Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Encarnacion Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Encarnacion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Asuncion vs $766 in Encarnacion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Asuncion vs $1,044 in Encarnacion, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,596 per month in Asuncion vs $1,322 in Encarnacion, rent included.

Asuncion costs about 1% more than Encarnacion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Asuncion and Encarnacion are more affordable than the global median – Asuncion 42% lower, Encarnacion 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 ₲26.1K

$3.31 ₲20.1K

29.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 ₲161.7K

$28.76 ₲175.3K

-7.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ₲28.7K

$4.68 ₲28.5K

0.64%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ₲11.5K

$1.03 ₲6,257

82.52%

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

$0.82 ₲5,012

$1.51 ₲9,222

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₲3,004

$0.51 ₲3,083

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₲8,664

$2.16 ₲13.2K

-34.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₲11.7K

$2.11 ₲12.9K

-9.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ₲5,135

$0.87 ₲5,307

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₲6,094

$0.47 ₲2,872

112.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₲6,056

$0.81 ₲4,946

22.22%

Eggs

$1.58 ₲9,607

$1.65 ₲10.1K

-4.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 ₲41.5K

$5.38 ₲32.8K

26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ₲19.1K

$3.35 ₲20.4K

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ₲41.2K

$5.57 ₲34.0K

21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₲12.0K

$2.14 ₲13.1K

-7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₲4,392

$0.82 ₲5,014

-12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₲5,673

$0.86 ₲5,239

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₲10.0K

$1.72 ₲10.5K

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ₲6,463

$0.86 ₲5,264

23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₲6,856

$0.89 ₲5,411

26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₲3,357

$0.55 ₲3,369

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₲3,396

$0.55 ₲3,338

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₲8,263

$1.48 ₲9,003

-8.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 ₲51.0K

$5.37 ₲32.7K

55.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,402

$0.80 ₲4,897

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₲8,515

$1.47 ₲8,985

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₲2,691

$0.46 ₲2,827

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.15 ₲153.3K

$35.10 ₲213.9K

-28.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₲3,665

$1.27 ₲7,757

-52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₲4,751

$0.66 ₲4,024

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ₲52.5K

$6.70 ₲40.8K

28.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₲5,331

$1.02 ₲6,215

-14.71%

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

$14.7K ₲89.6M

$14.2K ₲86.7M

3.36%

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

$24.0K ₲146.4M

$25.8K ₲157.3M

-6.94%

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

$43.01 ₲262.1K

$44.78 ₲272.9K

-3.95%

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

$13.65 ₲83.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 ₲90.9K

$16.95 ₲103.3K

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.62 ₲168.3K

$27.20 ₲165.8K

1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₲70.6K

$12.87 ₲78.4K

-9.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₲30.1K

$5.88 ₲35.8K

-15.99%

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

$163 ₲990.4K

$195 ₲1.2M

-16.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,228 ₲19.7M

$3,258 ₲19.9M

-0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.74 ₲303.2K

$56.2 ₲342.6K

-11.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 ₲190.7K

$27.81 ₲169.5K

12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₲437.0K

$66.9 ₲407.4K

7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₲318.6K

$69.8 ₲425.6K

-25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₲2.4M

$392 ₲2.4M

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₲1.8M

$307 ₲1.9M

-4.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ₲4.4M

$385 ₲2.3M

88.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₲2.9M

$277 ₲1.7M

71.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 ₲10.3M

$1,498 ₲9.1M

12.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,220 ₲7.4M

$1,090 ₲6.6M

11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 ₲3.9M

$307 ₲1.9M

110.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

9.5

7.05%

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

Last update for Asuncion: May 31, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Asuncion versus $392 in Encarnacion. 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 111% higher in Asuncion, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Asuncion versus $29.00 in Encarnacion. Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Asuncion vs $131 in Encarnacion – so Encarnacion wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Asuncion is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,159 per month in Asuncion and $1,149 in Encarnacion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Encarnacion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Asuncion and $195 in Encarnacion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $773 in Asuncion and $766 in Encarnacion, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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