Paraguay on a budget: daily costs and money-saving tips

Paraguay's low prices are the main reason to travel here on a tight budget. Outside the Chaco, a day of dorm beds, market food and public buses lands in the US$30–55 band, and you rarely need to book far ahead. The two costs that break a budget are long-distance transport to remote areas and any guided trip into the Chaco, where a 4x4 and a guide are unavoidable.

Build your day around the menú del día. Almost every restaurant and many markets serve a fixed lunch of soup or salad, a main and a drink for US$4–8. Eat your main meal at midday, then keep the evening cheap with chipa, empanadas or a supermarket picnic. Beer is US$2–3 for a litre of Pilsen, so a night out costs little.

Move by public bus. City fares are a few thousand guaraníes, and intercity buses are cheap: Asunción to Encarnación is US$12–20. Buy at the terminal rather than through an agency, and carry small notes because drivers and conductors rarely have change for large bills.

Sleep in hostel dorms (US$10–20) or simple guesthouses. Mid-range hotels with air conditioning run US$30–50 shared, which is worth it in the hot months. Asunción has the widest choice; smaller towns have fewer beds, so book ahead around holidays.

Sights are the smallest line in the budget. The Trinidad and Jesús mission ticket near Encarnación is about US$4–6, and the Itaipú dam panoramic tour is free or a small fee. Many of Paraguay's best days — markets, riverfronts, the Asunción old town — cost nothing.

Per person per day, sharing a room at mid-range and comfort. 2026 estimate; Chaco expeditions are extra.

Carry small guaraní notes. Buses, markets and street sellers work in cash and often cannot break a ₲50,000 or ₲100,000 note. Withdraw a larger amount once and ask for change at a supermarket or pharmacy.

Use ATMs in cities and malls; fees apply per withdrawal, so take out more, less often. Some machines dispense US dollars as well as guaraníes. US dollars and Brazilian reais are widely exchanged in border cities such as Ciudad del Este.

Travel outside peak holidays. Paraguayan school holidays and the weeks around New Year push up bus and hotel prices, and small towns fill up. Shoulder-season weekdays are the cheapest and quietest — check exact dates locally.

Book long-distance buses at the terminal, not through a hotel or agency, and take the ordinary service rather than the executive cama class if the difference matters. On short hops, local buses are far cheaper than taxis or apps.

Eat where Paraguayans eat: market stalls, set-lunch restaurants and chipa sellers. Tourist-facing restaurants in Asunción charge several times more for the same dish.

Keep a small emergency fund. A missed bus, a medical visit or a change of plan is the usual reason a tight budget breaks; travel insurance is the other half of that plan.