Insights

Living in Latin America on $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 a month

On $1,000 a month, 7 of 19 cities work for one person with their own apartment. On $2,000, all of them do.

Published: November 13, 2026Data: Q1–Q2 2026

We took three common monthly budgets and checked which cities they cover for four kinds of household. “Fits” means the estimated spending on rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet, coworking and entertainment stays within the budget. Health insurance, school fees, taxes and savings are not included.

The couple scenario is our own adjustment: we start from the one-person budget and scale groceries, entertainment and transport for two adults. The rest are the original scenarios in the data.

Living on $1,000 a month

One person renting a room, frugal

19 of 19 cities fit the budget, which is all of them: Caracas ($240), La Paz ($318), Managua ($348), Asunción ($353), Guayaquil ($414), Buenos Aires ($418), San Salvador ($434), Quito ($440), Guatemala City ($445), Lima ($467), Santo Domingo ($513), Guadalajara ($515), Medellín ($550), Bogotá ($580), Mexico City ($597), Montevideo ($728), San José ($780), Panama City ($805) and Santiago ($810).

One person in a 1-bed apartment, average

7 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($585), La Paz ($767), Managua ($809), Asunción ($831), Guayaquil ($928), Buenos Aires ($977) and Quito ($985). In the cheapest one you would have $415 left each month.

A couple in a 1-bed apartment, average

4 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($708), La Paz ($910), Managua ($954) and Asunción ($982). In the cheapest one you would have $293 left each month.

A family of four in a family apartment, average

1 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($840). In the cheapest one you would have $160 left each month.

Living on $1,500 a month

One person renting a room, frugal

One person in a 1-bed apartment, average

15 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($585), La Paz ($767), Managua ($809), Asunción ($831), Guayaquil ($928), Buenos Aires ($977), Quito ($985), San Salvador ($1,007), Guatemala City ($1,031), Lima ($1,073), Santo Domingo ($1,117), Guadalajara ($1,140), Medellín ($1,180), Bogotá ($1,255) and Mexico City ($1,333). In the cheapest one you would have $915 left each month.

A couple in a 1-bed apartment, average

14 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($708), La Paz ($910), Managua ($954), Asunción ($982), Guayaquil ($1,101), Buenos Aires ($1,142), Quito ($1,165), San Salvador ($1,180), Guatemala City ($1,209), Lima ($1,268), Santo Domingo ($1,322), Guadalajara ($1,343), Medellín ($1,400) and Bogotá ($1,485). In the cheapest one you would have $793 left each month.

A family of four in a family apartment, average

9 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($840), La Paz ($1,105), Managua ($1,156), Asunción ($1,187), Guayaquil ($1,323), Buenos Aires ($1,402), Quito ($1,405), San Salvador ($1,428) and Guatemala City ($1,469). In the cheapest one you would have $660 left each month.

Living on $2,000 a month

One person renting a room, frugal

One person in a 1-bed apartment, average

19 of 19 cities fit the budget, which is all of them: Caracas ($585), La Paz ($767), Managua ($809), Asunción ($831), Guayaquil ($928), Buenos Aires ($977), Quito ($985), San Salvador ($1,007), Guatemala City ($1,031), Lima ($1,073), Santo Domingo ($1,117), Guadalajara ($1,140), Medellín ($1,180), Bogotá ($1,255), Mexico City ($1,333), Montevideo ($1,533), San José ($1,640), Santiago ($1,700) and Panama City ($1,740).

A couple in a 1-bed apartment, average

17 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($708), La Paz ($910), Managua ($954), Asunción ($982), Guayaquil ($1,101), Buenos Aires ($1,142), Quito ($1,165), San Salvador ($1,180), Guatemala City ($1,209), Lima ($1,268), Santo Domingo ($1,322), Guadalajara ($1,343), Medellín ($1,400), Bogotá ($1,485), Mexico City ($1,553), Montevideo ($1,803) and San José ($1,923). In the cheapest one you would have $1,293 left each month.

A family of four in a family apartment, average

15 of 19 cities fit the budget: Caracas ($840), La Paz ($1,105), Managua ($1,156), Asunción ($1,187), Guayaquil ($1,323), Buenos Aires ($1,402), Quito ($1,405), San Salvador ($1,428), Guatemala City ($1,469), Lima ($1,538), Santo Domingo ($1,572), Guadalajara ($1,620), Medellín ($1,660), Bogotá ($1,780) and Mexico City ($1,873). In the cheapest one you would have $1,160 left each month.

All the figures

Monthly cost by household
City	1 person, room	1 person, 1-bed	Couple, 1-bed	Family of 4
Caracas	$240	$585	$708	$840
La Paz	$318	$767	$910	$1,105
Managua	$348	$809	$954	$1,156
Asunción	$353	$831	$982	$1,187
Guayaquil	$414	$928	$1,101	$1,323
Buenos Aires	$418	$977	$1,142	$1,402
Quito	$440	$985	$1,165	$1,405
San Salvador	$434	$1,007	$1,180	$1,428
Guatemala City	$445	$1,031	$1,209	$1,469
Lima	$467	$1,073	$1,268	$1,538
Santo Domingo	$513	$1,117	$1,322	$1,572
Guadalajara	$515	$1,140	$1,343	$1,620
Medellín	$550	$1,180	$1,400	$1,660
Bogotá	$580	$1,255	$1,485	$1,780
Mexico City	$597	$1,333	$1,553	$1,873
Montevideo	$728	$1,533	$1,803	$2,128
San José	$780	$1,640	$1,923	$2,255
Santiago	$810	$1,700	$2,005	$2,365
Panama City	$805	$1,740	$2,020	$2,400

Before you decide

Leave a margin. The first months usually cost more because of deposits, furniture and paperwork: estimate that cash with the moving cost calculator. And test your own case in the budget calculator, where you can replace any category with your own figure.

All figures are modeled estimates in US dollars for Q1–Q2 2026 and have not been re-verified since. Methodology