Last Updated on February 14, 2025
When visiting Bolivia as a tourist or for a short period, you’ll find that accommodation services are considerably more affordable than in developed countries. However, it’s essential to take precautions to avoid overpriced lodging and to select the right hotel, hostel, or Airbnb unit that meets your needs.
When using Airbnb in Bolivia, you can expect to pay around $25/day for a decent one-bedroom unit. A hostel or one-star hotel will cost approximately $15/day, while a three-star to five-star hotel will range from $35 to $70/day. Generally, accommodation services in Bolivia cost around 25% to 40% of what they cost in developed countries.
We are Bolivian real estate experts (website) who have lived here our entire lives. In the following sections, we’ll provide you with all the details about the costs of accommodation services for both Bolivian and foreign tourists in our country. We’ll also offer tips on which accommodations to avoid when staying in Bolivia.
The Real Cost of Accommodation in Bolivia
When visiting Bolivia for a few days or weeks, *or for a short-term stay*, you’ll discover that your accommodation expenses will be significantly lower compared to other countries.
On Airbnb, you can expect to spend an average of $25/day for a one-bedroom unit. Hostels will be somewhat less expensive, averaging $15/day for the same unit, and hotels will be slightly more expensive, averaging $35/night for a similar unit.
You’ll also need to factor in administrative fees and other utilities, which typically range from $1 to $5 per day in all these locations. Even considering five-star hotels, you’ll find that they are not as costly as you might anticipate.
| Type of Accommodation | Avg. Spending in Bolivia/Day |
| Accommodation (1 tourist / day) | $35 |
| Avg. Airbnb Spending (1 tourist) | $25 |
| Avg. Hostel Spending (1 tourist) | $15 |
| Avg. Hotel Spending (1 tourist) | $35 |
| Other Accommodation Fees | $3 |
If you’re planning to stay for at least one month or longer, you can also secure discounts at all these locations. While you might be familiar with these discounts on Airbnb, you can also easily obtain them at typical hostels and hotels in Bolivia.
Price List for Hostels and Accommodation in Bolivia
By far, the best option for accommodation in Bolivia is Airbnb. This platform offers high-quality rental units and apartments. These accommodations will provide you with the same level of comfort as in other countries, even developed nations.
However, you can also utilize hotels that offer good services in Bolivia, particularly hotels with two stars and above. You’ll find that a four- to five-star hotel here will provide nearly the same quality of service as a typical Airbnb rental in a developed country.
Remember to exercise caution when staying in hostels, as they are often of very low quality in Bolivia, and some may even pose risks to your safety. These establishments also tend to charge foreigners significantly more than Bolivians. We strongly recommend staying only in Airbnb units or in hotels with at least two or three stars.
In the chart below, you can see the detailed prices *for various unit sizes* for different accommodation services available in Bolivia:
- Airbnb
- Hostels
- 1-star hotels
- 3-star hotels
- 5-star hotels
| Type of Home or Apartment | Avg. Cost (per day) |
| Airbnb 1-Bedroom Unit | $25 |
| Hostel 1-Bedroom Unit | $15 |
| 1-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | $20 |
| 3-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | $35 |
| 5-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | $70 |
| Airbnb 3-Bedroom Unit | $50 |
| Hostel 3-Bedroom Unit | $30 |
| 1-Star Hotel 3-Bedroom Unit | $35 |
| 3-Star Hotel 3-Bedroom Unit | $60 |
| 5-Star Hotel 3-Bedroom Unit | $130 |
| Airbnb Single-Family House | $60 |
| 4-5 Star Hotel Penthouse | $150 |
| Other Fees | |
| Utilities (full stay) | $5-$20 |
| Administrative Fees (full stay) | $10-$40 |
Additionally, all these establishments will charge additional fees for room utilities, administration, tips, cleaning, security, etc., but these will typically be around $1-$5 per day, or in most cases, $30 for the entire stay.
Different Incomes and the Cost of Accommodation
Below, you can see the average spending that native Bolivians have when traveling as tourists within Bolivia. As a typical tourist from a developed country, you should compare yourself *to an upper-middle-class Bolivian*:
| Lower-Class Bolivian (1 person) | Middle-Class Bolivian (1 person) | Upper-Middle-Class Bolivian (1 person) | |
| Avg. Accommodation Expenses / Day | $8 | $13 | $30 |
| Avg. Accommodation Expenses / 7-Day Trip | $50 | $120 | $250 |
When Bolivians travel within the country, they typically tend to stay in inexpensive hotels or one- to two-star hotels. Furthermore, *many take advantage of relatives living in other cities* to secure accommodation with them, thus avoiding any lodging expenses.
By “inexpensive hostels,” we mean hostels or hotels that cost around $7 to $15 per night. Lower- or middle-class Bolivians consider these inexpensive places relatively safe. *However, for foreigners, it’s a different story*; these places pose significant safety risks, offer poor services, and their owners often inflate prices.
