Arriving in Paraguay is similar to arriving anywhere else - there are far more commonalities with other countries than there are differences. Here are some specifics to help you plan ahead.
Language(s)
Spanish and Guarani are widely spoken by pretty much every Paraguayan. English, Portuguese, Italian, or German is sometimes spoken by some Paraguayans, but don't count on it.
Install your favourite language translation app, such as Google Translate, and download the Spanish language pack so that it works without needing an internet connection, just in case you need it.
Transport
Asuncion has plenty of buses, but unless you speak Spanish and can check the route with the driver (and know where you are, and where you're going, at all times), you might find yourself somewhere you didn't intend to be.
Asuncion does not have any railways, trains, trams, or subway/underground.
Cash and currency exchange
The main currency here is Guarani (PYG), and US Dollars (USD) is also used a lot, for larger transactions and for pricing in some retail shops, particularly those selling imported/foreign products. Sometimes products are priced in USD, but the transaction is entered in PYG, using whatever the current exchange rate is.
By global standards, the USD-PYG exchange rate is quite stable, at around 7,000 PYG = 1 USD. Most currency fluctuations have more to do with the strength or weakness of the US Dollar, than any change in the strength or weakness of the Paraguayan Guarani.
There are many ATMs which work fine with foreign cards; the maximum withdrawal amount per transaction is usually 1,500,000 PYG, which is approximately $200 USD. Most ATMs have a fee of 25,000 PYG (approximately $3.50 USD) per withdrawal, in addition to any fee charged by your card provider. The ATMs at the airport will often allow you to withdraw a higher amount (usually 2,500,000 PYG per transaction).
Many (not all) ATMs also have functionality to withdraw USD, but (a) limit USD withdrawals to $200 per transaction, and a maximum of 2 transactions per 24 hours, and (b) often run out of USD notes quite quickly. With the ATM fees and limits (and availability), it is quite expensive and takes a long time to withdraw substantial amounts of USD from ATMs here.
When changing currency, the best rates (i.e. the lowest spreads) are on the USD-PYG currency pair. Reasonable spreads on EUR-PYG and GBP-PYG can also be found, from some currency exchange outlets. If you are trying to convert any non-PYG currency to USD, you will usually be forced to convert it to PYG first, and then from PYG into USD, which is not very efficient as you get charged a spread twice, instead of just once (and one of those spreads is often quite large).
We strongly recommend bringing a reasonable amount of USD cash with you from whatever country you are travelling from, because (a) it is difficult to withdraw large amounts of cash here in a cost-effective way, and (b) you will get the best exchange rates to PYG if you have USD cash. We only accept USD for our residency services, you will find that many other service providers will also only accept USD for anything over a few hundred dollars worth.
In some parts of the city, particularly in areas with a lot of currency exchange shops, you will come across random people calling out "Cambio, Cambiooooooo" to you as you walk past. "Cambio" means "change" in Spanish, and they are offering you currency exchange services. Whilst some are perfectly fine and offer good rates, this is also how scammers operate, with fake bank notes.
We strongly suggest sticking to actual currency exchange shops when exchanging cash, particularly for larger amounts. There are many professional foreign exchange outlets, most of which publicly display their rates on an electronic sign either inside or outside their business premises. Check the rates from several of them before picking one, as they can vary. You will need to bring photo ID, such as a Passport, for larger amounts. Many have a maximum limit of $2,000 - $5,000 (or currency equivalent) per person, but you can always use multiple outlets if you want or need to exchange higher total amounts.
Generally speaking, most shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, and hotels accept any major credit or debit card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, Amex etc - including foreign cards). Market stalls, pop-up shops and F&B outlets, street-food vendors, some smaller shops and bars, do not accept cards. Neither do Uber, Bolt, and Taxis (unless paying through the app).
Banking, money transfer services, and crypto
You will not be able to open a bank account in Paraguay until you have your Cedula (the last stage of our residency process).
Western Union has many locations throughout the city, and can be a good option for very small transfers. For larger amounts, their fees are extortionate.
It is relatively easy to exchange cryptocurrencies for cash (and vice versa) here, but it is relatively expensive. There is a "Bitcoin Shop" near Shopping Mariscal (in Villa Morra area), which charges 7% for BTC-to-fiat exchange and 10% for some other cryptocurrencies. It has a maximum limit of $5,000 USD per person per month, and requires photo ID (such as a passport).
Finding and booking accommodation
You can use any of the usual online hotel or home rental websites for any other place worldwide, such as AirBnB, Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, Hotels.com, and so on. There are many options to suit every budget, although prices for apartments are not as cheap (by global standards) as many other things in Asuncion are.
