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

Should you visit La Plata or Pucon?

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

Where Should I go: La Plata or Pucon?

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.

Pucon

A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.

Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.

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

Which is Bigger, La Plata or Pucon?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Pucon, 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 Pucon?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit La Plata or Pucon in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Pucon.

In January, La Plata is generally much warmer than Pucon. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 25°C (77°F), and Pucon fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pucon. In the summer, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Pucon. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 296 hours of full sun.

La Plata usually gets more rain in January than Pucon. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Pucon in the Autumn?

Both Pucon and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

La Plata is much warmer than Pucon in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (65°F) in April, and Pucon fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Pucon during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 132 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Pucon. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Pucon. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Plata or Pucon in the Winter?

Both Pucon and La Plata during the winter are popular places to visit.

In the winter, La Plata is much warmer than Pucon. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Plata in July average around 12°C (53°F), and Pucon averages at about 7°C (45°F).

In the winter, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Pucon. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 66 hours of full sun.

Pucon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. La Plata usually gets less rain in July than Pucon. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 312 mm (12.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Pucon in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Pucon.

In October, La Plata is generally much warmer than Pucon. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (64°F), and Pucon fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Pucon during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 198 hours of full sun in the spring.

Pucon receives a lot of rain in the spring. La Plata gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, La Plata usually receives less rain than Pucon. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Pucon and La Plata