What it actually costs to live in Paraguay. Per city, per family size, in US dollars.

Quick answer

The 30-second version.

• Single person, one-bedroom in mid-tier Asunción neighborhood US$ 900–1,100
• Couple, two-bedroom in Las Mercedes/Recoleta US$ 1,400–1,800
• Family of 4, three-bedroom + one international school US$ 3,500–5,500
• Single, frugal in Encarnación or Villarrica US$ 600–800

Bigger ranges = more lifestyle drift. Cooking at home and using Bolt drops the upper figure 25–30%. Eating out daily and Uber-equivalent rides push it past the upper figure.

Rent

Rent by city + neighborhood.

Listings are in PYG; landlords will quote in USD for foreign-rented furnished places. 1 USD ≈ 7,250 PYG (May 2026).

Long-term unfurnished leases ask for 1–2 months deposit + a guarantor (garante). Without a local guarantor, foreigners typically pay 6 months upfront. Furnished short-term is 30–50% more but gets around the guarantor problem.

Groceries

Weekly basket.

Prices in USD for two people, mid-tier supermarket (Stock, Real, Casa Rica). Open-air markets (Mercado 4) cut produce 30–50%.

• 1 kg chicken breast US$ 3.80
• 1 kg ground beef US$ 4.50
• 1 kg rice US$ 1.20
• 1 kg tomatoes US$ 1.80
• 1 kg potatoes US$ 1.10
• Dozen eggs US$ 2.00
• 1 L milk US$ 1.10
• Loaf of bread US$ 1.50
• 1 kg apples (imported) US$ 2.80
• Bottle of decent wine US$ 6–12

Imported brands (Italian pasta, French cheese) often cost 2–3× US prices because of small import volumes. Local equivalents are usually fine.

Utilities + internet

Monthly fixed costs.

Starlink is active in Paraguay since 2023 — US$ 100/month for the residential plan, faster + lower latency than fiber outside Asunción. ANDE summer bills shock new arrivals; budget high. Solar offsets ~70% with a 5 kWp array, payback ~7 years.

Getting around

Transport.

• Bolt / MUV ride across Asunción US$ 2.50–6
• Bus (Asunción Metro) US$ 0.45 fixed fare
• Used car (Toyota IST 2010 or similar) US$ 7,000–10,000
• Gasoline (1 L super 95) US$ 1.20
• Annual SOAT insurance (small car) US$ 25
• Annual full-coverage insurance US$ 350–600
• Asunción ↔ Ciudad del Este (Encarnador bus) US$ 12–18
• Domestic flight (ASU↔CDE, Latam/Paranair) US$ 60–120

A car is optional in Asunción (Bolt covers most needs) but useful for trips. Encarnación and CDE are easier with a car.

Help

Domestic help — the Paraguay-specific line item.

Affordable household help is unusually accessible. Most expat families have at least once-weekly cleaning; many have full-time staff. Wages are paid for the hour or per-month; live-in is rare for foreigners.

• Cleaner (4 hrs/week) US$ 60–90
• Cleaner full-time (8 hr/day, 6 days) US$ 280–380
• Nanny (full-time) US$ 320–450
• Cook part-time US$ 150–240
• Gardener (weekly) US$ 35–60
• Driver (full-time) US$ 380–550

Above mid-range market rates. Pay aguinaldo (13th month) by Dec 20 — legally required. Register with IPS if you employ them more than 16 hours/week. A patrona/patron who skips IPS is uncommon; word travels in domestic-help networks.

Schools

International school fees per year.

Tuition — full year, one child. Most schools charge a one-time enrollment fee (US$ 400–1,500) and books separately (US$ 200–500). Bilingual local schools cost 1/3 of these prices.

• American School of Asunción (ASA) US$ 9,800–12,400
• British School of Asunción (BSA) US$ 7,500–10,200
• Pan American International School US$ 6,800–9,500
• Colegio Alemán Concordia US$ 5,700–8,200
• Colegio Internacional US$ 5,400–7,800
• Bilingual local (Cristo Rey, Goethe) US$ 2,200–3,800

Paraguay's school year runs February–November. Most international schools follow IB or US/UK curricula. See the dedicated /schools/ guide for enrollment timing and curriculum trade-offs.

Healthcare

Out-of-pocket monthly.

• Asismed plan (private hospitalization, family of 3) US$ 90–140
• OSDE 210 (Argentina-anchored, full coverage) US$ 220–340
• Single GP visit (private clinic) US$ 25–45
• Specialist consult US$ 35–60
• Dental cleaning US$ 25–40
• Implant (full) US$ 1,135–1,650
• MRI scan US$ 180–280

Most expats keep IPS optional and pay out-of-pocket for routine; private insurance kicks in for hospitalization. See /healthcare/.

Lifestyle

Eating out + entertainment.

• Coffee at a cafe US$ 1.80–3.00
• Lunch — menu del día (set lunch) US$ 5–8
• Dinner — mid-tier restaurant for 2 US$ 30–55
• Dinner — top tier (Bolsi, Tierra Colorada) US$ 80–140
• Cinema ticket US$ 5–8
• Gym monthly (Smart Fit) US$ 25–35
• Yoga studio (10-class card) US$ 60–90
• Imported beer at a bar US$ 2.50–4

Asunción has a small but real fine-dining scene. Encarnación and CDE are quieter — you'll spend less because there's less to spend on.

vs the region

Same lifestyle, four cities.

Family of 4, two-bed apartment, one school, two cars, eating out twice a week.

Paraguay is meaningfully cheaper than every comparable South-American capital except interior Argentina (which is volatile). The gap to European capitals is roughly 30–40%.