Which place is cheaper, Cancun or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Cancun?
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 Cancun can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Cancun $148
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $148. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Cancun $98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Cancun $196
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Cancun? 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.
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 Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Cancun $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.68
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$14
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$17
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Local Bus (for 2)$2.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private RoundTrip Transfer to Xplor Adventure Park from Cancun: $297
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $261
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Playa del Carmen: $260
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Puerto Morelos: $260
- Round trip Private airport transfer to Playa del Carmen Flat Rate per vehicle: $241
- Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch: $238
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $232
- Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $222
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
- Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.: $210
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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
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Food Meals for one dayLa Plata $3.37Cancun $29
Typical Food Prices in La Plata
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:
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Ice Cream$0.01
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Captain Hook: Pirate Show and Dinner Cruise in Cancun: $46
- Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience: $57
- The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour: $59
- Dinner Show with Pirates! (2x1 Price): $62
- (2x1 price) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show: $63
- (2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience : $63
- (2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show : $63
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Dinner Show on a Pirate Ship from Cancun with Open Bar: $65
- Guided Cancun Local Mexican Food Tour: $78
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Cancun $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in La Plata
For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sciencias Naturales Museum Entrance Fee$0.01
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.60
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$102
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- ATV Jungle Adventure with Ziplines, Cenote Transportation Included: $8.00
- Bacalar tour + Lunch + Boat, from Cancun and Riviera Maya: $139
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $105
- Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres : $99
- Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun : $144
- Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
- (4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $48
- (4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen tour in one day: $50
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $115
- 1-Day Xavage Park Tour from Cancun: $186
- 12 hour Holbox Plus Tour with Cenote Lunch and Transportation: $105
- 15 Hours Guided Tour Holbox Island in Mexico: $115
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Cancun $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $38
- Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Cancun, we can see that Cancun 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 Cancun is in North America, 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Cancun?
La Plata has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Cancun, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.