Punta del Este vs Córdoba
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
≈ about equal≈ $576–628UYU 23,083–25,177 and ≈ $511–647ARS 790k – 1M per month
Private school
✓in Córdoba cheaper — −24%
Ready-made house
✓in Córdoba cheaper — −58%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per monthalmost equalPunta del Este≈ $576–628UYU 23,083–25,177Córdoba≈ $511–647ARS 790k – 1MPrivate school
per monthPunta del Este$500–1,250$500–1,250✓Córdoba≈ $520–802ARS 804,069–1,239,033cheaper by 24%Winter
averagePunta del Este9–14 °C9–14 °CCórdoba11 °C11 °CPrecipitation
per yearPunta del Este1,011 mm1,011 mmCórdoba855 mm855 mmReady-made house
purchasePunta del Este$138–967k$138–967k✓Córdoba$163,500–296,250$163,500–296,250cheaper by 58%
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Punta del Este
Maldonado is the fastest-growing department in the country, 212,951 residents in the 2023 census. It grows through the arrival of Uruguayans and foreigners.
OfficialINE: final results of the 2023 census, population by department · checked 29 Sep 2026
In summer the city lives on tourists: 1.3 million of them entered the country in December–February, and Punta del Este is the main destination. A two-bedroom apartment for half of January rents for 6,500 dollars.
SpecialistPuntanews: results of the 2025-2026 summer season according to the Ministry of Tourism · checked 29 Sep 2026
For living with children, realtors recommend Cantegril, Beverly Hills, Pinares and Mansa. Península, La Barra and Roosevelt are jammed with traffic in summer.
SpecialistLa Cite Realtors: international schools in Maldonado and where to live nearby · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Nothing yet
Housing
Punta del Este
Maldonado department: average existing contract 23,083 pesos a month, new 25,177 - more than Montevideo (July 2026). INE does not calculate the city separately.
OfficialINE: average rent by department, existing contracts · checked 29 Sep 2026
A two-bedroom apartment for a year or for winter is asked at 700 to 3,500 dollars a month, median about 1,550. Plus gastos comunes separately, up to 1,000–1,400 dollars in towers.
SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Punta del Este, 80 listings on the page · checked 29 Sep 2026
A two-bedroom apartment in Punta del Este is on sale for 138–967k dollars, median about 270k for 75 m². These are asking prices, not transactions.
SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for sale in Punta del Este · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
A two-bedroom apartment: Centro about 790k pesos a month, General Paz 950k, Nueva Córdoba 1 million (520–660 dollars). Building fees on top.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent, city of Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026
A three-bedroom house in the city by listings is most often 165–295k dollars, median about 208k. Sellers quote prices in dollars.
SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale, city of Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Punta del Este
The INE minimum food basket for the country excluding the capital is 5,421–5,621 pesos per person a month, for a family of four 21.7–22.5k. Data from 2025.
OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 29 Sep 2026
A family of three renting housing outside the capital is considered poor at an income below 42,055 pesos a month. In Punta del Este the real bar is much higher.
OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
The minimum food basket for a family of four in the Pampas region (INDEC) is about 678k pesos a month, June 2026. There is no separate figure for Córdoba.
OfficialIPEC Santa Fe, INDEC series: basic food basket (extreme poverty line) per adult equivalent, Pampas region, 2017 to June 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
The poverty line for a family of four in the Pampas region is 1.51 million pesos a month (June 2026), without rent. With a rented two-bedroom: 2.3–2.5 million.
OfficialIPEC Santa Fe, INDEC series: total basic basket (poverty line) per adult equivalent, Pampas region, 2017 to June 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Punta del Este
International schools Woodside, St Clare's and Garzón School. According to a realtor's estimate, 6–15k dollars a year per child, with higher grades costing more.
SpecialistLa Cite Realtors: international schools in Maldonado and where to live nearby · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba's most expensive schools in March 2026: primary 0.8–1.08 million pesos a month, secondary 0.9–1.24 million. Subsidised private schools are cheaper.
SpecialistInfoNegocios: a map of fees and enrolment charges at Córdoba's most expensive schools, 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Punta del Este
The ASSE state hospital and the Mautone sanatorium are in the neighbouring city of Maldonado. In Punta del Este itself, on Roosevelt, parada 13, is the head office of the private mutualista Asistencial.
