Not all neighborhoods in Asunción are safe for expats to live in. The “expat bubble” is a group of neighborhoods that are not only safe, but feel safer than most western cities. These five safe neighborhoods are:
Some neighborhoods feel safer than others, so keep reading to learn which is the best for you.
Villa Morra is the most popular neighborhood for expats in Asunción for good reason. It’s safe, walkable, and is filled with the city’s best dining and entertainment options. Avenue Mariscal López is the core road in Villa Morra, which stretches all the way into the center of Asunción. While ridesharing apps are plentiful and cheap, Avenue Mariscal López is full of buses all day and night. However, there is no need to take a bus throughout Villa Morra; the whole neighborhood is walkable. The only caution is that there are some moderately steep hills, damaged sidewalks, and that cars don’t always yield to pedestrians.
Villa Morra is loaded with trees and greenery, however due to its popularity, noise from busses and traffic can be loud when close to major roads.
Shopping Mariscal is a beautiful and tall mall which is right on the border of Villa Morra and Recoleta. It has a courtyard where you can choose from a dozen of restaurants to have a delicious and affordable meal. For nightlife, you might find yourself in Paseo Carmelitas, Asunción’s premier strip. In Paseo Carmelitas, there are several blocks that have casual bars where many guests choose to sit outdoors, as well as indoor nightclubs, called “boliches”. Be mindful, living near Paseo Carmelitas will be loud at night, through 6am in the morning on weekends.
Another mall in Villa Morra is called “villamorra shopping”. It’s not as luxurious as Shopping Mariscal, however this makes it ideal for buying cheaper, off-brand goods.
Villa Morra is the core of the “expat bubble” in Asunción. Due to its abundant commercial and cultural offerings, central location, and safety, it’s one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Asunción.
Recoleta is the most luxurious, yet quiet, suburban neighborhood in the expat bubble. If you want to relax and feel as safe as possible, Recoleta is for you. However, the relaxing nature of Recoleta is due to the lack of commerce and restaurants that can be found in other neighborhoods, like Villa Morra. Recoleta tends to have cheaper real estate than Villa Morra, presumably because the neighborhood is less active.
The certainly ARE restaurants, bars, and stores here, but the neighborhood is not loaded with them. The nicest location to go out for dinner in Recoleta is La Cuadrita La Cuadrita. It’s a beautiful, quiet block, full of trees and about 7 high-end restaurants. A plate of food will cost about 80,000, Guaraníes on average here. That’s about $15.00
It’s right next to Villa Morra, meaning it’s usually a 5-20 minute walk from wherever you are in Recoleta to Villa Morra.
Los Laurales is a fine place to live. This neighborhood is on the frontier of the expat bubble, where things start to transition to a more authentic vibe. While it’s safe here, it does not feel as safe as Recoleta or Villa Morra. Still plenty of trees, sidewalks, and even bike paths, but overall it is not as luxurious as other neighborhoods.
As far as restaurants and shops go in Los Laurales, there aren’t as many as Villa Morra. So if you’re looking to be in the center of entertainment, consider a different neighborhood. If you’re okay with a relaxing, non-luxurious neighborhood, this may be a fit.
Las Lomas is a quiet and safe neighborhood that is experiencing a boom with tall, modern apartment buildings. It has a welcoming, neighborly feel, however the edges of Las Lomas start to feel less luxurious and more urban. It is on the northern edge of the expat-bubble, therefore it starts to feel a little bit isolated from Villa Morra or Recoleta.
The good news is that Shopping del Sol is on the edge of Las Lomas. Shopping del Sol is a world-class mall, and arguably the 2nd best in Asunción.
In comparison with Villa Morra, Las Lomas feels suburban with the chance to engage in a large mall. Villa Morra is less mall-like and more urbanized; stores are out and about, instead of all centralized inside of a mall.
San Cristobal doesn’t feel like the expat-bubble, however it feels just as safe as Los Laurales and Las Lomas. There isn’t much here, however it has the number one mall in Asunción, called Paseo La Galería. This mall is great, and seamlessly blends an outdoor, tree-filled courtyard into its multi-story mall. Movie theaters, bars, restaurants, stores. It seems like all of Asunción is at Paseo La Galería on weekend afternoons.
The expat bubble of Asunción is safe. Whether you’re hunting for apartments or just visiting for a week, the no-brainer neighborhoods to choose are Villa Morra and Recoleta. Villa Morra is great if you want to be in the center of action, and Recoleta is better for a more quiet lifestyle. The other neighborhoods are fine, but just aren’t as safe, centrally located, or entertaining as Villa Morra.