Which place is cheaper, Quepos or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Quepos?
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 Quepos can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Quepos?
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.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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 Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Quepos $117
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $117. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Quepos $77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Quepos $154
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Quepos? 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 and Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Quepos $9.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Manuel Antonio/Quepos : $300
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Monteverde: $276
- Manuel Antonio & Quepos one way transfer to SJO hotels - Airport up to 5 people.: $274
- Private transfer from SJ Airport to Manuel Antonio and vice versa: $230
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $209
- Private Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Round Trip): $199
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- Private Transfer From San Jose Airport To Manuel Antonio Beach: $125
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $91
- Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 $3.37Quepos $30
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
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $59
- 3 Hour Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Quepos $17
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 Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 10 in 1 Tour! Zip Lines, Rappels, Tarzan Swing, Waterfalls & More: $130
- 2-Hour Boat Tour in Quepos: $55
- ATV Tour Half Day Trip From Manuel Antonio: $90
- All Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure from Manuel Antonio: $83
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure with Lunch: $93
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Nauyaca Waterfall and Beach Town Tour: $142
- Beach Day Experience in Manuel Antonio: $20
- Birding at El Rey. (Marshes,rice fields,canals) Private Birding Tour : $120
- Birdwatching Tour: $130
- Catamaran Adventure From Manuel Antonio: $116
- Chocolate Tour Manuel Antonio: $60
- Chocolate and Coffee Tour Manuel Antonio: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Quepos $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 Quepos is in Central 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Quepos?
La Plata has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Quepos, 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 Quepos?
La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Quepos experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Plata or Quepos in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Quepos. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, La Plata is cooler than Quepos. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Plata in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Quepos averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.
La Plata usually receives more sunshine than Quepos during summer. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
Quepos receives a lot of rain in the summer. In January, La Plata usually receives less rain than Queposin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Plata 25°C (77°F)Quepos 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Quepos in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Quepos. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year.
In April, La Plata is generally much colder than Queposin October. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (65°F), and Quepos fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In the autumn, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Queposin October. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 169 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Quepos. La Plata usually gets less rain in April than Queposin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Plata 18°C (65°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Quepos in the Winter?
Both Quepos and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
La Plata is much colder than Quepos in the winter. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 12°C (53°F) in July, and Quepos fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Quepos. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Quepos during winter. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies, while Quepos receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
In July, La Plata usually receives more rain than Queposin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Plata 12°C (53°F)Quepos 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Quepos in the Spring?
Both Quepos and La Plata during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Quepos year-round.
In the spring, La Plata is much colder than Quepos. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Plata in October average around 18°C (64°F), and Quepos averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.
In Quepos, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Queposin April. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Quepos receives 255 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in La Plata. La Plata usually gets more rain in October than Queposin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Quepos receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Plata 18°C (64°F)Quepos 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Quepos and La Plata
| La Plata | Quepos | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (53°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (53°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.