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

Should you visit La Plata or Saint John?

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 Saint John can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or Saint John?

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.

Saint John

With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.

This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.

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.

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

When is the best time to visit La Plata or Saint John?

La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint John experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Saint John in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Saint John. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint John throughout the year.

In January, La Plata is generally cooler than Saint Johnin July. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 25°C (77°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

La Plata usually gets more rain in January than Saint Johnin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Saint John in the Autumn?

Both Saint John and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Saint John because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

La Plata is much colder than Saint John in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (65°F) in April, and Saint John fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Saint John. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Saint Johnin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Plata or Saint John in the Winter?

Both Saint John and La Plata during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint John year-round.

In the winter, La Plata is much colder than Saint John. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Plata in July average around 12°C (53°F), and Saint John averages at about 26°C (78°F)in January.

La Plata usually gets more rain in July than Saint Johnin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Saint John in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Saint John. Saint John attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, La Plata is generally much colder than Saint Johnin April. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (64°F), and Saint John fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

La Plata gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Saint Johnin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Saint John receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Saint John and La Plata