Studying medicine in Paraguay: live in Foz or in Presidente Franco?

Quick answer: Living in Foz offers Brazilian infrastructure and slightly cheaper rent, but requires daily bridge crossings. Presidente Franco provides proximity to universities and Spanish immersion with lower living costs, but demands managing Paraguayan bureaucracy and documents. Choose Foz for convenience and stability; choose Paraguay if you attend multiple daily classes and prioritize cost savings elsewhere.

Thousands of Brazilians study medicine in Ciudad del Este and the surrounding area: more affordable tuition and admission without a traditional entrance exam draw new cohorts every semester. The first practical decision is: which side to live on?

The universities (where they are)

Living in Foz do Iguaçu (Brazilian side)

Pros: you stay in Brazil (bank, health plan, SUS, the comfort of the language), slightly cheaper rent and the infrastructure of a larger city. The colleges are less than 3 km away, crossing the Friendship Bridge. Cons: the daily bridge crossing: at rush hour and on days with long lines, the time varies quite a bit. Rent (reference): studio from ~R$ 750; 2-bedroom apartment from ~R$ 950.

Living in Presidente Franco or Ciudad del Este (Paraguayan side)

Pros: close to college, no need to depend on the bridge line every day, lower cost of living on several items, immersion in Spanish. Cons: the bureaucracy of living in another country (documents, bank account, sometimes the language in services) and rent for a studio near the university tends to be a bit higher. Rent (reference): studio near the university from ~R$ 900; 2-bedroom apartment from ~R$ 1,100.

What to weigh in the decision

• How many trips per day? Those who go home between classes suffer more with the bridge; in that case, living close (Paraguay) wins.
• Budget: Foz tends to be a bit cheaper on rent; Paraguay makes up for it on other costs.
• Documents: those living in Paraguay need to get organized with immigration and local documents.
• Revalidation: the Paraguayan diploma must go through the Revalida to practice medicine in Brazil — plan for this from the start.

Looking for a place to live? Check the Marco Três rental classifieds and the guide to documents for crossing the border. Marco Três does not broker rentals: it connects you to the information and the listings.

Source: universities in the region and student guidance portals · verified in Jun/2026