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

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 Adventure Tours to Argentina, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.

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.

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. Also, December to April in Quepos is the dry season. Also, May to November in Quepos is the hurricane season.

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.

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. December to April is the dry season in Quepos. Also, the hurricane season in Quepos is May to November.

Typical Weather for Quepos and La Plata