For the last month, I kept track of all my expenses while living in Asunción, Paraguay.
If you’re only interested in the grand total, it came out to $899.09 (using 4000 Guaranis to the US Dollar, when converting prices).
Here’s how the expenses break down by category. Keep in mind, the way I live probably isn’t exactly how you live. You can easily come up with a higher or lower number.
Rent/utilities $500.00
I’m living in a nice apartment in a good neighborhood (Villa Morra). I have a roommate, another expat who got a three-bedroom apartment and was willing to split the rent. This amount includes the utilities, like electricity, water, and the Internet. We also have someone come in a few times a week to clean the apartment and do the laundry.
Meals out $297.60
This is almost all from eating lunch. I usually go to a buffet restaurant and fill up with a huge plate of food. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll pay a lower price per kilo for your meal than someone who adds meat. Personally, I add the meat.
Ice cream $50.75
Yes, ice cream needed its own category. Even though it’s only the beginning of spring here, it’s gotten quite warm. One day may have even gotten over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).
Groceries $26.00
The price of groceries is reasonable here; however, the low amount I spent is mostly because I don’t eat very much at home. I might have a light breakfast – piece of fruit, yogurt, or granola. I eat all of my lunches out, and generally fill up then. If I have anything for dinner, it’s a small snack. Summer is coming soon, and I need to look good if I head to the beaches.
Entertainment $13.99
Since I spend most of my time working, I don’t go out very much (as you can probably guess by the amount I spent here).
Household $6.25
The only thing I bought this month was a bombilla, a metal straw for drinking tereré (the Paraguayan version of Yerba Mate tea).
Taxi $4.50
I usually walk wherever I go, but I did take a cab back from a restaurant one night. I went to a Vietnamese restaurant that was a bit farther from the apartment than I wanted to walk.
TOTAL $899.09
So that’s what I spent for the month of September. Of course, there’s no way to know exactly how much you’ll spend if you move to Paraguay. If you cook at home, you’ll obviously spend less, if you go out for beers more often, expect to send more.
However, I think that these are realistic numbers for you to use as a guideline.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Your rent is surprisingly high, it seems. Your apartment rents for $1,000 a month (you’re paying half)? I live in Los Cabos, Mexico, which is considered very expensive, and I pay much less than that for a 2br. apt. in the nicest section. A 3 br here would be about what you are paying. So is it safe to conclude that a nice 3br. apt. in Asuncion would cost about $1,000 a month? Would this be in a gated area with some open landscaping?
Could you comment on the security situation there, as well as on the noise (Mexico is very noisy–you really have to look around for a place with quiet neighbors).
Thank you!
Hi again,
Sorry, I didn’t read the rent item carefully enough. I see it includes your utilities. Can you itemize the $500 a month rent amount, please (especially noting the a/c cost, as I hear Asuncion is really hot part of the year).
Thanks again!
Jorge
For last month, I believe the electricity bill was around US$ 100 (with the air conditioners running frequently), the common building fees were around $50-60. The 10 Mbps cable Internet is about $120 a month. And my share of the rent also includes paying for someone to clean and do laundry two or three times a week.
As for security and noise, I haven’t had problems with either in my neighborhood. During the holidays, there were fireworks going off. And it gets a bit loud after the local football team has a victory – when people drive around honking their horns. But otherwise, it’s nice and quiet here. Since my apartment is in one of the nicer neighborhoods, there are also some local homewoners who have private security guards.
An interesting thing about Asuncion is that some of the best neighborhoods have the worst streets. Instead of paved streets, they leave the bumpy cobblestones. That way, they don’t get a lot of traffic from people who don’t live there.
Just checked out the classified site you mentioned elsewhere. I am amazed at the high rents. Easily as much or more than in Mexico.
I guess that all depends on what you consider “high”. For me, I’m happy with what I’m paying, and what I’m getting for that cost. I could certainly find a cheaper apartment. But my current one is large, convenient to stores, and in one of the better neightborhoods of the city.
For anyone looking to spend less on rent, you probably won’t find the best values online. Once you get to your destination country, you’ll generally find better deals by asking people you meet and walking around neighborhoods, looking for “For Rent” signs.