🇵🇾 Paraguay · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Asunción? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, Villa Morra or Las MercedesPYG 3,500,000–6,500,000 / month
One-bed flat, Sajonia, Barrio Jara or the microcentroPYG 1,800,000–3,200,000 / month
Almuerzo — the set lunch at an ordinary restaurantPYG 30,000–55,000
Coffee at a Carmelitas caféPYG 18,000–28,000
Metropolitan bus fare, one ridePYG 3,100 — a transbordo within 120 minutes is free or half-price depending on the operator
Groceries for one, Stock or SuperseisPYG 1,400,000–2,200,000 / month
Electricity (ANDE), water and internetPYG 450,000–900,000 / month, far higher through a January of air conditioning
Est. monthly spend for one person, excl. rentPYG 3,000,000–4,500,000
Good to know
Population
462,241 in the city at the 2022 census; the surrounding Central department adds another 1,883,927, so metropolitan Asunción is roughly 2.3 million — a third of Paraguay
Languages
Spanish and Guaraní, both official. Most people speak jopara, a fluid mix of the two; the 2002 census found Guaraní was the usual household language for 59% of the country
Currency
Paraguayan guaraní (PYG), around 5,949 to the US dollar in August 2026. Government fees are set in daily minimum wages, not guaraníes, so they reprice every July
Time zone
GMT−4 in winter, GMT−3 in summer — Paraguay is one of the few South American countries that still observes daylight saving, so the gap to Europe and North America shifts twice a year
Power plug
220 V at 50 Hz, europlug type C — the same standard as continental Europe, and one of the few places in the Americas where a European charger simply works
Climate
Humid subtropical. Brutal summers past 38 °C with high humidity off the river, mild winters that rarely need more than a jacket, rain spread through the year
Driving side
Right. The licence is issued by your municipality, not the state, and you may legally hold only one Paraguayan municipal licence at a time
Minimum wage
Gs 3,044,000 a month for unspecified activities since 1 July 2026 — about USD 512, and the number every official fee in the country is indexed to
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Asunción checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Asunción
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.