Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 13.9% less likely to be obese

In Ecuador, 28.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 42.0% more spent on your healthcare

Ecuador spends $1,238 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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be 34.4% less likely to die by suicide

Ecuador has a suicide rate of 7.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 20.2% more money

Ecuador has a GDP per capita of $7,125 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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be 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ecuador, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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be 48.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Ecuador, 21.4% live below the poverty line as of 2025. In Colombia, however, that number is 31.8% as of 2024.

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Life

have 10.6% fewer children

In Ecuador, there are approximately 14.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Geography

see 43.4% more coastline

Ecuador has a total of 2,237 km of coastline. In Colombia, that number is 3,208 km.

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Safety

be 45.5% less likely to be murdered

Ecuador has a homicide rate of 45.7 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 30.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ecuador, road accidents kill 23.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Colombia, they kill 16.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 46.5% less strain on fresh water

Ecuador withdraws 7% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 31.8% less CO2

Ecuador emits 2.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Colombia emits 1.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Compare further: Ecuador vs. Colombia

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Colombia is 68.1% more expensive than Ecuador overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Ecuador is about 4 times smaller than Colombia.
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Moving from Ecuador to Colombia · OECD 2021
1,073 people moved from Ecuador to Colombia.
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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 Ecuador? See an in-depth size comparison.

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