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: $994 in Luque versus $827 in Encarnacion.

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

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

Living in Luque is roughly 20% more expensive than in Encarnacion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 ₲24.4K

$4.25 ₲25.1K

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 ₲198.6K

$33.27 ₲196.4K

1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ₲29.9K

$6.75 ₲39.8K

-24.89%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ₲19.3K

$2.50 ₲14.8K

30.80%

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

$1.10 ₲6,474

$1.43 ₲8,415

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₲3,673

$0.52 ₲3,068

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ₲11.8K

$0.89 ₲5,282

124.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₲11.3K

$2.00 ₲11.8K

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₲7,200

$1.10 ₲6,498

10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ₲8,784

$0.84 ₲4,930

77.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ₲7,571

$1.75 ₲10.4K

-26.86%

Eggs

$2.00 ₲11.8K

$1.57 ₲9,282

27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ₲55.8K

$5.19 ₲30.6K

82.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 ₲30.9K

$3.19 ₲18.8K

63.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ₲57.1K

$5.51 ₲32.5K

75.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₲17.1K

$2.07 ₲12.2K

40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ₲7,452

$0.77 ₲4,523

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₲6,971

$0.92 ₲5,407

28.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 ₲14.0K

$1.70 ₲10.1K

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ₲7,699

$0.88 ₲5,197

47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ₲7,429

$0.91 ₲5,359

38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₲5,070

$0.59 ₲3,455

45.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₲4,301

$0.51 ₲3,032

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 ₲13.7K

$1.62 ₲9,551

42.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ₲52.2K

$5.41 ₲31.9K

63.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₲7,641

$0.84 ₲4,941

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₲9,752

$1.52 ₲8,996

8.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₲3,886

$0.46 ₲2,717

43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 ₲206.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ₲8,641

$1.31 ₲7,706

11.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₲9,070

$0.65 ₲3,846

136.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 ₲60.6K

$6.62 ₲39.1K

55.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₲6,759

$1.13 ₲6,675

1.77%

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

$16.8K ₲99.4M

$14.2K ₲83.6M

18.91%

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

$34.6K ₲204.1M

$25.8K ₲152.5M

33.81%

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

$25.59 ₲151.1K

$43.31 ₲255.7K

-40.91%

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

$17.02 ₲100.5K

$13.22 ₲78.0K

28.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.08 ₲118.6K

$18.17 ₲107.3K

10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 ₲252.4K

$30.53 ₲180.2K

40.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.89 ₲76.1K

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 ₲49.3K

$5.90 ₲34.8K

41.53%

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

$181 ₲1.1M

$196 ₲1.2M

-7.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,812 ₲28.4M

$3,242 ₲19.1M

48.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ₲367.4K

$56.3 ₲332.4K

10.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 ₲330.7K

$27.59 ₲162.9K

103.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ₲623.5K

$67.5 ₲398.3K

56.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 ₲406.9K

$67.4 ₲397.7K

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ₲2.5M

$486 ₲2.9M

-12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 ₲2.5M

$318 ₲1.9M

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ₲8.8M

$663 ₲3.9M

124.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₲3.8M

$518 ₲3.1M

24.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 ₲7.0M

$1,586 ₲9.4M

-24.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 ₲8.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ₲2.8M

$368 ₲2.2M

28.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

9.5

6.84%

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

Last update for Luque: September 6, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Luque and $486 in Encarnacion. 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: $34.00 in Luque vs $33.00 in Encarnacion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $139 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

Luque vs Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 28% higher in Luque, 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: $425 in Luque versus $486 in Encarnacion. 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 $994 per month in Luque versus $827 in Encarnacion – 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, 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 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.