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

Should you visit La Plata or Vieques Island?

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 Vieques Island can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Plata or Vieques Island?

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.

Vieques Island

Amidst the melodious chorus of coqui frogs and gentle whispers of palm trees blowing in an evening breeze, you will find that the waters around you glow just as brightly as the stars above. This tropical paradise is none other than Vieques, Puerto Rico. Tropical forests, bioluminescent bays, coral reefs--this island attracts visitors from all around the world who seek to see the wonders and beauties of the tropics. This island suits those from all walks of life, from history buffs seeking to learn about its unique past to nature-lovers wanting to admire its untouched wilderness. Vieques is the place for a perfect vacation!

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 Vieques Island, we can see that Vieques Island 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 Vieques Island 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 Vieques Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vieques Island 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 Vieques Island Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Plata or Vieques Island?

La Plata has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Vieques Island. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Vieques Island, 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 Vieques Island?

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

Should I visit La Plata or Vieques Island in the Summer?

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

La Plata is cooler than Vieques Island in the summer. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Vieques Island fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Vieques Island. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Vieques Island during summer. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while Vieques Island receives 287 hours of full sun in the summer.

In January, La Plata usually receives more rain than Vieques Islandin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Vieques Island receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit La Plata or Vieques Island in the Autumn?

Both Vieques Island and La Plata during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vieques Island year-round.

In the autumn, La Plata is much colder than Vieques Island. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Plata in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Vieques Island averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.

In Vieques Island, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Vieques Islandin October. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vieques Island receives 235 hours of full sun.

Vieques Island gets a good bit of rain this time of year. La Plata usually gets less rain in April than Vieques Islandin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Vieques Island receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Plata or Vieques Island in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Vieques Island. Vieques Island attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In July, La Plata is generally much colder than Vieques Islandin January. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 12°C (53°F), and Vieques Island fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Vieques Island this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Vieques Island during winter. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies, while Vieques Island receives 240 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, La Plata usually receives more rain than Vieques Islandin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Vieques Island receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit La Plata or Vieques Island in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Vieques Island. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vieques Island throughout the year.

La Plata is much colder than Vieques Island in the spring. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Vieques Island fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vieques Island. In the spring, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Vieques Islandin April. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vieques Island receives 272 hours of full sun.

La Plata receives a lot of rain in the spring. La Plata usually gets more rain in October than Vieques Islandin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Vieques Island receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Vieques Island and La Plata