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

Should you visit La Plata or Puerto Varas?

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 Puerto Varas can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or Puerto Varas?

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.

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a city in Southern Chile, in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region, Llanquihue Province. It is a charming town, only 23 km away from Puerto Montt and surrounded by the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes as well as the impressive Llanquihue lake. In terms of landscape, accommodation and activities, Puerto Varas is well served! Kayak, paddle, canyoning, rock climbing, trekking, ski, fishing, you name it! If you decide to stop in that area, we recommend that you stay in Puerto Varas, as it provides the perfect starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.

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 Chile, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago.

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

Which is Bigger, La Plata or Puerto Varas?

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

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 Puerto Varas in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Puerto Varas.

La Plata is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. In the summer, La Plata often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun.

La Plata usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, La Plata is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 11°C (51°F).

La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Plata or Puerto Varas in the Winter?

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

In July, La Plata is generally much warmer than Puerto Varas. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).

In the winter, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun.

Puerto Varas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. La Plata usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Puerto Varas in the Spring?

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

La Plata is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.

Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and La Plata