Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Este and Altos

For one person, living is cheaper in Altos: $247 a month against $799 in Ciudad del Este, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ciudad del Este
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Ciudad del Este Living Index

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Ciudad del Este

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$799

/mo nomad

Altos

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$247

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ciudad del Este and in Altos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $799 in Ciudad del Este versus $247 in Altos.

Ciudad del Este $799
Altos $247

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Ciudad del Este versus $370 in Altos.

Ciudad del Este $1,500
Altos $370

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Ciudad del Este versus $494 in Altos.

Ciudad del Este $2,201
Altos $494

Living in Ciudad del Este is roughly 223% more expensive than in Altos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ciudad del Este 41% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 ₲34.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.70 ₲129.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₲33.4K

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₲13.1K

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

$0.99 ₲5,638

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₲3,492

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₲5,838

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,914

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 ₲6,405

$0.51 ₲2,928

121.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ₲8,812

$0.92 ₲5,249

68.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,206

$0.98 ₲5,598

29.59%

Eggs

$2.21 ₲12.6K

$1.87 ₲10.7K

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 ₲52.0K

$6.10 ₲34.7K

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₲22.1K

$3.51 ₲20.0K

10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 ₲47.5K

$5.36 ₲30.5K

55.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₲11.7K

$2.35 ₲13.3K

-12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,249

$1.28 ₲7,273

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₲5,596

$1.38 ₲7,835

-28.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,231

$1.78 ₲10.1K

-28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₲5,284

$1.15 ₲6,518

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ₲5,368

$1.41 ₲7,999

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₲2,797

$1.17 ₲6,634

-58.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₲2,399

$0.82 ₲4,659

-48.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₲7,814

$0.93 ₲5,309

47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 ₲30.7K

$7.84 ₲44.6K

-31.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₲4,286

$0.72 ₲4,069

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,881

$0.76 ₲4,334

128.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₲5,160

$0.39 ₲2,202

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.20 ₲69.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₲8,801

$1.66 ₲9,419

-6.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₲8,923

$0.68 ₲3,861

130.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 ₲59.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₲6,955

$1.18 ₲6,686

3.39%

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

$17.5K ₲99.2M

$19.3K ₲110.0M

-9.76%

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

$17.3K ₲98.2M

$24.0K ₲136.2M

-27.88%

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

$51.9 ₲295.2K

$34.64 ₲197.0K

49.86%

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

$17.90 ₲101.8K

$8.19 ₲46.6K

118.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 ₲107.9K

$14.10 ₲80.1K

34.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.72 ₲169.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.30 ₲81.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 ₲35.3K

$3.44 ₲19.5K

80.23%

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

$185 ₲1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,909 ₲10.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ₲364.6K

$25.19 ₲143.2K

154.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 ₲192.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 ₲566.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₲323.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₲2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₲1.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₲4.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 ₲5.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₲10.9M

$1,520 ₲8.6M

26.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 ₲8.1M

$999 ₲5.7M

42.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₲3.5M

$499 ₲2.8M

22.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

1.50%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Este: October 12, 2026

Last update for Altos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ciudad del Este

$261 32.7%

Altos

–

Groceries & Markets

Ciudad del Este

$171 21.4%

Altos

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ciudad del Este

$115 14.3%

Altos

–

Eating Out

Ciudad del Este

$109 13.6%

Altos

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ciudad del Este

$89 11.1%

Altos

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ciudad del Este

$42 5.3%

Altos

–

Getting Around

Ciudad del Este

$13 * 1.6%

Altos

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Ciudad del Este pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know

🇵🇾 Ciudad del Este

🇵🇾 Altos

🕒 Local time

14:18 2:18 PM

Same time as Ciudad del Este

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

320,782

4,763

💱 Currency

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ciudad del Este Altos 270 km

From you

Ciudad del Este
Altos

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

Ciudad del Este vs Altos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 223% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Ciudad del Este, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Ciudad del Este. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $799 per month in Ciudad del Este versus $247 in Altos – a 223% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Altos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Altos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ciudad del Este, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ciudad del Este and Altos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 223% less than in Ciudad del Este. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.