Colombia: cost of living

What is the poverty rate in Colombia?

28.0% of Colombians were in monetary poverty in 2025, down from 31.8% in 2024, and 9.6% were in extreme poverty, down from 11.7%, according to DANE's monetary poverty press release of 12 June 2026. DANE estimates 1,791,000 fewer people in poverty than a year earlier.

Poverty was 24.6% in municipal centres and 39.5% in rural areas and small towns. The Gini coefficient of household income fell from 0.551 to 0.531. Monetary poverty compares household income per person with the poverty line, which DANE set at 482,041 pesos a month per person for 2025. Department figures are on DANE's monetary poverty page.

Official sources: DANE: monetary poverty 2025 press release · DANE: monetary poverty

What is the poverty line in Colombia?

The national monetary poverty line was 482,041 pesos per person per month in 2025, 4.7% higher than the 2024 line of 460,198 pesos, according to DANE's monetary poverty page, updated on 12 June 2026.

A household is poor if its income per person is below the line, so a family of four is poor if its monthly income is below four times the line. Separate lines apply in cities and rural areas, and an extreme poverty line measures the cost of a basic food basket. The lines are based on the 2016-17 national household budget survey and cannot be compared with the older MESEP series.

Official sources: DANE: monetary poverty

How much is petrol in Colombia?

Regular petrol cost 16,331 pesos a gallon and diesel (ACPM) 11,616 pesos a gallon in Bogotá from 2 October 2026, according to the reference prices published by the Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG). The average across the 13 main cities was 15,886 pesos for petrol and 11,320 pesos for diesel.

Prices are lowest in border cities: Cúcuta had 14,281 pesos for petrol and 9,486 pesos for diesel, and Pasto 13,920 and 10,529. Prices are per gallon and CREG publishes a history of earlier price changes on the same page.

Official sources: CREG: liquid fuel prices

How much have food prices risen in Colombia?

Food and non-alcoholic drink prices rose 6.74% in the year to September 2026 and 8.00% in January to September, according to DANE's CPI technical bulletin of 7 October 2026. In September alone they rose 0.78%, with fresh vegetables and pulses up 9.10% and potatoes up 7.29%.

Food has a weight of 15.05% in the CPI basket, and DANE publishes price changes for each item in the basket in the CPI annexes. Overall inflation in the same month was 6.29%.

Official sources: DANE: CPI technical bulletin, September 2026

What is the UVT value for 2026?

The tax value unit (UVT) is 52,374 pesos for 2026, set by DIAN in Resolution 000238 of 2025. Income tax brackets, filing thresholds and many fines and allowances are expressed in UVT, so the peso amounts change each year with the UVT.

DIAN sets a new UVT by resolution before the start of each year. Multiply a threshold in UVT by 52,374 to get its value in pesos for the 2026 tax year.

Official sources: DIAN: Resolution 000238 of 2025 (UVT 2026)

What is Colombia's inflation rate?

In 2025, consumer price inflation in Colombia was 5.1%, according to the IMF. Since 2005 it has ranged from 2.0% (2013) to 11.7% (2023). Latin America & Caribbean median: 2.1%; Colombia is 4th highest of 29. Of 165 countries with 2025 data, 35th highest.

How much do people in Colombia spend?

In 2025, household consumption per person in Colombia was $5,356, according to the World Bank. That is the highest since at least 2005. It is 7th highest of 15 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is $4,566. Worldwide: 52nd of 124.

What share of people in Colombia live in extreme poverty?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2024, is 8.5%. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Latin America & Caribbean median: 2.1%; Colombia is 2nd highest of 14.

What share of Colombia lives below the poverty line?

The World Bank puts the share of people below the national poverty line in Colombia at 31.8% in 2024. No year since 2012 has been lower. Latin America & Caribbean median: 27.8%; Colombia is 4th highest of 12. World rank, highest first: 7th of 31.

What is income inequality in Colombia?

According to the World Bank, the Gini index in Colombia was 54.4 in 2024. Its high point since 2005 was 2021, at 55.1; its low point was 2017, at 50.9. Latin America & Caribbean median: 43.6; Colombia is 1st highest of 14.

How many people in Colombia face food insecurity?

28.0%: that is moderate or severe food insecurity in Colombia for 2024, according to the FAO. Since 2015 it has ranged from 19.9% (2015) to 31.6% (2021). Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 28.0%, and Colombia placed 11th highest of 21. Of 135 countries with 2024 data, 57th highest.