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: $766 in Encarnacion versus $389 in Luque.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,044 in Encarnacion versus $905 in Luque.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,322 in Encarnacion versus $1,421 in Luque.

Living in Encarnacion is roughly 97% more expensive than Luque, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Encarnacion 43% lower, Luque 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 ₲20.1K

$3.20 ₲19.5K

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 ₲175.3K

$22.28 ₲135.8K

29.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₲28.5K

$3.75 ₲22.8K

24.80%

Cappuccino

$1.03 ₲6,257

$1.10 ₲6,683

-6.36%

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

$1.51 ₲9,221

$0.83 ₲5,087

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,083

$0.50 ₲3,032

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₲13.2K

$1.15 ₲6,992

87.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₲12.8K

$1.55 ₲9,457

36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 ₲5,306

$0.89 ₲5,448

-2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₲2,871

$1.01 ₲6,136

-53.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₲4,946

$0.97 ₲5,887

-16.49%

Eggs

$1.65 ₲10.1K

$1.63 ₲9,954

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 ₲32.8K

$6.70 ₲40.9K

-19.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ₲20.4K

$3.13 ₲19.1K

7.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.57 ₲34.0K

$6.53 ₲39.8K

-14.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₲13.1K

$2.04 ₲12.5K

4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₲5,013

$0.78 ₲4,740

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 ₲5,239

$0.87 ₲5,322

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 ₲10.5K

$0.96 ₲5,842

79.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₲5,264

$1.08 ₲6,566

-20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ₲5,411

$0.68 ₲4,122

30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₲3,369

$0.55 ₲3,374

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₲3,338

$0.52 ₲3,180

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ₲9,002

$1.39 ₲8,484

6.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 ₲32.7K

$8.47 ₲51.6K

-36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₲4,897

$0.72 ₲4,384

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₲8,985

$1.39 ₲8,458

5.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₲2,826

$0.48 ₲2,899

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 ₲213.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ₲7,756

$0.60 ₲3,677

111.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₲4,023

$0.73 ₲4,457

-9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ₲40.8K

$9.05 ₲55.2K

-25.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₲6,215

$0.86 ₲5,267

18.60%

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

$14.2K ₲86.7M

$14.5K ₲88.2M

-1.74%

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

$25.8K ₲157.3M

$23.6K ₲144.1M

9.18%

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

$44.78 ₲272.9K

$18.90 ₲115.2K

136.93%

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

$13.91 ₲84.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.95 ₲103.3K

$15.18 ₲92.5K

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₲165.8K

$30.02 ₲183.0K

-9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 ₲78.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₲35.8K

$4.99 ₲30.4K

17.84%

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

$195 ₲1.2M

$164 ₲999.0K

19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,258 ₲19.9M

$3,245 ₲19.8M

0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ₲342.5K

$48.28 ₲294.2K

16.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 ₲169.5K

$31.48 ₲191.9K

-11.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 ₲407.4K

$71.3 ₲434.6K

-6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 ₲425.6K

$52.6 ₲320.5K

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₲2.4M

$310 ₲1.9M

26.60%

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

$471 ₲2.9M

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,498 ₲9.1M

$1,173 ₲7.1M

27.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 ₲6.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 ₲1.9M

$470 ₲2.9M

-34.76%

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 Luque: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Encarnacion and $310 in Luque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luque pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Encarnacion vs $22.00 in Luque. Groceries flip the comparison at $131 vs $144, with Encarnacion cheaper for home cooking.

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 97% in total monthly costs ($766 vs $389 including rent). Luque is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Luque earns 53% less. 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: $392 in Encarnacion versus $310 in Luque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Encarnacion pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $766 per month in Encarnacion versus $389 in Luque – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Luque 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 Luque gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Encarnacion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.