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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Tarija is about 7% cheaper than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 BOB 25.05

$2.93 BOB 20.11

24.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.33 BOB 98.3

$26.95 BOB 185

-46.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 BOB 42.63

$7.08 BOB 48.54

-12.29%

Cappuccino

$2.39 BOB 16.36

$2.72 BOB 18.63

-12.13%

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

$1.47 BOB 10.09

$0.82 BOB 5.65

79.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BOB 7.16

$0.66 BOB 4.54

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 BOB 10.80

$1.43 BOB 9.82

9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 BOB 15.15

$1.94 BOB 13.29

13.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 BOB 5.23

$1.08 BOB 7.42

-29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 BOB 9.41

$1.34 BOB 9.23

2.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 BOB 8.12

$1.34 BOB 9.18

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.53 BOB 17.36

$1.84 BOB 12.66

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 BOB 33.47

$4.58 BOB 31.40

6.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 BOB 35.30

$4.14 BOB 28.40

24.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.18 BOB 42.36

$6.28 BOB 43.05

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BOB 9.80

$2.75 BOB 18.89

-48.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.21

$0.92 BOB 6.31

45.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 BOB 7.26

$1.13 BOB 7.73

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 BOB 15.04

$1.04 BOB 7.10

110.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 BOB 10.12

$0.92 BOB 6.31

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 BOB 10.22

$0.94 BOB 6.43

58.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 BOB 2.25

$0.80 BOB 5.50

-58.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 BOB 9.16

$1.11 BOB 7.64

19.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 BOB 19.49

$2.13 BOB 14.61

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.73 BOB 25.56

$7.44 BOB 51.1

-49.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 BOB 13.03

$1.47 BOB 10.07

29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BOB 13.39

$2.05 BOB 14.06

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.07

$0.30 BOB 2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.10 BOB 213

$21.23 BOB 146

46.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 BOB 7.35

$2.88 BOB 19.73

-62.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 BOB 8.16

$1.47 BOB 10.07

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 BOB 32.02

$7.29 BOB 50.0

-35.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 3.75

$0.55 BOB 3.77

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

$19.6K BOB 134.5K

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

-33.53%

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

$21.6K BOB 148.3K

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

-20.22%

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

$49.85 BOB 342

$54.1 BOB 371

-7.92%

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

$27.50 BOB 189

$22.94 BOB 157

19.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.07 BOB 289

$33.45 BOB 229

25.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 BOB 240

$31.55 BOB 216

10.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 BOB 30.44

$21.52 BOB 148

-79.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 BOB 50.3

$7.04 BOB 48.28

4.12%

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

$62.2 BOB 427

$201 BOB 1,377

-69.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,306 BOB 8,956

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

-69.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.15 BOB 173

$42.30 BOB 290

-40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 BOB 203

$48.34 BOB 332

-38.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.55 BOB 278

$84.6 BOB 580

-52.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.89 BOB 150

$60.0 BOB 411

-63.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 BOB 2,237

$401 BOB 2,753

-18.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 BOB 1,548

$261 BOB 1,793

-13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 BOB 3,519

$754 BOB 5,170

-31.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 BOB 790

$641 BOB 4,394

-82.02%

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 %)

5.5

6.67

-17.54%

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

Last update for Tarija: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Tarija versus $401 in Santa Cruz. 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 $14.00 in Tarija versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Tarija vs $167 in Santa Cruz – 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

Tarija vs Santa Cruz: 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 $1,140 per month in Tarija and $1,228 in Santa Cruz. 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 $14.00 in Tarija and $27.00 in Santa Cruz. 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 $760 in Tarija and $818 in Santa Cruz, 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.