Moving to Bolivia from Portugal

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Portugal to Bolivia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Portugal to Bolivia, you would find that Bolivia is 64.1% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €67,000 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly BOB297,000 in Bolivia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua and Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Portugal to Bolivia.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → BOB297,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Bolivia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 72.8% less

Groceries

pay 52.0% less

Transportation

pay 59.3% less

Housing

pay 72.6% less

Childcare

pay 74.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 45.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 12.34 BOB (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Portugal to Bolivia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
195 ↑ 11% vs 2015

people born in Portugal live in Bolivia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bolivia?

Top countries of origin for Bolivia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Portugal and Bolivia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

PT
0.7
BO
4.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PT
7.2
BO
17.6

Portugal performs better than Bolivia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PT
$4,928
BO
$756
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PT
58.5
BO
12.8

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bolivia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PT
10.0
BO
54.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PT
3.3t
BO
2.3t

Portugal generally does better on environment, though Bolivia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PT
45.2
BO
12.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PT
12.3%
BO
0.2%

Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Bolivia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PT
6.2%
BO
3.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$32,082
BO
$5,148

Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Bolivia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

PT
82.4 yrs
BO
68.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PT
2.7
BO
14.2

Portugal generally does better on family life, though Bolivia leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), Autoridad de Impugnación Tributaria (AIT), Bolivia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal and Bolivia. To live, work, or study long-term in Bolivia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Bolivia's immigration authority.

Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Bolivia

Visa Free
Portugal passport holders can enter Bolivia without a visa.
Bolivia passport

Bolivia passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Required
Bolivia passport holders need a visa to enter Portugal.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Bolivia than Portugal?

Generally yes: Bolivia runs about 64% cheaper than Portugal on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Bolivia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around BOB74,250 in Bolivia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Bolivia?

With 12.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bolivia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Portugal and Bolivia.

Is Bolivia safe for expats?

Portugal performs better than Bolivia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bolivia is 4.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Portugal.

How is healthcare in Bolivia compared to Portugal?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bolivia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bolivia, compared to 58.5 in Portugal. Bolivia scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).

What language do they speak in Bolivia?

The official languages in Bolivia are Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua and Spanish. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

PT BO
Population 10,804,871 12,581,843
Currency Euro (€) Bolivian Boliviano (BOB)
Languages Portuguese Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +591
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 110