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

Health

live 1.9 years longer

In Serbia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 11.1% more access to essential health services

Serbia scores 72 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Colombia scores 80 as of 2021.

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be 67.2% less likely to die by suicide

Serbia has a suicide rate of 15.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Colombia, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 14.0% more likely to be obese

In Serbia, 21.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Colombia, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 23.7% less spent on your healthcare

Serbia spends $2,303 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Colombia spends $1,758 as of 2024.

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have 18.2% fewer doctors per person

Serbia has 31.0 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Colombia has 25.4 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 16.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Serbia, 7.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Colombia, that number is 8.3% as of 2025.

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be 61.4% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Serbia, 19.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Colombia, however, that number is 31.8% as of 2024.

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make 43.9% less money

Serbia has a GDP per capita of $15,262 as of 2025, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $8,562 as of 2025.

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Life

have 44.0% more children

In Serbia, there are approximately 9.2 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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be 5.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Serbia, approximately 11.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Colombia, 59.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Serbia, approximately 4.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Colombia, on the other hand, 10.5 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 54.7% more on education

Serbia spends 3.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Colombia spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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Safety

be 19.0 times more likely to be murdered

Serbia has a homicide rate of 1.3 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 2.2 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Serbia, road accidents kill 7.4 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 36.8% less strain on fresh water

Serbia withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Colombia withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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find 48.4% less home broadband

Serbia has 33.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Colombia has 17.2 as of 2024.

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use 69.5% less electricity

Serbia uses 5,090 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Colombia uses 1,551 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 46.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Serbia, air pollution causes 45.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Colombia, it causes 24.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

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 Serbia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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