San Martín de los Andes vs Colonia del Sacramento
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in San Martín de los Andes cheaper — −7%
Ready-made house
✓in Colonia del Sacramento cheaper — −27%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per month✓San Martín de los Andes≈ $547–772ARS 850k – 1.2Mcheaper by 7%Colonia del Sacramento≈ $619–793UYU 25–32kPrecipitation
per yearSan Martín de los Andes1,500 mm1,500 mmColonia del Sacramento1,144.5 mm1,144.5 mmReady-made house
purchaseSan Martín de los Andes$295–400k$295–400k✓Colonia del Sacramento$155–350k$155–350kcheaper by 27%
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
San Martín de los Andes
Nothing yet
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
Housing
San Martín de los Andes
In the eastern suburb, 2 bedrooms are about ARS 1.0 million a month, a 120 m² house is USD 1,200 plus expensas. The center and prestigious neighborhoods go up to USD 2,500/month. Listings are few.
SpecialistLong-term rental listings — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, local agencies · checked 30 Aug 2026
The most expensive land among the cities checked: Las Nalcas, USD 37–55k for 1,000–1,180 m² with underground utilities; good plots near town, about USD 95k for 800 m².
SpecialistListings for land and houses for sale — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, Argenprop · checked 1 Sep 2026
A decent 105 m² house is about USD 295k, a 120 m² house in the center about USD 400k. The expensive segment is noticeably higher.
SpecialistListings for land and houses for sale — Zonaprop, Mercado Libre, Argenprop · checked 1 Sep 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Money and prices
San Martín de los Andes
Regional estimate: the minimum food basket for a family of four in Patagonia is ARS 708,288 a month (June 2026). This is not a measurement in the city itself.
OfficialIPIEC (Tierra del Fuego) - Evolución de las canastas básicas, región Patagonia, first half of 2026 · checked 1 Oct 2026
Regional estimate: the poverty line excluding rent for a family of four is ARS 1,784,886 a month (June 2026, Patagonia). Add rent on top. Not a measurement in the city.
OfficialIPIEC (Tierra del Fuego) - Evolución de las canastas básicas, región Patagonia, first half of 2026 · checked 1 Oct 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
Nothing yet
Family and kids
San Martín de los Andes
From 2026, public kindergartens are being converted into Escuelas Infantiles with younger age groups; Jardín Nº12 has already enrolled a sala de 2. The best of the cities checked for early childhood.
OfficialState kindergartens in San Martín are moving to the Escuelas Infantiles format · checked 31 Aug 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
Nothing yet
Healthcare
San Martín de los Andes
Hospital Dr. Ramón Carrillo works as a regional hospital; in 2026 specialist positions are still being filled.
OfficialBoletín Oficial Neuquén — staffing of Hospital Ramón Carrillo, 2026 · checked 27 Aug 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Transport
San Martín de los Andes
Chapelco (Aviador Carlos Campos) on RN 40 between San Martín and Junín, serving both towns. Regular flights: Aerolíneas Argentinas.
OfficialAviador Carlos Campos airport (Chapelco) · checked 27 Aug 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Climate
San Martín de los Andes
About 1,500 mm a year, 1–10 °C by day in winter, 9–27 °C in summer. 10–40 km further east it is noticeably drier, while the Andes remain close.
OfficialSan Martín de los Andes municipal tourism — climate · checked 27 Aug 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Safety
San Martín de los Andes
SEGEMAR 2025: floods and slope movements; on the Ruta de los Siete Lagos the main risk is landslides, mudflows and rockfalls. In July 2026 a slide of mud and rocks closed RN 40.
OfficialSEGEMAR 2025 — hazard map of the San Martín / Villa La Angostura area · checked 28 Aug 2026
Neuquén province in 2025: 5.7 per 100k, the highest of all provinces (average 3.6), up 32.5% from 2024. The figure is driven by the provincial capital; there is no separate data for San Martín.
OfficialSNIC — Informe del Sistema Nacional de Información Criminal, year 2025, table 5 (intentional homicides by province) · checked 9 Sep 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Internet and phone
San Martín de los Andes
COTESMA fiber up to 1,000 Mbps, with symmetric connections and a rural service available. The best of the cities checked, but check coverage by the exact address.
SpecialistCOTESMA — internet and coverage maps · checked 2 Sep 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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
Services
San Martín de los Andes
Piped gas is supplied by Camuzzi, which has accepted connection requests again since 5 January 2026. Tariff from 1 August 2026: ARS 250.11 per m³ plus a fixed part, before taxes. Electricity: EPEN.
SpecialistCamuzzi — gas connections resume in the Cordillera · checked 1 Oct 2026
Colonia del Sacramento
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