On the other hand, upper-middle-class Bolivians typically stay in at least two- to four-star hotels available within the country, or in some cases, they use Airbnb (*Airbnb is not widely used in Bolivia by natives; it’s primarily used by foreigners*).
They have sufficient income to ensure comfort and a positive travel experience. Savvy international tourists also opt for at least two-star hotels or Airbnb in Bolivia, as they know they’ll receive a reasonable level of service. With four-star hotels or higher, they can expect the same service standards as in developed countries.
Foreigners and the Cost of Accommodation
When visiting Bolivia, you’ll notice that hostel and hotel owners *often attempt to charge you more than Bolivians*, simply because you’re from overseas.
This situation is difficult to avoid completely. Hostel and hotel owners tend to overprice their services for foreigners. However, the degree of overpricing can vary depending on the type of service you’re seeking, as shown in the table below:
| Type of Accommodation Expense | % of Overpricing for Tourists from Developed Countries |
| Airbnb 1-Bedroom Unit | 0% |
| Hostel 1-Bedroom Unit | 50% |
| 1-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | 30% |
| 3-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | 20% |
| 5-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | 10% |
| Utilities | 100% |
| Administrative Fees | 200% |
As you can see, because Airbnb is a reputable and reliable international company, it’s unable to inflate prices beyond those displayed on its app. In contrast, *hostels significantly overprice their services for foreigners* (by 50% or more), and the cheaper the hostel, the more likely it is to be overpriced for international tourists.
Hotels also tend to charge slightly higher prices to individuals from other countries, particularly tourists from developed nations. However, the more stars the hotel has, the less overpricing you’re likely to encounter. In general, hotels will overprice their services to foreigners by 10% to 30%.
What is generally subject to significant overpricing (between 100% and 200% more) are additional fees, such as cleaning fees, administrative fees, room utilities, etc. For example, if a Bolivian is charged around $20 for other accommodation fees, this could increase to $50 for a person from a developed country.
Comparing the Cost of Accommodation in Bolivia Versus Other Countries
As you can see, Bolivia generally has significantly lower accommodation prices compared to developed countries. For instance, compared to the US, they cost, on average, only 25% of the price in that country. The situation is similar for the UK and Canada, averaging 30% to 40% of the hosting prices in those countries.
Even though these services are considerably cheaper, you’ll receive nearly the same comfort and functionality as in developed countries *if you rent at least an Airbnb unit or stay in a three-star hotel or higher in our country*.
| Accommodation Expense / Day | Bolivia | USA | Canada | UK | India |
| Avg. Airbnb 1-Bedroom Unit | $25 | $94 | $60 | $70 | $15 |
| Avg. Airbnb Single-Family House | $60 | $233 | $90 | $110 | $25 |
| Hostel 1-Bedroom Unit | $15 | $35 | $35 | $30 | $8 |
| 3-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | $35 | $140 | $50 | $40 | $25 |
| 5-Star Hotel 1-Bedroom Unit | $70 | $400 | $270 | $250 | $100 |
India is a different story. In this country, almost all costs, including accommodation, are significantly less expensive than in Bolivia, *specifically, around 59% less costly*.
As we mentioned before, you can find even lower prices if you stay in a hostel or a one- or two-star hotel, *but we strongly advise against staying in those places*. You’ll put your safety at risk (with potential hidden thieves and robbers), and you’ll likely encounter overpriced and poor-quality services.
Conclusions:
In this guide on accommodation costs in Bolivia, you’ve seen that there are six primary methods for securing lodging, for both short and long-term stays. Three of these methods are considered safe and reliable, while three are risky and carry the potential for scams. The safe options are through bank foreclosures, ReMax, Century 21, and the most reputable local realtors. The risky methods involve newspapers and online directories, Facebook Marketplace, and physically searching for properties.
You now know that a one-bedroom Airbnb unit will cost around $25 per day. A typical hostel and one-star hotel will charge about $15 per day. Three-star hotels will charge around $35 per day, and five-star hotels at least $70 per day.
You’ve also learned that staying in hostels and one- or two-star hotels in Bolivia is very unsafe and risky, particularly for foreigners. You should always opt for at least three-star hotels or any type of Airbnb rental to avoid potential threats to your safety and overpriced, low-quality accommodation services.
Finally, you’ve realized that people in Bolivia tend to save money by staying with relatives in places they commonly visit. They are also very likely to stay in cheap hostels and one-star hotels, but for foreigners, these places are dangerous. Additionally, Bolivians do not commonly use Airbnb.
We hope this information has been helpful. If you’d like to know more about the cost of living in Bolivia, including expenses related to food, travel, clothing, etc., please visit our dedicated guide: The cost of living in Bolivia: All you need to know.
CasasenBolivia.com, information on living, working, investing, and traveling in Bolivia.
