Cost of Living Comparison Between Encarnacion and Luque Cost of Living Comparison Between Encarnacion and Luque

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $827 in Encarnacion versus $994 in Luque.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,261 in Encarnacion versus $1,503 in Luque.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,695 in Encarnacion versus $2,012 in Luque.

Living in Encarnacion costs roughly 17% less than in Luque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Encarnacion 40% lower, Luque 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 ₲25.1K

$4.13 ₲24.4K

2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.27 ₲196.4K

$33.65 ₲198.6K

-1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 ₲39.8K

$5.07 ₲29.9K

33.14%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₲14.8K

$3.27 ₲19.3K

-23.55%

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

$1.43 ₲8,415

$1.10 ₲6,474

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₲3,068

$0.62 ₲3,673

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ₲5,282

$2.00 ₲11.8K

-55.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₲11.8K

$1.92 ₲11.3K

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₲6,498

$1.22 ₲7,200

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₲4,930

$1.49 ₲8,784

-43.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 ₲10.4K

$1.28 ₲7,571

36.72%

Eggs

$1.57 ₲9,282

$2.00 ₲11.8K

-21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 ₲30.6K

$9.45 ₲55.8K

-45.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ₲18.8K

$5.23 ₲30.9K

-39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.51 ₲32.5K

$9.67 ₲57.1K

-43.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₲12.2K

$2.90 ₲17.1K

-28.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₲4,523

$1.26 ₲7,452

-38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₲5,407

$1.18 ₲6,971

-22.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ₲10.1K

$2.38 ₲14.0K

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ₲5,197

$1.30 ₲7,699

-32.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ₲5,359

$1.26 ₲7,429

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₲3,455

$0.86 ₲5,070

-31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,032

$0.73 ₲4,301

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 ₲9,551

$2.31 ₲13.7K

-29.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 ₲31.9K

$8.85 ₲52.2K

-38.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₲4,941

$1.29 ₲7,641

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₲8,996

$1.65 ₲9,752

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₲2,717

$0.66 ₲3,886

-30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 ₲206.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₲7,706

$1.46 ₲8,641

-10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₲3,846

$1.54 ₲9,070

-57.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 ₲39.1K

$10.27 ₲60.6K

-35.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₲6,675

$1.15 ₲6,759

-1.74%

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

$14.2K ₲83.6M

$16.8K ₲99.4M

-15.90%

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

$25.8K ₲152.5M

$34.6K ₲204.1M

-25.27%

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

$43.31 ₲255.7K

$25.59 ₲151.1K

69.25%

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

$13.22 ₲78.0K

$17.02 ₲100.5K

-22.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.17 ₲107.3K

$20.08 ₲118.6K

-9.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.53 ₲180.2K

$42.76 ₲252.4K

-28.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.89 ₲76.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ₲34.8K

$8.35 ₲49.3K

-29.34%

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

$196 ₲1.2M

$181 ₲1.1M

8.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ₲19.1M

$4,812 ₲28.4M

-32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₲332.4K

$62.2 ₲367.4K

-9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 ₲162.9K

$56.0 ₲330.7K

-50.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 ₲398.3K

$106 ₲623.5K

-36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.4 ₲397.7K

$68.9 ₲406.9K

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₲2.9M

$425 ₲2.5M

14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ₲1.9M

$422 ₲2.5M

-24.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 ₲3.9M

$1,490 ₲8.8M

-55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₲3.1M

$646 ₲3.8M

-19.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,586 ₲9.4M

$1,194 ₲7.0M

32.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 ₲8.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$368 ₲2.2M

$473 ₲2.8M

-22.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

10.15

-6.40%

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

Last update for Encarnacion: September 7, 2026

Last update for Luque: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Encarnacion and $425 in Luque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luque pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Encarnacion vs $34.00 in Luque for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $208 per month, with Encarnacion cheaper across the board.

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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Encarnacion and Luque differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($827 vs $994 including rent). Encarnacion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Luque. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $486 in Encarnacion versus $425 in Luque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Luque. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $827 per month in Encarnacion versus $994 in Luque – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Encarnacion gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Encarnacion and Luque 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 Encarnacion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Luque. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.