La Paz on $20/Day: The Full Budget Breakdown

I just spent 5 days in La Paz, Bolivia for $100 total.

That's $20/day including accommodation, food, transportation, activities, and everything else. Not a typo. Not cherry-picked. This is genuinely one of the cheapest cities on the planet.

Here's the full breakdown and how you can do the same.

Daily Budget Breakdown

The Breakdown

ACCOMMODATION: $6-8/night

La Paz hostels are INSANELY cheap. I stayed at Anata Hostel (8.8 rating on Hostelworld) for CA$8.29/night — that's about $6 USD in a clean, social dorm with WiFi and a good vibe. Other solid options:

• Raven La Paz (9.6 rating) — $9.54/night, includes breakfast
• Yati Hostal (9.6 rating) — $8.29/night, garden and bar
• The Adventure Brew Hostel (8.0 rating) — $11.41/night, most improved hostel 2026
• El Carretero Hostel (6.7 rating) — $8.37/night, budget option

Honestly, you can find dorms for $6-10 easily. Some places even lower if you book direct.

FOOD: $8-10/day

This is where La Paz gets STUPID cheap. Street food is elite and costs basically nothing.

What I ate:

• Breakfast: Salteña (meat pastry) + coffee = $1
• Lunch: Almuerzo (set menu with rice, beans, protein, soup) = $2-3
• Dinner: Street food (chorizo sandwich, fried pastries, empanadas) = $2-3
• Snacks: Juice, fruit, coca tea = $1

Total daily food: $6-8 if you're eating street and local. You could go higher if you hit restaurants, but why would you? The street food is better AND cheaper.

Pro tip: The Mercado Rodriguez market is where locals eat. Every stall is $1-3 for a full meal. Zero tourist markup.

TRANSPORTATION: $2-3/day

La Paz's cable car system is modern and cheap. A single ride costs about 30 cents. A day pass is like $1.50.

For getting around the city:

• Cable cars (Teleférico): $0.30-0.50 per ride
• Minibuses (colectivos): $0.20-0.40 per ride
• Taxis: $1-2 for most trips (but use cable cars instead, it's cheaper and cooler)

I spent maybe $1.50/day on transport just using the cable cars and walking. The city is vertical and wild.

ACTIVITIES: $2-4/day

Free stuff in La Paz:

• Walking the city (it's insane — colorful buildings everywhere)
• Plaza Murillo (main square)
• Exploring El Centro
• Witches' Market (free to walk, pay if you buy herbs)
• Cable car rides ($0.30) ARE the activity

Paid stuff (if you want):

• Ethnography Museum: $3-4
• Museum of Musical Instruments: $3-4
• Free walking tour: $5-10 tip (worth it for orientation)
• Death Road bike tour: $40-60 (half-day, adrenaline rush)

I did a free walking tour (tipped $5) and spent a day just riding cable cars and exploring. Total activities: $5 for 5 days.

Full Trip Cost (5 Days)

That's a full international trip from New York for under $500. Flights are the expensive part — the city itself costs basically nothing.

What Was Great

• The cable cars: Modern, clean, cheap, and you get insane city views. This alone is worth the trip.
• Street food culture: The food is genuinely great AND it's $1-2 per meal. This doesn't happen in many places.
• The people: Locals are friendly and patient with tourists. The hostel scene is solid.
• The vibe: Colorful, chaotic, alive. Not a resort destination — a real city.
• The altitude is wild: You're at 13,600 feet. The air is thin but the views are insane.

What Sucked

• Altitude sickness is REAL: I had a headache the first day. Drink water, move slow, don't sprint up hills. It passes.
• The city is STEEP: La Paz is built in a canyon. Walking up hills is brutal. Use the cable cars instead.
• Some neighborhoods are sketchy at night: Stay in El Centro or Sopocachi. Don't wander into random side streets after dark. This is basic travel safety, not unique to La Paz.
• Weather is unpredictable: It can be sunny and then rain in 10 minutes. Bring a light jacket.

Would I Go Back?

100% yes. La Paz is genuinely one of the best budget destinations I've been to. The city has character, the food is fire, and you can live like a king on $20/day. The altitude sucks for the first 24 hours, but it passes. If you're looking for a cheap international trip that isn't another beach destination, La Paz is the move.

How to Book This Trip

Step 1: Find the Flight

Go to Google Flights and search JFK to La Paz (LPB). Watch for deals in the $250-350 range. I found mine for $280 RT on a Tuesday evening. Set price alerts and be ready to book fast.

Pro tip: Fly into El Alto International Airport (about 30 minutes from the city). Budget airlines like LATAM and Avianca run this route.

Step 2: Book Accommodation

Go to Hostelworld, search La Paz, filter for 8.0+ rating, sort by price. Pick anything under $10/night. I recommend Anata Hostel or Raven La Paz — both are central, clean, and social.

Book direct on the hostel website if possible — many give 10-15% discounts.

Step 3: Get a SIM Card

At the airport or any phone shop in the city. Tigo and Entel are the main providers. $2-5 gets you data for a week. Don't pay international roaming.

Step 4: Get to the City

From El Alto airport, take a minibus (colectivo) to the city center for about $1. Or splurge on a taxi for $10-15 if you want direct. The minibus is fine — everyone takes it.

Step 5: Explore

Get oriented with a free walking tour (tip $5). Then just walk, eat street food, and ride the cable cars. You can't really mess this up.

The Bottom Line

La Paz is the answer to "I want to travel but I'm broke." This is a real international trip on a real budget. Flights are the main cost — the city is basically free. If you can save $300 for a flight, you can do this trip.

Your DoorDash habit probably costs more than a week in La Paz. Just saying.

Have you been to La Paz? What was your daily spend? Drop it in the comments — I want to see the numbers.