Last update: Oct 2026 Bolivia 1.8M

Cost of Living in Santa Cruz

Name: Santa Cruz
Address: Santa Cruz, BO

For one person, living costs in Santa Cruz are estimated at $648 a month, including rent and utilities – 23% above the national average. Rent and utilities take more than a third of the total.

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Santa Cruz

🇧🇴 Bolivia

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Cruz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santa Cruz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends around $648 per month with rent, or $364 for everyday expenses alone.

$648 /mo

A couple spends around $1,195 per month with rent, or $610 for everyday expenses alone.

$1,195 /mo

A family of three spends around $1,743 per month with rent, or $855 without housing.

$1,743 /mo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 BOB 24.33

$1.30 BOB 15.05

$3.90 BOB 45.26

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.30 BOB 201

$15.58 BOB 181

$25.96 BOB 301

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 BOB 59.1

$4.41 BOB 51.2

$5.09 BOB 59.1

Cappuccino

$1.74 BOB 20.15

$0.85 BOB 9.90

$2.98 BOB 34.54

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

$0.48 BOB 5.54

$0.33 BOB 3.84

$0.97 BOB 11.30

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 BOB 4.70

$0.25 BOB 2.91

$0.83 BOB 9.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 BOB 10.70

$0.79 BOB 9.16

$2.19 BOB 25.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 BOB 14.65

$1.02 BOB 11.79

$2.53 BOB 29.41

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 BOB 9.09

$0.63 BOB 7.27

$1.04 BOB 12.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 BOB 11.80

$0.63 BOB 7.30

$1.61 BOB 18.73

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 BOB 12.40

$0.70 BOB 8.15

$1.30 BOB 15.11

Eggs

$1.13 BOB 13.12

$0.79 BOB 9.18

$1.23 BOB 14.31

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.23 BOB 37.50

$1.27 BOB 14.77

$4.09 BOB 47.43

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.63 BOB 30.58

$1.26 BOB 14.66

$3.55 BOB 41.23

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 BOB 57.5

$3.91 BOB 45.39

$5.86 BOB 68.1

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 BOB 20.75

$1.35 BOB 15.62

$2.95 BOB 34.20

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 BOB 7.97

$0.45 BOB 5.19

$1.04 BOB 12.08

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 BOB 9.41

$0.44 BOB 5.12

$1.03 BOB 11.91

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 BOB 8.80

$0.59 BOB 6.86

$1.01 BOB 11.78

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 BOB 8.14

$0.41 BOB 4.79

$1.92 BOB 22.30

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BOB 8.27

$0.35 BOB 4.08

$2.07 BOB 23.98

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 BOB 6.66

$0.42 BOB 4.85

$1.42 BOB 16.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 BOB 7.59

$0.50 BOB 5.77

$0.84 BOB 9.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 BOB 23.29

$1.91 BOB 22.23

$2.18 BOB 25.30

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 BOB 49.20

$2.12 BOB 24.60

$6.36 BOB 73.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BOB 12.56

$0.78 BOB 9.04

$1.73 BOB 20.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BOB 19.47

$1.32 BOB 15.29

$2.64 BOB 30.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 BOB 2.88

$0.19 BOB 2.22

$0.30 BOB 3.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.25 BOB 270

$15.72 BOB 182

$30.15 BOB 350

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 BOB 19.99

$3.45 BOB 40.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 BOB 11.50

$0.89 BOB 10.30

$1.32 BOB 15.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.57 BOB 76.3

$5.25 BOB 61.0

$7.88 BOB 91.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 BOB 6.66

$0.31 BOB 3.55

$0.57 BOB 6.66

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

$13.9K BOB 161.2K

$13.5K BOB 156.6K

$16.8K BOB 195.4K

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

$19.6K BOB 227.8K

$17.9K BOB 208.0K

$19.6K BOB 227.8K

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

$36.36 BOB 422

$21.68 BOB 252

$70.7 BOB 821

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

$19.42 BOB 225

$12.74 BOB 148

$29.72 BOB 345

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 BOB 208

$8.55 BOB 99.3

$34.19 BOB 397

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 BOB 234

$8.72 BOB 101

$26.16 BOB 304

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 BOB 147

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 BOB 69.2

$4.60 BOB 53.4

$7.66 BOB 88.9

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

$116 BOB 1,352

$61.1 BOB 710

$218 BOB 2,535

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,007 BOB 34.9K

$1,864 BOB 21.6K

$5,935 BOB 68.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.92 BOB 312

$12.66 BOB 147

$37.97 BOB 441

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.54 BOB 413

$17.06 BOB 198

$59.7 BOB 693

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 BOB 767

$42.16 BOB 489

$84.3 BOB 979

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 BOB 687

$34.09 BOB 396

$85.2 BOB 989

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 BOB 3,079

$169 BOB 1,964

$691 BOB 8,027

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 BOB 2,872

$185 BOB 2,146

$381 BOB 4,425

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 BOB 10.5K

$674 BOB 7,820

$1,474 BOB 17.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 BOB 9,888

$474 BOB 5,499

$1,215 BOB 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,300 BOB 15.1K

$774 BOB 8,986

$1,611 BOB 18.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 BOB 8,516

$657 BOB 7,626

$1,981 BOB 23.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 BOB 3,336

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

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

Last update: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Santa Cruz $648

Accommodation & Living

$247 38.2%

Groceries & Markets

$115 17.8%

Clothing & Footwear

$84 13%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$74 11.4%

Eating Out

$64 9.8%

Sport & Entertainment

$32 5%

Getting Around

$31 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the city center costs around $265, dropping to $247 outside central areas. Housing accounts for roughly 92% of the average salary ($287) – well above the 30% international benchmark.

