Which place is cheaper, Ponce or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Ponce?
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 Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Ponce? 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: La Plata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $279
- Single ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $189
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to Rio Grande hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $109
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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
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Food Meals for one dayLa Plata $3.37Ponce $35
Typical Food Prices in La Plata
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:
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Ice Cream$0.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Ponce $56
Typical Entertainment Prices in La Plata
For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sciencias Naturales Museum Entrance Fee$0.01
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 2-Hour Private UTV Can-Am Beach Tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $264
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
- 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
- 90 Minute Portrait Photoshoot Experience in the Caribbean: $129
- ATV Adventure at Hacienda Campo Rico: $136
- Adventure Trail Tour in the foothills of the National Rainforest: $110
- Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
- All Inclusive Cordillera Cay’s Sailing Catamaran Beach & Snorkeling Tour: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Ponce, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Ponce?
La Plata has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Ponce, 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 Ponce?
La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Plata or Ponce in the Summer?
Both Ponce and La Plata during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
La Plata is cooler than Ponce in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F)in July.
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Poncein July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets less rain in January than Poncein July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Plata 25°C (77°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Ponce in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, La Plata is much colder than Ponce. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Ponce receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Poncein October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Plata 18°C (65°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Ponce in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
In July, La Plata is generally much colder than Poncein January. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Poncein January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Poncein January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Plata 12°C (53°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Ponce in the Spring?
Both Ponce and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
La Plata is cooler than Ponce in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Ponce. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in La Plata. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Poncein April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Plata 18°C (64°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and La Plata
| La Plata | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (53°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (53°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
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.