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Last Updated on February 14, 2025

In Bolivia, the cost of living varies significantly depending on the city or region you choose. While some areas are exceptionally affordable, others cater to a more affluent lifestyle. Your goals and priorities when relocating to Bolivia—whether they involve economic advancement, retirement, vacation, favorable weather, tourism, or other factors—will influence which cities are most suitable. Generally, the major cities offer the best overall options.

For most expats, Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the best city to live in Bolivia. It boasts the strongest economy and a pro-business environment. With a large and rapidly growing market of 1.7 million people (growing at 2% annually), a GDP growth rate of 6.5%, and a well-established expat community, it’s already the top choice for many foreigners.

In this article, we’ll provide detailed information about the best cities for expats to live in Bolivia, based on various objectives. We’ll cover the pros and cons of each city and also warn you about dangerous diseases prevalent in certain areas. We are Bolivian real estate experts (website) who have lived in Bolivia our entire lives, giving us a unique understanding of the local context.

An Overview of the Best Cities in Bolivia for Foreigners

Overall, the metropolitan area of Bolivia comprises three main cities:

• Santa Cruz de la Sierra
• La Paz
• Cochabamba

These cities are generally the best choices for expats relocating to Bolivia. They offer numerous business and employment opportunities, and they have neighborhoods that are appealing to individuals from developed countries, providing a standard of living comparable to what they’re accustomed to.

By far, the city most consistently chosen by expats moving to Bolivia *is Santa Cruz*. It’s not only popular with foreigners but also with Bolivians, who frequently relocate to this city. Both Bolivians and foreigners consider Santa Cruz the best city to live in because:

• It’s a large metropolitan area with a population of 1.7 million.
• Businesses and companies are very active, and numerous job opportunities are available.
• The tropical climate, while sometimes excessively hot, is generally sunny and humid, similar to the weather in Florida or Central America (typically ranging from 68°F to 95°F).
• The people of Santa Cruz are very liberal and strongly support capitalism, encouraging industries, businesses, agriculture, and the development of free markets.
• This city is the economic heart and engine of Bolivia.
• The city is growing rapidly; if you purchase real estate there, its value could double in seven years.
• This city is very unlikely to become socialist. The “Cambas” (nickname for people from this city) have a distinct liberal and hard-working culture, and they consistently oppose socialist policies and regulations from left-leaning governments.
• The city’s GDP is growing at an impressive rate of 6.5% annually.
• Its population has grown by 25% over the last decade (approximately 2% per year).
• This city holds the economic power in Bolivia and, as mentioned, is a very liberal city.

Santa Cruz offers abundant business opportunities, a large local market, and warm weather year-round. The residents are known for being cheerful, friendly, and open-minded.

This city also has a strong capitalist mindset and consistently opposes regulations and laws from left-leaning governments. These are the primary reasons why foreigners overwhelmingly choose Santa Cruz de la Sierra for relocation, business ventures, and living.

Of course, both La Paz and Cochabamba have areas that expats find appealing, where they can experience a lifestyle similar to that of a developed country. These cities also offer better and cooler climates, *but they don’t provide the same economic opportunities as Santa Cruz de la Sierra*.

Caution: Chagas Disease

When living in Santa Cruz, *remember to always use a mosquito net* to cover your bed and protect yourself from dangerous arachnids and insects, such as those carrying Chagas disease, which is endemic in this city. *This precaution is essential in Santa Cruz, and all residents use it.*

Bolivia has the highest rate of Chagas disease in the world, *with a prevalence of around 20% in the population*. This means that out of 10 million people, nearly 2 million are infected. Take all necessary precautions against this serious and potentially deadly disease before coming to Bolivia. You can find more information in this article: Link. Also, learn about proper preventive measures: (Translated: Link).

Best Cities to Live in Bolivia Based on Your Needs

Next, we’ll rank the best cities to live in based on your primary goals when relocating to Bolivia:

1. Desire for pleasant weather, peace, and tranquility.
2. Seeking the best environment for job and business opportunities.
3. Desire to live near other foreigners.
4. Prioritizing cost savings while living in Bolivia.
5. Minimizing exposure to endemic illnesses and insects.

