Should you visit La Plata or Guayaquil?
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 Guayaquil can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.
Which city is cheaper, Guayaquil or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $62, while the average daily cost in Guayaquil is $76. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for La Plata and Guayaquil in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $50 in La Plata For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The prices for places to stay in Guayaquil can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $25, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $50.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in La Plata cost around $24 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $9.60.
In Guayaquil travelers spend around $23 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
La Plata $24
Guayaquil $23
Typical Food prices in La Plata
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil:
$95
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Cooking Class with Market Visit!:
$103
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Half Day :Eco Cooking Class and culinary Experience (Departure from Guayaquil):
$135
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in La Plata than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $18 on transportation in La Plata on average per day.
Guayaquil's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $12 per person, per day on transportation in Guayaquil.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Plata
Also for La Plata, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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La Plata hotels to El Palomar Airport (EPA) - Departure Private Transfer:
$75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil
Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer: Guayaquil to José J. de Olmedo International Airport (GYE):
$622
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Private Transfer: José J. de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil:
$622
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Golf at Lacosta Country Club in Guayaquil with Transfers:
$175
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Private Transfer from Guayaquil to Cuenca:
$83
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Guayaquil Airport Private Transfer Service:
$80
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Departure Private Transfer: Guayaquil City to Guayaquil Airport GYE by Minivan:
$74
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Arrival Private Transfer: Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil City by Minivan:
$74
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Transfer Guayaquil Hotel - Aeropuerto:
$27
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Transfer Airport - Guayaquil Hotel:
$27
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Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel:
$20
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Private Airport Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel:
$19
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Private TRANSFER OUT from Hotel to Guayaquil Airport:
$15
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Guayaquil?
Prices for flights to both Guayaquil 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in La Plata, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $16 per day, per person.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Guayaquil can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $17 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in La Plata
For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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'Hacienda La Danesa' Cacao & Chocolate Experience:
$200
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'Tren del Hielo I' Experience: Riobamba - Urbina - La Moya - Riobamba:
$206
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3 Days - Sun Route of Ecuador & Montañita Experiences from Guayaquil:
$1,242
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3-Day Tour to Salinas and Montañita from Guayaquil:
$469
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4 Days Guayaquil " Total Experiences ":
$734
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9-Day Ecuadorian Coast Tour Including Isla de la Plata from Guayaquil:
$2,295
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Canal del Morro Boat Tour and Varadero Beach from Guayaquil:
$195
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Canyoning level IV Adventure day trip near Guayaquil:
$86
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City Tour Guayaquil:
$20
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City Tour in Guayaquil, Ecuador:
$55
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Contrasts of Ecuador 7-Day Adventure Tour:
$1,012
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Cultural tour, 3 days, INCA EXPRESS Ingapirca - Cuenca - Cajas Nationalpark:
$667
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In La Plata, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.69.
Typically, people visiting Guayaquil spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:
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Process and Wine Tasting in Cellar Two Hemispheres - Puerto El Morro:
$294
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Guayaquil, we can see that Guayaquil is more expensive. And not only is La Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Guayaquil would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guayaquil than you might in La Plata.
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