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 $582 per month in Santa Cruz vs $414 in Tarija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Santa Cruz vs $476 in Tarija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Santa Cruz vs $539 in Tarija, rent included.

Santa Cruz costs about 41% more than Tarija, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Cruz and Tarija are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 58% lower, Tarija 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 BOB 25.88

$2.17 BOB 26.50

-2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BOB 203

$7.40 BOB 90.2

124.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 BOB 56.8

$3.68 BOB 44.93

26.36%

Cappuccino

$1.82 BOB 22.16

$1.29 BOB 15.74

41.09%

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

$0.49 BOB 5.96

$0.92 BOB 11.19

-46.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 BOB 5.28

$0.70 BOB 8.56

-38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 BOB 12.02

$1.33 BOB 16.20

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 BOB 15.10

$1.73 BOB 21.05

-28.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 BOB 9.49

$0.42 BOB 5.15

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BOB 11.32

$0.70 BOB 8.55

32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 BOB 12.93

$0.52 BOB 6.35

103.85%

Eggs

$1.06 BOB 12.94

$1.61 BOB 19.59

-34.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.28 BOB 40.07

$3.06 BOB 37.34

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 BOB 33.03

$2.47 BOB 30.14

9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 BOB 61.3

$3.74 BOB 45.67

34.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BOB 20.41

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 BOB 8.22

$1.00 BOB 12.18

-33.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 BOB 9.84

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 BOB 9.15

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BOB 8.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 BOB 7.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 BOB 6.67

$0.24 BOB 2.91

129.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BOB 7.87

$0.69 BOB 8.41

-7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 BOB 24.13

Wine (Bottle)

$4.27 BOB 52.1

$2.07 BOB 25.21

106.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BOB 12.71

$1.11 BOB 13.58

-6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BOB 19.48

$0.87 BOB 10.64

83.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 BOB 3.20

$0.13 BOB 1.59

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 BOB 273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BOB 20.37

$0.43 BOB 5.26

288.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 BOB 11.79

$0.53 BOB 6.45

83.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 BOB 75.1

$2.86 BOB 34.93

115.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 6.74

$0.52 BOB 6.31

5.77%

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

$15.5K BOB 189.0K

$11.5K BOB 139.7K

35.26%

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

$19.4K BOB 236.3K

$15.0K BOB 183.5K

28.73%

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

$34.44 BOB 420

$21.44 BOB 262

60.63%

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

$19.90 BOB 243

$17.62 BOB 215

12.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 BOB 233

$20.61 BOB 251

-7.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.23 BOB 235

$20.08 BOB 245

-4.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 BOB 155

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 BOB 72.6

$3.91 BOB 47.75

52.17%

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

$126 BOB 1,532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,948 BOB 36.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.02 BOB 317

$24.86 BOB 303

4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.88 BOB 389

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 BOB 798

$29.15 BOB 356

124.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 BOB 693

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 BOB 3,290

$202 BOB 2,463

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 BOB 2,261

$153 BOB 1,872

20.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 BOB 7,516

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 BOB 8,311

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,288 BOB 15.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$744 BOB 9,071

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 BOB 3,555

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 1, 2026

Last update for Tarija: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Santa Cruz versus $202 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 $17.00 in Santa Cruz versus $7.00 in Tarija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $79.0 – making Tarija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 41%, 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 $873 per month in Santa Cruz and $621 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.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Santa Cruz, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Santa Cruz and $7.00 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 $582 in Santa Cruz and $414 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.