Encarnación vs Colonia del Sacramento

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

A two-room apartment in the Centro area, three blocks from the Costanera, is PYG 1.5 million; by the river in Ribera Bolik it is 2.2 million. New buildings on the waterfront start at 4 million.

SpecialistInfoCasas: two-bedroom 3 blocks from the Costanera, 1,500,000 guaraníes per month · checked 30 Sep 2026

A new 3-bedroom house in Cambyretá is $85k, in San Pedro $89k, and right by the waterfront in San Isidro $160k. In the expensive part of Cambyretá, up to $264k.

SpecialistInfoCasas: new 105 m² house with a pool in Cambyretá, $84,900 · checked 30 Sep 2026

A 384–440 m² plot on the outskirts (Ita Paso, La Esperanza) is PYG 115–180 million; in Quiteria on paved road, 330 million. In the centre, 500 m² is $110k.

SpecialistViaParaguay: 384 m² plot in Ita Paso, 200 m from Ruta 1, 115,000,000 guaraníes · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

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

The minimum food basket in the country’s cities is PYG 412,618 per person, about 1.65 million for a family of four, roughly $280. There is no figure for the city itself.

SpecialistABC Color: INE data on monetary poverty for 2025, cost of baskets · checked 30 Sep 2026

The INE poverty line is PYG 933,108 per person, for a family of four 3.73 million a month without rent. With a two-room apartment in Centro (1.5–2.2 million) it comes to 5.2–5.9 million.

SpecialistABC Color: INE data on monetary poverty for 2025, cost of baskets · checked 30 Sep 2026

The price gap with Posadas is shrinking: the guaraní has strengthened from 7,800 to 5,900 per dollar, and merchants call sales sluggish. The advantage remains for some goods.

SpecialistFM 89.3: in Encarnación Argentines spend less, according to the head of the chamber of commerce · checked 30 Sep 2026

There are private schools in the city (Bautista, Divina Esperanza, Riogrande), but no prices for them. Nationally the typical level is PYG 0.9–1.5 million a month. Few are bilingual.

SpecialistRDN: private education in Paraguay, segments by size of monthly fee · checked 30 Sep 2026

Since July 2025 specialised care in Itapúa has moved to the new Hospital General de Itapúa, and there is also the private Sanatorio Itapúa. The most complex cases go to Asunción.

SpecialistABC Color: Hospital Regional de Encarnación reduces intake after the opening of Hospital General de Itapúa · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

The bus to Asunción takes 4–7.5 hours, a ticket is PYG 120–150k ($20–25), about 16 departures a day. Night departures take about 5 hours.

SpecialistCheckMyBus: Encarnación - Asunción buses, travel time and number of departures · checked 30 Sep 2026

There are no scheduled flights from Encarnación. The nearest working airport is in Posadas across the bridge; from 1 November 2026 JetSMART flies from there to Buenos Aires from $66.

SpecialistAviacionline: with no flights in Encarnación, JetSMART urges Itapúa residents to fly from Posadas · checked 30 Sep 2026

The bridge is open around the clock. On weekdays the queue is 30–60 minutes, at weekends 2 hours or more. The train takes 8 minutes, a ticket is PYG 18,000, the bus 17,000.

SpecialistMisiones Online: how long the crossing from Posadas to Encarnación takes, joint border control · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

July is the coldest: on average 16.2 degrees, about 22 by day and about 10 at night. Frosts are rare, but the station record is minus 6 degrees (June 1945).

SpecialistClimas y Viajes: climate of Encarnación, monthly averages 1991-2020 · checked 30 Sep 2026

January: on average 27 degrees, about 33 by day and about 21 at night. Heat waves above 35 occur from September to March; the station record is 42 degrees (December 2008).

SpecialistClimas y Viajes: climate of Encarnación, monthly averages 1991-2020 · checked 30 Sep 2026

About 1,760 mm a year, no dry season: the driest month, July, has 105 mm, the wettest, October, 180 mm. The daily record is 268 mm (December 1997).

SpecialistClimas y Viajes: climate of Encarnación, monthly averages 1991-2020 · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

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

Itapúa is fourth in the country for homicides: 46 intentional ones in January–August 2026. The outlet names Cambyretá as a risk zone. There is no data by city district.

SpecialistABC Color: stronger security in Itapúa ahead of the Mundial de Rally, Ministerio Público statistics · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

Home fibre: Claro 100 Mbit/s symmetric for PYG 95k, Personal 400 Mbit/s for 150k ($16–25). Coverage is built block by block.

SpecialistClaro Paraguay: 100 Mbit/s symmetric internet, 95,000 guaraníes · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

Electricity is on an ANDE tariff that varies by hour: at peak hours (12–16 and 18–22) it is PYG 669 per kilowatt-hour, against the previous 404. There is no separate tariff for the city.

SpecialistABC Color: new ANDE tariff scheme, peak-hour rates 65% higher · checked 30 Sep 2026

Cooking is done on cylinder gas: a 10 kg cylinder costs PYG 110–125k ($19–21) nationwide. About half of homes cook on gas, a third on electricity.

SpecialistLa Nación: gas price to rise by an average of 500 guaraníes per kg, the 10 kg cylinder to go up to 110,000 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Water is supplied by ESSAP: PYG 1,767 per m³ up to 15 m³ plus a fixed charge of 8,236 (the general 2018 tariff). About 60% of the city is covered by water; sewerage is run by EBY, not ESSAP.

SpecialistABC Color: ESSAP head on the Encarnación municipality's lawsuit: water coverage about 60%, sewerage handled by EBY · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

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

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