Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuenca: $990 a month against $1,049 in Asuncion, rent and utilities included – about $710 less a year. The total is higher in Asuncion despite lower rent and utilities.

48

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
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Cuenca Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
Learn more

Asuncion Living Index

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Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$990

/mo nomad

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,049

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cuenca and in Asuncion

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

A single person spends $990 per month in Cuenca vs $1,049 in Asuncion, rent included.

Cuenca $990
Asuncion $1,049

A couple spends around $1,480 per month in Cuenca vs $1,635 in Asuncion, rent included.

Cuenca $1,480
Asuncion $1,635

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Cuenca vs $2,221 in Asuncion, rent included.

Cuenca $1,969
Asuncion $2,221

Cuenca is about 6% cheaper than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cuenca and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Cuenca 26% lower, Asuncion 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 $3.48

$6.66 ₲37.8K

-47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.45 $29.45

$43.46 ₲246.7K

-32.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.63 ₲37.6K

18.40%

Cappuccino

$2.67 $2.67

$3.44 ₲19.5K

-22.38%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$1.07 ₲6,047

-27.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.58 ₲3,299

22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.85 ₲10.5K

9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.70 ₲9,643

92.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.25 ₲7,087

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.49 ₲8,448

42.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.35 ₲7,645

38.52%

Eggs

$2.19 $2.19

$2.32 ₲13.2K

-5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 $6.87

$9.85 ₲55.9K

-30.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$5.20 ₲29.5K

17.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 $7.26

$9.91 ₲56.3K

-26.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.99 ₲17.0K

-31.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.23 ₲6,961

-14.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.21 ₲6,866

12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.45 ₲13.9K

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.30 ₲7,405

13.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.34 ₲7,583

-20.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.84 ₲4,746

-5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.69 ₲3,926

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.24 ₲12.7K

140.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 $10.08

$9.02 ₲51.2K

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.33 ₲7,537

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.68 ₲9,516

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.57 ₲3,213

-35.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.70 $15.70

$38.02 ₲215.8K

-58.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.45 ₲8,222

-6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.57 ₲8,936

-31.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.85 $10.85

$10.04 ₲57.0K

8.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.21 ₲6,842

-27.27%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$16.9K ₲96.1M

49.77%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$35.3K ₲200.5M

-18.55%

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

$39.66 $39.66

$50.1 ₲284.3K

-20.81%

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

$13.65 $13.65

$16.94 ₲96.2K

-19.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.80 $26.80

$21.75 ₲123.5K

23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.54 $29.54

$36.50 ₲207.2K

-19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.18 $5.18

$14.89 ₲84.5K

-65.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 $7.24

$8.59 ₲48.8K

-15.72%

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

$229 $229

$184 ₲1.0M

24.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,919 $6,919

$5,873 ₲33.3M

17.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 $66.0

$62.4 ₲354.4K

5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.74 $46.74

$55.4 ₲314.2K

-15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$104 ₲592.2K

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 $73.0

$69.2 ₲392.6K

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 $544

$620 ₲3.5M

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 $386

$373 ₲2.1M

3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 $716

$1,050 ₲6.0M

-31.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 $610

$624 ₲3.5M

-2.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 $1,222

$1,716 ₲9.7M

-28.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$835 $835

$1,242 ₲7.0M

-32.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 $562

$723 ₲4.1M

-22.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

10.15

9.95%

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

Last update for Cuenca: October 3, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cuenca

$386 39.2%

Asuncion

$373 35.8% 3.4% $13

Groceries & Markets

Cuenca

$206 20.9%

Asuncion

$213 20.4% 3.1% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Cuenca

$139 14.1%

Asuncion

$131 12.6% 5.8% $8.1

Eating Out

Cuenca

$106 10.8%

Asuncion

$134 12.8% 26% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cuenca

$80 8.1%

Asuncion

$89 8.5% 10.8% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Cuenca

$44 4.5%

Asuncion

$54 5.2% 22% $9.7

Getting Around

Cuenca

$24 2.4%

Asuncion

$50 4.8% 107% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $544 in Cuenca versus $620 in Asuncion. 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 29% 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 $29.00 in Cuenca versus $43.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $213 – making Cuenca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🕒 Local time

00:22 12:22 AM

02:22 2:22 AM

2 h ahead of Cuenca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

495,776

742,023 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,676 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,366 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

PYG to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cuenca Asuncion 3,380 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Cuenca
Asuncion

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

Cuenca vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Asuncion is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,486 per month in Cuenca and $1,574 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 142% less in Cuenca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Cuenca and $184 in Asuncion. 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 Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $990, than in Asuncion at $1,049. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asuncion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cuenca – 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 Cuenca. 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.