National average 4,178
Colonia9,707+19.7 %Soriano7,964−7.6 %San José6,842+5.1 %Canelones6,492−5.7 %Maldonado5,647−2.0 %Florida5,265+12.3 %Río Negro5,138−9.0 %Flores4,667−11.7 %Durazno4,032−17.5 %Rocha3,839+22.3 %Lavalleja3,736+5.0 %Treinta y Tres3,384+6.9 %Cerro Largo3,194−10.7 %Rivera3,074−10.5 %Paysandú3,047−17.6 %Salto2,886+4.0 %Tacuarembó2,720−10.7 %Bar length and order follow the official annual figures. Percentage: change against 2024.
The price
At USD 2,300 per hectare, Artigas was Uruguay's cheapest department in 2025, essentially unchanged from USD 2,312 in 2024. The gap to Colonia, the most expensive, is a factor of 4.2.
Where the low price comes from
Two factors combine. The first is soil: Artigas sits largely on shallow basalt soils that carry extensive grazing but are of limited use for intensive cropping.
The second is location. Artigas is the northernmost corner of the country, some 600 road kilometres from Montevideo. Every tonne that has to reach the port carries that distance as cost, and it is priced into the hectare.
What does work here
Rice is grown along the Río Cuareim and sugar cane around Bella Unión, both on irrigated ground with an entirely different yield profile from basalt pasture. The same caution applies: the departmental average describes no individual property.
For buyers, Artigas answers one specific question: maximum area per dollar deployed, with extensive use and a long horizon. Anyone prioritising access, soil quality or resale should look further south.
Sources
Figures verified on 2026-07-27
Information is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice. Prices shown are averages from official statistics, not valuations of individual properties.