Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,049 a month against $2,994 in Madison, WI, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
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Asuncion Living Index

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Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,994

/mo nomad

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,049

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madison, WI and in Asuncion

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madison, WI and in Asuncion actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,994 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,049 in Asuncion, rent included.

Madison, WI $2,994
Asuncion $1,049

A couple spends around $4,424 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,635 in Asuncion, rent included.

Madison, WI $4,424
Asuncion $1,635

A family of three spends $5,854 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,221 in Asuncion, rent included.

Madison, WI $5,854
Asuncion $2,221

Madison, WI costs about 185% more than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Madison, WI sits 123% above the global median, while Asuncion is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$6.66 ₲37.8K

194.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 $68.0

$43.46 ₲246.7K

56.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$6.63 ₲37.6K

97.13%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.44 ₲19.5K

63.66%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.07 ₲6,047

195.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.58 ₲3,299

336.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$1.85 ₲10.5K

282.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$1.70 ₲9,643

384.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.25 ₲7,087

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.49 ₲8,448

130.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.35 ₲7,645

205.93%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$2.32 ₲13.2K

55.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 $14.92

$9.85 ₲55.9K

51.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$5.20 ₲29.5K

155.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.06 $20.06

$9.91 ₲56.3K

102.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.99 ₲17.0K

58.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.23 ₲6,961

31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.21 ₲6,866

338.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.45 ₲13.9K

103.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.30 ₲7,405

114.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.34 ₲7,583

132.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.84 ₲4,746

160.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.69 ₲3,926

250.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 $10.77

$2.24 ₲12.7K

380.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 $15.75

$9.02 ₲51.2K

74.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.33 ₲7,537

103.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.68 ₲9,516

163.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.57 ₲3,213

261.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$38.02 ₲215.8K

72.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.45 ₲8,222

173.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.57 ₲8,936

28.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.09 $43.09

$10.04 ₲57.0K

329.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.21 ₲6,842

-16.53%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$16.9K ₲96.1M

112.62%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.3K ₲200.5M

-27.47%

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

$269 $269

$50.1 ₲284.3K

437.40%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$16.94 ₲96.2K

210.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 $83.8

$21.75 ₲123.5K

285.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 $58.4

$36.50 ₲207.2K

60.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 $10.54

$14.89 ₲84.5K

-29.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$8.59 ₲48.8K

77.76%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$184 ₲1.0M

825.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$5,873 ₲33.3M

292.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$62.4 ₲354.4K

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 $50.0

$55.4 ₲314.2K

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$104 ₲592.2K

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$69.2 ₲392.6K

75.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$620 ₲3.5M

188.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$373 ₲2.1M

321.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 $3,177

$1,050 ₲6.0M

202.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$624 ₲3.5M

310.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,524 $4,524

$1,716 ₲9.7M

163.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 $2,489

$1,242 ₲7.0M

100.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 $4,383

$723 ₲4.1M

506.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

10.15

-34.09%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: October 5, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Madison, WI

$1.6K 51.1%

Asuncion

$373 35.8% 76.3% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Madison, WI

$432 14%

Asuncion

$213 20.4% 50.7% $219

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madison, WI

$405 13.2%

Asuncion

$89 8.5% 78.1% $317

Eating Out

Madison, WI

$338 11%

Asuncion

$134 12.8% 60.5% $205

Clothing & Footwear

Madison, WI

$154 5%

Asuncion

$131 12.6% 14.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Madison, WI

$89 2.9%

Asuncion

$54 5.2% 39.6% $35

Getting Around

Madison, WI

$88 2.9%

Asuncion

$50 4.8% 43.5% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in Madison, WI versus $620 in Asuncion. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 506% higher in Madison, WI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Madison, WI versus $43.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $213 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🕒 Local time

00:16 12:16 AM

02:16 2:16 AM

2 h ahead of Madison, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,951

742,023 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,676 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,366 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

PYG to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Madison, WI Asuncion 8,270 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Madison, WI
Asuncion

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Madison, WI vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Madison, WI is pricier by about 185%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,491 per month in Madison, WI and $1,574 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asuncion, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,705 per month in Madison, WI and $184 in Asuncion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Madison, WI at $2,994. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asuncion – 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 Asuncion. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madison, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.