Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit La Plata or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Mexico City?
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.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
-
La Plata Prices
Argentina PricesMexico City Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $61Mexico City $231
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $61, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $231. 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 Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $47Mexico City $42
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $94Mexico City $84
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Mexico City? 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: Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $3.81Mexico City $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
-
Metro$1.18
-
Uber Ride$4.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Teotihuacan: Private Balloon Flight with optional Transfer: $1,436
- Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Visit with Transfer: $842
- Mexico City to Guanajuato - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $293
- Shared Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan with transfer: $293
- Balloon adventure: transfer+breakfast in the cave+guided pyramids: $245
- Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan Transfers and Breakfast Included: $242
- Mexico Airport(MEX) to Chignahuapan - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $233
- Balloon Flight over Teotihuacán with Transfers Included: $228
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $220
- Mexico Airport (MEX) to Ixtapan De La Sal - Round-Trip Transfer: $216
- Luxury Airport Transfer: $209
- Mexico City Private Transfer to or from Airport: $203
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City 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
-
Food Meals for one dayLa Plata $6.42Mexico City $47
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch for Two$13
-
Coffee and Snacks$4.61
-
Dinner for 2$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour Mexico City (Saturday): $20
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $56
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $56
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- Street Food Tour in Mexico with a Local Guide: $62
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $21Mexico City $15
Tours and Activities in La Plata
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for La Plata.
- Buenos Aires: Half-Day City Tour: $353
- Guided City Tour including Cathedral, Museum, and Lunch: $115
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Sabor a Calle": Mexico City Street Food Adventure: $93
- 1 Day Tour to Zacatlán and Chignahuapan from Mexico city: $160
- 100% Private Teotihuacan Tour from Mexico City + Guadalupe Shrine: $163
- 100% Private Tour in Teotihuacán Pyramids from Mexico City: $120
- 100% private tour in Chapultepec Castle & around (with transport): $78
- 100% private tour in Guadalupe's Basilica with transport: $80
- 100% private tour to hotsprings Tolantongo from Mexico city: $181
- 2 hours Private Gastronomic Tour in Mexico city (NEW TOUR!): $55
- 2026 Azcapotzalco Walking Tour Mexico City Adventure: $140
- 2D: Frida Kahlo Museum(No ticket)-Xochimilco & Cuernavaca - Taxco: $194
- 3 Day Private Culinary Experience in CDMX Beyond Tacos: $300
- 3-Hour Private Archaeological Walking Tour in Mexico with ATV: $165
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $5.41Mexico City $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $97
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $130
- Full Day Harvest Season Wine Tour & Grape Stomping Tequisquiapan: $136
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of La Plata. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Mexico City, 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.