Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Paraguay instead of California, you would:

Health

be 22.1% more likely to be obese

In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Paraguay, that number is 34.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 36.8% more likely to live below the poverty line

In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Paraguay, however, that number is 16.0% as of 2025.

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make 91.6% less money

California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Paraguay, the GDP per capita is $7,027 as of 2025.

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Basic Needs

be 11.9% less likely to have internet access

In California, approximately 92.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Paraguay, about 81.6% do as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: California vs. Paraguay

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Paraguay is 67.4% cheaper than California
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Size Comparison · See true size
California is around the same size as Paraguay.
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Moving from California to Paraguay · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Paraguay: At a glance

Paraguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 397,302 sq km. Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of its adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since the country's return to democracy.
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How big is Paraguay compared to California? See an in-depth size comparison.

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