The average net salary is $287 – below monthly costs of $648. Most locals rely on shared housing or dual incomes. Remote workers earning abroad will find stronger purchasing power.

Groceries cost around $115 per month for one person. A mid-range dinner for two is priced at $17.00.

A monthly public transport pass costs about $23.25.

Cost Highlights

Santa Cruz has the 3rd cheapest eggs in South America

Santa Cruz has the 7th cheapest local beer in South America

Santa Cruz has the 9th cheapest chicken fillets in South America

Good to know

🕒 Local time

07:14 7:14 AM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,800,000

💱 Currency

Bolivian Boliviano BOB Bs.

📈 Exchange rate

100 BOB = 8.61 USD

100 BOB = 7.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Santa Cruz

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Santa Cruz Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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Cost of Living in Santa Cruz - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Santa Cruz, Bolivia sits mid-range for the region, offering a balance between urban conveniences and more affordable lifestyle choices. For travelers and digital nomads, the city often feels approachable without sacrificing access to coworking spaces, reliable internet, and lively markets. Local neighborhoods vary from leafy central districts to up-and-coming peripheral areas, which affects rent and monthly expenses in a practical way. Food, public transport, and everyday services tend to be reasonable, with shopping at mercados and street food options adding value. The city can be friendlier on the budget compared with larger capitals, especially if you favor longer stays and mid-range housing. Tip: Start with a 2-4 week housing trial in a central neighborhood to gauge your true expenses.

Santa Cruz, Bolivia living cost helps you plan days around housing, meals, and transport. Housing search tends to blend short-term stays and longer leases in areas like Equipetrol or the historic center, with a quick test period recommended. Groceries mix mercados for fresh produce with modern supermarkets for staples. For getting around, buses cover main routes while taxis and rideshare apps offer door-to-door options; many people also enjoy casual walks in safer neighborhoods. Co-working spaces with reliable Wi-Fi are common, and errands usually go smoothly at local banks, clinics, and markets. Tip: Prioritize neighborhoods that match your routine and commute.

Quality of life in Santa Cruz, Bolivia hinges on balancing budgets with a relaxed pace and outdoor access. Use a simple monthly framework: fixed housing, variable groceries, transport, and leisure. Leverage prominent weekend markets for value and diversify your meals with traditional staples and modern finds. Seasonality affects outdoor activities more than prices, with the rainy season shifting plans indoors occasionally; plan for sun-heavy days and occasional downpours. Neighborhood fit matters: seek walkable cores for daily errands or leafy outskirts for calmer mornings. Tip: build a short list of three favorite neighborhoods and test commute times before committing long-term.

By most standards, Santa Cruz is a budget-friendly place to live. Total monthly costs with rent usually land around $648, and both housing and daily expenses fall below global averages. It's a solid pick for remote workers, long-term travelers, or anyone watching their spending.

Housing in Santa Cruz takes a heavy bite – about 92% of a typical income, which is above the 30% international benchmark. That squeezes the budget for everything else and is one of the main pain points for residents here.

In Santa Cruz, $971 per month is what most people would call a good salary. It handles rent, food, and utilities with enough left for savings and the occasional splurge. Above that, you unlock better apartments and more freedom with spending.

Rent is one of the biggest advantages of living in Santa Cruz – 1-bedroom apartments range from $247 to $265 per month, and even central neighborhoods stay accessible on modest incomes. Cheap housing frees up cash for everything else.

Groceries in Santa Cruz are cheap – a single person spends about $115 per month. Local markets and budget supermarkets push costs even lower. Food is one of the city's strongest affordability points.

Public transport in Santa Cruz costs about $23.25 per month – usually unlimited rides on buses, metro, or trams within the main zone. Much cheaper than owning a car, and the practical choice for most residents.

$1,000 a month in Santa Cruz? Very doable. Average costs with rent come to just $648, which leaves real room to save, eat out, and enjoy the city without watching every dollar.

Santa Cruz has become a go-to for digital nomads thanks to vibrant nightlife, wellness scene, café culture. At around $648 monthly all-in, the value is strong for the infrastructure and lifestyle you get. Coworking spaces, solid internet, and a growing international crowd make remote work here both productive and social.

Santa Cruz is affordable by most measures, which is why it appeals to long-term travelers, remote workers, and budget-conscious residents. At $648 per month with rent, it sits well below the global average for cities of similar size.

Santa Cruz is great for backpackers. All-in costs average just $648 monthly, and even short-term visitors on tight budgets can stretch their money. Cheap hostels, affordable street food, budget transport, and free attractions make it easy to explore without overspending.