Cost of Living Comparison Between La Paz and El Alto Cost of Living Comparison Between La Paz and El Alto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in La Paz vs $317 in El Alto, rent included.

A couple spends around $799 per month in La Paz vs $496 in El Alto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in La Paz vs $675 in El Alto, rent included.

La Paz costs about 67% more than El Alto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Paz and El Alto are more affordable than the global median – La Paz 61% lower, El Alto 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 BOB 26.28

$1.24 BOB 14.84

77.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.74 BOB 116

$9.91 BOB 118

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 BOB 52.6

$4.23 BOB 50.5

4.26%

Cappuccino

$1.76 BOB 21.02

$1.82 BOB 21.68

-3.30%

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

$0.77 BOB 9.15

$0.73 BOB 8.71

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 BOB 6.14

$0.47 BOB 5.58

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 BOB 16.71

$1.38 BOB 16.45

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 BOB 30.18

$2.43 BOB 29.02

4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 BOB 8.99

$0.81 BOB 9.63

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BOB 11.31

$0.90 BOB 10.71

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 BOB 10.00

$0.79 BOB 9.41

6.33%

Eggs

$1.33 BOB 15.91

$1.31 BOB 15.59

1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 BOB 44.65

$3.86 BOB 46.02

-3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 BOB 45.08

$3.67 BOB 43.73

3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.85 BOB 57.9

$4.80 BOB 57.3

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 BOB 21.61

$1.74 BOB 20.74

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 BOB 6.97

$0.54 BOB 6.46

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 BOB 6.23

$0.49 BOB 5.90

6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 BOB 10.10

$0.90 BOB 10.73

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 BOB 7.66

$0.64 BOB 7.61

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BOB 6.66

$0.52 BOB 6.22

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 BOB 7.00

$0.58 BOB 6.97

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BOB 8.99

$0.73 BOB 8.67

2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 BOB 24.37

$2.02 BOB 24.15

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.24 BOB 38.61

$3.09 BOB 36.89

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 BOB 16.24

$1.36 BOB 16.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 BOB 20.74

$1.64 BOB 19.60

6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 BOB 2.50

$0.18 BOB 2.19

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.29 BOB 218

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 BOB 13.19

$1.12 BOB 13.32

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 BOB 10.42

$0.88 BOB 10.47

-1.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 BOB 107

$8.83 BOB 105

1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 BOB 6.06

$0.47 BOB 5.63

8.51%

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

$10.1K BOB 120.4K

$10.1K BOB 120.1K

0.28%

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

$13.2K BOB 156.9K

$13.2K BOB 157.2K

-0.14%

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

$25.07 BOB 299

$25.04 BOB 299

0.12%

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

$15.21 BOB 182

$15.55 BOB 186

-2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.11 BOB 240

$20.05 BOB 239

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.91 BOB 202

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 BOB 127

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 BOB 52.6

$4.19 BOB 50.0

5.25%

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

$132 BOB 1,570

$135 BOB 1,609

-2.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,382 BOB 16.5K

$1,426 BOB 17.0K

-3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.44 BOB 208

$17.57 BOB 210

-0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.58 BOB 329

$27.19 BOB 324

1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.20 BOB 527

$44.52 BOB 531

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.73 BOB 450

$37.54 BOB 448

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 BOB 3,206

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 BOB 2,161

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 BOB 4,988

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 BOB 3,887

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,230 BOB 14.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$519 BOB 6,186

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 BOB 3,230

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

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

Last update for La Paz: September 28, 2026

Last update for El Alto: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in La Paz versus $10.00 in El Alto. Groceries tell a different story – $120 in La Paz vs $118 in El Alto – so El Alto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 El Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $529 in La Paz, $317 in El Alto – roughly 67% apart. La Paz costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in La Paz and $476 in El Alto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $529 in La Paz and $317 in El Alto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in La Paz and $135 in El Alto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in La Paz and $317 in El Alto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward El Alto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with El Alto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Paz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.