Life in Colombia: Every Number That Shapes It (1800–2100)
Updated September 2026 · methodology
A child born in Colombia in the 2020s can expect to live 77.3 years on an average income of 14,600 international dollars. (UN WPP / World Bank, compiled by MYRIAD)
To live in Colombia today is to exist within a landscape of expanding horizons. A child born in the 2020s can expect to live 77.3 years on an average income of 14,600 international dollars. This is a reality where 70 % have internet access and electricity at home has reached 100 %, fundamentally altering the domestic environment. While the homicide rate remains relatively stable at 24.3 per 100,000, the daily rhythm has shifted, with annual working hours dropping from 2,314 to 1,970 hours/year.
The trajectory of the last century marks a profound social migration. In the 1950s, only 41.12 % of the population resided in cities, a figure that has reached 81.4 % today. This urban shift mirrored a victory over deprivation: extreme poverty has fallen from 36.1 to 6 %, and child mortality has receded from 161.47 down to 13.3 per 1,000 births. Life expectancy climbed from 51.95 to 77.3 years, while years of schooling rose from 2.98 to 8.9 years.
For an individual born into this era, the birth lottery offers a vastly different blueprint than it did for previous generations. The average male height has reached 171 cm, reflecting broader nutritional gains, while the family structure has tightened from 5.43 to 1.74 births per woman. Income per person has grown from 4,017 to 14,600 intl-$. These shifts place the modern Colombian life in a new global context of connectivity and longevity.
Explore these data points to compute your own parallel life on MYRIAD.
🇨🇴 Every dimension below links to the full three-century series for Colombia — and to the same series for every other country, so you can see exactly where the birth lottery placed its people.
The numbers today vs 1950
| Dimension | 1950s | 2020s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 51.95 | 77.3 years | history → |
| Income per Person (GDP per capita, PPP) | 4,017 | 14,600 intl-$ | history → |
| Child Mortality (under 5) | 161.47 | 13.3 per 1,000 births | history → |
| Years of Schooling | 2.98 | 8.9 years | history → |
| Children per Woman | 5.43 | 1.74 births | history → |
| Living in Cities | 41.12 | 81.4 % | history → |
| Internet Access | 0 | 70 % | history → |
| Electricity at Home | 40.75 | 100 % | history → |
| Homicide Rate | 24.89 | 24.3 per 100,000 | history → |
| Annual Working Hours | 2,314 | 1,970 hours/year | history → |
| Average Male Height | 165 | 171 cm | history → |
| Extreme Poverty | 36.1 | 6 % | history → |
See your parallel life in Colombia →
Questions people ask
What is life expectancy in Colombia?
77.3 years in the 2020s (UN WPP / World Bank data compiled by MYRIAD).
Is Colombia a good place to be born, statistically?
MYRIAD ranks every country by a composite of longevity, income, child survival, education and safety for each birth decade — enter your details on the homepage to see where Colombia lands for your cohort.