Paraguay

Paraguay has become one of South America's most accessible relocation options for Americans, driven by low costs and favorable taxes. In the capital, Asunción, a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averages about $600/month and roughly $360/month outside the center, with total monthly costs for a single person around $574 excluding rent (Numbeo, May–June 2026; numbeo.com). Numbeo estimates overall living costs are ~54.3% lower than in the United States, and rent ~71% lower. Paraguay also uses a strictly territorial tax system, meaning foreign-source income — including foreign pensions and remote-work earnings — is taxed at 0%, with no wealth, inheritance, or exit tax (Escalada, Expatra, 2025). On safety, the US State Department rates Paraguay Level 1, 'Exercise Normal Precautions' (updated April 30, 2025; travel.state.gov), though it flags Level 2 'Exercise Increased Caution' for five border departments (Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyú, Concepción, San Pedro). The 2025 Global Peace Index ranks Paraguay 75th of 163 countries — fourth-most-peaceful in South America (Vision of Humanity / IEP). Healthcare is uneven: the public system (Ministry of Health and the IPS social-security institute) is overstretched and IPS coverage is generally limited to formal employees, so expats rely on private hospitals concentrated in Asunción (e.g., Sanatorio Migone, Hospital Italiano, Hospital Bautista), where English-speaking, foreign-trained doctors are relatively common. Numbeo's Health Care Index for Paraguay is 64.67 (April 2026), but it rests on only 44 contributors and should be treated cautiously. Immigration is the headline draw. Under Migration Law 6984/2022, most US citizens enter via a 2-year temporary residency that carries no statutory minimum-income requirement (migraciones.gov.py) and converts to permanent residency, with naturalization possible after about three years of permanent residency (Constitution Art. 148). In April 2026 Paraguay launched an 'Investor Pass' offering direct permanent residency for investments starting near $70,000. Interest is climbing fast — national residency applications rose roughly 31–50% in 2025, with US nationals filing 640 of 38,236 applications between January and October 2025 (Paraguay DNM via Asunción Times and IMI Daily). The main cultural hurdle is language: Paraguay is overwhelmingly bilingual Spanish/Guaraní, only 2.4% of the population speaks another language at home (INE EPHC 2024), and English proficiency, while 'Moderate' on the EF EPI (score 531, rank 43, 2025), is concentrated among urban professionals.