Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Loja

For one person, living is cheaper in Loja: $676 a month against $1,075 in Asuncion, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Asuncion
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$1,075
/mo nomad
Loja
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$676
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Asuncion and in Loja

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 Loja actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Asuncion vs $676 in Loja, rent included.

  • Asuncion $1,075
  • Loja $676

A couple spends around $1,684 per month in Asuncion vs $1,067 in Loja, rent included.

  • Asuncion $1,684
  • Loja $1,067

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Asuncion vs $1,459 in Loja, rent included.

  • Asuncion $2,292
  • Loja $1,459

Asuncion costs about 59% more than Loja, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Asuncion and Loja are more affordable than the global median – Asuncion 20% lower, Loja 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.15 ₲40.6K
$3.08 $3.08
132.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.57 ₲247.8K
$20.71 $20.71
110.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.10 ₲40.4K
$5.44 $5.44
30.51%
Cappuccino
$3.51 ₲20.0K
$2.22 $2.22
58.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₲5,980
$0.77 $0.77
36.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₲3,289
$0.45 $0.45
28.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.89 ₲10.8K
$1.22 $1.22
54.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₲9,906
$3.17 $3.17
-45.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 ₲7,321
$0.99 $0.99
30.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 ₲8,514
$1.51 $1.51
-0.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ₲7,922
$1.32 $1.32
5.30%
Eggs
$2.48 ₲14.1K
$1.92 $1.92
29.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.74 ₲55.4K
$5.79 $5.79
68.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.19 ₲29.5K
$4.15 $4.15
25.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.07 ₲57.2K
$5.96 $5.96
68.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 ₲17.0K
$1.69 $1.69
76.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 ₲7,493
$1.05 $1.05
25.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.19 ₲6,742
$1.18 $1.18
0.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 ₲14.1K
$1.07 $1.07
130.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 ₲7,984
$1.06 $1.06
32.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ₲7,562
$1.07 $1.07
24.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 ₲5,243
$0.51 $0.51
80.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₲4,372
$1.13 $1.13
-31.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43 ₲13.8K
$5.23 $5.23
-53.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.08 ₲51.6K
$6.86 $6.86
32.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 ₲8,064
$1.52 $1.52
-6.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₲10.2K
$3.05 $3.05
-41.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.58 ₲3,315
$0.31 $0.31
87.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.92 ₲215.6K
$30.33 $30.33
25.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₲8,735
$1.27 $1.27
21.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 ₲9,204
$1.09 $1.09
48.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.44 ₲59.4K
$9.88 $9.88
5.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 ₲7,320
$0.78 $0.78
65.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5K ₲99.5M
$14.8K $14.8K
18.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ₲199.2M
$28.7K $28.7K
22.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$51.5 ₲293.0K
$19.65 $19.65
162.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.68 ₲100.5K
$11.63 $11.63
52.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.35 ₲127.1K
$26.57 $26.57
-15.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.60 ₲208.1K
$30.27 $30.27
20.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.33 ₲87.2K
$14.88 $14.88
3.02%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 ₲50.6K
$7.46 $7.46
19.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$190 ₲1.1M
$183 $183
3.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,930 ₲33.7M
$2,017 $2,017
194.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.7 ₲368.0K
$52.8 $52.8
22.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.9 ₲329.4K
$47.03 $47.03
23.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 ₲610.0K
$79.1 $79.1
35.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.3 ₲416.8K
$71.2 $71.2
3.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 ₲3.7M
$237 $237
172.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 ₲2.2M
$170 $170
126.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 ₲6.0M
$389 $389
172.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 ₲3.7M
$310 $310
110.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,715 ₲9.8M
$554 $554
209.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,205 ₲6.9M
$323 $323
272.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Asuncion
Loja
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$747 ₲4.2M
$496 $496
50.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.5
8.5
23.53%

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

Last update for Asuncion: October 11, 2026

Last update for Loja: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Asuncion
$385
Loja
$170 55.9% $215
Groceries & Markets
Asuncion
$217
Loja
$167 23% $50
Eating Out
Asuncion
$140
Loja
$85 39.4% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Asuncion
$136
Loja
$113 17.5% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Asuncion
$92
Loja
$58 36.8% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Asuncion
$54
Loja
$45 16.9% $9.2
Getting Around
Asuncion
$50
Loja
$38 23.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $645 in Asuncion versus $237 in Loja. 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 50% 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 $44.00 in Asuncion versus $21.00 in Loja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $167 – making Loja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇾 Asuncion
🇪🇨 Loja
🕒 Local time
02:20 2:20 AM
00:20 12:20 AM
2 h behind Asuncion
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
742,023 Capital
180,617
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Asuncion Loja 3,300 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Asuncion
  • Loja

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 Loja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Loja cheaper than Asuncion?
Yes – Asuncion is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,613 per month in Asuncion and $1,014 in Loja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Loja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 25% less in Loja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Asuncion and $183 in Loja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Asuncion or in Loja?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Loja, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Asuncion at $1,075. In Loja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asuncion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Asuncion or Loja more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Loja – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Asuncion or Loja?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Loja. 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.

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