Moving from Austria to Paraguay
A long haul from landlocked Austria to landlocked Paraguay, with a road leg at the start and a river leg at the end. Here is the honest brief on what it costs to ship your home from Austria to Paraguay, how the Direccion Nacional de Aduanas treats your furniture, and the residence route that draws people in.
Last reviewed June 8, 2026. Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Moving from Austria to Paraguay is the rare corridor that is landlocked at both ends. Your container is trucked from Austria to a North Sea port such as Hamburg or Antwerp, crosses the Atlantic to a River Plate port, then travels up the river to Asuncion. It takes patience, but Paraguay rewards it with simple permanent residency, a low cost of living, and a generous customs treatment of household goods once you hold residence.
Most people on this corridor are heading for Asuncion or the surrounding departments for one of three reasons: a deliberate low cost lifestyle, a business or investment plan, or a residency and tax position that is straightforward to obtain. Each of those shapes how much you ship and how quickly you need it to arrive.
The corridor is generous on customs once you are a resident. New permanent residents can import their used household goods and personal effects free of import duty, the menaje de casa, within a window tied to obtaining residence, supported by an inventory and a customs certificate. The detail and the timing matter, so treat the customs section as a planning guide and verify before you ship.
Geography is the defining feature. Austria has no coast, so the move begins with a road leg to a northern European port, and Paraguay has no coast, so it ends with a river or road leg up from the River Plate. Book early, ship only what earns its place, and line up your residence before the container sails.
What this move really costs in 2026.
A road leg to a European port, then sea freight, then a river or road leg is the only way to move a household from Austria to Paraguay. Air freight handles a few urgent boxes but the cost is prohibitive for a full home. The ranges below are indicative for 2026.
Indicative euro ranges for 2026, origin Austria to an Asuncion address. Shared means part of a consolidated container, sole use means a full 20ft or 40ft box. The road leg to a North Sea port, the transshipment through a River Plate port, the river or road leg to Asuncion, and the season move the figure. Get a binding pre move survey before you trust any number.
- ✓ Best value for a studio or one bed load
- ✓ You pay for the volume you actually use
- × Slowest, since groupage waits for a full box and adds handling
- ✓ Fits a typical one or two bed home
- ✓ Fewer handlings than groupage on a long route
- ✓ Best for this route in most cases
- ✓ For a three or four bed home
- ✓ Lowest cost per cubic metre when filled
- × Overkill and costly for a small load
A realistic timeline for this move.
A realistic Austria to Paraguay timeline runs about three and a half to four months from survey to a furnished home. The road, ocean, and river legs stack up, so book early and secure your residence before the container sails.
Survey and book
Get two or three binding pre move surveys, confirm your residence plan, and book the road leg to a North Sea port, the sailing, and the onward river or road leg to Asuncion.
Sort documents
Begin your permanent residence application and assemble your passport, a detailed valued inventory, and proof of your move. The menaje de casa exemption depends on your residence and your cedula.
Pack and load
Professional packing for a multi leg move is worth it, since goods are handled several times. The container is trucked from Austria to a North Sea port such as Hamburg or Antwerp.
Road and Atlantic legs
The box reaches the port by road, loads, and crosses to a River Plate port such as Montevideo or Buenos Aires.
River or road to Asuncion
Cargo transships and travels up the Parana and Paraguay rivers by barge, or by road, to the Asuncion area. This leg is where most of the variable time sits.
Clearance and delivery
Your customs agent lodges the menaje de casa relief, the Direccion Nacional de Aduanas clears the goods, and the movers deliver and unpack in Asuncion.
Bringing your household goods into Paraguay.
Paraguay treats the used household goods of a new permanent resident generously, under the menaje de casa exemption. The key is your residence status and a clean inventory, lodged through a licensed customs agent.
New permanent residents can import their used household goods and personal effects free of import duty, the menaje de casa, assessed by the Direccion Nacional de Aduanas. The exemption is tied to obtaining permanent residence and to a customs certificate issued once your residence is granted, typically valid for a period that lets you bring your effects within roughly your first year. The goods must be for personal use, used rather than new, and supported by a detailed inventory.
Geography shapes the clearance. Because Paraguay is landlocked, sea cargo arrives through a River Plate port such as Montevideo or Buenos Aires and then moves under transit up the river to Asuncion, where it is cleared. A despachante de aduanas, a licensed customs agent, handles the paperwork, and getting the inventory and the consular documents right before shipping is what keeps the process smooth.
Cars are the exception to the easy story. Vehicle imports are restricted and taxed, and the rules around age and emissions change, so most movers buy locally rather than ship a car from Austria. Treat any vehicle plan as a separate project with its own advice.
Verify before you move. The menaje de casa exemption, the residence window, vehicle rules, and transit requirements change and are applied case by case. Confirm the current position with the Direccion Nacional de Aduanas, the Direccion General de Migraciones, and a licensed customs agent before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
The route that fits depends on why you are moving. Paraguay is known for an accessible permanent residency, alongside investment and pensioner options. Each is summarised below, not advised.
Paraguay offers a permanent residency that is relatively accessible compared with many countries, granted through the Direccion General de Migraciones and leading to a cedula de identidad. It is the main reason people choose this corridor and underpins the customs exemption.
An investment based route suits those starting or backing a business in Paraguay and can lead to residence once the criteria are met. It pairs well with the territorial tax position.
People with a steady pension or private income can qualify on the strength of that income, a popular choice for retirees drawn by the cost of living.
Mercosur agreements ease residence for some nationalities, and family links to a resident or citizen open a separate route. Your nationality and circumstances decide which applies.
How to choose a mover for Austria to Paraguay.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped on your exact route in the past year. A mover that runs the lane regularly knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for Austria to Paraguay.
Tell us your origin city in Austria, your destination in Paraguay, your home size, and your timing. We pass it to vetted international movers who run the Austria to Paraguay lane, and you get comparable quotes to weigh up. Free, and no obligation.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Austria to Paraguay?
For 2026, a one bedroom move runs roughly 3,000 to 9,500 euros depending on whether you share a container or take a sole use one, and a two to three bedroom home runs roughly 5,400 to 12,500 euros. The figure depends on your volume, the road leg to a port, the river or road leg to Asuncion, and the season, so get a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from Austria to Paraguay?
Plan on 10 to 15 weeks door to door. The container is trucked from Austria to a North Sea port, crosses the Atlantic to a River Plate port, then transships up the river to Asuncion, where the goods clear customs and are delivered.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Paraguay?
New permanent residents can usually import used household goods free of import duty under the menaje de casa exemption, assessed by the Direccion Nacional de Aduanas, within a window tied to your residence and supported by an inventory and a customs certificate. Confirm the current rules before you ship.
Why is this move so long?
Austria and Paraguay are both landlocked. The container is trucked to a North Sea port to load, crosses the Atlantic, then travels up the Parana and Paraguay rivers to Asuncion, so two inland legs bookend the ocean crossing.
Can I bring my car from Austria to Paraguay?
It is rarely worth it. Vehicle imports are restricted and taxed and the age and emissions rules change, so most movers buy a car locally in Paraguay rather than ship one from Austria.
What residence options does Paraguay offer movers from Austria?
Common routes are permanent residency, an investment based route, and a rentista or pensioner option for those with steady income. Each is granted by the Direccion General de Migraciones and leads to a cedula. This is a summary, not immigration advice, so confirm with the authorities.