City in Uruguay
Punta del Este
Punta del Este is a resort town on the Atlantic coast of Maldonado, with 17,436 residents in the 2023 census locality count. Maldonado department has the highest share of foreign-born residents in Uruguay, the national migration directorate has a residences office in the town, and an IB and Cambridge school teaches ages 2 to 18. [N1] [N2] [I1] [Punta del Este S1]
- Country
- Uruguay
- Region
- Maldonado
- Population
- 17,436 in 2023. Punta del Este locality (INE Censo 2023 departmental profile, weighted population); the municipality counts 20,600 and the neighbouring Maldonado locality 100,985. [N1]
- Weather
- Mild, never too hot [Punta del Este W1]
Why it is here
Why Punta del Este is on the list.
A city is listed when there is evidence that people move there. This is the evidence.
- Maldonado department, which holds Punta del Este, has the highest share of residents born in another country (5.8%) and of residents born outside the department (46.3%) of Uruguay's 19 departments in the 2023 census, and grew 23.7% from 2011 to 2023, the fastest of any (a department figure, not the town's). [N2]
- The national migration directorate runs a residences office in Punta del Este, on Avenida Juan Gorlero between Calle 25 and Calle 23. The departmental government reported in February 2025 that residences started there rose from 272 in 2020 to close to 900 a year. [I1] [M1]
- International College, run by Nord Anglia, teaches ages 2 to 18 in Punta del Este and offers Cambridge IGCSEs and the IB Diploma Programme; it was founded in 2017. [Punta del Este S1]
The Fernshore Index
How it grades, factor by factor.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Cost of living
45 of 100MixedCountry figure
Price level 0.658 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
59 of 100MixedCountry figure
Montevideo, the main city: 8 comfortable months a year (January to May and October to December), measured at the Prado station. June to September are cooler than 18 °C on average.
Source: Climate normals 1991–2020, Prado, Montevideo (WMO 86585). Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
59 of 100MixedCountry figure
Global Peace Index 2026: 43rd of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Healthcare
82 of 100StrongCountry figure
WHO UHC service coverage index 85 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Schools
UnknownCountry figure
Our research doesn't cover schools yet.
Community
UnknownCountry figure
Not covered by Expat Insider 2026
Lifestyle
UnknownCountry figure
Not covered by Expat Insider 2026
Work and career
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: a residence route for remote workers exists (the provisional identity sheet for remote work, 180 days, renewable once) and fixed broadband is 33.04 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line.
Source: Decreto 394/009, article 8 (as reworded by Decreto 238/022): provisional identity sheet for remote work; Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Retirement
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: people living on rents, a pension or retirement income from abroad can apply for permanent residence directly, with a notarial certificate of the income. The page prints no minimum amount, age or deposit. The route needs no waiting period before permanent status, which is better than the 'after a stated period' the test asks for.
Source: Residencia Legal - Permanente. Checked 15 October 2026.
Internet
74 of 100StrongCountry figure
33.04 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024).
Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
English
62 of 100MixedCountry figure
EF EPI score 542, between the 499 and 550 anchors. The page does not print its edition year.
Source: EF English Proficiency Index: Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for US passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for CA passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for AU passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for NZ passports is being checked
The country
More on Uruguay.
Cities
Other cities in Uruguay.
Questions about Punta del Este.
How big is Punta del Este?
The 2023 census (INE) counts 17,436 people in the Punta del Este locality, 20,600 in the municipality, and 100,985 in neighbouring Maldonado. Maldonado department had 212,951 residents and grew 23.7% from 2011 to 2023, the fastest of any department.
Is there a residence office in Punta del Este?
Yes. DNM runs a residences office on Avenida Juan Gorlero between Calle 25 and Calle 23. In February 2025 the departmental government reported that residences started there rose from 272 in 2020 to close to 900 a year, paraphrasing the migration director; it is not a published table.
How much does a one-bedroom flat cost to rent in Punta del Este?
One advert seen on 15 October 2026 asked US$1,300 a month, about UYU 52,307 at UYU 40.236 per US dollar, for a 63 m² annual let from November 2026. Its rent is set in dollars, so the peso cost moves. One advert is not an average, and no full budget is available.
What international school is in Punta del Este?
International College, run by Nord Anglia, teaches ages 2 to 18 and was founded in 2017. It offers the Uruguayan National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSEs in Years 10 and 11 and the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13. This is the school's own page; fees are not known here.
What do governments say about safety in Punta del Este?
