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: $825 in La Paz versus $747 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,234 in La Paz versus $1,229 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,644 in La Paz versus $1,710 in Cali.

Living in La Paz is roughly 10% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Paz 38% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 BOB 31.26

$3.65 COP 11.9K

-19.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 BOB 200

$29.20 COP 94.9K

-35.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 BOB 77.0

$7.41 COP 24.1K

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$2.42 BOB 25.74

$1.58 COP 5,130

53.16%

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

$1.18 BOB 12.53

$0.95 COP 3,095

24.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 BOB 8.65

$0.60 COP 1,940

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 BOB 23.50

$1.01 COP 3,297

118.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 BOB 38.31

$2.61 COP 8,484

37.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 BOB 11.40

$1.24 COP 4,029

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 BOB 8.20

$1.47 COP 4,770

-47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 BOB 10.97

$1.25 COP 4,076

-17.60%

Eggs

$2.03 BOB 21.58

$2.48 COP 8,065

-18.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 BOB 55.7

$4.33 COP 14.1K

20.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 BOB 39.80

$5.36 COP 17.4K

-30.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 BOB 68.4

$7.49 COP 24.4K

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BOB 23.07

$2.49 COP 8,108

-12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 BOB 10.70

$0.92 COP 2,986

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 BOB 10.67

$1.15 COP 3,749

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BOB 12.97

$1.31 COP 4,260

-6.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BOB 12.67

$0.89 COP 2,881

33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BOB 9.07

$1.11 COP 3,593

-23.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 BOB 9.04

$0.75 COP 2,427

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 BOB 11.92

$0.68 COP 2,211

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 BOB 31.15

$2.91 COP 9,454

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 BOB 62.7

$12.88 COP 41.9K

-54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 BOB 24.90

$1.07 COP 3,478

118.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 BOB 31.60

$1.86 COP 6,040

59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 BOB 3.69

$0.73 COP 2,386

-52.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 BOB 280

$20.17 COP 65.6K

30.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 BOB 15.61

$1.55 COP 5,043

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 BOB 17.43

$1.90 COP 6,171

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.91 BOB 94.9

$9.45 COP 30.7K

-5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BOB 5.61

$0.98 COP 3,190

-45.92%

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

$15.7K BOB 167.5K

$21.9K COP 71.3M

-28.29%

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

$19.2K BOB 204.1K

$29.6K COP 96.2M

-35.24%

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

$38.06 BOB 405

$83.3 COP 270.9K

-54.32%

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

$19.55 BOB 208

$8.94 COP 29.1K

118.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 BOB 387

$24.55 COP 79.8K

47.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 BOB 270

$19.79 COP 64.3K

28.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.58 BOB 219

$14.72 COP 47.9K

39.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 BOB 66.3

$4.88 COP 15.9K

27.66%

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

$144 BOB 1,531

$222 COP 720.7K

-35.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,332 BOB 35.5K

$5,871 COP 19.1M

-43.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.47 BOB 346

$64.0 COP 208.1K

-49.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 BOB 601

$43.51 COP 141.5K

29.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 BOB 724

$76.3 COP 248.1K

-10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 BOB 535

$89.5 COP 291.1K

-43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 BOB 4,137

$241 COP 783.0K

61.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BOB 3,231

$188 COP 611.5K

61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 BOB 6,825

$615 COP 2.0M

4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 BOB 5,297

$398 COP 1.3M

24.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,312 BOB 14.0K

$1,258 COP 4.1M

4.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 BOB 6,298

$990 COP 3.2M

-40.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$437 BOB 4,654

$554 COP 1.8M

-21.11%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in La Paz and $241 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 27% 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 $163 vs $184 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Cali. 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: $388 in La Paz versus $241 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $144 in La Paz versus $222 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 13% 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 10% less than in La Paz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.