Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Bocas del Toro

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,049 a month against $1,469 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bocas del Toro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
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Asuncion Living Index

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Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,049

/mo nomad

Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,469

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Asuncion and in Bocas del Toro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Asuncion and in Bocas del Toro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,049 per month in Asuncion vs $1,469 in Bocas del Toro, rent included.

Asuncion $1,049
Bocas del Toro $1,469

A couple spends around $1,635 per month in Asuncion vs $2,087 in Bocas del Toro, rent included.

Asuncion $1,635
Bocas del Toro $2,087

A family of three spends $2,221 per month in Asuncion vs $2,706 in Bocas del Toro, rent included.

Asuncion $2,221
Bocas del Toro $2,706

Asuncion is about 29% cheaper than Bocas del Toro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Asuncion sits 22% below the global median, while Bocas del Toro is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 ₲37.8K

$9.59 PAB 9.59

-30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.46 ₲246.7K

$50.4 PAB 50.4

-13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₲37.6K

$10.18 PAB 10.18

-34.87%

Cappuccino

$3.44 ₲19.5K

$3.95 PAB 3.95

-12.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₲6,047

$1.70 PAB 1.70

-37.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₲3,299

$1.60 PAB 1.60

-63.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 ₲10.5K

$2.02 PAB 2.02

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₲9,643

$3.89 PAB 3.89

-56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₲7,087

$1.96 PAB 1.96

-36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₲8,448

$3.80 PAB 3.80

-60.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ₲7,645

Eggs

$2.32 ₲13.2K

$2.66 PAB 2.66

-12.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 ₲55.9K

$17.11 PAB 17.11

-42.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 ₲29.5K

$8.66 PAB 8.66

-39.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 ₲56.3K

$8.35 PAB 8.35

18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₲17.0K

$9.73 PAB 9.73

-69.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ₲6,961

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ₲6,866

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ₲13.9K

$5.03 PAB 5.03

-51.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ₲7,405

$3.41 PAB 3.41

-61.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ₲7,583

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ₲4,746

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₲3,926

$1.59 PAB 1.59

-56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 ₲12.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 ₲51.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₲7,537

$2.78 PAB 2.78

-52.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₲9,516

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₲3,213

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 ₲215.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ₲8,222

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₲8,936

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 ₲57.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₲6,842

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$16.9K ₲96.1M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.3K ₲200.5M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.1 ₲284.3K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.94 ₲96.2K

$39.46 PAB 39.46

-57.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.75 ₲123.5K

$35.14 PAB 35.14

-38.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.50 ₲207.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ₲84.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 ₲48.8K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$184 ₲1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,873 ₲33.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ₲354.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₲314.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₲592.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₲392.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 ₲3.5M

$749 PAB 749

-17.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₲2.1M

$901 PAB 901

-58.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 ₲6.0M

$1,213 PAB 1,213

-13.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₲3.5M

$1,220 PAB 1,220

-48.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 ₲9.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 ₲7.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$723 ₲4.1M

$709 PAB 709

1.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Asuncion: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Asuncion

$373 35.8%

Bocas del Toro

–

Groceries & Markets

Asuncion

$213 20.4%

Bocas del Toro

–

Eating Out

Asuncion

$134 12.8%

Bocas del Toro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Asuncion

$131 12.6%

Bocas del Toro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Asuncion

$89 8.5%

Bocas del Toro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Asuncion

$54 5.2%

Bocas del Toro

–

Getting Around

Asuncion

$50 4.8%

Bocas del Toro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $620 in Asuncion versus $749 in Bocas del Toro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Asuncion, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Asuncion versus $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $319 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🕒 Local time

08:42 8:42 AM

06:42 6:42 AM

2 h behind Asuncion

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

742,023 Capital

159,228

💱 Currency

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,676 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,361 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PYG in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Asuncion Bocas del Toro 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Asuncion
Bocas del Toro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Asuncion vs Bocas del Toro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bocas del Toro is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,574 per month in Asuncion and $2,203 in Bocas del Toro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asuncion, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Bocas del Toro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Asuncion and $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Bocas del Toro at $1,469. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bocas del Toro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asuncion – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Asuncion. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bocas del Toro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.