Bolivia on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Bolivia is excellent for budget travel: hostels, set lunches and buses are among the cheapest in South America. A realistic minimum is about Bs 220 per person a day: Bs 70 for a bed, Bs 70 for food, Bs 50 for sights and Bs 30 for transport, with Uyuni tours on top.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | Bs70 | Bs220 | Bs600 |
| Food & drink | Bs70 | Bs150 | Bs300 |
| Sights & tickets | Bs50 | Bs150 | Bs350 |
| Local transport | Bs30 | Bs90 | Bs300 |
| Per person, per day | Bs220 | Bs610 | Bs1,550 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Bolivia day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Witches' Market (Mercado de las Brujas) and Calle Sagárnaga in La Paz.
- Plaza Murillo, the government square in La Paz, with the cathedral and parliament.
- The view from the Killi Killi viewpoint over La Paz and Illimani.
- Walk the lakeside and climb Cerro Calvario above Copacabana for sunset over Lake Titicaca (a small fee may be charged on the path).
- The white colonial centre of Sucre and its Plaza 25 de Mayo.
- The Uyuni train cemetery on the edge of town.
Cheap eats
- Salteñas for breakfast: about Bs 5–8 each.
- Set lunch (almuerzo) of soup, main and drink: about Bs 20–35.
- Set dinner near Calle Sagárnaga: Bs 25–40.
- Fresh trucha (lake trout) at the Copacabana beach stalls: Bs 35–50.
- Market juice and api with pastel at a market stall: about Bs 5–10.
Where to sleep for less
In La Paz, budget travellers stay in the Rosario and Sagárnaga area near the Witches' Market, with dorms roughly Bs 50–90 and guesthouse doubles Bs 120–250. Uyuni, Sucre and Copacabana all have cheap hostels and family guesthouses.
Getting around cheaply
Buses are the cheapest way to travel long distances (La Paz to Copacabana Bs 30–60, Uyuni to Potosí Bs 40–60). In La Paz, use Mi Teleférico at about Bs 3–5 a ride and minibuses. From El Alto airport, shared minibuses run to the centre for very little; a radio taxi costs more but is safer with luggage.
A sample budget day
- Morning: salteña breakfast (about Bs 10), then ride Mi Teleférico's Red and Yellow lines for the views (about Bs 10).
- Lunch: almuerzo at a market or local restaurant (about Bs 25).
- Afternoon: Calle Jaén's four museums on one ticket (about Bs 20) and the Witches' Market.
- Evening: set dinner near Sagárnaga (about Bs 30) and a dorm or guesthouse bed (about Bs 70).
- Total: about Bs 220 including the bed.
More ways to save
- Travel overland in a loop (La Paz, Copacabana, Uyuni, Potosí, Sucre) to avoid backtracking.
- Pick the 3-day Uyuni tour that ends in San Pedro de Atacama if you are going on to Chile, saving the return journey.
- Ask hostels which entry fees (Isla del Sol, Incahuasi, Eduardo Avaroa) are included in tour prices.
- Bring warm clothes from home; renting or buying sleeping bags for the Salar adds cost.
- Eat in the central markets of each city for the cheapest hot meals.
- Keep cash in bolivianos for entry fees and bathrooms on tours, where there are no ATMs.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you travel Bolivia on a budget?
Easily. Hostels, Bs 20–35 set lunches and cheap buses keep costs to about Bs 220 a day; budget extra for tours.
What is the cheapest way to travel between cities in Bolivia?
By bus. Tourist companies cost a little more but are safer and warmer at night than the cheapest operators.
Is it cheaper to book Uyuni tours in Uyuni or La Paz?
Usually in Uyuni, where you can compare agencies on the spot, though booking ahead is wise in July and August.