Esquel 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 house or duplex with 2 bedrooms, per month. Few listings: for your first winter, budget at the top of the range.

SpecialistLong-term rental listings — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, local agencies · checked 30 Aug 2026

1 bedroom: about 430–450k; 2 bedrooms: 560–800k; 3 bedrooms in the center: about 1 million; 4 bedrooms: 1.05 million (ARS, summer 2026).

SpecialistLong-term rental listings — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, local agencies · checked 21 Aug 2026

700–800 m² with water, electricity and gas in the suburbs. Plots with views and prepared plots go up to $73k.

SpecialistListings for land and houses for sale — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, Argenprop · checked 1 Sep 2026

From 59 m² to 230 m² in the Mercado Libre results at the beginning of September.

SpecialistListings for land and houses for sale — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, Argenprop · checked 1 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 poverty line, without rent: food, utilities, transport, clothing. With a rented house, from ARS 2.6–2.9 million.

SpecialistObservatorio de Economía UNPSJB — cost of the basket in Patagonian cities, July 2026 · checked 9 Sep 2026

The minimum basket per month. The cheapest of 7 cities in Southern Patagonia: Trelew is 876k, Comodoro is 901k.

SpecialistObservatorio de Economía UNPSJB — cost of the basket in Patagonian cities, July 2026 · checked 9 Sep 2026

Places in salas de 3, 4, 5 and in first grade are assigned by the provincial DINO system. A place at the school you choose is not guaranteed.

OfficialChubut — allocation of school places through the DINO system, 2026 · checked 31 Aug 2026

Hospital Zonal Esquel: pediatrics, gastroenterology, endoscopy, laboratory. Intensive care and part of the surgery are in Trelew and Comodoro Rivadavia.

OfficialMinisterio de Salud — services of Hospital Zonal Esquel · checked 25 Aug 2026

Clínica Esquel: two operating rooms, a delivery room, obstetrics, neonatology. Esquel Diagnóstico: MRI, CT and pediatric specialists.

SpecialistClínica Esquel — medical services · checked 25 Aug 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

About 21 km from town, part of the national airport system.

OfficialEsquel airport · checked 25 Aug 2026

RN 259 to Trevelin is paved and maintained in winter, but ice, wind and animals on the road can occur. The last kilometers on provincial roads matter more: they are gravel.

OfficialDNV — maintenance project for RN 40 / RN 259 · checked 25 Aug 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

The average January temperature is 15.4 °C, according to the SMN 1991–2020 normals.

OfficialSMN — climate normals 1991–2020 · checked 24 Aug 2026

The average July temperature is 1.7 °C, with about 106.6 frost days a year. The winter is moderate in length, on the dry eastern edge of the Andes.

OfficialSMN — climate normals 1991–2020 · checked 24 Aug 2026

472.5 mm, with the maximum falling in winter. For comparison: Bariloche gets 812.5 mm and El Bolsón about 906 mm.

OfficialSMN — climate normals 1991–2020 · checked 24 Aug 2026

Four distinct seasons: up to +32 °C in summer, down to −10 °C in winter, and snow is common. It is noticeably drier than the western Andes.

OfficialEsquel municipal tourism — climate · checked 21 Aug 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

In Chubut in 2025 the rate was 3.5 per 100k residents, below the national average (3.6). There are no separate figures for Esquel; most cases are in the coastal cities.

OfficialSNIC — Informe del Sistema Nacional de Información Criminal, year 2025, table 5 (intentional homicides by province) · checked 9 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

In town, fiber up to 600 Mbps; XG offers plans of 100–300 Mbps over fiber and wireless. Outside the ejido, check by address.

SpecialistXG — internet in Esquel and Trevelin · checked 2 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

In 2026, from January, Camuzzi again issues connection permits in Esquel and Trevelin; outside town, check by address before renting.

SpecialistCamuzzi — gas connections resume in the Cordillera · checked 29 Aug 2026

Outside town, firewood and gas cylinders are the norm: the province hands them out every year under Plan Calor (in 2026, over ARS 600 million).

OfficialChubut — Plan Calor 2026 · checked 29 Aug 2026

Provided by Cooperativa 16 de Octubre, which has separate emergency lines for Esquel and Trevelin. Without power, the water supply also sags.

SpecialistCooperativa 16 de Octubre — electricity and water in Esquel and Trevelin · checked 29 Aug 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