Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Asuncion: $1,032 a month against $3,577 in Salem, MA, rent and utilities included – about $30,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Asuncion
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Asuncion Living Index

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Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,577

/mo nomad

Asuncion

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,032

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,577 per month in Salem, MA vs $1,032 in Asuncion, rent included.

Salem, MA $3,577
Asuncion $1,032

A couple spends around $4,992 per month in Salem, MA vs $1,625 in Asuncion, rent included.

Salem, MA $4,992
Asuncion $1,625

A family of three spends $6,408 per month in Salem, MA vs $2,217 in Asuncion, rent included.

Salem, MA $6,408
Asuncion $2,217

Salem, MA costs about 247% more than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Salem, MA sits 165% above the global median, while Asuncion is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$7.19 ₲45.7K

247.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$42.94 ₲273.0K

136.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$6.58 ₲41.9K

64.44%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.28 ₲20.9K

56.71%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.01 ₲6,391

149.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.55 ₲3,521

287.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$2.06 ₲13.1K

296.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$1.68 ₲10.7K

304.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.24 ₲7,913

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.42 ₲8,997

147.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.30 ₲8,297

244.62%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$2.39 ₲15.2K

82.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$9.44 ₲60.0K

33.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 $11.82

$5.10 ₲32.4K

131.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.06 $17.06

$9.66 ₲61.4K

76.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.00 ₲19.1K

54.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.25 ₲7,930

33.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.16 ₲7,361

262.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.42 ₲15.4K

91.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.32 ₲8,365

117.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.33 ₲8,443

123.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.85 ₲5,388

198.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.69 ₲4,364

223.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.69 $9.69

$2.34 ₲14.9K

314.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$8.87 ₲56.4K

66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.30 ₲8,283

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.65 ₲10.5K

107.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.59 ₲3,783

225.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$35.97 ₲228.7K

65.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.44 ₲9,129

111.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.53 ₲9,743

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 $33.49

$10.03 ₲63.8K

233.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.21 ₲7,681

-32.23%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$16.8K ₲106.9M

64.37%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$29.2K ₲185.8M

2.40%

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

$201 $201

$49.05 ₲311.9K

308.99%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$16.79 ₲106.7K

240.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$21.60 ₲137.4K

204.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.74 $41.74

$35.35 ₲224.8K

18.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.61 ₲92.9K

Cinema Ticket

$14.47 $14.47

$8.51 ₲54.1K

70.04%

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

$1,374 $1,374

$183 ₲1.2M

650.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$5,730 ₲36.4M

276.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 $83.6

$63.2 ₲401.8K

32.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$56.7 ₲360.2K

1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$104 ₲662.3K

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 $98.7

$70.2 ₲446.2K

40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$611 ₲3.9M

283.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$367 ₲2.3M

495.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,960 $3,960

$1,033 ₲6.6M

283.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,207 $3,207

$630 ₲4.0M

408.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,747 ₲11.1M

60.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,234 ₲7.8M

88.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,641 $9,641

$676 ₲4.3M

1326.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

10.15

-35.07%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Salem, MA

$2.2K 61%

Asuncion

$367 35.5% 83.2% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Salem, MA

$403 11.3%

Asuncion

$209 20.3% 48% $193

Eating Out

Salem, MA

$367 10.3%

Asuncion

$137 13.2% 62.8% $230

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, MA

$323 9%

Asuncion

$87 8.5% 73% $236

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, MA

$153 4.3%

Asuncion

$132 12.8% 13.2% $20

Getting Around

Salem, MA

$79 2.2%

Asuncion

$47 4.6% 39.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, MA

$71 2%

Asuncion

$52 5.1% 25.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,342 in Salem, MA versus $611 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 in Salem, MA are about 14 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Salem, MA versus $43 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $209 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🇵🇾 Asuncion

🕒 Local time

09:41 9:41 AM

11:41 11:41 AM

2 h ahead of Salem, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

742,023 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.57 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 6,358 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 7,141 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.4 EUR).

PYG to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Salem, MA Asuncion 7,660 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, MA
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

Salem, MA vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salem, MA is pricier by about 247%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,365 per month in Salem, MA and $1,548 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $611 there versus $2,342 in Salem, MA.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,374 per month in Salem, MA and $183 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 $1,032, than in Salem, MA at $3,577. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salem, MA 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.

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