Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $837 in Encarnacion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $1,283 in Encarnacion, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,102 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $1,730 in Encarnacion, rent included.

Ciudad del Este is about 3% cheaper than Encarnacion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion are more affordable than the global median – Ciudad del Este 41% lower, Encarnacion 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₲30.0K

$4.35 ₲25.6K

17.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.05 ₲118.0K

$33.73 ₲198.5K

-40.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₲36.3K

$6.58 ₲38.7K

-6.23%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₲12.9K

$2.46 ₲14.4K

-10.98%

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

$0.92 ₲5,397

$1.45 ₲8,506

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₲3,533

$0.52 ₲3,062

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₲6,082

$0.95 ₲5,609

8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₲11.3K

$1.97 ₲11.6K

-3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₲6,572

$1.07 ₲6,311

4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ₲8,337

$0.92 ₲5,398

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ₲7,048

$1.70 ₲10.0K

-29.41%

Eggs

$2.22 ₲13.1K

$1.60 ₲9,440

38.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₲52.6K

$5.24 ₲30.9K

70.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ₲21.4K

$3.33 ₲19.6K

9.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 ₲47.6K

$5.54 ₲32.6K

45.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₲11.6K

$2.15 ₲12.7K

-8.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,476

$0.79 ₲4,651

60.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₲5,414

$0.92 ₲5,431

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₲7,010

$1.67 ₲9,803

-28.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₲4,972

$0.90 ₲5,315

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ₲5,708

$0.86 ₲5,051

12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₲2,807

$0.60 ₲3,517

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₲2,408

$0.48 ₲2,800

-14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₲8,036

$1.61 ₲9,497

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ₲29.6K

$5.59 ₲32.9K

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₲4,533

$0.79 ₲4,678

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲10.2K

$1.52 ₲8,960

14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₲5,099

$0.50 ₲2,950

74.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.98 ₲205.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₲8,393

$1.32 ₲7,797

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 ₲8,867

$0.66 ₲3,902

128.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 ₲59.3K

$6.49 ₲38.2K

55.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₲6,531

$1.15 ₲6,760

-3.48%

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

$16.9K ₲99.5M

$14.1K ₲83.2M

19.60%

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

$33.7K ₲198.5M

$25.9K ₲152.4M

30.22%

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

$48.25 ₲283.9K

$42.80 ₲251.9K

12.73%

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

$17.03 ₲100.2K

$12.96 ₲76.3K

31.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.85 ₲105.0K

$18.38 ₲108.2K

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.30 ₲172.4K

$29.88 ₲175.9K

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.78 ₲81.1K

$13.07 ₲76.9K

5.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.91 ₲34.8K

$5.99 ₲35.2K

-1.34%

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

$184 ₲1.1M

$200 ₲1.2M

-7.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,852 ₲10.9M

$3,362 ₲19.8M

-44.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ₲370.3K

$56.9 ₲334.8K

10.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.22 ₲189.6K

$27.54 ₲162.1K

16.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 ₲553.0K

$67.8 ₲398.9K

38.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 ₲320.1K

$70.2 ₲412.9K

-22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ₲2.5M

$495 ₲2.9M

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₲1.8M

$325 ₲1.9M

-7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₲4.4M

$666 ₲3.9M

13.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 ₲5.4M

$517 ₲3.0M

76.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 ₲10.8M

$1,642 ₲9.7M

11.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 ₲8.1M

$1,362 ₲8.0M

1.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 ₲3.8M

$366 ₲2.2M

77.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

9.5

6.84%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Este: August 30, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Ciudad del Este versus $495 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 77% higher in Ciudad del Este, 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 $20.00 in Ciudad del Este versus $34.00 in Encarnacion. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Ciudad del Este vs $140 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

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

Yes – Encarnacion is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,222 per month in Ciudad del Este and $1,255 in Encarnacion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ciudad del Este and $34.00 in Encarnacion. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Encarnacion – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $815 in Ciudad del Este and $837 in Encarnacion, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – 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 Ciudad del Este. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Encarnacion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.