Bolivia · Visit or make it home

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Santa Cruz de la Sierra is a city in Bolivia. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra — Santa Cruz de la Sierra 3

Get to know Santa Cruz de la Sierra

A sense of the place

Santa Cruz de la Sierra , commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz department. Situated on the Pirai River in the eastern Tropical Lowlands of Bolivia, the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Metropolitan Region is the most populous urban agglomeration in Bolivia with an estimated population of 2.4 million in 2020. It is formed out of a conurbation of seven Santa Cruz municipalities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Guardia, Warnes, Cotoca, El Torno, Porongo, and Montero. The city was first founded in 1561 by Spanish explorer Ñuflo de Chavez about 200 km east of its current location, and was moved several times until it was finally established on the Pirai River in the late 16th century. For much of its history, Santa Cruz was mostly a small outpost town, and even after Bolivia gained its independence in 1825 there was little attention from the authorities or the population in general to settle the region.

Weather through the year

When to visit Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Temperature

October has the warmest monthly average (27.2°C); July is coolest (20.8°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

January averages about 169 mm of rain, compared with 38 mm in July. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

May, June, July combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in January, February, March, September, October, November, December. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C26.225.525.424.321.620.820.822.925.527.227.126.6
Rain, mm16915011592857038404884112136

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

What is the average rent in Santa Cruz de la Sierra?

A verified average rent for Santa Cruz de la Sierra is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

What is the average salary in Santa Cruz de la Sierra?

461.6 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Bolivia, not average salary in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Santa Cruz de la Sierra with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Santa Cruz de la Sierra in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Santa Cruz de la Sierra at a glance

Bolivia: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 9 national indicators

Other places to compare in Bolivia

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Education system (national). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Santa Cruz de la Sierra with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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