Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $729 a month against $1,049 in Asuncion, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
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Asuncion Living Index

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May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$729

/mo nomad

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,049

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in May Pen 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 May Pen and in Asuncion actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $729 per month in May Pen vs $1,049 in Asuncion, rent included.

May Pen $729
Asuncion $1,049

A couple spends around $824 per month in May Pen vs $1,635 in Asuncion, rent included.

May Pen $824
Asuncion $1,635

A family of three spends $918 per month in May Pen vs $2,221 in Asuncion, rent included.

May Pen $918
Asuncion $2,221

May Pen is about 31% cheaper than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both May Pen and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – May Pen 46% lower, Asuncion 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 ₲37.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.46 ₲246.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₲37.6K

Cappuccino

$3.44 ₲19.5K

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

$1.07 ₲6,047

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₲3,299

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 ₲10.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₲9,643

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 JMD 347

$1.25 ₲7,087

76.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 JMD 609

$1.49 ₲8,448

158.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 485

$1.35 ₲7,645

127.41%

Eggs

$3.45 JMD 545

$2.32 ₲13.2K

48.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 ₲55.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 JMD 1,187

$5.20 ₲29.5K

44.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 JMD 818

$9.91 ₲56.3K

-47.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 251

$2.99 ₲17.0K

-46.82%

Banana (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 786

$1.23 ₲6,961

304.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.24 JMD 986

$1.21 ₲6,866

415.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 291

$2.45 ₲13.9K

-24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$1.30 ₲7,405

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$1.34 ₲7,583

45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 491

$0.84 ₲4,746

270.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 441

$0.69 ₲3,926

304.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 ₲12.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 ₲51.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 344

$1.33 ₲7,537

63.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₲9,516

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₲3,213

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 ₲215.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ₲8,222

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₲8,936

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 ₲57.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 214

$1.21 ₲6,842

11.57%

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

$16.9K ₲96.1M

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

$35.3K ₲200.5M

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

$50.1 ₲284.3K

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

$43.08 JMD 6,803

$16.94 ₲96.2K

154.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 JMD 8,453

$21.75 ₲123.5K

146.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.50 ₲207.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ₲84.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 ₲48.8K

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

$184 ₲1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,873 ₲33.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.86 JMD 2,504

$62.4 ₲354.4K

-74.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.76 JMD 3,436

$55.4 ₲314.2K

-60.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.43 JMD 6,542

$104 ₲592.2K

-60.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 JMD 8,615

$69.2 ₲392.6K

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 ₲3.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 JMD 45.4K

$373 ₲2.1M

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 ₲6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₲3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 ₲9.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 ₲7.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$723 ₲4.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

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

Last update for May Pen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$373 35.8%

Groceries & Markets

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$213 20.4%

Eating Out

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$134 12.8%

Clothing & Footwear

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$131 12.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$89 8.5%

Sport & Entertainment

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$54 5.2%

Getting Around

May Pen

–

Asuncion

$50 4.8%

Good to know

🇯🇲 May Pen

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🕒 Local time

05:07 5:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

2 h ahead of May Pen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,755

742,023 Capital

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,676 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,361 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

USD to JMD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

May Pen Asuncion 5,260 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

May Pen
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

May Pen vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Asuncion is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,094 per month in May Pen and $1,574 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $729 in May Pen and $1,049 in Asuncion. That's a gap of about 44%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Asuncion – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in May Pen, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Asuncion at $1,049. In May Pen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asuncion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward May Pen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with May Pen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asuncion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.