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

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

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

Tarija is about 29% cheaper than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 BOB 26.50

$2.12 BOB 25.88

2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.40 BOB 90.2

$16.61 BOB 203

-55.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 BOB 44.93

$4.65 BOB 56.8

-20.86%

Cappuccino

$1.29 BOB 15.74

$1.82 BOB 22.16

-29.12%

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

$0.92 BOB 11.19

$0.49 BOB 5.96

87.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 BOB 8.56

$0.43 BOB 5.28

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 BOB 16.20

$0.98 BOB 12.02

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BOB 21.05

$1.24 BOB 15.10

39.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.42 BOB 5.15

$0.78 BOB 9.49

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 BOB 8.55

$0.93 BOB 11.32

-24.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 BOB 6.35

$1.06 BOB 12.93

-50.94%

Eggs

$1.61 BOB 19.59

$1.06 BOB 12.94

51.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 BOB 37.34

$3.28 BOB 40.07

-6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.47 BOB 30.14

$2.71 BOB 33.03

-8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 BOB 45.67

$5.02 BOB 61.3

-25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BOB 20.41

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 BOB 12.18

$0.67 BOB 8.22

49.25%

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)

$0.24 BOB 2.91

$0.55 BOB 6.67

-56.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 BOB 8.41

$0.64 BOB 7.87

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 BOB 24.13

Wine (Bottle)

$2.07 BOB 25.21

$4.27 BOB 52.1

-51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 13.58

$1.04 BOB 12.71

6.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BOB 10.64

$1.60 BOB 19.48

-45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 BOB 1.59

$0.26 BOB 3.20

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 BOB 273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 BOB 5.26

$1.67 BOB 20.37

-74.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 BOB 6.45

$0.97 BOB 11.79

-45.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 BOB 34.93

$6.15 BOB 75.1

-53.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BOB 6.31

$0.55 BOB 6.74

-5.45%

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

$11.5K BOB 139.7K

$15.5K BOB 189.0K

-26.07%

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

$15.0K BOB 183.5K

$19.4K BOB 236.3K

-22.32%

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

$21.44 BOB 262

$34.44 BOB 420

-37.75%

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

$17.62 BOB 215

$19.90 BOB 243

-11.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 BOB 251

$19.08 BOB 233

8.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.08 BOB 245

$19.23 BOB 235

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 BOB 155

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 BOB 47.75

$5.95 BOB 72.6

-34.29%

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)

$24.86 BOB 303

$26.02 BOB 317

-4.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.88 BOB 389

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.15 BOB 356

$65.4 BOB 798

-55.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 BOB 693

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 BOB 2,463

$270 BOB 3,290

-25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 BOB 1,872

$185 BOB 2,261

-17.18%

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 Tarija: August 29, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Tarija versus $270 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 $7.00 in Tarija versus $17.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $79.0 vs $114 – 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

Tarija vs Santa Cruz: 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 $621 per month in Tarija and $873 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.

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 $7.00 in Tarija and $17.00 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 $414 in Tarija and $582 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.