Just Landed in Bolivia? Your First 7 Days

Prepaid mobile data is cheap and widely used, but coverage thins fast outside cities and is genuinely slow in rural highland and Amazon areas. Entel, the state operator, has the broadest reach; Tigo and Viva compete hard on urban 4G. Home fibre is available in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz through Tigo, Entel and Cotel, but installation can take days to a couple of weeks and often needs a local contract.

Typical cost: Prepaid SIM around Bs. 10-20; a monthly data bundle of several GB roughly Bs. 50-100; home fibre from about Bs. 250-400 per month depending on speed.

Bolivia runs on cash. Cards work in supermarkets, malls and mid-range hotels, but markets, taxis, small restaurants and most tradespeople are cash-only. QR payments through local bank apps are now common everywhere, even at market stalls, and are the fastest-growing way locals pay each other. Note that US dollars can be hard to source at the official rate, and a parallel exchange market has emerged, so ask locals about current realities before changing large sums.

Opening an account: Opening an account as a foreigner usually requires a carnet de extranjería (foreigner ID) plus proof of a Bolivian address; a tourist stamp alone is rarely enough. Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz, Banco Nacional de Bolivia and Banco de Crédito (BCP) are the mainstream options, and Banco Unión is the state bank. Expect the process to take a branch visit or two with original documents and photocopies.

Cash: Carry small denominations and coins. Vendors frequently claim to have no change for large notes, so break Bs. 100 and 200 notes at supermarkets, banks or fuel stations whenever you can. Keep a stash of Bs. 10 and 20 notes for taxis, minibuses and markets.

Tipping: Tipping is modest and not obligatory. Rounding up or leaving around 10% in sit-down restaurants is appreciated; taxi drivers are not tipped and market prices are usually fixed for staples but negotiable on crafts.

There is no general local address-registration system for arrivals — you do not report your address to a town hall as in parts of Europe. What matters instead is your immigration status: the entry stamp grants a set number of days (commonly up to 90 for many nationalities, sometimes split across the year), and if you intend to stay long-term you must pursue temporary residency and a foreigner ID (carnet de extranjería) through Migración. Overstaying your stamp incurs a per-day fine paid on exit. Short-stay visitors have nothing to register beyond respecting the days granted.

Where: Dirección General de Migración (DIGEMIG) offices in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and other departmental capitals.

Cities run on cheap minibuses, shared micros and trufis (fixed-route shared taxis), plus the striking Mi Teleférico cable-car network that links La Paz with El Alto across several colour-coded lines. Street taxis are plentiful but unmetered, so agree the fare before getting in, and prefer radio taxis or app rides after dark. Intercity travel is mostly by long-distance bus (flota) from the terminal terrestre; domestic flights on BoA (Boliviana de Aviación) save days across the country.

From the airport: From El Alto (La Paz), an official airport taxi to the centre or Zona Sur costs roughly Bs. 70-120, or a cheaper Cotranstur minibus runs down to the city. From Viru Viru (Santa Cruz), an official taxi to the centre is around Bs. 80-150, with shared airport minibuses (micros) a budget alternative. Booking through InDrive is often cheaper, but always confirm the driver's plate before getting in.

Most rentals are found through Facebook groups, word of mouth, InfoCasas and local agents rather than one dominant portal; furnished flats cluster in La Paz's Zona Sur, central Cochabamba and Sucre, and Santa Cruz's Equipetrol and inner anillos. Contracts and dealings are usually in Spanish and often informal, sometimes without a written lease for smaller places. Viewing in person and paying month to month at first is wise until you know an area.

Typical rent: A modest one-bedroom flat runs roughly Bs. 1,500-3,000 per month outside prime areas, rising to Bs. 3,000-4,500 or more for furnished expat-oriented apartments in Zona Sur or Equipetrol.

Deposit norm: One to two months' rent as a deposit (garantía), commonly paid in cash, plus the first month upfront; longer unfurnished leases may ask for a guarantor (garante).

Public hospitals are cheap but under-resourced and often crowded; expats and better-off locals rely on private clinics, which are affordable by Western standards but concentrated in La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. Well-regarded private options include Clínica Los Olivos and Clínica Foianini in Santa Cruz and various clinics in La Paz's Zona Sur. Serious, specialist or high-altitude-complicated care may mean travelling to Santa Cruz or abroad.

How to access it: Private clinics and pharmacies take walk-ins and are paid out of pocket, usually in cash or by card at larger facilities. Pharmacies (farmacias) are widespread, often open late on a rota (farmacia de turno), and dispense many medicines without a prescription. Keep receipts if you want to claim on insurance.

Insurance: There is no automatic public cover for newcomers, so carry comprehensive private or international health insurance that includes emergency evacuation. Evacuation cover matters more here than in most places given the altitude, the distances and the limited specialist capacity outside the main cities.

• Greet with a handshake or, among acquaintances, a single cheek kiss; use señor/señora and usted until you are invited to be informal.
• Learn at least basic Spanish — English is rarely spoken outside tourism and international business, and the effort is warmly received.
• Respect the strong presence of Aymara and Quechua culture; always ask before photographing people, especially women in traditional dress (cholitas), at markets or festivals.
• Punctuality is relaxed socially, so expect gatherings to start late (hora boliviana), but be on time for official and business appointments.
• Accept food and drink when offered — refusing outright can seem rude — and expect generosity even from people with little.
• Dress modestly and warmly in the highlands; in conservative rural areas revealing clothing draws attention.
• When invited to someone's home, a small gift such as pastries, fruit or a bottle for the table is appreciated.

• Political demonstrations, road blockades (bloqueos) and strikes (paros) are frequent and can shut down highways and whole cities for days with little notice.
• Altitude affects judgement, sleep and stamina in the first week; do not attempt long hikes or heavy drinking until you have adjusted.
• Avoid wading into coca politics, regional tensions or comparisons with neighbouring countries with strangers until you understand local sensitivities.
• Be cautious with tap water — stick to bottled or filtered water and be wary of ice and raw salads outside trusted places, especially early on.
• Never buy or handle anything resembling drugs; penalties are severe and 'helpful' strangers who involve you can be part of a setup.