Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monteria and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,075 a month against $1,227 in Monteria, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Monteria
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,227
/mo nomad
Asuncion
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$1,075
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Monteria vs $1,075 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Monteria $1,227
  • Asuncion $1,075

A couple spends around $1,997 per month in Monteria vs $1,684 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Monteria $1,997
  • Asuncion $1,684

A family of three spends $2,767 per month in Monteria vs $2,292 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Monteria $2,767
  • Asuncion $2,292

Monteria costs about 14% more than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Monteria and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Monteria 9% lower, Asuncion 20% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.73 COP 18.2K
$7.15 ₲40.6K
-19.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.91 COP 133.3K
$43.57 ₲247.7K
-3.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 COP 32.8K
$7.10 ₲40.4K
45.21%
Cappuccino
$2.57 COP 8,178
$3.51 ₲20.0K
-26.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 COP 8,188
$1.05 ₲5,977
144.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 COP 7,209
$0.58 ₲3,288
291.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.29 COP 10.5K
$1.89 ₲10.8K
74.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16 COP 16.4K
$1.74 ₲9,902
196.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 COP 6,052
$1.29 ₲7,318
47.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 COP 8,857
$1.50 ₲8,510
85.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 COP 4,537
$1.39 ₲7,919
2.88%
Eggs
$4.83 COP 15.4K
$2.48 ₲14.1K
94.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.98 COP 25.4K
$9.74 ₲55.4K
-18.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.46 COP 30.1K
$5.19 ₲29.5K
82.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.49 COP 42.9K
$10.07 ₲57.2K
33.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 COP 10.1K
$2.99 ₲17.0K
5.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 COP 3,951
$1.32 ₲7,490
-6.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 COP 6,580
$1.19 ₲6,739
73.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.81 COP 5,751
$2.47 ₲14.1K
-26.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,332
$1.40 ₲7,981
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 COP 5,020
$1.33 ₲7,559
18.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 COP 3,887
$0.92 ₲5,240
32.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,698
$0.77 ₲4,370
50.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.43 ₲13.8K
67.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.66 COP 46.6K
$9.08 ₲51.6K
61.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,630
$1.42 ₲8,061
2.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 COP 7,443
$1.79 ₲10.2K
30.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 COP 3,777
$0.58 ₲3,314
105.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$37.92 ₲215.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 COP 5,006
$1.54 ₲8,731
1.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.68 COP 11.7K
$1.62 ₲9,200
127.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.57 COP 30.4K
$10.44 ₲59.3K
-8.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,132
$1.29 ₲7,316
0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K COP 74.8M
$17.5K ₲99.5M
34.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.3M
$35.0K ₲199.2M
-1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.0 COP 248.1K
$51.5 ₲292.9K
51.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.49 COP 46.1K
$17.68 ₲100.5K
-18.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.19 COP 80.1K
$22.35 ₲127.0K
12.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.38 COP 138.0K
$36.60 ₲208.1K
18.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.33 ₲87.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.24 COP 26.2K
$8.89 ₲50.6K
-7.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$618 COP 2.0M
$190 ₲1.1M
225.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,835 COP 18.6M
$5,930 ₲33.7M
-1.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.5 COP 240.1K
$64.7 ₲367.9K
16.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 COP 176.2K
$57.9 ₲329.2K
-4.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 420.5K
$107 ₲609.7K
23.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 COP 345.9K
$73.3 ₲416.6K
48.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$736 COP 2.3M
$645 ₲3.7M
14.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$411 COP 1.3M
$385 ₲2.2M
6.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 COP 3.3M
$1,061 ₲6.0M
-3.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$913 COP 2.9M
$654 ₲3.7M
39.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,174 COP 6.9M
$1,715 ₲9.7M
26.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,691 COP 5.4M
$1,205 ₲6.8M
40.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monteria
Asuncion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$747 ₲4.2M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
10.5
42.86%

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

Last update for Monteria: October 12, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monteria
$411
Asuncion
$385 6.2% $26
Groceries & Markets
Monteria
$293
Asuncion
$217 25.7% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Monteria
$167
Asuncion
$136 18.5% $31
Eating Out
Monteria
$154
Asuncion
$140 8.9% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monteria
$118
Asuncion
$92 22.2% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Monteria
$60
Asuncion
$54 9.2% $5.5
Getting Around
Monteria
$25 *
Asuncion
$50 102% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Monteria versus $645 in Asuncion. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Monteria versus $44.00 in Asuncion. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Monteria vs $217 in Asuncion – so Asuncion wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Monteria
🇵🇾 Asuncion
🕒 Local time
05:19 5:19 AM
07:19 7:19 AM
2 h ahead of Monteria
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
454,032
742,023 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 3,181 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,562 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 5,684 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,365 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monteria Asuncion 4,270 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monteria
  • 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
Monteria vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Asuncion cheaper than Monteria?
Yes – Monteria is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Monteria and $1,613 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Monteria and in Asuncion?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,227 in Monteria and $1,075 in Asuncion. That's a gap of about 14%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $618 per month in Monteria and $190 in Asuncion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Monteria or in Asuncion?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Monteria at $1,227. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monteria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Monteria or Asuncion more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Asuncion. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monteria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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