Life in Paraguay
After nearly a year of traveling, learning and looking in Central America, we left beautiful Nicaragua as it sadly didn’t tick our residency boxes and headed to Paraguay, South America. In Nicaragua we had started going down the Investor Visa path and then pulled the pin as more information came to light, like you have to renew your cedula every six months in Managua!
We slipped in a quick stop in Miami to stock up on some tech goodies before heading to South America. Stepping back into the Western world was interesting, expensive and we often felt like we were living in The Truman Show!
why Paraguay?
Paraguay unexpectedly appeared on our radar as we were thinking about the fact that Nicaragua was beautiful but not ideal as a permanent option. To be honest we knew Paraguay was in South America, but we did need to check the map as to where it was! Luckily we hadn’t made any big money investments in Nicaragua so we were able to pull up anchor and head to Paraguay instead.
After quite a bit of research we decided it was worth checking out. It felt like it could fit our Alternative Living dream. It had an accessible visa that didn’t involve a large capital investment. Lots of land and water available and a great sub tropical/tropical climate dependent on where you live. So off we went to country number three!
Getting Settled in Paraguay
Once we were in Paraguay we very quickly decided it was the place we wanted to stay permanently. It was nearly a year since we had left NZ and we were keen to get some land and get moving on our lifestyle dreams.
Things become a bit more serious when you decide you are going to stay in a country permanently! Residency, car, drivers licence and a place to live more permanently throw up a new set of challenges & tasks.
Check out our blogs below on our journey to get settled permanently in Paraguay. You can also check out our Resources Page for information on accommodation, residency and other vital information to point you in the right direction!
If you are keen to come to Paraguay and want to talk to us, you can book an online consult with us. Click HERE for more info & to book.
Check Out Our Paraguay Posts
Is It Easy to Get a Driver’s Licence in Paraguay?
At some point, once you have your residency sorted and have received your cedula (identity card) you will need to apply for a Paraguayan Drivers Licence. If you don’t have a…
How to Manage the Risk of Being Frozen Out of Your Bank Account
‘Houston, we have a problem.’…(we have been frozen out of our bank account!) On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 was about 180,000 nautical miles from Earth when a malfunction caused what…
Moving To a New Country As a Family. A Huge Challenge!
When I talk about ‘family’ I am talking about couples or parents with children. Families come in various forms; the challenges that beset families per se are also common among friends…
Relocating to Paraguay? Important Things to Consider.
We try to provide an insight into what life looks like for us here in Paraguay. We hope to shed light on how we came to choose Paraguay in the first…
Expat, Digital Nomad, Refugee, Migrant…Who Are You?
I recently had a conversation with an American expat living in Nicaragua that led to some personal revelations about the issue of what we (Brenda and I) identify as. Just to…
Moving to a New Country? 6 Tips to Keep Your Sanity
In these crazy times just keeping your head straight can be a challenge; however, moving to another country can take those challenges to another level. Here are 6 tips to help…
Live in a Shared Expat Community or Go It Alone?
Several months ago, when we decided that Nicaragua was not where we were going to settle, we did some research and Paraguay popped up as a possible option. Paraguay actually came…
Upcoming Changes to the Paraguay Residency and Cedula Process…
The Process is Being Streamlined Our experience with Paraguay Immigration was administratively manual. Lot’s of forms and old school fingerprints with ink. However in coming months the process is changing. For…
Many Ways to Learn a Language. No Excuses Anymore!
Learning another language is a big step in successfully transitioning to another country. There are many ways to learn a language! Arriving in Guatemala in October 2022 was a culture shock…
Is It Easy To Buy a Property in Paraguay?
We are in the process of looking to buy a property in Paraguay. In due course, we will do a follow-up post to describe how the buying/transfer process works. Of all…
What a Year!? We are Looking Forward to 2024…
This year we have moved from Guatemala to Nicaragua, and then onto Paraguay. 2023, what a year! We have learned much along the way. We are enjoying the Christmas break and…
Packing up and Shipping Out. What Should I Bring?
If there’s a place where angels fear to tread when blogging about moving overseas, this is probably that place. Few subjects evoke such emotional responses as ‘What should you bring, and…
Moving to Another Country? Four things to Keep in Mind
Moving to another country is no small thing. A million things to consider, and it can be overwhelming. We’ve been contacted by people in this position, and we get it. We’re…
Want to Live in Paraguay? How to Apply for Residency…
When we left NZ over a year ago we fully intended to live in Guatemala. We soon realized that it wasn’t our place. So we hit the road and travelled to…
Is it Easy to Buy a Car in Paraguay?
I guess we take it for granted. My first-world sense of privilege is showing when I say that I thought the job of acquiring a means of transport wouldn’t be an…
Want a Bus Ride with a Great Concert at the Same Time?
Since arriving in Guatemala and travelling down through Central America to Paraguay, we have caught quite a few bus rides. And we have learned a lot about people along the way….
Is it Mis-information, Dis-information or Just Plain Bs?
What is the difference between mis-information, dis-information or just plain BS and more importantly, who gets to decide? In the last year we have jumped from living off grid in the…
How Much Does Everyday Life Cost in Paraguay?
One of the things we wanted to understand when we arrived in Paraguay was the everyday cost of living. We noticed as we lived & travelled through Guatemala, El Salvador &…
Checking out Caacupe – the Town of Miracles
Approximately 57 kilometers east of Asuncion is the beautiful town of Caacupe. Translated from Guarani (ka(a) ku’pe), Caacupe means ‘behind the mount’. Caacupe was founded by the Spanish in 1770. The Cathedral Basilica…
Just Arrived in Paraguay and Finding Our Feet!
Well, we made it! We have just arrived in Paraguay, so now it’s all about finding our feet and sorting the basics like supermarkets, transport, money and phones. After our brief…
Guarani Language Day!
25 August – Happy Guarani Language Day or Vy’apavê ára guaraní! Guarani – a Little History Guarani or the ‘people’s language’, along with Spanish is the official language of Paraguay. In…
Cost of Living in Paraguay. What Does $13.70 Usd Buy?
It’s early days but so far we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the cost of living in Paraguay. Here at adirtcheaplife.com we love a bargain. To be honest, when we thought about…
A Quick Stop in Miami on the Way to Paraguay
On the way to Paraguay from Nicaragua, we hung out for a week at Miami Beach in Florida. This gave us the opportunity to purchase some new laptops and other much…
Our Life in Paraguay on Instagram
Take a glimpse into our everyday life. and the things we love about Paraguay….
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The Paraguay Relocation Guide
$5 USD
The Paraguay Relocation Guide is an essential planning tool for your move to Paraguay.
It’s designed to kick-start your moving process and guides you through the core decisions, mindset & steps you need to take.
It’s essentially a summary of all the most important lessons we learnt from our moving journey!
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Leaving your home country can be daunting!
Our one hour session is focused on your questions about moving to or living in Paraguay.
We are happy to share our journey and everything we know about Paraguay and life here. We also have a trusted network of English speaking people that can help you build your new life here.
We would love to help you find your place in the sun!
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