Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Colombia instead of Alaska, you would:

Health

live 1.7 years less

In Alaska, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 75.2% less money

Alaska has a GDP per capita of $75,882 as of 2024, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $18,800 as of 2023.

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be 91.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Alaska, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.

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be 3.7 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Alaska, 9.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Colombia, however, that number is 36.6% as of 2022.

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Basic Needs

be 19.6% less likely to have internet access

In Alaska, approximately 90.8% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Colombia, about 73.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Alaska vs. Colombia

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Colombia is 52.7% cheaper than Alaska
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Size Comparison · See true size
Alaska is about 1.3 times bigger than Colombia.
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City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of New York City vs Bogota
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Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Alaska? See an in-depth size comparison.

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