Punta del Este vs Florianópolis

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

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

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

According to the IBGE estimate, Florianópolis has 598 thousand residents in 2026, almost 11 thousand more in a year. The 2022 census counted 537 thousand.

OfficialIBGE: Florianópolis population estimate, 2024-2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

By listings, a two-room apartment in Centro is about 4,500 reais a month, in Lagoa 4,500, in Itacorubi 5,700, in Campeche 6,600. The building fee (condomínio) and tax are on top.

SpecialistQuintoAndar: apartments for rent with two or more bedrooms, Centro · checked 29 Sep 2026

61.19 reais per m² a month in August 2026, fifth place among 22 capitals. Most expensive are Agronômica and Centro, cheaper are Ingleses and Capoeiras.

SpecialistFipeZAP Index: residential rent, August 2026 report, Florianópolis page · checked 29 Sep 2026

An apartment averages 13,531 reais per m² (August 2026), a two-room apartment 12,993. That is more than São Paulo; prices rose 8.2% over the year.

SpecialistFipeZAP Index: historical series of sale and rent prices by city, Florianópolis sheet · checked 29 Sep 2026

A house in Campeche by listings is 1.5–3.4 million reais (nine out of ten), one for 6.4 million. In total the results include 341 listings with three or more bedrooms.

SpecialistQuintoAndar: homes for sale with three or more bedrooms, Campeche · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

DIEESE's basic basket in August 2026 is 850.90 reais per adult. For a family of two adults and two children, about 2,550 a month.

SpecialistDIEESE: national basic food basket survey, August 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

DIEESE calculates that a family of four needed 7,566 reais a month in August 2026. The figure is one for the whole country and already includes housing; it does not reflect Florianópolis rents.

SpecialistDIEESE: nominal and necessary minimum wage by month · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

In 2025, 150 schools with primary and secondary grades; more than half of the schools with younger grades are private. 37.5% of schoolchildren attend private schools.

OfficialIBGE Cidades based on INEP school census data: schools, students and teachers in Florianópolis, 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Three well-known schools in the city (Energia, Catarinense, Bom Jesus): 1,544–3,033 reais a month according to Procon for 2023. Today it is more.

OfficialProcon Santa Catarina: survey of monthly school fees, 2023 (Florianópolis, São José, Palhoça, Biguaçu) · checked 30 Sep 2026

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

Public: the Carmela Dutra maternity hospital in Centro and the university hospital in Trindade with a neonatal intensive care unit. A private option is Ilha Hospital in Pantanal.

OfficialBrazil's Ministry of Health, open data "Hospitals and Beds": entry for Maternidade Carmela Dutra · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

A trip paid in cash or by QR is 7.70 reais, with a resident card 6.20, with a tourist card 7.20. The express bus is 20 reais.

SpecialistConsórcio Fênix, city bus operator: fares and FAQ · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

July is the coolest month: on average from 13.3°C at night to 20.4°C by day. No frost, but not beach weather either, and it rains 9 days a month.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026

February is the warmest month: on average from 21.8°C at night to 28.4°C by day. It is also the rainiest month, almost 200 mm.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026

About 1,540 mm a year and 144 days with rain. It pours most in summer, from January to March, and is driest in June.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

25 homicides in 2025 against 31 in 2024. For 587 thousand residents that is about 4 per 100 thousand.

OfficialSSP-SC: monthly indicators bulletin, December 2025, homicides by municipality · checked 29 Sep 2026

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

Fiber of 350–1000 Mbps costs about 80–120 reais a month: Claro 600 Mbps, 99.90; Vivo 700, 100.00. The average measured speed in the city is 202 Mbps.

SpecialistMinha Conexão: internet in Florianópolis, provider ranking and cheapest plans · checked 1 Oct 2026

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

Water is supplied by CASAN. On 2–3 September 2026, because of a burst water main, 28 districts, including Centro and Trindade, were left without normal supply.

OfficialARESC, state regulator: notice of a water main break in Florianópolis, 3 September 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

CASAN water: 29.49 reais a month fixed plus 1.96 / 9.11 / 12.18 / 15.32 per m³ by band. At 15 m³ water is 94.64, with sewage 189.28 reais.

OfficialARESC: CASAN water and sewerage bill calculation file (residential tariff) · checked 30 Sep 2026

CELESC from 22 August 2026: 0.760 reais per kWh before taxes. For 300 kWh this is 227.93 reais before taxes, about 299 with taxes by the calculator site's estimate.

SpecialistEnergy calculator: CELESC tariff for a home from 22 August 2026 (based on ANEEL data) · checked 30 Sep 2026

The SCGás network in the center is only being built (since 16 July 2026); tariff 7.14 reais per m³. A 13 kg cylinder averages 127 reais according to ANP (6 points).

OfficialSCGás: residential gas tariff from 1 July 2026, single tier · checked 30 Sep 2026