Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Tarija Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Tarija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Santa Cruz vs $760 in Tarija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,366 per month in Santa Cruz vs $986 in Tarija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,213 in Tarija, rent included.

Santa Cruz costs about 8% more than Tarija, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Cruz and Tarija are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 39% lower, Tarija 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BOB 20.11

$3.65 BOB 25.05

-19.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.95 BOB 185

$14.33 BOB 98.3

88.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 BOB 48.54

$6.21 BOB 42.63

14.01%

Cappuccino

$2.72 BOB 18.63

$2.39 BOB 16.36

13.81%

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

$0.82 BOB 5.65

$1.47 BOB 10.09

-44.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 4.54

$1.04 BOB 7.16

-36.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 BOB 9.82

$1.57 BOB 10.80

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BOB 13.29

$2.21 BOB 15.15

-12.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 BOB 7.42

$0.76 BOB 5.23

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BOB 9.23

$1.37 BOB 9.41

-2.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.18

$1.18 BOB 8.12

13.56%

Eggs

$1.84 BOB 12.66

$2.53 BOB 17.36

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 BOB 31.40

$4.88 BOB 33.47

-6.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 BOB 28.40

$5.15 BOB 35.30

-19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 BOB 43.05

$6.18 BOB 42.36

1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 BOB 18.89

$1.43 BOB 9.80

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.34 BOB 9.21

-31.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 BOB 7.73

$1.06 BOB 7.26

6.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 BOB 7.10

$2.19 BOB 15.04

-52.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.47 BOB 10.12

-37.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 BOB 6.43

$1.49 BOB 10.22

-36.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 BOB 5.50

$0.33 BOB 2.25

142.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 7.64

$1.33 BOB 9.16

-16.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 BOB 14.61

$2.84 BOB 19.49

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 BOB 51.1

$3.73 BOB 25.56

99.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$1.90 BOB 13.03

-22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 BOB 14.06

$1.95 BOB 13.39

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.05

$0.30 BOB 2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 BOB 146

$31.10 BOB 213

-31.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 BOB 19.73

$1.07 BOB 7.35

169.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$1.19 BOB 8.16

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 BOB 50.0

$4.67 BOB 32.02

56.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 3.77

$0.55 BOB 3.75

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

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

$19.6K BOB 134.5K

50.45%

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

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

$21.6K BOB 148.3K

25.35%

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

$54.1 BOB 371

$49.85 BOB 342

8.61%

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

$22.94 BOB 157

$27.50 BOB 189

-16.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.45 BOB 229

$42.07 BOB 289

-20.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 BOB 216

$34.97 BOB 240

-9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 BOB 148

$4.44 BOB 30.44

384.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 BOB 48.28

$7.33 BOB 50.3

-3.96%

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

$201 BOB 1,377

$62.2 BOB 427

222.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

$1,306 BOB 8,956

226.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.30 BOB 290

$25.15 BOB 173

68.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.34 BOB 332

$29.52 BOB 203

63.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 BOB 580

$40.55 BOB 278

108.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 BOB 411

$21.89 BOB 150

174.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 BOB 2,753

$326 BOB 2,237

23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 BOB 1,793

$226 BOB 1,548

15.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BOB 5,170

$513 BOB 3,519

46.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 BOB 4,394

$115 BOB 790

456.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$844 BOB 5,788

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 BOB 3,608

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.5

21.27%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tarija: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Santa Cruz versus $326 in Tarija. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Santa Cruz versus $14.00 in Tarija. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Santa Cruz vs $171 in Tarija – so Santa Cruz 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

Santa Cruz vs Tarija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Cruz is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,228 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,140 in Tarija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Santa Cruz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Santa Cruz and $14.00 in Tarija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $818 in Santa Cruz and $760 in Tarija, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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