Canada says petty crime moves to tourist destinations such as Punta del Este in the December to March summer season. The US State Department names Maldonado among the departments where crime is most common. Both are advisories for visitors, not a measure of one neighbourhood.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [N1] Censo 2023: Perfil departamental, Maldonado (infografía), Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Checked 15 October 2026. Punta del Este locality 17,436 (weighted population, by locality); the Punta del Este municipality 20,600; Maldonado locality 100,985, which sits next to it. The sheet's heading reads "Mayo 2026"; the census reference date is 31 May 2023, so the figure is taken as the 2023 census.
- [N2] Censo 2023: Población estimada, crecimiento intercensal y estructura por sexo y edad, tables 1, 3 and 6, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Checked 15 October 2026. Maldonado department (which holds Punta del Este): 212,951 residents in 2023, up 23.7% on 2011, the fastest growth of any department; implicit net migration +31,757 in 2011–2023 (a residual, not a measured flow); 5.8% of residents born in another country, the highest share of any department, and 46.3% born outside the department.
- [I1] Oficinas de la Dirección Nacional de Migración, Ministerio del Interior, Dirección Nacional de Migración (gub.uy). Checked 15 October 2026. Lists "Oficina de Residencias de la Dirección Nacional de Migración en Punta del Este", Avenida Juan Gorlero between Calle 25 and Calle 23, and a separate Oficina de Migración Maldonado at Ventura Alegre 727.
- [Punta del Este S1] International Schools in Punta del Este: International College, Nord Anglia Education (the school operator's own page). Checked 15 October 2026. International College, Avda. del Mar and Blvr. Artigas, Punta del Este; ages 2 to 18; founded 2017; Uruguayan National Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSEs (Years 10 and 11) and the IB Diploma Programme (Years 12 and 13).
- [G1] Uruguay Natural: places to visit, Ministerio de Turismo (Uruguay Natural). Checked 15 October 2026. Describes Punta del Este as one of the main resorts in the Americas.
- [Punta del Este W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Rocha (WMO 86565), Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorología (INUMET) (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. The nearest station in the national set to Punta del Este, about 60 km to the north-east and inland; Punta del Este has no station of its own. Monthly mean highs 15.5 to 28.1 °C; 9 comfortable months. The warmest month's mean high is 28.1 °C and the coolest's is 15.5 °C, so the 'mild' weather type holds; mean temperatures differ by 11.5 °C between January and July, so 'four seasons' does not.
- [M1] Nueva oficina de residencias fue inaugurada en Punta del Este, Intendencia de Maldonado (departmental government). Checked 15 October 2026. Published 25 February 2025. Reports that 272 residences were started in Punta del Este in 2020 and that the number is now close to 900 a year, from the national migration director's remarks (paraphrased in the article, not a published table). Office at the Plaza de Artesanos, corner of Gorlero and 23.
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Uruguay, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 65.81 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [Uruguay W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Prado, Montevideo (WMO 86585), Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorología (INUMET) (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. Montevideo, the main city for Uruguay's climate grade. Monthly mean daily highs 14.7 to 27.8 °C; monthly rain 83 to 111 mm (every month under 150 mm); 8 comfortable months (January to May and October to December). September's mean high is 17.9 °C, just under the 18 °C line. Carrasco (WMO 86580), the other Montevideo station, also gives 8.
- [Uruguay S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Uruguay ranks 43rd of 163 countries (score 1.754); the report calls it the most peaceful country in South America.
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Uruguay: 85 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO GHO API (UHC_INDEX_REPORTED) on 15 October 2026.
- [K1] Decreto 394/009, article 8 (as reworded by Decreto 238/022): provisional identity sheet for remote work, Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay (IMPO, official legal database). Checked 15 October 2026. Article 8: a foreigner who applies for temporary residence for under 180 days gets the Hoja de Identidad Provisoria, including (literal B) for working remotely from Uruguay for entities abroad; renewable once for another 180 days; after that the person may apply for the categories in articles 4 and 7. Decreto 238/022 (4 August 2022) reworded article 8.
- [K3] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 33.04 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [R1] Residencia Legal - Permanente, Ministerio del Interior, Dirección Nacional de Migración (gub.uy trámites). Checked 15 October 2026. Page last updated 19 February 2026. Open to any foreign person intending to live in Uruguay permanently. Means of living can be shown as a "rentista, jubilado y pensionista en el exterior" with a notarial certificate of the income, its monthly nominal amount and how it is received in Uruguay. No minimum amount, age or deposit is printed on the page. Law 18.250 and Decreto 394/009 are the legal base.
- [F1] EF English Proficiency Index: Uruguay, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 542, global rank 34, up 4 points on the previous score. The page does not print its edition year; it is the live country page read on 15 October 2026.