If you’re attempting to stretch your savings, pension or social security benefits as far as possible. Have you thought of living in Bolivia? Bolivia has traditionally been a haven for travelers of all kinds as well as a low-cost retirement destination.
There are many reasons to live in Bolivia that include a very welcoming people, the ability to live in the mountains or the rainforest, its multicultural society of people from all over southern and central america and the richness of its cultural heritage.
The cheapest places in Bolivia to retire are:
- Cochabamba
- Sucre
- Santa Cruz
- Copacabana
- Oruro
- Tarija
Introduction to Bolivia
Population: 11.5 million
Capital city: La Paz
Currency: Bolivian boliviano (BOB)
Language: Spanish and several other native languages
In Bolivia you can live in a variety of cities with varying weather conditions. You can select the one that is most suitable for you. Bolivia also has a low cost of living for foreign retirees.
Bolivia is a landlocked country in western-central South America. Bolivia’s climate varies greatly from region to region. In the summer the average temperature is 72°F (22°C) whereas in the winter it is 59°F (15°C). It’s a wonderful country with nice people, delicious food, and magnificent scenery.
Festivals are an important element of Bolivian culture and there is almost always a celebration going on somewhere in the country. These gatherings are typical of Bolivian culture with plenty of drinking, dancing, and happy people.
The Most Affordable Places To Retire In Bolivia
Whether you desire a peaceful city with a rich history, a cooler city in the Andes or a more metropolitan city with a larger population Bolivia has them all. While deciding may be difficult we’ll make things easier for you by providing all of the details on our favorite destinations.
The Cost of Living in Cochabamba
Temperature: 13°C to 28°C / 56°F to 82°F
Population: 1.4 million
Cochabamba is located in a valley of the Andes mountains and is Bolivia’s fourth largest city by population. If you love trekking in the mountains in the Andes once you retire but still like a warmer climate this could be for you.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Cochabamba on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $419 USD / 2,889 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $172 USD / 1,186 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $27 USD / 186 BOB |
| Internet | $32 USD / 221 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $11 USD / 76 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $24 USD / 166 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $37 USD / 255 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $303 USD / 2,090 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $550 USD / 3,792 BOB |
NOTE: BOB is the Bolivian Boliviano
What To Do in Cochabamba:
Popular Restaurants in Cochabamba:
- Zaatar Restaurant & Grill
- Burgerhaus & Café
- Marvinos Restaurant
- California The Burger Republic
- Brother’s Irish Pub
TIP: Some of these sites are only available in Spanish. If you open the website with Google Chrome you can change the language to English using the built-in translation.
The Cost of Living in Sucre
Temperature: 11°C to 23°C / 52°F to 74°F
Population: 300,000
Sucre is a medium-sized city in South America that is well-known for being one of the country’s most impressive colonial cities. Sucre has an extremely low cost of living which is one of its key advantages for you to retire in. Another is the size of the town which is big enough to have all the amenities without being too big to have much traffic or noise.
The best thing about this city is that its daily temperature is consistent throughout the year. This means it’s cool enough for a light blanket and a cuddle at night and warm enough throughout the day to encourage you to be more active. It is kind of the perfect weather in my opinion..
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Cochabamba on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $261 USD / 1,800 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $200 USD / 1,380 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $22 USD / 152 BOB |
| Internet | $58 USD / 400 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $15 USD / 103 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $20 USD / 140 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $34 USD / 235 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $349 USD / 2,406 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $410 USD / 2,827 BOB |
What To Do in Sucre:
Popular Restaurants in Sucre:
- Mi Casa Restaurante
- Cafe Monterosso
- La Strada Incantata
- Restaurante Nativa
- Kaiseki Sushi Restaurant
- La Taverne Sucre
- Qhawana by Samary
The Cost of Living in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Temperature: 16°C to 31°C / 60°F to 87°F
Population: 2 million
Bolivia’s largest and most populous city is Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Not to be confused with the city of the same name in Spain when the locals shorten it to just Santa Cruz. This city was settled in 1561 and is now Bolivia’s most successful city economically.
It has a warm and temperate climate. Summers are hot and humid with generally cloudy skies. Winters are brief and also mostly cloudy. Although the prices in this city are the highest compared to other cities in Bolivia it is still way cheaper than most of the cities in the United States and the capital La Paz.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Santa Cruz on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $564 USD / 3,889 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $332 USD / 2,289 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $46 USD / 317 BOB |
| Internet | $88 USD / 607 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $11 USD / 76 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $23 USD / 157 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $43 USD / 297 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $543 USD / 3,744 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $775 USD / 5,343 BOB |
What To Do in Santa Cruz:
- Lomas de Arena Regional Park
- Cultural center Casa Melchor Pinto
- Biocentro Guembe Mariposario
- Espejillos
- Plaza Central 24 de Septiembre
Popular Restaurants in Santa Cruz:
The Cost of Living in Copacabana
Temperature: 2°C to 16°C / 36°F to 50°F
Population: 6,000
Copacabana is a beautiful littletown on the southern shore of Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca which is located between two hills. Copacabana is a town near La Paz that is named after the same-called patron saint. It is known for its charming red and terracotta roofed buildings and for being the lake’s largest town. This means there are plenty of opportunities for fishing and watersports.