Goals When Moving to Bolivia	Best Cities to Live in Bolivia	Principal Advantages
Great weather, peace, and rest	Cochabamba, Sucre	Temperate climate, quiet, and beautiful surroundings
Best job and business environment	Santa Cruz, sometimes La Paz	Liberal culture, welcoming to foreign investment
Living near other expats	Santa Cruz, La Paz, and Cochabamba	Largest expat communities from developed countries
Saving money on living costs	Major cities (not small towns)	The largest cities have the lowest living costs
Avoiding endemic illnesses and insects	La Paz and Oruro	High elevation means fewer insects and reduced disease risk

1) If You’re Seeking Pleasant Weather, Peace, and Tranquility

If you’re primarily looking for a peaceful place to relax, beautiful landscapes, and the best possible weather (59°F to 77°F), while still having access to essential amenities like healthcare services, restaurants, grocery stores, and basic entertainment, the best cities for you are:

• Cochabamba
• Sucre

Cochabamba

This is a large city in Bolivia with a pleasant climate, similar to that of Sucre. Areas outside the downtown core are generally peaceful, and the streets are usually very quiet. *Many retired Bolivians relocate to Cochabamba to spend their later years there*. The people are also very welcoming and friendly.

Cochabamba offers the advantage of a larger expat community compared to Sucre. You’ll also find very exclusive neighborhoods where affluent individuals reside, including hundreds of expats from developed countries. The weather remains fairly consistent year-round, with daytime temperatures around 77°F and nighttime temperatures around 59°F. Additionally, you’ll find a decent selection of activities and entertainment options in this city.

If you’re considering moving to this city, *we recommend two neighborhoods* where the majority of expats from developed countries live: Cala Cala and Queru Queru. There, you’ll find houses ranging from $200,000 to $2,000,000 and two-bedroom apartments starting at $60,000. However, remember to take precautions against Chagas disease.

Sucre

This is the most beautiful and peaceful large city (population 300,000) in Bolivia, resembling a small town with the most pleasant climate in the country. Its streets are calm and green, with abundant trees and public gardens. The people are very welcoming, and crime rates are low.

Indeed, the entire city feels like a vast garden or green paradise. You’ll feel as though you’re in a giant yoga retreat, constantly in contact with nature. You also won’t have to contend with dangerous insects or bugs, except for the “Vinchuca,” which is the insect that transmits Chagas disease. Be extremely cautious about this! More information is provided below.

There isn’t a large expat community living there; in fact, it’s uncommon to find foreigners residing in this city. Nevertheless, the city is beautiful, peaceful, and comfortable to live in.

2) If You Want the Best Environment for Work and Business Opportunities

As we mentioned earlier, Santa Cruz de la Sierra is your best choice for these pursuits. This city has a large population, a hardworking and entrepreneurial culture, and *is very welcoming to foreigners and their investments* in the city.

This metropolitan area also boasts one of the largest industrial parks in South America. Many globally recognized food franchises are present, such as Subway and Burger King, and real estate companies have dozens of offices, including ReMax and Century 21. You’ll also find large shopping malls and the best entertainment options in Bolivia in this city.

As previously mentioned, there’s significant immigration from all over Bolivia to Santa Cruz. People from across the country relocate to this city to pursue business ventures, find employment opportunities, and increase their wealth. Bolivians understand that Santa Cruz *is the best place to achieve economic prosperity*, and you should also be aware of this.

However, Santa Cruz is not the only city with a significant financial and economic ecosystem offering good opportunities. La Paz is also quite important in this regard, *though to a lesser extent than Santa Cruz*. For some expats, La Paz might also be a suitable option for pursuing economic goals.

