Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rita and Encarnacion Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rita and Encarnacion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $680 in Santa Rita versus $766 in Encarnacion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,020 in Santa Rita versus $1,044 in Encarnacion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,360 in Santa Rita versus $1,322 in Encarnacion.

Living in Santa Rita costs roughly 11% less than in Encarnacion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Rita 49% lower, Encarnacion 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ₲15.4K

$3.31 ₲20.1K

-23.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 ₲150.9K

$28.76 ₲175.3K

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ₲28.5K

Cappuccino

$2.45 ₲15.0K

$1.03 ₲6,257

137.86%

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

$0.60 ₲3,671

$1.51 ₲9,221

-60.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₲2,410

$0.51 ₲3,083

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₲13.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₲5,976

$2.11 ₲12.8K

-53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ₲5,150

$0.87 ₲5,306

-2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ₲8,243

$0.47 ₲2,871

187.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₲5,121

$0.81 ₲4,946

3.70%

Eggs

$1.98 ₲12.1K

$1.65 ₲10.1K

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 ₲34.0K

$5.38 ₲32.8K

3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ₲19.4K

$3.35 ₲20.4K

-4.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 ₲51.0K

$5.57 ₲34.0K

50.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 ₲22.6K

$2.14 ₲13.1K

73.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₲5,013

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ₲6,136

$0.86 ₲5,239

17.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₲14.1K

$1.72 ₲10.5K

34.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 ₲15.5K

$0.86 ₲5,264

195.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ₲11.5K

$0.89 ₲5,411

112.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₲3,909

$0.55 ₲3,369

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₲6,030

$0.55 ₲3,338

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ₲9,002

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 ₲31.0K

$5.37 ₲32.7K

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₲4,897

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₲12.1K

$1.47 ₲8,985

35.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₲6,338

$0.46 ₲2,826

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.66 ₲186.8K

$35.10 ₲213.9K

-12.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ₲7,756

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 ₲5,849

$0.66 ₲4,023

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₲16.4K

$6.70 ₲40.8K

-59.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₲6,215

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

$7,175 ₲43.7M

$14.2K ₲86.7M

-49.55%

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

$25.8K ₲157.3M

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

$77.9 ₲474.4K

$44.78 ₲272.9K

73.85%

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

$17.84 ₲108.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.85 ₲169.7K

$16.95 ₲103.3K

64.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.15 ₲189.8K

$27.20 ₲165.8K

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ₲114.7K

$12.87 ₲78.4K

46.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₲39.3K

$5.88 ₲35.8K

9.69%

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

$56.0 ₲341.3K

$195 ₲1.2M

-71.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,258 ₲19.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 ₲231.9K

$56.2 ₲342.5K

-32.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 ₲378.6K

$27.81 ₲169.5K

123.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 ₲407.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ₲304.8K

$69.8 ₲425.6K

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₲1.5M

$392 ₲2.4M

-36.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ₲1.1M

$307 ₲1.9M

-39.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 ₲1.9M

$385 ₲2.3M

-19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₲1.5M

$277 ₲1.7M

-8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,498 ₲9.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 ₲6.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 ₲3.0M

$307 ₲1.9M

61.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

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

Last update for Santa Rita: May 30, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Santa Rita and $392 in Encarnacion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rita pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Santa Rita vs $29.00 in Encarnacion. Groceries flip the comparison at $165 vs $131, with Encarnacion cheaper for home cooking.

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

Santa Rita vs Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rita and Encarnacion differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($680 vs $766 including rent). Santa Rita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Rita pays 62% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $248 in Santa Rita versus $392 in Encarnacion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $680 per month in Santa Rita versus $766 in Encarnacion – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santa Rita runs roughly 14% less than in Encarnacion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Rita gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santa Rita and Encarnacion are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santa Rita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Encarnacion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.