In 2022, approximately 14 percent of Colombians were living on less than 3.20 U.S. dollars per day, down from 16.4 percent of the country's population in the beginning of the decade. Moreover, it was recently found that the incidence rate of poverty in Colombia is higher in families whose heads of household were women.

Colombia poverty rate for 2023 was 37.60%, a 2.6% decline from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Colombia poverty rate for 2022 was <strong>40.20%</strong>, a <strong>3.8% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Colombia poverty rate for 2021 was <strong>44.00%</strong>, a <strong>4% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Colombia poverty rate for 2020 was <strong>48.00%</strong>, a <strong>7.7% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Colombia was reported at 33 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) statistics by sub-national region in Colombia.

For more information on the measures, visit https://ophi.org.uk/multidimensional-poverty-index/databank/country-level/.

CO: Proportion of Population Spending More Than 10% of Household Consumption or Income on Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: % data was reported at 8.190 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20.010 % for 2008. CO: Proportion of Population Spending More Than 10% of Household Consumption or Income on Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: % data is updated yearly, averaging 20.010 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2016, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.310 % in 1997 and a record low of 8.190 % in 2016. CO: Proportion of Population Spending More Than 10% of Household Consumption or Income on Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Proportion of population spending more than 10% of household consumption or income on out-of-pocket health care expenditure. Out-of-pocket health expenditure is defined as any spending incurred by a household when any member uses a health good or service to receive any type of care (preventive, curative, rehabilitative, long-term or palliative care); provided by any type of provider; for any type of disease, illness or health condition; in any type of setting (outpatient, inpatient, at home).;Global Health Observatory. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. (https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/financial-protection);Weighted average;This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.8.2[https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

Since 2013, the multidimensional poverty index in Colombia has decreased considerably. As of 2024, it stood at 11.5 points, over 12 percentage points lower than at the beginning of the period under consideration. The index focuses on the following factors: educational conditions, conditions of childhood and youth, employment, health and housing conditions and public services.

In 2023, the share of the indigenous population in Colombia living behind the poverty line reached 63.5 percent. This share has been continuously increasing in recent years, this being the first decrease by 2.6 since the beginning of the covered period. Overall, this South American country had the highest share of indigenous population living in poverty than other Latin America countries such as Ecuador, Brazil, or Mexico.

Colombia Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 29.300 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 30.500 % for 2021. Colombia Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 31.800 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2022, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.900 % in 1980 and a record low of 28.200 % in 2017. Colombia Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2017 U.S. dollars and defined as max($2.15, $1.15 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $2.15. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

CO: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data was reported at 54.800 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 55.100 % for 2021. CO: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 53.600 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2022, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 59.100 % in 1980 and a record low of 49.700 % in 2017. CO: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Colombia CO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data was reported at -2.590 % in 2021. Colombia CO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging -2.590 % from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2021, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -2.590 % in 2021 and a record low of -2.590 % in 2021. Colombia CO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The growth rate in the welfare aggregate of the bottom 40% is computed as the annualized average growth rate in per capita real consumption or income of the bottom 40% of the population in the income distribution in a country from household surveys over a roughly 5-year period. Mean per capita real consumption or income is measured at 2017 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries means are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The annualized growth rate is computed as (Mean in final year/Mean in initial year)^(1/(Final year - Initial year)) - 1. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported. The initial year refers to the nearest survey collected 5 years before the most recent survey available, only surveys collected between 3 and 7 years before the most recent survey are considered. The coverage and quality of the 2017 PPP price data for Iraq and most other North African and Middle Eastern countries were hindered by the exceptional period of instability they faced at the time of the 2017 exercise of the International Comparison Program. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform for detailed explanations.;World Bank, Global Database of Shared Prosperity (GDSP) (http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/brief/global-database-of-shared-prosperity).;;The comparability of welfare aggregates (consumption or income) for the chosen years T0 and T1 is assessed for every country. If comparability across the two surveys is a major concern for a country, the selection criteria are re-applied to select the next best survey year(s). Annualized growth rates are calculated between the survey years, using a compound growth formula. The survey years defining the period for which growth rates are calculated and the type of welfare aggregate used to calculate the growth rates are noted in the footnotes.

Colombia CO: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data was reported at 10.300 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.800 % for 2014. Colombia CO: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data is updated yearly, averaging 12.350 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2015, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.100 % in 2010 and a record low of 10.300 % in 2015. Colombia CO: Poverty Gap at National Poverty Lines: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Poverty gap at national poverty lines is the mean shortfall from the poverty lines (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall) as a percentage of the poverty lines. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Throughout the time frame displayed, the poverty rate in Colombia has followed an overall decrease reaching its highest margin in 2020 with a 40.1 rate, probably due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, there was a decrease from the previous year of approximately 5.4 percentage points, but still nowhere close to the pre-pandemic levels. Bogotá ranked as the fifth most populated metropolitan area in Latin America.

Colombia CO: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data was reported at 21.700 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.900 % for 2021. Colombia CO: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data is updated yearly, averaging 21.700 % from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2022, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.500 % in 1999 and a record low of 19.900 % in 1992. Colombia CO: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The percentage of people in the population who live in households whose per capita income or consumption is below half of the median income or consumption per capita. The median is measured at 2017 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries, medians are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Between the years displayed, there has been a high increase in the extreme poverty rate in the capital of Colombia, Bogotá. Starting with a 3.7 rate it grew exponentially almost by 20 points reaching its topmost value in 2020 with 13.2 percent.

11.4 (%) in 2019. Poverty gap at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $5.50 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.

6,00 (%) in 2022. Population below $1.9 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.9 a day at 2005 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Among Latin American countries in 2023, Colombia had the highest share of both Afro-descendants and indigenous people living impoverished, with 45.6 percent and 63.5 percent, respectively. Additionally, Colombia also had the highest share of indigenous people living under extreme poverty that year. Ecuador had the second-highest share of indigenous population whose average per capita income was below the poverty line, with 50.4 percent. Uruguay was the only nation where Afro-descendants were the ethnic group with the largest share of the poor population, as in the other selected countries such group was indigenous people.

Colombia CO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 10.300 % in 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.900 % for 2019. Colombia CO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 9.000 % from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2020, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.400 % in 1999 and a record low of 4.000 % in 2017. Colombia CO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from around 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

In 2022, all selected Latin American countries registered a higher poverty rate for women than for men. Colombia ranked among the highest poverty rates both for males and females only behind Honduras.

In 2022, the percentage of income held by the richest 20 percent of the population in Colombia remained nearly unchanged at around 59.6 percent. With a decline of 0.2 percentage points (-0.33 percent), there is no significant change to 2021. These figures refer to the share of total income held by the highest 20 percent of earners in a given population.Find more statistics on other topics about Colombia with key insights such as poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines.