Paraguay (PY)

Affordable South American residency hub with low taxes, warm climate, Mercosur access, growing expat communities, and a practical base in Asuncion, Encarnacion and Ciudad del Este.

Capital: Asuncion

Region: Americas

Language: Spanish

Currency: PYG (Gs.)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 25)

Emergency: 911

Education & Schools

Schools, universities, and language courses in Paraguay.

👶 Childcare & Kindergarten

Maternal / guarderia Gs. 800,000-3,500,000 in Asuncion private centres

Age: 0-3

Apply directly to private centres; ask for vaccination, emergency contact and authorised pickup rules.

⏱️ Visit in person during morning hours and ask other parents about reliability, air conditioning and staff turnover.

Jardin / preescolar Public options low cost; private bilingual schools often Gs. 1.5M-5M/month plus fees

Age: 3-5

Public enrolment is through local schools; private schools require application, interview and registration fee.

🏫 Schools

Basic school Free

Educacion Escolar Basica

Ages: 6-14 · Language: Spanish and Guarani in public system; private bilingual schools may teach Spanish-English or Spanish-German.

Present child birth certificate, identity documents, school records, vaccination records and address information. Foreign documents usually need apostille/legalisation and Spanish translation.

Quality varies sharply by school. Expat families often choose private bilingual or international schools in Asuncion.

Secondary education Free

Educacion Media / Bachillerato

Ages: 15-17 · Language: Spanish in public schools; private schools may offer bilingual or international curricula.

Provide prior school transcripts and recognition/equivalence documents where required by MEC.

University-track students should confirm whether the school diploma is recognised for their target country.

International Schools

Asuncion has the main international options: American School of Asuncion, Pan American International School, Goethe Schule, Colegio Internacional and other bilingual private schools. Annual total cost can range from roughly USD 4,000 to USD 18,000+ depending on grade and school.

University

Tuition fee

Public Universidad Nacional de Asuncion is low-cost but competitive and Spanish-based. Private universities range from affordable local programmes to higher-cost medicine, business and engineering degrees.

Semester fee

Private universities often charge monthly or semester fees; budget Gs. 1M-5M/month depending on institution and field.

Student visa

Foreign students normally use temporary residence or student-specific immigration documentation under Law 6984/2022.

Health insurance

Private insurance is strongly recommended unless covered through family employment/IPS or a university plan.

Application process

Apply directly to each university. Foreign secondary and university documents require apostille/legalisation, Spanish translation and recognition steps.

🗣️ Language Courses

Spanish courses

Provider: Private language schools and tutors · Duration: Flexible · Levels: A1-C2

Gs. 70,000-180,000/hour for private tutoring

Practical Spanish is essential for government offices, leases and healthcare.

Guarani courses

Provider: Cultural institutes, private tutors and university extension programmes · Duration: Flexible · Levels: Beginner to conversational

Gs. 50,000-150,000/hour

Very useful for integration outside elite urban settings.

Corporate Spanish

Provider: Business language providers in Asuncion · Duration: 8-12 weeks · Levels: Workplace Spanish

Employer-paid or Gs. 1M-3M per package

Focus on emails, meetings, calls and negotiation language.

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