Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Tamarindo?
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 Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Tamarindo?
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.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
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 Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Tamarindo? 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 Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $307
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to JW Marriott Guanacaste: $280
- Round Trip Transfer From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $250
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Andaz Papagayo Resort: $201
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Four Seasons Resort: $200
- Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
- Transfer To/From Liberia Airport To/ From JW Marriott Guanacaste: $195
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To JW Marriott Guanacaste: $185
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel: $181
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $175
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $171
- Private Transfer from Intl Liberia (LIR) Airport to Papagayo beaches areas: $170
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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 $3.37Tamarindo $32
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Tamarindo $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 Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Ecologic farming Sloth tour Hiking & Chocolate -Coffee tour: $260
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Adventure Combo Tour: $220
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and Waterfall Hiking: $170
- Premium Tour:Sloths and Río Celeste y Cortez Waterfalls (Tenorio Volcano Park): $220
- Private ATV or Buggy Tour from Riu Hotels: $85
- Sloth Farm Watching Tour & Amazimg Waterfall: $185
- Wildlife Tour at Palo Verde National Park: $199
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $80
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 5-Hour Guided Sunset Boat Tour in Tamarindo Costa Rica: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit La Plata or Tamarindo?
La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Tamarindo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Plata or Tamarindo in the Summer?
Both Tamarindo and La Plata during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tamarindo year-round.
La Plata is cooler than Tamarindo in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.
In the summer, La Plata often gets more sunshine than Tamarindoin July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 164 hours of full sun.
Tamarindo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. La Plata usually gets less rain in January than Tamarindoin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Plata 25°C (77°F)Tamarindo 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Tamarindo in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Tamarindo. Tamarindo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, La Plata is much colder than Tamarindo. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Tamarindo averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.
La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Tamarindo during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Tamarindo receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Tamarindoin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Plata 18°C (65°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Tamarindo in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Tamarindo. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tamarindo throughout the year.
In July, La Plata is generally much colder than Tamarindoin January. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Tamarindo fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Tamarindo. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Tamarindoin January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Tamarindo receives 264 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets more rain in July than Tamarindoin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Plata 12°C (53°F)Tamarindo 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Tamarindo in the Spring?
Both Tamarindo and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Tamarindo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
La Plata is much colder than Tamarindo in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Tamarindo fluctuates around 29°C (85°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Tamarindo. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Tamarindo during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Tamarindo receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in La Plata. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Tamarindoin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Tamarindo receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Plata 18°C (64°F)Tamarindo 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Tamarindo and La Plata
| La Plata | Tamarindo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.