Punta del Este vs Valparaíso

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

The 2024 census counted 284,938 people in the commune of Valparaíso and 334,871 in neighbouring Viña del Mar. With Quilpué and Villa Alemana it is one metro area.

OfficialINE: first results of the 2024 census for the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 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

A two-bedroom apartment in listings costs 430–550 thousand pesos a month, median 480 thousand (about 495 dollars). A one-bedroom is about 395 thousand.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: apartments for long-term rent in the commune of Valparaíso, first eight pages of results (80 listings out of 197) · checked 6 Oct 2026

A 2–4 bedroom house in listings costs 80–185 million pesos, median 170 million (about 175 thousand dollars). By deals, a square metre is a third of Viña's price.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: houses for sale in the commune of Valparaíso, first five pages of results (50 listings out of 331) · checked 6 Oct 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

The minimum food basket costs 92,327 pesos per person a month, about 369 thousand for four (380 dollars). The figure is national.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

Poverty line for a family of four without rent: 671,031 pesos a month. With a two-bedroom flat, food, power, water and internet, about 0.95–1.1 million.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 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

The German School of Valparaíso (located in neighbouring Viña) charges 14.28 UF a month, about 587 thousand pesos (600 dollars), plus a 30 UF entrance fee.

OfficialColegio Alemán de Valparaíso (located in Viña del Mar): contract for the 2026 school year · checked 6 Oct 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

Valparaíso itself has three accredited high-complexity hospitals: Van Buren and Eduardo Pereira hospitals and Clínica Valparaíso. Neighbouring Viña has seven more.

OfficialSuperintendencia de Salud: register of accredited healthcare providers in the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 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

Santiago is 97 km away, 1 h 40 min to 2 h by bus. About 369 departures a day, the first at 06:10, the last at 22:25; a regular ticket costs 4–6 thousand pesos.

SpecialistCheckMyBus: buses Santiago – Valparaíso, timetable and prices · checked 6 Oct 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

The 1991–2020 normal is 524 mm a year, almost all from May to September, 162 mm in June. Summer is nearly dry: January–February about 1 mm. 2025 had 444 mm.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: 2025 rainfall and the 1991–2020 normal, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The mean temperature in July 2026 at the Rodelillo station (Valparaíso) was 12.0 °C: about 16 by day, about 9 at night. The coldest night of the month was 2.6 °C.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: July 2026 temperature, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 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

In 2025 the commune of Valparaíso had 24 homicides, neighbouring Viña 15. That is about 8.4 per 100 thousand residents, above the national average (5.4).

OfficialReport on homicide victims in Chile for 2025, with figures by region and commune (published on the Fiscalía website) · checked 6 Oct 2026

The lower city by the sea is in the potential tsunami zone: SENAPRED publishes separate evacuation plans for the Almendral and Puerto sectors.

OfficialSENAPRED: evacuation plans for the Valparaíso region, including for tsunamis · checked 6 Oct 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

Fibre from 12,990 pesos a month on promotion; the median price after the promotion is 26,990 (about 28 dollars). Tariffs are national; availability is checked by address.

SpecialistRedify: catalogue of home fibre internet plans in Chile, October 2026 · checked 6 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

Chilquinta: about 292.5 pesos per kWh plus 1,245 a month, IVA not mentioned. 300 kWh is about 89 thousand, with 19% IVA about 106 thousand pesos (109 dollars).

OfficialChilquinta: electricity tariffs for residential customers, table by commune, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

ESVAL: the average bill for 13 m³ a month in Greater Valparaíso is 30,314 pesos. At the decree's base rates, 15 m³ with sewerage is about 28 thousand pesos with IVA.

OfficialDiario Oficial, 2 May 2026: Ministry of Economy Decree No. 4/2026, ESVAL tariff formulas for 2025–2030 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Gasvalpo piped gas: 1,665 pesos per m³ in the 60–100 m³ band, IVA included. A winter month with gas heating (100 m³) is about 176 thousand, 30 m³ about 58 thousand.

OfficialGasvalpo: list of services and natural gas tariffs, updated 1 September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026