Infrastructure for Remote Work: What's It Like in Paraguay?
One of the first questions a professional asks when considering a move is how the job market looks in their field at the chosen destination. Although remote work allows many people to live far from major hubs, it is important to weigh the impact that decision can have on career, job opportunities, the tech community, networking, and long-term professional growth.
That doesn't mean these services are terrible. In larger cities, they generally meet the basic needs of remote workers, including downloading project dependencies, using code repositories, and attending video calls. My initial impression is that the overall quality is comparable to what you would find in smaller cities in Brazil.
That said, there are some important points to consider, as what is acceptable for one person may not be enough for someone with different expectations or requirements.
Electricity
In Paraguay, electricity is distributed by a state-owned company called ANDE. The infrastructure is far from perfect, but at least in the region where I live, power outages are relatively uncommon, and when they do happen, they are usually resolved quickly.
Things to Keep in Mind
In larger cities such as Ciudad del Este, it is more common to hear reports of frequent power outages, usually attributed to overloads in the electrical grid.
If you plan to rent a house, it's worth asking the neighbors about the reliability of the local power supply. You should also inspect the property's electrical installation, especially if it's an older home. In general, electrical installations tend to be improvised, which increases the risk of damaged electronics, excessive power consumption, and even electrical fires.
Speaking of damaged equipment, another important issue is power surges. They are relatively common in Paraguay, so it's always a good idea to protect more sensitive electronic devices.
On the bright side, electricity is cheaper than in Brazil.
Overall, if you live in a newer house located in an area without frequent power outages, the electricity supply is more than adequate for remote work.
Internet
Just like in Brazil, most medium-sized and larger cities have access to fiber-optic internet. Where I live, the service is reliable, and I rarely experience any connection issues. Customer support has also been efficient and satisfactory.
One downside is the price. A 600 Mbps plan costs around $34 per month, while similar plans in large Brazilian cities can often be found at significantly lower prices. If you're used to—or require—higher internet speeds, this may be a drawback.
Mobile internet is where things become more challenging. Paraguay has three major mobile carriers: Tigo, Claro, and Personal. For comparison, a prepaid plan with unlimited calls to Claro numbers, unlimited WhatsApp, and 10 GB of data for 30 days costs around $48. A postpaid plan with 100 GB typically costs between $15 and $16.
If you'd like to keep your Brazilian phone number active while living in Paraguay, Brazilian carriers offer roaming packages, and using an eSIM can make the setup easier while giving you more flexibility when choosing carriers. The main reason to keep a Brazilian number is to receive SMS verification codes for services you still use in Brazil, such as banks, Mercado Livre, OLX, and others.
If you need to keep your Brazilian number active for longer than a month, it's worth checking whether your roaming plan requires the phone to reconnect to a Brazilian network periodically. In practice, the best solution for most people is to keep two phone numbers: a Paraguayan number for mobile data and local calls, and a Brazilian number for SMS verification and WhatsApp, if you want to continue using your Brazilian account.
The biggest limitation is probably 5G coverage. Paraguay is still in the early stages of rolling out 5G, especially when compared to Brazil. Coverage is generally limited to downtown areas and higher-end neighborhoods in the largest cities. Everywhere else, you'll mostly rely on 4G, whose performance is inconsistent. Even in Ciudad del Este, the signal can be weak in many parts of the downtown area.
If you need both high-speed internet and mobility, travel frequently, and expect to stay connected from virtually anywhere, you may need to consider Starlink. Mobile internet alone may not be enough.
Overall, remote work is perfectly feasible in Paraguay, provided your requirements for internet speed and mobile connectivity are not particularly demanding. Just keep in mind that some conveniences commonly found in Brazil—especially in large cities and state capitals—are not always available here. People who choose to live in Asunción may notice these limitations less, but in the end, it's mostly a matter of aligning expectations and weighing the trade-offs.