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 $747 per month in Tarija vs $802 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $985 per month in Tarija vs $1,332 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,224 per month in Tarija vs $1,862 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 44% lower, Santa Cruz 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 BOB 38.25

$2.88 BOB 30.62

24.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.28 BOB 152

$26.73 BOB 285

-46.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 BOB 67.2

$7.20 BOB 76.7

-12.36%

Cappuccino

$2.48 BOB 26.39

$2.85 BOB 30.34

-12.98%

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

$1.48 BOB 15.78

$0.78 BOB 8.32

89.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 BOB 10.64

$0.66 BOB 6.99

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 BOB 16.57

$1.43 BOB 15.26

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 BOB 23.90

$1.94 BOB 20.65

15.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 BOB 8.22

$1.09 BOB 11.56

-29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 BOB 15.22

$1.35 BOB 14.39

5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 BOB 12.52

$1.30 BOB 13.84

-9.23%

Eggs

$2.58 BOB 27.50

$1.76 BOB 18.70

46.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.83 BOB 51.4

$4.75 BOB 50.5

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 BOB 55.4

$4.04 BOB 43.01

28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 BOB 67.5

$6.29 BOB 67.0

0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 BOB 15.90

$2.70 BOB 28.79

-44.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 BOB 13.59

$0.97 BOB 10.29

31.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 BOB 11.86

$1.15 BOB 12.21

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 BOB 23.71

$1.03 BOB 10.99

116.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 BOB 15.88

$0.91 BOB 9.73

63.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BOB 15.27

$1.00 BOB 10.63

43.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 BOB 3.76

$0.79 BOB 8.42

-55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 BOB 14.20

$1.11 BOB 11.78

19.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 BOB 30.23

$2.24 BOB 23.85

26.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.70 BOB 39.44

$7.30 BOB 77.7

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 BOB 20.21

$1.41 BOB 15.03

34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BOB 20.10

$2.03 BOB 21.66

-6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 BOB 2.95

$0.30 BOB 3.15

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 BOB 333

$21.01 BOB 224

48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 BOB 11.37

$2.95 BOB 31.42

-63.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 BOB 12.66

$1.43 BOB 15.23

-16.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 BOB 51.6

$7.42 BOB 79.0

-34.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 BOB 5.44

$0.58 BOB 6.20

-12.07%

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

$19.6K BOB 209.1K

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

-32.60%

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

$21.6K BOB 229.6K

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

-21.31%

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

$51.2 BOB 545

$55.4 BOB 590

-7.58%

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

$27.84 BOB 297

$22.26 BOB 237

25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 BOB 451

$33.17 BOB 353

27.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 BOB 377

$32.35 BOB 345

9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.43 BOB 47.21

$21.67 BOB 231

-79.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 BOB 78.6

$7.37 BOB 78.5

0.14%

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

$60.8 BOB 648

$203 BOB 2,161

-70.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,327 BOB 14.1K

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

-68.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.34 BOB 270

$42.54 BOB 453

-40.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 BOB 311

$47.82 BOB 509

-38.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.55 BOB 421

$84.2 BOB 896

-53.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.81 BOB 232

$59.8 BOB 637

-63.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 BOB 3,409

$415 BOB 4,415

-22.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 BOB 2,406

$258 BOB 2,747

-12.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 BOB 5,477

$739 BOB 7,867

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 BOB 1,231

$643 BOB 6,849

-82.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 BOB 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 BOB 5,061

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Tarija versus $415 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 – $173 in Tarija vs $166 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 7%, 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 $1,121 per month in Tarija and $1,202 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 4% 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 $747 in Tarija and $802 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.