driving with overcapacity.
Type D Violations: From $1,300,000 (30 smdlv), they will increase to $1,423,500. Examples:
- Driving without SOAT.
- Circulate in the wrong direction.
- Overtaking in prohibited areas.
Type E Violations: They will rise from $1,740,000 (45 smdlv) to $2,135,250. These include:
- Refusing to provide public service causing disturbances of order.
- Provide fuel with passengers on board.
- Transport people and dangerous materials without authorization.
Type F Violations: Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances will range between $4,270,500 and $68,328,000 (90 to 1,440 smdlv).

Other Indexed Services and Products

In addition to traffic fines, several goods and services will have their costs adjusted:

Copays in EPS: Moderator fees will also increase based on the minimum wage.
Public Transport Tickets: Urban and intermunicipal rates will see a proportional adjustment.
Social Security Forms: The contributions of independent workers and pensioners will rise in accordance with the salary increase.
Judicial and Legal Fees: Costs related to legal processes will also increase.
State subsidies: They will be readjusted in line with the minimum wage.

Exceptions: products and services that would not go up

In contrast, certain goods and services are not affected by the increase, as they are indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or have prices independent of the minimum wage: