Moving to Paraguay from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Paraguay? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Paraguay, you would find that Paraguay is 25.0% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,223,766 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly PYG359,265,116 in Paraguay to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Guaraní and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Paraguay.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,223,766 → PYG359,265,116
To maintain the same standard of living in Paraguay
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 28.9% less
Groceries
pay 16.2% less
Transportation
pay 31.1% less
Housing
pay 36.5% less
Childcare
pay 28.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Paraguay compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Paraguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Paraguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Paraguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Paraguay generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Paraguay generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Paraguay leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Asuncion |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 77°/58°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 87°/68°F (31°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Asuncion |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 92°/73°F (33.5°/22.8°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 91°/72°F (32.6°/22.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.3°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.2°/13.1°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 80°/61°F (26.4°/15.9°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.6°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 87°/68°F (30.7°/20.1°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 90°/71°F (32.3°/21.8°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología (DMH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Paraguay. To live, work, or study long-term in Paraguay, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Paraguay's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Paraguay
Visa Free
Paraguay passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Paraguay than South Africa?
On average Paraguay is about 21% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Paraguay?
Budget about PYG89,816,279 for 3 months in Paraguay (based on a ZAR1,223,766 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Paraguay?
Connectivity is usually fine (Paraguay: 10.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Paraguay offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Paraguay safe for expats?
Paraguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Paraguay is 7.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. About 43% of people in Paraguay feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Paraguay compared to South Africa?
Paraguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Paraguay, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Paraguay scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Paraguay compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Asuncion is 83°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Asuncion receives around 55.2 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Paraguay?
The official languages in Paraguay are Guaraní and Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Paraguay
At a Glance
ZA
|
PY
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 7,356,409 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Paraguayan Guarani (PYG) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Guaraní, Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +595 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |