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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in Luque versus $766 in Encarnacion.

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

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

Living in Luque costs roughly 49% less than in Encarnacion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.20 ₲19.5K

$3.31 ₲20.1K

-3.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.28 ₲135.8K

$28.76 ₲175.3K

-22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 ₲22.8K

$4.68 ₲28.5K

-19.87%

Cappuccino

$1.10 ₲6,683

$1.03 ₲6,257

6.80%

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

$0.83 ₲5,087

$1.51 ₲9,221

-45.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₲3,032

$0.51 ₲3,083

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₲6,992

$2.16 ₲13.2K

-46.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₲9,457

$2.11 ₲12.8K

-26.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 ₲5,448

$0.87 ₲5,306

2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₲6,136

$0.47 ₲2,871

114.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₲5,887

$0.81 ₲4,946

19.75%

Eggs

$1.63 ₲9,954

$1.65 ₲10.1K

-1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 ₲40.9K

$5.38 ₲32.8K

24.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ₲19.1K

$3.35 ₲20.4K

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ₲39.8K

$5.57 ₲34.0K

17.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ₲12.5K

$2.14 ₲13.1K

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₲4,740

$0.82 ₲5,013

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ₲5,322

$0.86 ₲5,239

1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 ₲5,842

$1.72 ₲10.5K

-44.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₲6,566

$0.86 ₲5,264

25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₲4,122

$0.89 ₲5,411

-23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₲3,374

$0.55 ₲3,369

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₲3,180

$0.55 ₲3,338

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.39 ₲8,484

$1.48 ₲9,002

-6.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 ₲51.6K

$5.37 ₲32.7K

57.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,384

$0.80 ₲4,897

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₲8,458

$1.47 ₲8,985

-5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₲2,899

$0.46 ₲2,826

4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 ₲213.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₲3,677

$1.27 ₲7,756

-52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₲4,457

$0.66 ₲4,023

10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.05 ₲55.2K

$6.70 ₲40.8K

35.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₲5,267

$1.02 ₲6,215

-15.69%

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

$14.5K ₲88.2M

$14.2K ₲86.7M

1.77%

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

$23.6K ₲144.1M

$25.8K ₲157.3M

-8.41%

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

$18.90 ₲115.2K

$44.78 ₲272.9K

-57.79%

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

$13.91 ₲84.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.18 ₲92.5K

$16.95 ₲103.3K

-10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.02 ₲183.0K

$27.20 ₲165.8K

10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 ₲78.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 ₲30.4K

$5.88 ₲35.8K

-15.14%

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

$164 ₲999.0K

$195 ₲1.2M

-15.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,245 ₲19.8M

$3,258 ₲19.9M

-0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.28 ₲294.2K

$56.2 ₲342.5K

-14.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.48 ₲191.9K

$27.81 ₲169.5K

13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ₲434.6K

$66.9 ₲407.4K

6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 ₲320.5K

$69.8 ₲425.6K

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₲1.9M

$392 ₲2.4M

-21.01%

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)

$471 ₲2.9M

$277 ₲1.7M

69.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 ₲7.1M

$1,498 ₲9.1M

-21.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 ₲6.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 ₲2.9M

$307 ₲1.9M

53.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

9.5

7.05%

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

Last update for Luque: June 2, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Luque and $392 in Encarnacion. 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: $22.00 in Luque vs $29.00 in Encarnacion. Groceries flip the comparison at $144 vs $131, 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

Luque vs Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Luque pays 53% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $310 in Luque versus $392 in Encarnacion. 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 $389 per month in Luque versus $766 in Encarnacion – 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, Luque and Encarnacion 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.