Argentina vs Colombia
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Argentina and Colombia are South America's third and fourth largest economies. Argentina's economy is roughly 40% larger, but has been far more volatile — experiencing multiple debt defaults, hyperinflation (100%+ in 2023), and dramatic policy swings. Colombia has maintained more macro stability, with lower inflation, a floating exchange rate, and gradual economic opening. Colombia's economy is driven by oil exports, coal, coffee, and a growing services sector. Argentina has a more diversified but troubled industrial base, with strong agricultural exports (beef, soybeans, wine) partially offset by chronic policy mismanagement.
Argentina has a GDP of $688.38B compared to Colombia's $539.53B, making it 1.3x larger. Argentina's population is 45.9M vs Colombia's 53.4M. Across 12 key indicators, both countries are evenly matched in categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Argentina |  Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $688.38B✓ | $539.53B |
| GDP per Capita | $14,357✓ | $10,104 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 3.5%✓ | 2.3% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $33,187✓ | $23,576 |
| Population | 45.9M | 53.4M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 77.5 years | 77.9 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 30.4% | 5.9%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 7.2%✓ | 9.0% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 70.4% | 60.9%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.5 | 1.6✓ |
| Gini Index | 42.4✓ | 54.4 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 4 | 1.8✓ |
Summary
Argentina has a GDP of $688.38B compared to Colombia's $539.53B, making the former economy 1.3x larger. In terms of population, Argentina has 45.9M people while Colombia has 53.4M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Argentina leads in 6 and Colombia leads in 6.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Argentina | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $688.38B2026 | $539.53B2026 |
| World Bank | $683.10B2025 | $457.41B2025 |
| United Nations | $638.37B2024 | $418.54B2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Argentina spans about 8% across 2 years; Colombia spans about 29% across 2 years.
| Source | Argentina | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $14,3572026 | $10,1042026 |
| World Bank | $14,8982025 | $8,5622025 |
| United Nations | $13,9702024 | $7,9142024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Argentina spans about 7% across 1 year; Colombia spans about 28% across 2 years.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
ArgentinaColombia