OfficialASSE: Hospital Departamental de Maldonado Dr. Elbio Rivero Moreno · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba's provincial hospitals do not charge foreigners without residence. Only two national hospitals charge them: Hospital de Clínicas and Maternidad Nacional.
SpecialistLa Voz de San Justo: in Córdoba, foreigners without residence will be charged only in two hospitals · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Punta del Este
A Montevideo – Punta del Este ticket from COPSA costs 466 pesos, return 932. To Maldonado 450, with a student discount.
SpecialistCOPSA Línea Este: intercity bus fares from 7 January 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Only Buenos Aires and São Paulo have regular flights all year round. Santiago, Asunción and Campinas are added only in summer. Data for the 2024–2025 season.
SpecialistAviacionline: Punta del Este adds flights for the 2024-2025 season · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
In 2025 Córdoba had direct flights to Madrid, Panama, Santiago, Lima, Rio and São Paulo. Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) carried 1.44 million passengers a year.
OfficialArgentina's Ministry of Tourism, “Conectividad Aérea”: main air routes by year (flights and passengers) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Punta del Este
July is the coldest month: average minimum 8.7 degrees, maximum 14.4. Summer is mild: in January 18.1 and 25.2.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Punta del Este · checked 29 Sep 2026
About 1,010 mm a year, evenly distributed: from 67 mm in December to 94 mm in August, 8–10 rain days in any month.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Punta del Este · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
The average July temperature is 10.7 degrees: about 18 by day and 4 at night. Cold nights reach -4, snow is rare. Winter is dry; the north wind can bring 30.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
January averages 23.7 degrees, about 30 by day and 17 at night. From September to February there are heat waves up to 38–40, the record is 40.8 in January 2012.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 855 mm a year, almost all of it from October to April, often in thunderstorms. May to September is dry: 6–8 mm a month in June–August.
SpecialistClimates to Travel: climate of Córdoba, normals 1991–2020 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Punta del Este
In 2025 there were 14 homicides in the Maldonado department, about 6.6 per 100 thousand residents. Nationwide, 10.3.
SpecialistMontevideo Portal: breakdown of 2025 homicides by department · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Córdoba province, 2025: 96 victims of intentional homicide, 2.4 per 100k residents; in 2024 there were 117 and 3.0. There is no separate figure for the city.
OfficialSNIC: victims of intentional homicide and rate per 100,000 residents, Córdoba province · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Punta del Este
Antel fibre from 1,650 pesos for 400 Mbit/s to 4,342 for a gigabit. For holiday-home owners there is Fibra Temporada for 865 pesos: unlimited data from December to March.
OfficialAntel: data plan price list, 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
Nothing yet
Services
Punta del Este
The UTE tariff is uniform: 300 kWh comes to about 2,940 pesos, 600 kWh about 5,470. In apartments, gastos comunes come on top: from 13k pesos to 1,400 dollars.
OfficialDecree 339/025: UTE tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
OSE, Maldonado resort zone: 47.41 pesos per m³ up to 15 m³ plus a fixed charge of 636.68. For 15 m³ with sewage about 2,200 pesos a month, more than in Montevideo.
OfficialDecree 340/025: OSE water and sewerage tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
We did not find network gas in Punta del Este: the distributors Montevideo Gas and Conecta do not list Maldonado. Refilling a 13 kg cylinder costs about 1,216 pesos.
OfficialURSEA: network gas, tariffs of distribution companies · checked 29 Sep 2026
Córdoba
EPEC electricity without subsidy from 1 October 2026: 250 pesos per kWh up to 120 kWh, 301 pesos beyond, plus 2.9k a month. 300 kWh is about 87k pesos (57 dollars).
OfficialEPEC: summary tariff schedule, in force from 1 October 2026 (published 29 September 2026) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Ecogas gas in Córdoba without subsidy: 329 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge from 4.8k (R1), before taxes. 100 m³ in winter is about 37.7k pesos (25 dollars).
OfficialENReGE (formerly ENARGAS): natural gas tariffs of all distributors from 1 September 2026 (Excel), Distribuidora de Gas del Centro, Córdoba · checked 6 Oct 2026

