What foreign residents can expect from living in Paraguay
But look closer and you’ll find a green and pleasant land, open to foreigners and far removed from the hustle and bustle typically associated with big-city living. Here, foreign residents can expect to be treated as equals and friends, rather than as just another tourist passing through.
Paraguayans are rightly proud of their culture, customs and way of life, and are always eager to invite newcomers into their lives and homes, and to participate in their traditional events and celebrations. It’s a great place to live for anyone looking for peace of mind and unspoiled countryside, with easy and inexpensive access to all the necessary amenities.
People in Paraguay are typically polite and look out for one another, and for foreigners – a trait that’s especially common among their unusually close-knit rural communities. Paraguay is a developing country, and poverty is still a major issue in the cities and more remote parts of the countryside. But despite this, crime rates are notably low for the region, particularly outside the capital city of Asunción. In the capital, common sense measures should be sufficient for you to keep safe and enjoy your stay. Sensationalist, tabloid-style reporting has unfortunately given Paraguay an unwanted and undeserved reputation, which doesn’t accurately reflect the reality of its safe, hospitable towns and villages.
We’ve listed below seven indicators of the high quality of life which foreign residents can expect when living in Paraguay:
1. Natural beauty
Paraguay is a distinctly uncrowded country – its population of 7 million people fits comfortably in a territory the size of Germany, preserving acres of rolling green countryside outside of the country’s towns and cities, and keeping the air fresh and clean throughout the land. As such, the country is perfect for nature-lovers, boasting a great deal of natural beauty despite being landlocked: breath-taking waterfalls, impressive biodiversity, vast lakes, luxurious beaches and gleaming golden dunes are all on offer here.
Visitors with a taste for the great outdoors and stunning bodies of water should check out Salto Suizo, the highest waterfall in the country, and the beautiful Lake Ypacaraí, the country’s most well-known lake situated 25 kilometres east of Asunción. Other leisure activities include hiking, sailing and bathing in one of the country’s many cool natural springs on hot days. Sports fans will feel right at home here as well. Football and basketball are particularly essential parts of the national culture, while other sports such as swimming, tennis, volleyball and futsal are growing in popularity as well.
2. No tourist traps
Paraguay is not a standard destination for tourists, who typically overlook the country in favour of nearby Argentina or Brazil when travelling through Latin America. One obvious example of this is Iguazu Falls, a stunning series of waterfalls and lakes located at the intersection of the three neighbouring countries. The falls on the Brazilian and Argentinian territories are visited by millions of tourists every year, yet hardly any of them make the onward trip into Paraguay, except maybe for a one-off trip across the border into Ciudad del Este, which is well known for its affordable shopping outlets and attractive deals.
This phenomenon of “tourist blindness” is obviously undesirable from an economic viewpoint, but the upside is a refreshingly candid and unaffected local population, who have not had to adapt to an overwhelming influx of tourists and their whims, even as they remain receptive and welcoming. Outsiders are treated with respect, curiosity and warmth, rather than with the disdain or blasé attitude found in many tourist traps around the world. Meanwhile, traditional events such as Saints Days and town parades continue to take place across the country, held by locals and for locals, as they have for centuries, with hardly any outside influence.
3. Well-meaning locals
Paraguayans are naturally well-meaning, laid-back and welcoming of foreigners. Get to know your neighbours, and you can expect lots of smiles and offers to enjoy a glass of tereré – the cooling national drink which is enjoyed and shared among friends and family on hot days. Guaraní is one of the country’s official languages, and spoken by most of the population, but even just a few words of Spanish will be enough to win over the locals!
In addition, the towns and villages of Paraguay play host to a regular calendar of local festivals and celebrations, to which foreigners are welcome, and indeed are encouraged to take part. These are a great way to get to know the local culture and ingratiate yourself even more with the friendly local population.
4. Low cost of living
PEven by South American standards, Paraguay is an inexpensive country, where a comfortable lifestyle requires much fewer resources than in Europe or North America, for example. Cost of living in Paraguay is, on average, 57.2% lower than in United States, while rent is 76.4% lower in real terms.
Water, gas and electricity are all eminently affordable, and Asunción is blessed with a cheap but fully-functioning public transport system which makes it easy to get around for very little money. And despite this low cost of living, you should expect to have ready access to all the necessary provisions, even outside the major towns and cities.
5. Delicious food and drink
Paraguayan cuisine is not well-known throughout the rest of the world, but is well-loved by locals, and honours traditional Guaraní cooking styles. Freshwater fish and beef are staples of the local diet, as are soups and breads, especially the popular cheese and egg-flavoured chipa bread. Paraguay is the third-largest producer of grain in Latin America, and corn plays a large role in the country’s diet, from the famous sopa paraguaya to mbaipy he-é, a delicious dessert made from corn, milk, and molasses.
There is no shortage of beverages in Paraguay either, especially on hot days. Beer and caña, a spirit made from cane sugar, are particularly popular and thirst-quenching, while Yerba maté tea and tereré are consumed year-round – either chilled in summer or hot during the winter months. These teas are typically drunk from a shared gourd or from a guampa – an ornately-carved cow’s horn, and a commonplace item in most households.
6. A rich cultural heritage
Paraguay’s only major city is the capital of Asunción, with its big-city buzz, crowds and thriving nightlife. But there is more than enough heritage and prestige to go around in the city’s main cultural institutions, not to mention the learned societies concerned with the country’s history and ancient Guaraní culture. A number of other specialized societies and research institutes are also well worth exploring.
The National Academy of Fine Arts, the Normal School of Music, the Conservatory of Music, and the Asunción Symphony Orchestra are major names in the Paraguayan arts scene. The country’s many museums cover a wide range of fascinating subjects, from ethnography and natural history to military history. Finally, Asunción is blessed with several fantastic art galleries, which collect the work of Paraguayan artists such as Carlos Colombino and Ricardo Migliorisi, as well as more well-known international figures.
Fresh air, peace of mind, good food and drink, and friendly neighbours… These are just some of the benefits which foreign residents can expect while living in Paraguay – a peaceful and welcoming country where high quality of life is eminently achievable, at relatively low cost, for outsiders of all kinds.
Here at Strategica, our team is highly experienced in helping foreigners achieve permanent residency in Paraguay, and would be delighted to work with you to make this once-in-a-lifetime experience as seamless as possible. Get in touch with us today to learn more about the emigration process – we look forward to hearing from you!