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

Should you visit La Plata or Montanita?

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

Where Should I go: La Plata or Montanita?

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.

Montanita

Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.

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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.

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

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

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

Should I visit La Plata or Montanita in the Summer?

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

In the summer, La Plata is around the same temperature as Montanita. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Plata in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Montanita averages at about 25°C (78°F)in July.

La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during summer. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 107 hours of full sun in the summer.

In January, La Plata usually receives more rain than Montanitain July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit La Plata or Montanita in the Autumn?

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

In April, La Plata is generally cooler than Montanitain October. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (65°F), and Montanita fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

In the autumn, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Montanitain October. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 117 hours of full sun.

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

Should I visit La Plata or Montanita in the Winter?

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

La Plata is much colder than Montanita in the winter. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 12°C (53°F) in July, and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in January.

La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during winter. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 88 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, La Plata usually receives less rain than Montanitain January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit La Plata or Montanita in the Spring?

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

In the spring, La Plata is much colder than Montanita. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Plata in October average around 18°C (64°F), and Montanita averages at about 27°C (81°F)in April.

In the spring, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Montanitain April. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 133 hours of full sun.

La Plata receives a lot of rain in the spring. La Plata usually gets more rain in October than Montanitain April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Montanita and La Plata