Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Montego Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,075 a month against $1,169 in Montego Bay, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Montego Bay despite lower rent and utilities.

52

Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
Learn more

Asuncion Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Montego Bay
Learn more

Montego Bay Living Index

Jump to prices

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,075

/mo nomad

Montego Bay

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Asuncion and in Montego Bay

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

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Asuncion vs $1,169 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Asuncion $1,075
Montego Bay $1,169

A couple spends around $1,684 per month in Asuncion vs $2,141 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Asuncion $1,684
Montego Bay $2,141

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Asuncion vs $3,113 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Asuncion $2,292
Montego Bay $3,113

Asuncion is about 8% cheaper than Montego Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Asuncion and Montego Bay are more affordable than the global median – Asuncion 20% lower, Montego Bay 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 ₲40.6K

$11.14 JMD 1,760

-35.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.57 ₲247.8K

$74.1 JMD 11.7K

-41.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 ₲40.4K

$8.35 JMD 1,319

-14.97%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ₲20.0K

$5.22 JMD 825

-32.76%

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

$1.05 ₲5,980

$0.94 JMD 149

11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₲3,289

$0.70 JMD 110

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ₲10.8K

$2.17 JMD 343

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,906

$3.06 JMD 484

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₲7,321

$3.30 JMD 522

-60.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ₲8,514

$2.61 JMD 413

-42.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ₲7,922

$1.38 JMD 217

0.72%

Eggs

$2.48 ₲14.1K

$3.48 JMD 550

-28.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 ₲55.4K

$11.24 JMD 1,775

-13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₲29.5K

$6.13 JMD 968

-15.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 ₲57.2K

$9.05 JMD 1,430

11.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₲17.0K

$4.03 JMD 637

-25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ₲7,493

$2.53 JMD 400

-47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 ₲6,742

$7.28 JMD 1,151

-83.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 ₲14.1K

$2.45 JMD 388

0.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ₲7,984

$2.44 JMD 386

-42.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₲7,562

$2.66 JMD 420

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₲5,243

$2.55 JMD 403

-63.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₲4,372

$0.77 JMD 121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₲13.8K

$9.16 JMD 1,447

-73.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ₲51.6K

$11.14 JMD 1,760

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₲8,064

$2.80 JMD 442

-49.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₲10.2K

$4.05 JMD 640

-55.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ₲3,315

$0.96 JMD 152

-39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.92 ₲215.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₲8,735

$0.93 JMD 147

65.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ₲9,204

$3.17 JMD 501

-48.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.44 ₲59.4K

$6.25 JMD 988

67.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₲7,320

$1.35 JMD 214

-4.44%

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

$17.5K ₲99.5M

$44.2K JMD 7.0M

-60.36%

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

$35.0K ₲199.2M

$32.6K JMD 5.2M

7.35%

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

$51.5 ₲293.0K

$170 JMD 26.8K

-69.60%

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

$17.68 ₲100.5K

$22.58 JMD 3,567

-21.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 ₲127.1K

$47.32 JMD 7,477

-52.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 ₲208.1K

$44.55 JMD 7,038

-17.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 ₲87.2K

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ₲50.6K

$8.65 JMD 1,367

2.77%

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

$190 ₲1.1M

$355 JMD 56.0K

-46.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,930 ₲33.7M

$8,218 JMD 1.3M

-27.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 ₲368.0K

$23.50 JMD 3,713

175.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 ₲329.4K

$30.80 JMD 4,866

88.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ₲610.0K

$67.9 JMD 10.7K

57.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ₲416.8K

$102 JMD 16.1K

-28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₲3.7M

$318 JMD 50.2K

103.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₲2.2M

$222 JMD 35.1K

73.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 ₲6.0M

$934 JMD 147.6K

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ₲3.7M

$934 JMD 147.6K

-30.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,715 ₲9.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 ₲6.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ₲4.2M

$595 JMD 94.0K

25.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

9.45

11.11%

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

Last update for Asuncion: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Asuncion

$385 35.9%

Montego Bay

$222 19% 42.3% $163

Groceries & Markets

Asuncion

$217 20.2%

Montego Bay

$323 27.7% 48.8% $106

Eating Out

Asuncion

$140 13%

Montego Bay

$200 17.1% 43% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Asuncion

$136 12.7%

Montego Bay

$101 8.6% 26% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Asuncion

$92 8.5%

Montego Bay

$239 20.5% 162% $148

Sport & Entertainment

Asuncion

$54 5.1%

Montego Bay

$62 5.3% 13.7% $7.5

Getting Around

Asuncion

$50 4.6%

Montego Bay

$21 * 1.8% 58.6% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $645 in Asuncion versus $318 in Montego Bay. 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 26% 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 $44.00 in Asuncion versus $74.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $323 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🇯🇲 Montego Bay

🕒 Local time

06:12 6:12 AM

04:12 4:12 AM

2 h behind Asuncion

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

742,023 Capital

110,115

💱 Currency

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

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).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

USD to PYG in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Asuncion Montego Bay 5,340 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Asuncion
Montego Bay

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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montego Bay is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,613 per month in Asuncion and $1,753 in Montego Bay. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,075 in Asuncion and $1,169 in Montego Bay. That's a gap of about 9%.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Asuncion and $355 in Montego Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Montego Bay at $1,169. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay 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, Montego Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.