To estimate the mortality age-standardized rates (ASR) for breast and cervical cancer from 2000-2007 and explore social indicators that explain the variability of rates in Antioquia.The ASR was estimated by the direct method and linear regression was used to relate social indicators with rates by subregion.Breast and cervical cancer mortality ASRs in Antioquia were 11.3 and 9.1 per 100 000 woman-years respectively. In Medellin, the breast cancer mortality ASR was 12.5, 1.8 times the rate of cervical cancer. A decrease of cervical cancer ASR between 2000 and 2007 was observed in Medellin (p-value=0.03) but not in the rest of Antioquia. Cervical cancer mortality ASR was related to the percentage of poverty (p-value=0.0003).Mortality due to these neoplasms has remained constant in Antioquia. The wide variation in mortality from cervical cancer between regions seems to be associated with poverty.