"Cheap South America" is not one rent bill. La Paz costs are not Santiago costs. This list ranks every South American country in our catalog, using our Cost of Living score where a higher number means more affordable relative to the rest of our database.
Pair this table with Compare when you are down to two finalists, and open the cost of living calculator before you lock a city budget.
Cost of Living Score on the map
Higher score = stronger cost of living
Tap a country to see its score.Hover for a quick preview, or click to pin a country below.
Why the leaders rank here for cost of living
Andean and lower-income economies lead affordability here because rent, local meals, and services still land far below Southern Cone capitals priced for stronger currencies.
- #1Venezuela9.0
National price levels remain among the lowest in our catalog for local goods and housing, though currency rules and daily stability need a separate plan.
- #2Bolivia8.8
La Paz, Cochabamba, and Sucre keep housing and dining soft for careful movers who cook local and skip import carts.
- #3Peru8.5
Outside premium Lima corridors, Arequipa and many secondary cities still score well on groceries, transport, and modest rents.
- #4Ecuador8.5
Dollarized prices remove FX swings, and cities such as Cuenca keep monthly costs softer than many Pacific peers.
- #5Paraguay8.5
Asunción and nearby towns offer low rents and cheap local food for remote earners who want a light day-to-day bill.
Rankings are based on our scoring model. Always verify visa and cost information with official sources before making relocation decisions.
How we calculate these rankings
We filter to South American countries in our geographic model, then sort by Cost of Living score descending. New South American countries added to the catalog appear here automatically.
What higher affordability does not guarantee: Easy visas, high local salaries, English-friendly admin, or safety. A cheap country can still be the wrong fit if your income, healthcare needs, or street comfort do not match.
Updates: Rankings refresh when we redeploy after underlying country data changes.
Explore these countries
Open any country profile for full cost of living context, visas, and scores. Use compare when you are weighing a shortlist.
Showing top 8 of 11 ranked countries. Scroll the table above for the full list.
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