Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Asuncion Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Asuncion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,806 per month in Montevideo vs $1,030 in Asuncion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,668 per month in Montevideo vs $1,603 in Asuncion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Montevideo vs $2,176 in Asuncion, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 75% more than Asuncion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Asuncion is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 UYU 605

$7.31 ₲43.0K

105.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 UYU 2,541

$42.46 ₲249.9K

48.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 UYU 527

$6.72 ₲39.6K

95.09%

Cappuccino

$4.56 UYU 183

$3.28 ₲19.3K

39.02%

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

$2.69 UYU 108

$1.05 ₲6,181

156.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$0.63 ₲3,704

211.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 UYU 186

$2.04 ₲12.0K

126.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$1.84 ₲10.8K

98.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 54.0

$1.25 ₲7,351

7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$1.48 ₲8,694

93.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.6

$1.30 ₲7,639

34.62%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$2.42 ₲14.2K

97.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 UYU 579

$9.59 ₲56.4K

50.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 UYU 480

$5.28 ₲31.1K

126.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$9.66 ₲56.9K

19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$2.86 ₲16.9K

-1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$1.25 ₲7,380

122.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 UYU 71.0

$1.17 ₲6,887

50.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$2.40 ₲14.1K

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$1.36 ₲7,994

57.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$1.31 ₲7,739

65.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 UYU 58.6

$0.89 ₲5,250

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.6

$0.69 ₲4,067

186.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 UYU 223

$2.34 ₲13.8K

137.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 UYU 334

$9.16 ₲53.9K

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 90.2

$1.35 ₲7,970

65.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.73 ₲10.2K

67.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$0.59 ₲3,470

162.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

$36.85 ₲216.9K

105.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$1.48 ₲8,730

22.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.34

$1.56 ₲9,167

-73.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

$10.33 ₲60.8K

0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$1.16 ₲6,818

80.17%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$17.0K ₲100.3M

59.41%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$34.9K ₲205.3M

7.86%

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

$188 UYU 7,549

$48.80 ₲287.2K

284.45%

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

$16.86 UYU 678

$16.86 ₲99.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 UYU 1,821

$21.77 ₲128.1K

107.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 UYU 1,967

$36.22 ₲213.2K

34.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 UYU 764

$14.80 ₲87.1K

28.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$8.24 ₲48.5K

49.64%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

$178 ₲1.0M

260.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.8K

$5,730 ₲33.7M

88.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 UYU 3,804

$61.4 ₲361.2K

54.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,281

$56.4 ₲332.1K

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 UYU 4,952

$104 ₲613.5K

18.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,296

$68.9 ₲405.2K

91.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 UYU 30.6K

$608 ₲3.6M

25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 UYU 24.2K

$377 ₲2.2M

59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

$1,022 ₲6.0M

16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 UYU 39.4K

$635 ₲3.7M

54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

$1,766 ₲10.4M

97.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

$1,220 ₲7.2M

52.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

$711 ₲4.2M

70.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

10.15

-45.91%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $760 in Montevideo versus $608 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 70% higher in Montevideo, 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 $63.0 in Montevideo versus $42.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $212 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Montevideo vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,709 per month in Montevideo and $1,545 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 105% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $640 per month in Montevideo and $178 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 $1,030, than in Montevideo at $1,806. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.