Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and La Paz Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and La Paz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Cali versus $497 in La Paz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Cali versus $752 in La Paz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Cali versus $1,008 in La Paz.

Living in Cali is roughly 119% more expensive than in La Paz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, La Paz 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.3K

$2.15 BOB 25.91

258.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 120.1K

$9.06 BOB 109

320.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.2K

$4.10 BOB 49.47

110.00%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,111

$1.70 BOB 20.52

-4.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 3,973

$0.73 BOB 8.83

72.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,755

$0.43 BOB 5.25

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$1.24 BOB 15.02

162.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

$2.29 BOB 27.68

68.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,969

$0.75 BOB 9.11

109.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,282

$0.87 BOB 10.55

128.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,765

$0.74 BOB 8.89

104.05%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,921

$1.20 BOB 14.53

135.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.3K

$3.59 BOB 43.36

79.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.3K

$3.50 BOB 42.23

101.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.8K

$4.53 BOB 54.7

129.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$1.62 BOB 19.62

115.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,456

$0.50 BOB 6.00

182.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,542

$0.45 BOB 5.50

291.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,522

$0.76 BOB 9.19

130.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,584

$0.56 BOB 6.72

158.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,949

$0.51 BOB 6.18

207.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,640

$0.51 BOB 6.13

125.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,272

$0.71 BOB 8.57

46.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.7K

$1.91 BOB 23.03

93.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.8K

$3.01 BOB 36.34

340.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,569

$1.32 BOB 15.92

9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,990

$1.61 BOB 19.50

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,422

$0.17 BOB 2.05

535.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.5K

$16.97 BOB 205

76.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,662

$1.04 BOB 12.51

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 BOB 9.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.57 BOB 104

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$0.43 BOB 5.19

202.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$9,365 BOB 113.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.7K COP 112.6M

$11.9K BOB 144.3K

198.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$114 COP 358.3K

$23.00 BOB 278

393.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.49 COP 42.6K

$14.05 BOB 170

-3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 98.0K

$18.44 BOB 223

68.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 91.1K

$16.07 BOB 194

79.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 BOB 114

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$3.99 BOB 48.19

111.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$124 BOB 1,503

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,305 BOB 15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 253.3K

$15.89 BOB 192

405.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 171.6K

$25.07 BOB 303

116.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 391.8K

$40.44 BOB 489

207.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.7K

$35.64 BOB 431

205.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$253 BOB 3,061

153.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 944.9K

$171 BOB 2,060

75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 5.0M

$382 BOB 4,613

312.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.6M

$294 BOB 3,549

67.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,205 BOB 14.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 BOB 6,156

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

$251 BOB 3,026

135.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

8.15

42.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Last update for La Paz: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Cali and $253 in La Paz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 136% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $9.00 in La Paz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $112 per month, with La Paz cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cali vs La Paz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Paz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 136% higher in Cali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $641 in Cali versus $253 in La Paz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in La Paz – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $38.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in La Paz runs roughly 76% less than in Cali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $497 in La Paz versus $1,090 in Cali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in La Paz but tight or insufficient in Cali. The gap between the two cities makes La Paz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, La Paz is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find La Paz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.