Poverty and living standards in Santa Cruz, Bolivia: official figures
INE's unmet basic needs index (NBI) classed 10.4% of the population of Santa Cruz municipality as poor in 2024 (161,452 of 1,551,843 people), 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for poverty on this measure; the national figure was 29.8%.
Has poverty fallen in Santa Cruz?
The share of people in Santa Cruz municipality with unmet basic needs was 21.1% at the 2012 census and 10.4% in 2024, a change of -10.7 percentage points; Bolivia moved from 44.9% to 29.8%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in Santa Cruz have their basic needs met?
In 2024, 45.9% of people in Santa Cruz municipality had all basic needs met and 43.7% were at the threshold; 10.1% were in moderate poverty, 0.3% in indigence and 0.0% in marginality.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in Santa Cruz live in poor housing?
Housing material was inadequate for 5.2% of people in Santa Cruz municipality in 2024 and living space insufficient for 70.9%; the national shares were 21.2% and 64.2%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in Santa Cruz lack water and sanitation?
Water and sanitation were inadequate for 8.2% of people in Santa Cruz municipality in 2024, against 21.5% in 2012 and 28.8% nationally; energy supplies were inadequate for 0.9% (Bolivia 17.9%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many people in Santa Cruz lack education or health care?
In 2024, 18.5% of people in Santa Cruz municipality fell short on the education component of the NBI index (it was 26.5% in 2012) and 13.1% on health care, against 31.0% and 16.1% for Bolivia.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow Santa Cruz compares with other cities in Bolivia
Population with unmet basic needs (NBI), 2024 (2024)
Santa Cruz ranks 9 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with unmet basic needs (NBI), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | El Alto | 16.9% |
| 5 | Potosí | 16.8% |
| 6 | Sucre | 16.2% |
| 7 | Tarija | 13.3% |
| 8 | Oruro | 12.3% |
| 9 | Santa Cruz | 10.4% |
| 10 | La Paz | 7.2% |
Change in the NBI poverty share, 2012 to 2024 (percentage points) (2012-2024)
Santa Cruz ranks 4 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in the NBI poverty share, 2012 to 2024 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Paz | -7.1 pts |
| 2 | Potosí | -8.5 pts |
| 3 | Tarija | -9.4 pts |
| 4 | Santa Cruz | -10.7 pts |
| 5 | Sucre | -10.8 pts |
| 6 | Cochabamba | -11.6 pts |
| 7 | Oruro | -12.6 pts |
Population with all basic needs met, 2024 (2024)
Santa Cruz ranks 4 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with all basic needs met, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Paz | 60.7% |
| 2 | Oruro | 46.8% |
| 3 | Sucre | 46.0% |
| 4 | Santa Cruz | 45.9% |
| 5 | Cochabamba | 45.8% |
| 6 | Potosí | 43.3% |
| 7 | Tarija | 42.8% |
Population with inadequate water and sanitation (NBI component), 2024 (2024)
Santa Cruz ranks 8 of 10, highest first.
| Rank | City | Population with inadequate water and sanitation (NBI component), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Oruro | 14.0% |
| 5 | Sucre | 13.9% |
| 6 | Tarija | 13.7% |
| 7 | Yacuiba | 13.1% |
| 8 | Santa Cruz | 8.2% |
| 9 | El Alto | 7.9% |
| 10 | La Paz | 4.8% |
More on Santa Cruz: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Bolivia
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Necesidades básicas insatisfechas, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01b9098442d8…)
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