Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,049 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,003
/mo nomad
Asuncion
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$1,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Montreal vs $1,049 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,003
  • Asuncion $1,049

A couple spends around $3,048 per month in Montreal vs $1,635 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,048
  • Asuncion $1,635

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Montreal vs $2,221 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,092
  • Asuncion $2,221

Montreal costs about 91% more than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Asuncion is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.31 CA$27.52
$6.66 ₲37.8K
189.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 CA$108
$43.46 ₲246.7K
73.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 CA$15.15
$6.63 ₲37.6K
60.33%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CA$5.60
$3.44 ₲19.5K
14.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.73
$1.07 ₲6,047
79.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$0.58 ₲3,299
155.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.30 CA$8.98
$1.85 ₲10.5K
240.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 CA$10.24
$1.70 ₲9,643
322.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CA$3.17
$1.25 ₲7,087
77.60%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CA$4.36
$1.49 ₲8,448
105.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.94 CA$4.19
$1.35 ₲7,645
117.78%
Eggs
$3.53 CA$5.03
$2.32 ₲13.2K
52.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.19 CA$18.79
$9.85 ₲55.9K
33.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.24 CA$16.02
$5.20 ₲29.5K
116.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.81 CA$19.69
$9.91 ₲56.3K
39.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.85
$2.99 ₲17.0K
13.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.06
$1.23 ₲6,961
17.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.65
$1.21 ₲6,866
169.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 CA$4.10
$2.45 ₲13.9K
17.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 CA$2.65
$1.30 ₲7,405
43.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 CA$2.60
$1.34 ₲7,583
35.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CA$3.46
$0.84 ₲4,746
189.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 CA$2.17
$0.69 ₲3,926
120.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.45 CA$16.32
$2.24 ₲12.7K
411.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 CA$14.76
$9.02 ₲51.2K
14.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.16
$1.33 ₲7,537
66.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.02
$1.68 ₲9,516
67.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 CA$3.67
$0.57 ₲3,213
352.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.9 CA$110
$38.02 ₲215.8K
102.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 CA$4.64
$1.45 ₲8,222
124.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$1.57 ₲8,936
-5.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.04 CA$47.09
$10.04 ₲57.0K
229.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.94
$1.21 ₲6,842
12.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$39.1K
$16.9K ₲96.1M
62.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K CA$28.5K
$35.3K ₲200.5M
-43.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 CA$109
$50.1 ₲284.3K
52.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.68 CA$49.43
$16.94 ₲96.2K
104.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.69 CA$60.9
$21.75 ₲123.5K
96.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.94 CA$41.26
$36.50 ₲207.2K
-20.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.33 CA$28.97
$14.89 ₲84.5K
36.53%
Cinema Ticket
$11.21 CA$15.98
$8.59 ₲48.8K
30.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$505 CA$720
$184 ₲1.0M
174.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K CA$22.8K
$5,873 ₲33.3M
172.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$83.4
$62.4 ₲354.4K
-6.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.00 CA$54.2
$55.4 ₲314.2K
-31.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 CA$132
$104 ₲592.2K
-11.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$151
$69.2 ₲392.6K
52.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CA$1,768
$620 ₲3.5M
99.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$986 CA$1,405
$373 ₲2.1M
164.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 CA$2,996
$1,050 ₲6.0M
100.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 CA$2,302
$624 ₲3.5M
158.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,043 CA$7,188
$1,716 ₲9.7M
193.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,830 CA$5,459
$1,242 ₲7.0M
208.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Asuncion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,920 CA$4,163
$723 ₲4.1M
304.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
10.15
-56.06%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$986
Asuncion
$373 62.2% $613
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$344
Asuncion
$213 38% $131
Eating Out
Montreal
$293
Asuncion
$134 54.4% $159
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$154
Asuncion
$89 42.2% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Asuncion
$131 1.3% $1.7
Getting Around
Montreal
$98
Asuncion
$50 49.3% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$51
Asuncion
$54 4.5% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Montreal 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 304% higher in Montreal, 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 $75.0 in Montreal versus $43.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $213 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇵🇾 Asuncion
🕒 Local time
07:25 7:25 AM
08:25 8:25 AM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
742,023 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Asuncion 8,030 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • 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
Montreal vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Asuncion cheaper than Montreal?
Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 91%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,005 per month in Montreal and $1,574 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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 102% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $505 per month in Montreal and $184 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 Montreal or in Asuncion?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montreal 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 safer, Montreal or Asuncion?
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.
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, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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