🇵🇾 Paraguay · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Ciudad del Este? 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, Km 4 to Km 8 along the Ruta InternacionalPYG 1,800,000–3,200,000 / month
One-bed flat, Área 1 and the streets behind the microcentroPYG 1,200,000–2,200,000 / month
Almuerzo — the set lunch at a comedor near the marketPYG 25,000–45,000
Coffee at a Km 7 caféPYG 15,000–25,000
City bus fare, one ridePYG 3,100
Groceries for one, Superseis or a Brazilian-side runPYG 1,200,000–2,000,000 / month
Electricity (ANDE), water and internetPYG 450,000–950,000 / month, higher through a summer of air conditioning
Est. monthly spend for one person, excl. rentPYG 2,600,000–4,000,000
Good to know
Population
325,819 at the 2022 census — Paraguay's second-largest city — inside an Alto Paraná department of 763,702, with a median age of 28
Languages
Spanish and Guaraní are both official, and Portuguese is everyday commercial currency here. The 2002 census put Portuguese as the usual household language in 2.9% of Paraguayan homes and 5% of rural ones
Currency
Paraguayan guaraní (PYG), around 5,949 to the US dollar in August 2026 — but Brazilian reais and US dollars circulate freely in the commercial district
Time zone
GMT−4 in winter, GMT−3 in summer. Brazil abolished daylight saving and Paraguay did not, so the one-hour gap to Foz do Iguaçu appears and disappears across the bridge twice a year
Power plug
220 V at 50 Hz, europlug type C — note that Brazil across the bridge uses a different plug and often 127 V, so appliances bought there may not simply work here
Climate
Humid subtropical, hotter and wetter than Asunción — long fierce summers past 38 °C, mild winters, and heavy convective rain year-round
Immigration office
Migraciones runs a full Oficina de Admisión de Extranjeros in the city, on Avda. Rogelio Benítez casi 4 de Mayo, weekdays 07:00–14:30 — you file your residence here, not in Asunción
Minimum wage
Gs 3,044,000 a month nationally since 1 July 2026 — about USD 512, and the figure every government fee in Paraguay 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Some of this may be out of date.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 Ciudad del Este checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Ciudad del Este
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.