Copacabana has a dry and mild climate. The town of Copacabana is chilly all year due to its high elevation. However it remains a popular resort for both inhabitants and visitors with the main purpose for visiting being to see Lake Titicaca and it is one of Bolivia’s most affordable cities. This small town is a 3 hour drive from La Paz or on the bus with all its amenities and also has a municipal hospital.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Copacabana on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $325 USD / 2,237 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $218 USD / 1,500 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $38 USD / 259 BOB |
| Internet | $43 USD / 298 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $13 USD / 90 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $20 USD / 138 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $41 USD / 284 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $373 USD / 2,569 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $480 USD / 3,306 BOB |
What To Do in Copacabana:
- Bahía Blanca
- Gruta de la Virgen de Lourdes
- La Horca del Inca
- Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Copacabana
- Playa de Copacabana
- Cerro Calvario
Popular Restaurants in Copacabana:
The Cost of Living in Oruro
Temperature: 1°C to 19°C / 34°F to 66°F
Population: 325,000
Oruro is one of the cheapest Bolivian cities with a population of 325 thousand people located in the Altiplano at roughly 3700 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. It is about halfway between La Paz and Sucre. Oruro is Bolivia’s fifth-largest city by population in Bolivia. The city’s Carnaval de Oruro with its masked “diablada” and Anata is one of South America’s most popular folklore festivities that is a must see.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Oruro on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $294 USD / 2,025 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $218 USD / 1,500 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $13 USD / 90 BOB |
| Internet | $54 USD / 372 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $9 USD / 62 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $17 USD / 118 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $26 USD / 180 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $337 USD / 2,322 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $413 USD / 2,847 BOB |
What To Do in Oruro:
- Cardozo Velasquez Art House Workshop
- Faro de Conchupata
- Main Square 10th Of February
- Monumento a la Virgen del Socavón
- Museum Socavón
Popular Restaurants in Oruro:
- El Asador De La Diabla
- Citta Alta 3706
- Moli Fá
- Restaurant E y B
- Chorizos Dña. Anita
- La Trattoría
- Factory Xpress
The Cost of Living in Tarija
Temperature: 14°C to 27°C / 57°F to 81F
Population: 235.000
Tarija which is also known as San Bernardo de la Frontera de Tarixa is a Bolivian city in the south of the country. Tarija is the largest city, capital, and municipality in the Tarija Department which has an airport (Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza Airport) and a regional bus terminal with local and international links. The size of the town means you have all of the amenities without the noise and congestion of larger cities.
It has a subtropical climate with generally mild temperatures in contrast to the bitter cold of the Altiplano like La Paz and the Amazon Basin’s year-round humidity like Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The year round temperature is great for a blanket at night and warm enough to venture out during the day.
Here’s an overview of what you’ll have to pay in Tarija on a monthly basis:
| MONTHLY EXPENSES | COST |
| Rent for a 3 Bedroom House (Outside city centre) | $116 USD / 800 BOB |
| Rent for a 1 Bedroom Flat (Outside city centre) | $87 USD / 600 BOB |
| Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Rates) | $22 USD / 150 BOB |
| Internet | $58 USD / 400 BOB |
| Groceries (Eggs, Milk, Bread, Chicken, Beef) | $11 USD / 72 BOB |
| Dining Out (2 people) For 4 times | $17 USD / 118 BOB |
| Fitness or Social Club Membership | $44 USD / 300 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (1 bed) | $239 USD / 1,640 BOB |
| TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES (3 bed) | $268 USD / 2,847 BOB |
What To Do in Tarija:
- Plazuela Sucre
- Obelisco Tarija
- Casa Dorada
- Plaza Luis de Fuentes y Vargas
- Museo Nacional Paleontológico Arqueológico
Popular Restaurants in Sucre:
- La Tradición Restaurant
- Churrasqueria El Fogón del Gringo
- Casona del Molino
- Belen Restaurante
- Lumberjack’s Beard
- Restante El Quincho de Quiliu
- Castillo Restaurant
NOTE: All the prices mentioned above are the average prices of each city. You could adjust it depending on your preferred lifestyle.