3) If You Want to Live Near Other Foreigners

The three main cities of Bolivia have substantial communities of foreigners living in certain neighborhoods. As you might expect, these cities are:

1. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, which is in first place by a significant margin. This city has the largest foreign population in the country. Individuals from developed countries typically reside in very exclusive neighborhoods like Equipetrol, Las Palmas, Urubo, or the city’s downtown area. Asian communities also have a significant presence throughout the city.
2. La Paz is in second place. You’ll find notable communities of expats from developed countries living in upper-class neighborhoods like Calacoto, San Miguel, or Sopocachi. In each of these neighborhoods, you’ll find a few thousand expats from developed countries. Currently, there are very few Asian residents living in La Paz.
3. Cochabamba is in third place. There are several hundred expats from developed countries living in Cochabamba’s best neighborhoods, Cala Cala and Queru Queru, where you’ll experience a standard of living comparable to that of a small city’s downtown area in the United States. Expats from Asia are almost non-existent in this city.

We have a comprehensive guide on where people from overseas actually reside in Bolivia, available here: Where do expats live in Bolivia? All the facts and details.

4) If You Want to Save as Much Money as Possible

You’ll encounter a surprise here, and that is:

The cost of living is almost the same across all major Bolivian cities. There might be a difference of around 10% in the cost of living between different major cities, but no more.

A Bolivian citizen needs an average of $500 to cover all their monthly living expenses. This figure won’t change significantly in Santa Cruz compared to La Paz or Cochabamba. Other cities, like Sucre, Tarija, and Oruro, will have similar average living costs. This is because Bolivia is a small country with a population of around 12 million people, so there isn’t much variation in the cost of living between different cities.

Instead, *you’ll find it more expensive to live in Bolivia’s smaller towns*. This is because it’s more costly to transport and make goods and services available in these remote locations. It’s challenging to reach these towns, sometimes due to Bolivia’s geography and also because of the lack of a well-developed road system. Goods and services in small Bolivian towns *can cost twice as much* as they do in major cities.

5) If You Want to Avoid Bugs, Endemic Illnesses, or You Prefer Cold Weather

If you want to completely avoid endemic diseases like Chagas disease, Malaria, Zika, Dengue, Yellow Fever, etc., in Bolivia, and you also don’t want to worry about bugs, spiders, and snakes near your place of residence or bedroom, you can choose cities like:

• La Paz
• Oruro

These cities are at a very high elevation (about 12,000 ft above sea level), *making it very difficult for insects and endemic diseases to thrive*. Furthermore, these dangers are almost non-existent there. It’s extremely rare to encounter dangerous insects or endemic diseases in both cities.

We don’t recommend moving to Potosí (beyond a tourist visit), as it’s a very small city where you won’t find a good standard of living if you reside there permanently. In contrast, in La Paz, and to a lesser extent in Oruro, you’ll find significantly more economic, commercial, business, educational, and medical activity.

Conclusions:

In this guide on the best places to live based on different objectives, you’ve seen that, in general, Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the top choice for people relocating from all over the world, and for good reason. This city has the largest population and a robust economic and capitalist system. It’s growing rapidly and offers numerous business opportunities.

You’ve also learned that other places might be more suitable if your goals include rest, pleasant weather, and vacations (Sucre and Cochabamba). If you’re seeking income and economic growth, Santa Cruz and sometimes La Paz are preferable. If you want to live near other expats, Santa Cruz, La Paz, and Cochabamba are the best options. And if you want to avoid insects and endemic diseases, La Paz and Oruro are recommended.

Finally, we’ve alerted you to Chagas disease, a major health concern in Bolivia, which in some areas affects nearly 50% of the population. You must be extremely cautious about this disease when relocating to (or visiting) Bolivia, as it’s very dangerous and, at best, will leave you disabled and chronically ill. In the worst case, it can be fatal.

We hope this information has been helpful. If you’d like to learn more about where expats from all over the world live in Bolivia, with details about the places where they settle, please visit our dedicated guide: Where do expats live in Bolivia? All you need to know.

CasasenBolivia.com, information on living, working, investing, and traveling in Bolivia.