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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,632 per month in Montevideo vs $773 in Asuncion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,480 per month in Montevideo vs $1,184 in Asuncion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Montevideo vs $1,596 in Asuncion, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 111% more than Asuncion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montevideo sits 22% above the global median, while Asuncion is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 UYU 638

$4.28 ₲26.1K

270.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 UYU 2,197

$26.53 ₲161.7K

105.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 UYU 488

$4.71 ₲28.7K

157.32%

Cappuccino

$4.23 UYU 170

$1.88 ₲11.5K

125.00%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.1

$0.82 ₲5,012

167.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.2

$0.49 ₲3,004

244.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 UYU 182

$1.42 ₲8,664

218.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$1.92 ₲11.7K

87.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.3

$0.84 ₲5,135

51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$1.00 ₲6,094

177.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 63.8

$0.99 ₲6,056

59.60%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$1.58 ₲9,607

203.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 540

$6.81 ₲41.5K

96.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 430

$3.13 ₲19.1K

240.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 UYU 452

$6.76 ₲41.2K

66.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$1.97 ₲12.0K

52.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 UYU 98.0

$0.72 ₲4,392

237.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.2

$0.93 ₲5,673

65.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$1.65 ₲10.0K

121.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$1.06 ₲6,463

99.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.9

$1.13 ₲6,856

67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

$0.55 ₲3,357

149.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$0.56 ₲3,396

205.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$1.36 ₲8,263

275.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 UYU 405

$8.37 ₲51.0K

20.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$0.72 ₲4,402

227.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 118

$1.40 ₲8,515

108.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.0

$0.44 ₲2,691

193.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 UYU 2,247

$25.15 ₲153.3K

121.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$0.60 ₲3,665

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$0.78 ₲4,751

365.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 UYU 500

$8.61 ₲52.5K

44.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$0.87 ₲5,331

108.05%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$14.7K ₲89.6M

134.69%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$24.0K ₲146.4M

49.68%

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

$170 UYU 6,864

$43.01 ₲262.1K

296.28%

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

$16.51 UYU 665

$13.65 ₲83.2K

20.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.77 UYU 2,004

$14.92 ₲90.9K

233.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,489

$27.62 ₲168.3K

123.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 711

$11.59 ₲70.6K

52.46%

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 UYU 421

$4.94 ₲30.1K

111.54%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$163 ₲990.4K

196.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 UYU 357.3K

$3,228 ₲19.7M

174.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 UYU 3,821

$49.74 ₲303.2K

90.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.22 UYU 1,902

$31.28 ₲190.7K

50.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,502

$71.7 ₲437.0K

55.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,964

$52.3 ₲318.6K

135.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

$394 ₲2.4M

59.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

$293 ₲1.8M

67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

$728 ₲4.4M

52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 UYU 32.2K

$476 ₲2.9M

68.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

$1,687 ₲10.3M

112.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

$1,220 ₲7.4M

86.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

$647 ₲3.9M

106.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

10.17

-44.15%

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

Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Montevideo versus $394 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 106% 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 $55.0 in Montevideo versus $27.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $149 – 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 111%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,448 per month in Montevideo and $1,159 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 122% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $482 per month in Montevideo and $163 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 $773, than in Montevideo at $1,632. 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.