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City comparison

Montevideo vs Asunción

Two countries people most often go to for documents. Paraguay is cheaper and grants residency faster; Uruguay is more expensive, but with connectivity, healthcare and a mild climate instead of forty-degree heat.

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Montevideo cheaper — −21%

  • Family groceries

    in Asunción cheaper — −56%

  • Internet

    in Asunción cheaper — −66%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $577–827UYU 23,124–33,147
    cheaper by 21%
    Asunción≈ $763–1,020₲4.5–6M
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $630–651UYU 25,236–26,112
    Asunción≈ $280₲1,650,472
    cheaper by 56%
  • Internet

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $41–108UYU 1,650–4,342
    Asunción≈ $25₲150k
    cheaper by 66%
  • Winter

    average
    Montevideo7–15 °C7–15 °C
    Asunción18 °C18 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Montevideo1,101 mm1,101 mm
    Asunción1,433 mm1,433 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Montevideo$118k$118k
    cheaper by 62%
    Asunción$195–420k$195–420k

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Montevideo

Spread by neighbourhood

From 16k pesos in Casavalle to 34k in Carrasco: between the cheapest and the most expensive neighbourhood it is a little over two times.

OfficialINE: average rent by neighborhood in Montevideo, active contracts · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about daily life in Montevideo →

Asunción

Nothing yet

Housing

Montevideo

Rent according to official data

The average existing contract in Montevideo is 23,472 pesos a month. Pocitos 28,018, Punta Carretas 28,959, Centro 23,124 (July 2026).

OfficialINE: rental market indicators, July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Rent: what is asked now

A two-bedroom in Pocitos is about 39k pesos a month, in Punta Carretas 50k, in Centro 29.9k. A three-bedroom house in Carrasco is 2,300–5,500 dollars.

SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Pocitos · checked 28 Sep 2026

Buying: median of transactions

The median of registered transactions in Montevideo is 118k dollars (June 2026), nationwide 85k.

OfficialINE: housing sales market indicators, June-July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Two-bedroom in Pocitos

By the listings, about 298k dollars for 72 m² in Pocitos, range 120–680k. These are asking prices, not transactions.

SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for sale in Pocitos · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Montevideo →

Asunción

Long-term rent

A 2–3 bedroom apartment in Villa Morra, Carmelitas or Recoleta is PYG 4.5–6 million a month, that is $770–1,020. Utilities on top.

SpecialistClasipar: apartments, houses and plots in Asunción, Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora · checked 28 Sep 2026

Rent in the suburbs

Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora are half the price of the city: a two-room apartment is PYG 2.5–4.5 million, that is $425–770. The price for this is the rush-hour drive.

SpecialistClasipar: apartments, houses and plots in Asunción, Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora · checked 28 Sep 2026

Buying a house

A house in Asunción is most often $195–420k, with the middle around $300k. In guaraní, in cheaper areas the same houses go for PYG 400–900 million, that is $68–153k.

SpecialistClasipar: apartments, houses and plots in Asunción, Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Asunción →

Money and prices

Montevideo

Family monthly budget

A family of three renting housing in Montevideo is considered poor at an income below 54,233 pesos a month. For two the threshold is 39,169.

OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 28 Sep 2026

Groceries for a family

The INE minimum food basket for Montevideo is 6,309 pesos per person a month, for a family of four about 25,200. Values for January 2025.

OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Montevideo →

Asunción

Groceries for a family

The minimum food basket in the city is PYG 412,618 per person a month, for a family of four about 1.65 million, that is about $280.

SpecialistABC Color: INE data on monetary poverty for 2025, cost of baskets · checked 28 Sep 2026

Family monthly budget

The poverty line is PYG 933,108 per person, for a family of four 3.73 million without housing. With rent in a decent area, from 8–10 million.

SpecialistABC Color: INE data on monetary poverty for 2025, cost of baskets · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Asunción →

Family and kids

Montevideo

Schools and kindergartens

Enrolment in a state kindergarten from age three and in school goes through the Guri Familia portal. The country of origin and the family's status do not matter.

OfficialMinistry of Education and Culture: guide to enrolling migrants, primary education · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Montevideo →

Asunción

Private schools

Monthly fees at the well-known schools average PYG 3 million, above the minimum wage. For specific schools, from 2.19 to 4.26 million.

SpecialistEl Nacional: monthly fees at private schools in Asunción for the 2026 school year · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Asunción →

Healthcare

Montevideo

How much healthcare costs

The regulator's benchmark for a personal contribution to a mutualista (a private health fund) is 6,858 pesos a month per person. The cap on a co-payment for a visit, test or medicine is 880 pesos.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of Public Health: healthcare price adjustment, July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Montevideo →

Asunción

Healthcare

Asunción has private sanatoriums with paediatric cardiology, paediatric haematology, intensive care and their own diagnostics. Nationally beds are few: 1.04 per thousand people.

SpecialistSanatorio Migone Battilana: list of specialties · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Asunción →

Transport

Montevideo

Getting around the city

One hour of travel with an STM card costs 52 pesos, two hours 78. Cash is more expensive: 64 and 97. The first card is free.

OfficialMontevideo city hall: urban public transport fares · checked 28 Sep 2026

Carrasco airport

On Ruta 101, kilometre 19.95. There are 18 direct destinations, only Madrid in Europe and only Miami in the US.

