Want to live and work in Paraguay?

Paraguay has one of the lowest costs of living in South America. In Asuncion, a one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs between USD 300 and USD 500 per month. Neighbourhoods such as Carmelitas, Villa Morra, and Mariscal Lopez are the most sought after by foreigners. Encarnacion, Ciudad del Este, and smaller cities offer even cheaper rents, below USD 250 in many cases.

Eating out is very affordable. Set lunches cost between USD 4 and USD 8. Supermarkets such as Stock, Real, and Superseis cover the basics. Beef is abundant and cheap, with asados being an almost daily practice. Public transport in Asuncion is simple with cheap buses. Cars and petrol have competitive prices.

Electricity is cheap because of Itaipu and Yacyreta, which produce more energy than the country consumes. Personal income tax has a low rate (10% on business profits and capital gains). Private healthcare costs little compared to the rest of the region. In general terms, it is possible to live comfortably on salaries considered modest in other countries.

Paraguayan basic education is free and compulsory, with instruction in Spanish and Guarani. Quality in the public network is uneven: better in capitals, weaker in rural areas. Families with income usually enrol children in private schools, including international American, German, and Japanese schools in Asuncion. There are also Mennonite colony schools in the Chaco and Sacred Heart schools in various departments.

The National University of Asuncion (UNA) is the largest and most traditional, offering courses in medicine, law, engineering, agronomy, and veterinary science. The Catholic University Our Lady of Asuncion is considered a reference in the private sector. Private universities such as Americana, Columbia, and UNIDA offer flexible-schedule courses and attract students from other South American countries.

Medical courses at Paraguayan private universities attract students from Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, with prices well below those in neighbouring countries. Those planning to have their diploma recognised in their home country need to check revalidation requirements. The offer in master's and doctoral programmes is smaller but growing in partnership with foreign universities.

Safety in Paraguay is considered reasonable by Latin American standards. Asuncion has calm neighbourhoods such as Carmelitas, Villa Morra, and Mariscal Lopez, with good restaurants, cafes, and residences. Encarnacion in the south has a reputation as a quiet and organised city, with the costanera becoming a tourist attraction. Smaller cities and interior colonies are generally safe during the day.

Border areas with Brazil require more caution, especially Pedro Juan Caballero (bordering Ponta Pora in Brazil) and Ciudad del Este (bordering Foz do Iguacu), where smuggling, drug trafficking, and organised crime have a presence. This does not mean avoiding these cities, but taking basic precautions: avoiding empty streets at night, using reliable transport, and not displaying valuables.

Those living in agribusiness areas, especially in the east and north, often invest in their own security on large farms, with guards and surveillance systems. Small interior towns such as Aregu, San Bernardino, Yguazu, and the Mennonite colony region of the Chaco are very quiet. The Paraguayan police have resource limitations but regularly attend incidents involving foreigners.

Paraguayan culture stands out in Latin America for the presence of Guarani in everyday life. Traditional music features the Paraguayan harp, the country's emblematic instrument. Polkas and guaranias are typical genres, heard at festivals and at home.

Terere, cold mate sipped from a gourd with herbs and ice, is an almost obligatory daily tradition, especially in summer. The cuisine is built around corn and cassava: chipa (Paraguayan cheese bread), sopa paraguaya (which is actually a savory corn cake), mbeju, mbaipy, and grilled meats.

Football is the favorite sport, and Paraguay's national team has a strong tradition in Copa America and World Cup play. Religious festivals (the Virgin of Caacupe in December, Holy Week) draw large crowds. The Encarnacion Carnival is one of the largest in the country.

Paraguay covers about 406,000 square kilometres in the centre of South America, with no access to the sea. The Paraguay River divides the territory into two very different regions. The Eastern Region (Region Oriental) concentrates more than 95% of the population, with fertile land, a humid climate, and Atlantic forests. The western region (Chaco) covers 60% of the territory but is home to only a small fraction of the inhabitants, with a dry climate and xerophilous vegetation.

The relief is predominantly low, with altitudes between 100 and 600 metres. The eastern lands are undulating and once covered by Atlantic forest (Bosque Atlantico del Alto Parana), now partly replaced by soy fields. The Chaco is a vast plain with cerrado vegetation, palm groves, and savannas. There are no high ranges, but small elevations appear near San Bernardino and Itaugua.

The climate is humid subtropical in the east, with year-round rainfall, and semi-arid in the Chaco. Biomes include Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Pantanal (on the border with Brazil), and the Dry Chaco. Average population density is low (around 18 inhabitants per km2), concentrated on the Asuncion-Encarnacion-Ciudad del Este axis. The Paraguay and Parana rivers are vital for waterway transport and energy.

Paraguay has had an E-1/E-2 treaty with the United States since 1859, giving Paraguayans access to the E-2 investor visa (recommended capital from USD 100,000 to USD 150,000) and the E-1 trader visa. This is one of the most widely used routes for Paraguayan entrepreneurs to open businesses in the US, especially in Miami, Orlando, and Houston, where there are established Paraguayan communities.

For qualified professionals, the common pathways are H-1B (technical speciality, subject to the annual lottery), L-1 (intra-company transfer, widely used by agricultural and financial multinationals), O-1 (extraordinary talent), and EB-2 NIW (national interest, for professionals with a master's degree or in strategic areas such as agribusiness, energy, and technology).

Paraguayan students use the F-1 for undergraduate and graduate study at American universities, with Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM Extension to work after graduation. The EB-5 is a pathway for investors with USD 800,000 to USD 1,050,000 available, leading to permanent residence. Paraguayan citizens need a B-1/B-2 visa for tourism and business, with consular approval generally straightforward.