Getting a visa for Paraguay
Some nationalities need a visa, some don't. Please refer to our full article about which nationalities need a visa to enter Paraguay.
Going through immigration at the airport
Remember that unless you are already fluent in Spanish or Guarani, it is very easy for things to be miscommunicated - or misunderstood - when talking to an immigration official who only speaks Spanish and Guarani.
Therefore, keep it simple, and remember that even if you fully plan on legally changing your immigration status in the very near future, this has not happened just yet - at this point in time, you are still a tourist, who does not (yet) have the legal right to live and work in Paraguay. So make sure you answer any questions as the tourist that you are, and not as the resident that you will become in the future.
Make sure to check out this useful information and advice for when you go through passport control in Paraguay before you travel!
Make sure your passport gets stamped! Sometimes this is not done automatically, because for some nationalities, it's not technically needed, to enter the country. But you do need it for your residency application, so check that you have an entry stamp in your passport before you leave the immigration booth.
What to expect at the airport
Asuncion airport is quite small and very easy to navigate - you can't really get lost. "Salida" is the Spanish word for "Exit", which is clearly signposted, and the only place you will be able to move towards.
If you have a lot of bags, there are porters who will enthusiastically offer to help you, and the cost for their help will be "up to you" - they work for tips, and they will be happy with just a few dollars (or local currency equivalent). You will meet them in the main exit area after you clear immigration and collect your luggage.
In this area there are also a couple of ATMs - probably the last ATMs you will see until you arrive at your accommodation and go looking for an ATM near there, so it's probably worth using them to get some local currency, which you might need for a taxi. They also (usually) have higher withdrawal limits than other ATMs in the city.
There will also be other people offering you car hire, which you can hire either immediately, or at any time in future (you will be encouraged to take a small leaflet and business card from the car hire people, just in case you want to hire a car in future).
Taxis are readily available - you will be offered a taxi for sure - and the prices are (or at least should be) negotiated in advance. Don't expect a taxi meter. Taxis will be more expensive than ordering an Uber or Bolt, but will be available immediately rather than waiting. Expect to pay between 50,000 PYG to 100,000 PYG (approximately $7 - $14 USD) to get anywhere in Asuncion, depending on the exact location and how much luggage you have (and how well you can negotiate - in Spanish). Have the address of your accommodation (in Spanish) ready to show them (on your phone is fine), and use the calculator on your phone to haggle the price if needed.
The people you meet at the airport will be friendly, very keen to help (i.e. get hired by you), but are not pushy like in some countries.
SIM cards and phone coverage
It's possible to get a tourist SIM card at the airport, but not options are available. It is generally recommended to get an e-SIM for Paraguay before you arrive - if your phone supports e-SIMs - you can set it up before you travel, so it will start working as soon as you land. Many e-SIM providers are available, the best for Paraguay is Airalo.
The three main SIM card providers in Paraguay are Tigo (the biggest, best coverage outside Asuncion, but the most drama to get - it takes two days and you have to visit their shop twice), Personal (the easiest to deal with, one quick visit to a shop and you're all done, but limited coverage outside Asuncion), and Claro (a Mexican company with a Paraguayan subsidiary, with a reputation for being roughly in the middle of the other two in terms of both easiness and coverage). All of them are perfectly fine for signal coverage within the Greater Asuncion area.
General safety
Asuncion is not a particularly dangerous place - there are significantly less shootings than New York, significantly less stabbings than London, and significantly less terrorist attacks than Paris. In fact, there aren't many shootings at all, hardly any stabbings, and pretty much zero terrorist attacks.
However, just like almost everywhere else on the planet, petty theft and muggings do occur from time to time, so keep your wits about you, don't leave your handbag unattended, and don't walk down the street talking into your expensive new iPhone without being aware of your surroundings. Opportunistic thieves - sometimes operating in pairs on a motorbike, with one driving and one looking to snatch something from someone they drive past - do exist here, just like they exist in pretty much every other capital city. It's not "common", it just happens sometimes, so be smart.
Road safety is not a strong point of Asuncion, and whilst most of the time you'll be fine, don't get complacent. Double check both directions when crossing a road, wear a seatbelt when in a car, and don't assume that everyone always drives responsibly, because they don't. It's definitely not as bad as many other capital cities in developing nations across South America, Africa, and Asia, but just don't expect the same standards of road safety as you'll find in Europe or North America.
Generally speaking, the Paraguayan people are very friendly, very happy, very welcoming of foreigners, and very helpful. You will have a great time here, just don't be careless and you'll be fine.