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

Should you visit La Plata or Leon?

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 Leon can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or Leon?

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.

Leon

Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.

With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.

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 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.

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

Which is Bigger, La Plata or Leon?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Leon, 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 Leon?

La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Leon experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Leon in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Leon. The warm climate attracts visitors to Leon throughout the year.

In January, La Plata is generally around the same temperature as Leonin July. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 25°C (77°F), and Leon fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

In the summer, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Leonin July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leon receives 175 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Leon. La Plata usually gets less rain in January than Leonin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Leon receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Leon in the Autumn?

Both Leon and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Leon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

La Plata is cooler than Leon in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (65°F) in April, and Leon fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.

La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Leon during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Leon receives 195 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Leon. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Leonin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Leon receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Plata or Leon in the Winter?

Both Leon and La Plata during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Leon year-round.

In the winter, La Plata is much colder than Leon. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Plata in July average around 12°C (53°F), and Leon averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.

In Leon, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Leonin January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leon receives 244 hours of full sun.

La Plata usually gets more rain in July than Leonin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Leon receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Leon in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Leon. Leon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, La Plata is generally much colder than Leonin April. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (64°F), and Leon fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Leon this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Leon during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Leon receives 242 hours of full sun in the spring.

La Plata gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Leonin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Leon receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Leon and La Plata