A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Plata vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Plata or Bonaire?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Plata and Bonaire can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or Bonaire?

La Plata

Just over an hour from Buenos Aires, the bustling university city of La Plata is notable for being South America's first planned city. Indeed, also known as the City of Diagonal, La Plata's intricate grid system includes diagonal streets that run through it, contributing to easy navigation but confusing intersections.La Plata is the Capital of the Province of Buenos Aires, the main Argentine state, so you will find lots of elaborate government buildings alongside leafy green plazas in this laid back as well as active city. La Plata is a happening university town with a population of over 700,000. You can walk the width of it in under an hour, stopping at trendy craft beer bars, local music joints, and great restaurants along the way. Also, football is a religion in Argentina and if you're looking for some local atmosphere, La Plata is the place to go! Two of Argentina's biggest football teams, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Estudiantes de La Plata challenge each other each year. If you are around during that special day for the city, you will witness thousands of fans wearing the relevant colours heading off to watch the match and parade by calle 7.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and CuraƧao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or La Plata?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $256. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for La Plata and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Plata $3.47
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Plata $6.94
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Bonaire? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in La Plata


Hotels in Bonaire


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: La Plata Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Plata $2.47
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk City to Kralendijk Cruise Port: $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $44
  • Private Transfers from Bonaire airport to any address on Bonaire: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and La Plata change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    La Plata $3.37
    Bonaire $59
Typical Food Prices in La Plata

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:


  • Ice Cream
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Plata $2.16
    Bonaire $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in La Plata

For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Sciencias Naturales Museum Entrance Fee
    $0.01

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
  • Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
  • Guided Night Snorkeltour With Tarpons on the Hunt: $70
  • Brunch & Snorkel Catamaran Tour: $115
  • Catamaran Snorkel & BBQ Sail (cruise friendly): $105
  • Cave Adventure: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
  • Cave Exploration Tour & Snorkeling: $100
  • Cave Tour with Local Guide: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Plata $1.20
    Bonaire $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is La Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Plata is in South America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to La Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Plata and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in La Plata.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Plata Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, La Plata or Bonaire?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Bonaire, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.