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

Should you visit La Plata or La Serena?

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 La Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or La Serena?

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.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and La Serena, we can see that La Serena 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 La Serena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Serena 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 La Serena Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Plata or La Serena?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and La Serena, 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.

When is the best time to visit La Plata or La Serena?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit La Plata or La Serena in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and La Serena.

In January, La Plata is generally a little warmer than La Serena. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 25°C (77°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Serena this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than La Serena during summer. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun in the summer.

In January, La Plata usually receives more rain than La Serena. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit La Plata or La Serena in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to La Plata as well as La Serena.

La Plata is a little warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (65°F) in April, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

In the autumn, La Plata often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serena. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun.

La Plata usually gets more rain in April than La Serena. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or La Serena in the Winter?

Both La Serena and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.

In the winter, La Plata is around the same temperature as La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Plata in July average around 12°C (53°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F).

La Plata usually receives less sunshine than La Serena during winter. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, La Plata usually receives more rain than La Serena. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit La Plata or La Serena in the Spring?

Both La Serena and La Plata during the spring are popular places to visit.

In October, La Plata is generally a little warmer than La Serena. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (64°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).

In the spring, La Plata often gets less sunshine than La Serena. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in La Plata. La Plata usually gets more rain in October than La Serena. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for La Serena and La Plata