Costs in Paraguay

The Canasta Básica de Alimentos (CBA) measures a minimum food basket, while the Canasta Básica de Consumo (CBC) adds essential non-food needs. In 2025, the CBA benchmark for the extreme-poverty line was Gs. 412,618 per person per month in urban areas and Gs. 376,816 in rural areas. The CBC benchmark for the total-poverty line was Gs. 933,108 per person per month in urban areas and Gs. 681,839 in rural areas. These figures are comparison benchmarks, not complete comfortable household budgets, and the CBC already includes food and essential non-food items, so its components should not be added again. For a three-person household, the 2025 CBC benchmark was Gs. 2,799,324 per month in urban areas and Gs. 2,045,517 in rural areas. For four people, it was Gs. 3,732,432 in urban areas and Gs. 2,727,356 in rural areas. The 2025 poverty rate was 16.0% nationally, 13.6% in urban areas and 22.1% in rural areas. These figures describe budget pressure and poverty measurement rather than a guaranteed standard of living. A household with higher rent, medical needs, private education or long travel may need substantially more. Housing has no reliable nationwide official monthly rent benchmark. Rent varies sharply by city, district, dwelling quality, access to utilities and whether the household rents or owns its home. In 2022, Paraguay had about 1,770,885 households with an average of 3.5 people per dwelling; about 92.7% of dwellings were houses or ranches and 2.5% were apartments. Around 9% of the population rented. A housing budget should record rent, utilities, connection charges, maintenance, deposit and moving costs separately. A price from Asunción should not be transferred to another city or a rural district without checking the local market. Electricity is supplied mainly through ANDE. Under the residential low-voltage schedule, the listed energy rates were Gs. 311.55 per kWh for 0–50 kWh, Gs. 349.89 for 51–150 kWh, Gs. 365.45 for 151–300 kWh, Gs. 403.82 for 301–500 kWh, Gs. 420.27 for 501–1,000 kWh and Gs. 435.51 above 1,000 kWh. Minimum billing depends on the contracted load, with reference levels of 15, 30, 60, 120 or 240 kWh. The Tarifa Social, including VAT, applies reduced percentages of the normal rate to eligible consumption bands: 25% for 0–100 kWh, 50% for 101–200 kWh and 75% for 201–300 kWh. Eligibility and the applicable bill should be checked with ANDE. Air conditioning and electric showers can create a large seasonal increase, especially in hot weather. Water and sanitation costs depend on the provider and local infrastructure. ESSAP and ERSSAN cover the formal system, with residential and subsidized charges based on connection and cubic-meter use after the tariff adjustment of October 6, 2025. Rural households may instead rely on SENASA, a Junta de Saneamiento, a community network or a well. Availability, water quality, wastewater arrangements and the cost of private delivery must be checked locally. In 2022, piped-water access was 79.3%, sanitation access was 85.7% and waste collection reached 55.2% of households. A household without regular collection or a formal connection may face extra transport, storage, maintenance or delivery costs. Food costs change with household size, age, season, region and the balance between markets, supermarkets and prepared food. The CBA is useful for measuring a minimum food requirement, but it does not predict every household's actual shopping basket. Record staple foods, fresh produce, meat, school meals, prepared food and seasonal price changes separately when they materially affect spending. School meals can reduce the food budget when the household has access to them, but meal coverage and days depend on the institution and territory. Public transport prices depend on the transport system and the line used. In the Asunción metropolitan system, users pay a fare alongside a state subsidy, and a 2026 reform allows tariff integration and transfers; the current fare should be checked before travel. In the interior, DINATRAN fare adjustments from April 20, 2026 apply under Decree 5811/2026 and do not set the metropolitan fare. The Boleto Estudiantil provides a 50% reduction on the common fare for eligible students in initial, basic and secondary education, subject to a valid card and voucher, during the school period and generally excluding Sundays and public holidays. Transport planning should include daily fares, transfers, school travel, work travel and occasional intercity journeys. Public health services in MSPBS facilities are free under Law 5099/2013, and medicines and supplies available through the institution's essential list are also provided without charge. A Unidad de Salud de la Familia (USF) is a first contact for primary care. Households may still pay for transport, unavailable medicines, private consultations, diagnostic tests and time away from work. A public service therefore reduces some direct charges but does not eliminate the full household cost of health care. Private health insurance, consultations and treatment should be budgeted separately when a household uses them. Public schools under official management provide initial, basic and secondary education as compulsory and free education under Laws 4088/2010 and 1264/1998. Families may still need to budget for materials, uniforms, devices, transport, meals outside school and tutoring. Private schools charge tuition, and private childcare can add a separate recurring cost. The Hambre Cero school-food program covered about 1,050,000 students in 2026, but coverage and meal days depend on the institution and territory. Higher education has separate tuition, transport, materials and living costs. A family budget should distinguish school charges from the associated costs of attending school. Family budgets are strongly affected by the number and age of children, food, uniforms and materials, transport, care, health needs and school arrangements. Public school meals, public health services and student transport discounts can reduce costs only when the household meets the access conditions and the service is available. Private childcare, education and health care vary greatly by provider, location and household income. A household with several children should therefore estimate costs per child before adding shared household costs such as rent and utilities. Communication costs should separate the monthly plan or prepaid data from the device, installation and coverage. In 2022, 75% of households had fixed internet, 23% had no access and 2% shared access. By 2026, Paraguay had more than 5.5 million mobile-internet users, with 4G dominant. CONATEL requires providers to notify customers of plan and offer changes at least 72 hours before they take effect, but prices and coverage remain provider-specific. A complete estimate should include home internet, mobile data, additional SIM cards, device replacement and installation where applicable. Leisure has no reliable nationwide flat price. Municipal and public cultural activities are often free; one 2026 example is the Museo Memoria de la Ciudad in Asunción. A SENATUR benchmark for selected Misiones attractions in 2024 was Gs. 25,000 for Paraguayan visitors and Gs. 40,000 for foreign visitors for 72 hours and three sites, with exemptions. This example does not establish a general admission price for Paraguay. Transport and food can cost more than admission, so they belong in the same outing budget. Paid attractions should be checked for current prices, opening arrangements and exemptions. A usable monthly plan separates fixed costs such as rent, utilities, communication, mobility and recurring health or education payments from variable costs such as food, leisure and care. One-off costs include deposits, connections, equipment, repairs, school-start expenses and medical treatment. Keep an emergency reserve outside the monthly consumption plan. Do not add the CBA or CBC to the same food and household items already recorded in a detailed budget, because the CBC already includes those categories. The consumer price index recorded 0.0% monthly inflation, 1.8% year-to-date inflation and 1.5% year-on-year inflation in August 2026. Its coverage focuses mainly on urban households in the Asunción metropolitan area, so it does not fully represent every rural or regional budget. Combine national statistics with current local quotes, especially for rent, food, transport, water, private services and leisure. Recheck prices when the district, dwelling, school, provider or household composition changes. Urban and rural scenarios should be calculated separately. Urban households may face higher rent, denser public transport use and more formal utility connections. Rural households may rely on wells, community water systems, longer journeys, private delivery or different food and housing arrangements. A plan should state the number of household members, location, housing tenure, access to public services, school arrangements, health needs, recurring bills and one-off expenses. That information produces a more useful estimate than a single national average.