Valparaíso vs Colonia del Sacramento

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

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 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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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