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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Encarnacion vs $391 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,044 per month in Encarnacion vs $758 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,322 per month in Encarnacion vs $1,125 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Encarnacion costs about 96% more than Ciudad del Este, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Encarnacion and Ciudad del Este are more affordable than the global median – Encarnacion 43% lower, Ciudad del Este 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 ₲20.1K

$2.44 ₲14.8K

35.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 ₲175.3K

$15.15 ₲92.3K

89.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₲28.5K

$4.13 ₲25.1K

13.32%

Cappuccino

$1.03 ₲6,257

$1.63 ₲9,932

-36.81%

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

$1.51 ₲9,221

$0.83 ₲5,052

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,083

$0.49 ₲2,999

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₲13.2K

$1.23 ₲7,483

75.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₲12.8K

$1.89 ₲11.5K

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 ₲5,306

$0.72 ₲4,406

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₲2,871

$0.96 ₲5,824

-51.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₲4,946

$0.94 ₲5,710

-13.83%

Eggs

$1.65 ₲10.1K

$1.60 ₲9,737

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 ₲32.8K

$6.32 ₲38.5K

-14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ₲20.4K

$2.79 ₲17.0K

20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.57 ₲34.0K

$5.46 ₲33.3K

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₲13.1K

$1.54 ₲9,383

38.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₲5,013

$0.78 ₲4,754

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 ₲5,239

$0.90 ₲5,459

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 ₲10.5K

$1.00 ₲6,084

72.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₲5,264

$0.57 ₲3,475

50.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ₲5,411

$0.70 ₲4,267

27.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₲3,369

$0.40 ₲2,427

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₲3,338

$0.30 ₲1,803

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ₲9,002

$1.03 ₲6,257

43.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 ₲32.7K

$5.00 ₲30.5K

7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₲4,897

$0.58 ₲3,511

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₲8,985

$1.39 ₲8,463

5.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₲2,826

$0.62 ₲3,770

-25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 ₲213.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ₲7,756

$0.66 ₲4,027

92.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₲4,023

$0.77 ₲4,716

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ₲40.8K

$8.93 ₲54.4K

-24.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₲6,215

$0.83 ₲5,028

22.89%

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

$14.2K ₲86.7M

$14.4K ₲87.9M

-1.39%

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

$25.8K ₲157.3M

$23.6K ₲144.0M

9.21%

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

$44.78 ₲272.9K

$41.68 ₲254.0K

7.44%

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

$13.91 ₲84.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.95 ₲103.3K

$13.19 ₲80.4K

28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₲165.8K

$18.73 ₲114.1K

45.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 ₲78.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₲35.8K

$4.00 ₲24.4K

47.00%

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

$195 ₲1.2M

$167 ₲1.0M

17.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,258 ₲19.9M

$1,369 ₲8.3M

138.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ₲342.5K

$48.91 ₲298.0K

14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 ₲169.5K

$31.65 ₲192.9K

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 ₲407.4K

$72.2 ₲439.9K

-7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 ₲425.6K

$52.1 ₲317.5K

34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₲2.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₲1.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₲2.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₲1.7M

$300 ₲1.8M

-7.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,498 ₲9.1M

$1,786 ₲10.9M

-16.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 ₲6.6M

$1,330 ₲8.1M

-18.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 ₲1.9M

$635 ₲3.9M

-51.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

10.17

-6.59%

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

Last update for Encarnacion: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Este: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 107% 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 $29.00 in Encarnacion versus $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $131 vs $121 – making Ciudad del Este the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Encarnacion is pricier by about 96%, 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 $1,149 per month in Encarnacion and $586 in Ciudad del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Encarnacion and $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Encarnacion, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $766 in Encarnacion and $391 in Ciudad del Este, 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.