SpecialistCarrasco airport: direct destinations · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Montevideo →

Asunción

Transport in the city

A bus fare is PYG 2,300, with air conditioning 3,400 - about 40 and 58 cents. It is cheap because of the subsidy, but the quality is such that almost everyone in Asunción gets a car.

SpecialistABC Color: public transport fares in Greater Asunción and the size of the subsidy · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Asunción →

Climate

Montevideo

Winter

July is the coldest month: average minimum 7.2 degrees, average maximum 15.0. June and August are almost the same.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Montevideo · checked 28 Sep 2026

Precipitation and seasonality

About 1,100 mm a year, and surprisingly evenly distributed: in any month from 83 to 109 mm and 8–10 rain days.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Montevideo · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Montevideo →

Asunción

Winter

The average July temperature is 18.3 degrees, with an average daytime high of 24.2. There is no winter in the usual sense, but the station’s absolute minimum went down to minus 1.2.

OfficialDINAC: climatological table of Silvio Pettirossi airport, 2011-2023 data · checked 28 Sep 2026

Summer heat

The average January maximum is 33.8 degrees, December and February about 33. The station’s absolute maximum is 43 degrees, and it fell in October, not at the height of summer.

OfficialDINAC: climatological table of Silvio Pettirossi airport, 2011-2023 data · checked 28 Sep 2026

Rainfall and seasonality

About 1,433 mm a year: a wet summer and a dry winter. The wettest month is November (203 mm), the driest August (25 mm), and 222 mm has fallen in a day.

OfficialDINAC: climatological table of Silvio Pettirossi airport, 2011-2023 data · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Asunción →

Safety

Montevideo

Homicides

In 2025 Montevideo had 210 homicides out of 369 nationwide, that is 57%. Nationwide it is 10.3 per 100 thousand residents.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior: preliminary crime statistics for 2025 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Robberies by neighbourhood

Robbery reports (rapiña) in 2025: Pocitos 125, Carrasco 59, Cordón 290, Casavalle 481, Unión 564. These are the number of cases, not adjusted for population.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior, open data: crime reports by Montevideo neighborhood (microdata through 2025) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Thefts by neighbourhood

Reports of theft without violence in 2025: Cordón 2,697, Pocitos 2,062, Carrasco 517. This includes thefts from cars and shops, not only from passers-by.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior, open data: crime reports by Montevideo neighborhood (microdata through 2025) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Montevideo →

Asunción

Homicides and safety

Nationally in 2025 there were 6.1 homicides per 100k people - the third-best figure in Latin America. No separate statistics by district of Asunción could be found.

SpecialistLa Nación: Paraguay among the three countries in the region with the lowest homicide rate in 2025 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Asunción →

Internet and phone

Montevideo

Internet speed

State-owned Antel offers up to 1000/300 Mbit/s over fibre, and the basic home plan is 400/30.

OfficialAntel: data transmission price list, 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Internet per month

From 1,650 pesos for 400 Mbit/s to 4,342 for a gigabit. Taxes included, two-year contract.

OfficialAntel: data transmission price list, 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Montevideo →

Asunción

Internet

Fibre to the home: Personal Hogar plans start from 400 Mbit/s for PYG 150k a month, about $26. For remote work the conditions are good.

SpecialistPersonal Hogar: home fiber rates · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Asunción →

Services

Montevideo

Electricity at the tariff

From January 2026: 6.744 pesos per kWh up to 100 kWh, 8.452 from 101 to 600, plus a fixed 324.9 pesos a month. For 300 kWh the tariff comes to about 2,900 pesos.

OfficialDecreto 339/025: UTE rates from 1 January 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

OSE water

OSE water from January 2026: up to 15 m³ at 36.91 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 327.5. For 15 m³ that comes to about 880 pesos a month. The municipality bills sewage separately.

OfficialDecree 340/025: OSE water and sewerage tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Sewage (municipality)

The municipality, not OSE, bills sewage in Montevideo: a fixed charge of 80.76 pesos a month and 45.30 per m³ of water (2025 tariff). For 15 m³ that is about 760 pesos, billed every two months.

OfficialMontevideo city government: saneamiento (sewerage) tariff · checked 29 Sep 2026

Network gas

Montevideo Gas network gas, September 2026, including VAT: 48.55 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 714.86 a month. Summer, 30 m³: about 2,170 pesos; winter, 100 m³: about 5,570.

OfficialMontevideo Gas: current tariff, September 2026, including VAT · checked 29 Sep 2026

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Asunción

Electricity and the ANDE tariff

Since December 2024 the ANDE tariff depends on the hour: at peak, 12 to 16 and 18 to 22, a kilowatt-hour costs PYG 669 instead of the previous 404; off-peak, 264.

SpecialistABC Color: new ANDE tariff scheme, peak-hour rates 65% higher · checked 28 Sep 2026

ESSAP water and sewerage

ESSAP water: a fixed charge of PYG 8,236 and 1,767 per m³ up to 15 m³. A bill for 15 m³ is about 35k ($6), and sewerage adds the same again. The tariff dates from 2018.

SpecialistDiario HOY: ESSAP tariff rises from September, table of old and new prices by category · checked 29 Sep 2026

Gas: cylinders instead of a network

Cooking is done on cylinder gas: a 10 kg cylinder costs PYG 110–125k ($19–21). About half of homes cook on gas, a third on electricity.

SpecialistLa Nación: gas price to rise by an average of 500 guaraníes per kg, the 10 kg cylinder to go up to 110,000 · checked 29 Sep 2026

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