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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in La Paz versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,246 in La Paz versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,647 in La Paz versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in La Paz is roughly 13% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Paz 37% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 BOB 20.02

$3.65 COP 13.0K

-20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 BOB 128

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 BOB 49.92

$7.36 COP 26.3K

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$2.41 BOB 16.50

$1.61 COP 5,754

49.69%

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

$1.16 BOB 7.96

$0.94 COP 3,353

23.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 BOB 5.30

$0.55 COP 1,979

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 BOB 15.40

$1.06 COP 3,775

112.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 BOB 24.64

$2.56 COP 9,130

40.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 BOB 7.00

$1.22 COP 4,347

-16.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 BOB 5.22

$1.53 COP 5,465

-50.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 BOB 7.39

$1.21 COP 4,319

-10.74%

Eggs

$2.03 BOB 13.90

$2.46 COP 8,779

-17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 BOB 35.14

$4.29 COP 15.3K

19.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 BOB 26.80

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-28.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 BOB 45.19

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BOB 14.76

$2.40 COP 8,570

-10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 BOB 6.26

$0.97 COP 3,474

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 BOB 7.14

$1.20 COP 4,274

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BOB 8.32

$1.27 COP 4,548

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 BOB 8.27

$0.88 COP 3,148

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BOB 5.83

$1.11 COP 3,949

-23.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 BOB 5.74

$0.75 COP 2,679

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BOB 7.46

$0.65 COP 2,323

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 BOB 19.77

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 BOB 38.95

$11.48 COP 41.0K

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 BOB 16.31

$1.10 COP 3,932

116.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BOB 19.79

$1.84 COP 6,584

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 BOB 2.37

$0.67 COP 2,407

-47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.36 BOB 181

$20.20 COP 72.1K

30.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 BOB 9.66

$1.54 COP 5,485

-8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 BOB 11.16

$1.88 COP 6,707

-13.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.53 BOB 58.5

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-12.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 BOB 3.85

$0.93 COP 3,304

-39.78%

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

$16.1K BOB 110.4K

$21.4K COP 76.4M

-24.75%

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

$19.8K BOB 135.6K

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-34.80%

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

$37.93 BOB 260

$80.9 COP 289.0K

-53.14%

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

$20.14 BOB 138

$8.78 COP 31.4K

129.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.53 BOB 251

$23.99 COP 85.7K

52.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.70 BOB 176

$19.60 COP 70.0K

31.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.04 BOB 137

$14.79 COP 52.8K

35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 BOB 42.40

$4.87 COP 17.4K

26.90%

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

$145 BOB 994

$226 COP 807.0K

-35.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,336 BOB 22.9K

$6,039 COP 21.6M

-44.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.47 BOB 223

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-49.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 BOB 378

$44.16 COP 157.7K

24.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 BOB 468

$78.6 COP 280.5K

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.48 BOB 333

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 BOB 2,676

$234 COP 834.7K

66.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 BOB 2,051

$186 COP 665.2K

60.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 BOB 4,397

$609 COP 2.2M

5.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 BOB 3,404

$408 COP 1.5M

21.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,311 BOB 8,997

$1,101 COP 3.9M

19.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 BOB 4,037

$890 COP 3.2M

-33.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$436 BOB 2,994

$494 COP 1.8M

-11.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.96

11.58

-22.63%

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

Last update for La Paz: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in La Paz and $234 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in La Paz vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $182 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

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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $390 in La Paz versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $145 in La Paz versus $226 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in La Paz pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in La Paz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.