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City comparison

Colonia del Sacramento vs Mérida

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Colonia del Sacramento cheaper — −33%

  • Internet

    in Mérida cheaper — −33%

  • Ready-made house

    in Colonia del Sacramento cheaper — −9%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Colonia del Sacramento≈ $619–793UYU 25–32k
    cheaper by 33%
    Mérida≈ $828–1,270MX$15k – 22,925
  • Internet

    per month
    Colonia del Sacramento≈ $41–108UYU 1,650–4,342
    Mérida≈ $21–77MX$389–1,399
    cheaper by 33%
  • Winter

    average
    Colonia del Sacramento11 °C11 °C
    Mérida17–31 °C17–31 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Colonia del Sacramento1,144.5 mm1,144.5 mm
    Mérida1,050 mm1,050 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Colonia del Sacramento$155–350k$155–350k
    cheaper by 9%
    Mérida≈ $221–331kMX$4–6M

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Colonia del Sacramento

Size of the department

The 2023 census counted 135,797 people in the department of Colonia, about 4% of Uruguay's population. The source gives no separate figure for the city.

OfficialINE: final results of the 2023 census, population by department · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about daily life in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Who lives here

By the 2020 census the municipality of Mérida has 995 thousand residents, the city itself 922 thousand. 19% of residents were born in another Mexican state.

OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality for Yucatán (ITER) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Spread by neighborhood

A two-bedroom in Temozón Norte is mostly 15-17k pesos for 70-100 m², in Altabrisa 32-38k, in Montejo 21-27k, in Cholul and Villas del Sol 11.5-15k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Housing

Colonia del Sacramento

Long-term rent

A two-bedroom house or apartment in listings costs 25–32 thousand pesos a month, median 27 thousand (about 670 dollars). Furnished or by the rambla: in dollars.

SpecialistInfoCasas: houses and apartments for rent in Colonia del Sacramento, all six pages of results (about 120 listings) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying a house

A three-bedroom house in listings costs 155–350 thousand dollars, median 230 thousand. Two bedrooms: 100–160 thousand, median 135 thousand.

SpecialistInfoCasas: houses for sale in Colonia del Sacramento, first four pages of results (85 houses out of more than 400 listings) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Long-term rent

A two-bedroom apartment in listings is about 16,750 pesos a month, half between 15,000 and 22,900. Of 311 offers, 61 are under 15k and 116 above 20k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying a house

Three-bedroom house: 1034 listings up to 4M pesos, 1355 from 4 to 6M, 1475 above. First-page median 6.65M, about 23k per square meter.

SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Mérida →

Money and prices

Colonia del Sacramento

Nothing yet

Mérida

Groceries for a family

INEGI's urban food basket is 2562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). A nationwide figure, the food minimum.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

INEGI's urban poverty line is 4905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A floor without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Mérida →

Family and kids

Colonia del Sacramento

Nothing yet

Mérida

Private schools

Micole's estimate for Yucatán: primary school 4000-12,000 pesos a month, kindergarten 3000-8000, international and IB schools 15,000-35,000. Plus an annual fee.

SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Yucatán in 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about family and kids in Mérida →

Healthcare

Colonia del Sacramento

Local healthcare

The local FONASA health provider is ORAMECO (Alberto Méndez 170). The department also has CAMEC in Rosario and CAMOC in Carmelo. The BPS list is old, from 2018.

OfficialBPS: list of FONASA providers with the full range of services · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Private hospitals

According to INEGI, Mérida has 13 private medical facilities with 337 beds (2025). Guadalajara, for comparison, has 76 and 1473. Public hospitals not counted.

OfficialINEGI: statistics of private health facilities (ESEP) 2025, report 28/26 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Mérida →

Transport

Colonia del Sacramento

Ferry to Buenos Aires

To Buenos Aires by Colonia Express ferry in 1 h 15 min, five sailings a day each way. From Montevideo a bus with a transfer to the ferry takes 3 h 30 min.

SpecialistColonia Express: Colonia – Buenos Aires ferry timetable, September–October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Roads and airport

The airport is 7 km from the main square, about 9 minutes without traffic. In August 2026: 374 thousand passengers, almost all domestic, 35 thousand international.

