The ENCV was implemented to determine poverty levels and living conditions in Colombia. Separate questionnaires were used for urban and rural areas. Topics included housing, service availability, household expenditures, child labor and health, employment, fertility, and crime. In addition, the rural questionnaire contained questions on occupational injuries and household businesses, and the urban questionnaire contained questions on occupational risk factors and monetary assistance.

The survey covered the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and their metropolitan areas, the rest of the urban areas in the country, and the rural areas. The sample was designed to produce representative results of each area surveyed. The old national territories were excluded (the departments of Amazonas, Arauca, Casanare, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo, Vaupés, and Vichada), which were equivalent to approximately 4% of the population.