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

Should you visit La Plata or Mazatlan?

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

Where Should I go: La Plata or Mazatlan?

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.

Mazatlan

Mazatlan is located on the Pacific coast in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The city has a population of almost 500,000, making it the second largest city in the state. It is a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and resort hotels. Most people head to Mazatlan specifically for its beaches, but the city itself is somewhat large and diverse with many different cultures and ethnicities represented. Many foreigners come here not only to vacation, but also to retire. You'll meet people from all over Europe, as well as Canada and the United States.

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 Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico.

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

Which is Bigger, La Plata or Mazatlan?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 96% larger than the population of Mazatlan. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Mazatlan, 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 Mazatlan?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. La Plata is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Mazatlan has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit La Plata or Mazatlan in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Mazatlan. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Mazatlan because of the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences.

La Plata is cooler than Mazatlan in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Mazatlan fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mazatlan. In the summer, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Mazatlanin July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mazatlan receives 216 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Mazatlan. La Plata usually gets less rain in January than Mazatlanin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Mazatlan receives 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Mazatlan in the Autumn?

Both Mazatlan and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the shopping scene are the main draw to Mazatlan this time of year.

In the autumn, La Plata is cooler than Mazatlan. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Mazatlan averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.

It's quite sunny in Mazatlan. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Mazatlan during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Mazatlan receives 233 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In April, La Plata usually receives around the same amount of rain as Mazatlanin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Mazatlan receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Plata or Mazatlan in the Winter?

Both Mazatlan and La Plata during the winter are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Mazatlan for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In July, La Plata is generally much colder than Mazatlanin January. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Mazatlan fluctuates around 20°C (67°F).

In Mazatlan, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Mazatlanin January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mazatlan receives 203 hours of full sun.

La Plata usually gets more rain in July than Mazatlanin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Mazatlan receives 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Mazatlan in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Mazatlan. Also, many visitors come to Mazatlan in the spring for the beaches.

La Plata is cooler than Mazatlan in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Mazatlan fluctuates around 22°C (72°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mazatlan this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Mazatlan during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Mazatlan receives 250 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 Mazatlanin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Mazatlan receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Mazatlan and La Plata