OfficialASUR: airport passenger traffic for August 2026 (filing on the BMV stock exchange) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Mérida →

Climate

Colonia del Sacramento

Winter climate

The 1991–2020 July normal is 11.0 °C: about 15 by day, about 7 at night. Frosts are rare; the absolute minimum over 30 years was minus 2.6 °C.

OfficialINUMET: 1991–2020 climate normals, Colonia station · checked 6 Oct 2026

Rainfall and seasons

About 1,145 mm a year with no dry season: from 69 mm in June and August to 126 mm in March. About 75 days a year with at least 1 mm of rain.

OfficialINUMET: 1991–2020 climate normals, Colonia station · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Heat

The hottest month is May: on average 36.1 degrees by day and 21.3 at night. From April to September the mean maximum is 34-36 degrees.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Rainfall and seasons

About 1050 mm a year, 71% of it from June to October, 120-175 mm a month. March and April are the driest, about 25 mm.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Winter

The coolest month is January: on average 31.3 degrees by day and 17 at night. There is no winter as such; it is the mildest time of the year.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Mérida →

Safety

Colonia del Sacramento

Homicides

In 2025 Uruguay had 369 homicides, 10.3 per 100 thousand. Colonia is not among the four departments with the most, where fourth place is 13 cases.

SpecialistMontevideo Portal: preliminary Interior Ministry data on homicides in 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Hurricanes

The last strong hit was Isidore in September 2002: it made landfall as a category 3 near Telchac, and its eyewall passed over Mérida. Milton in 2024 passed by at sea.

OfficialNHC: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Isidore (AL102002) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Safety in statistics

In June 2026, 38.2% of adults in Mérida felt unsafe versus 59.8% nationwide. Homicides in 2024: 33, about 3 per 100,000 residents.

OfficialINEGI: ENSU, perceived safety by city, June 2026 (report 27/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Mérida →

Internet and phone

Colonia del Sacramento

Internet

Antel fibre: 400/30 Mbit/s for 1,650 pesos a month, 1 Gbit/s for 4,342 pesos, taxes included. The price list is the same nationwide.

OfficialAntel: data tariff price list, 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Colonia del Sacramento →

Mérida

Internet per month

Telmex: from 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit. Totalplay 100 Mbps for 390, Megacable 1000 Mbps for 1000 pesos on promotion. Prices are nationwide.

SpecialistExpansión: Telmex, Totalplay, Megacable and Izzi internet packages, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Services

Colonia del Sacramento

Electricity (UTE)

UTE's tariff is the same nationwide: 6.744–8.452 pesos per kWh. 300 kWh with 3 kW of power is about 2,940 pesos a month (73 dollars); the decree is silent on taxes.

OfficialDecree 339/025: UTE tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Water and sewerage (OSE)

OSE outside the resort zone: for 15 m³ a month, water is about 1,065 pesos, with sewerage about 1,940 pesos (48 dollars). Tariff from 1 January 2026.

OfficialDecree 340/025: OSE water and sewerage tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Piped gas (Conecta)

Colonia has a Conecta natural gas network: 46.6 pesos per m³ plus 380 a month, before taxes. 30 m³ is about 1,780 pesos, 100 m³ in winter about 5,040.

OfficialConecta: maximum natural gas tariffs in the department of Colonia from 1 August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Mérida

Water: JAPAY tariff

JAPAY water from 1 Feb 2026: up to 20 m³ a flat charge by city zone, 67-107 pesos. 15 m³ costs 99-104 pesos, with sewerage (plus 50%) 149-156.

OfficialJAPAY: water and sewerage tariffs from 1 February 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

LP gas: price cap

LP gas price cap in Mérida for 27 Sep - 3 Oct 2026: 20.66 pesos per kg, 11.16 per liter. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 413 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Electricity at the CFE tariff

Yucatán has the hot-climate CFE tariffs 1C and 1D: cheap kWh up to 850-1000 a month, summer relief until 31 October. 1000 kWh over two months on 1D costs 2255 pesos.

SpecialistRiviera Maya News: a proposal to move Yucatán to CFE tariff 1F · checked 6 Oct 2026

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