Should you visit Mar del Plata or Asuncion?
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 Mar del Plata and Asuncion can help you decide which place is right for you.
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is found only 404 km southeast of the city of Buenos Aires, on the Atlantic coast. Today Mar Del Plata is Argentina‘s most well known beach resort. It has successfully married the two worlds of beach and city into a fun, cosmopolitan urban center with the presence of highly developed tourist infrastructure. Founded in 1874, Mar del Plata was at first mainly an industrial and commercial center before becoming a vacation destination for Argentinians. For a peaceful trip and intimate oceanfront promenades, avoid visiting Mar del Plata during summer time, as the gorgeous arced coastline will be crawling with visitors. But the city is more than just beaches. It also offers some culture, lively nightlife, and great food.
Asuncion
Asuncion is a vastly underrated city. It is the capital but also the administrative economic and cultural center of Paraguay. It is located in the south central part of the country, near the border with Argentina and it is one of the oldest cities in South America, with people living here since almost 500 years. The city has a beautiful and simple center, with a few unique colonial and beaux arts buildings, international cuisine, shady plazas and friendly people. Its handful of historic buildings around the Plaza de los Heroes, Plaza Uruguaya and Manzana de la Ribera, two or three small museums, old bars and cafes, but also smart suburbs, ritzy shopping malls and fashionable nightclubs will keep you entertained for a day or two. It is a very charming city for travellers and apart from the sights, the city boasts a good tourist infrastructure with hotels and restaurants.
Which city is cheaper, Asuncion or Mar del Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mar del Plata is $53, while the average daily cost in Asuncion is $58. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Mar del Plata and Asuncion in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $38 in Mar del Plata For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The prices for places to stay in Asuncion can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $19, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $38.
Local Transportation
To get around in Mar del Plata, the average visitor spends $15 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
To get around in Asuncion, the average visitor spends $7.57 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Asuncion
Also for Asuncion, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Asunción Airport:
$47
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Private Arrival Transfer: Asunción Airport to Hotel:
$47
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Round Trip Transfer Silvio Pettirossi Airport (ASU) to Asuncion City Center:
$46
-
Transfer in private minivan from Asuncion City to Silvio Pettirosi Airport:
$37
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Transfer in private car from Asuncion City to Asuncion Silvio Pettirosi Airport:
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Asuncion to Silvio Pettirossi Int. Airport (ASU):
$26
Is it cheaper to fly into Mar del Plata or Asuncion?
Prices for flights to both Asuncion and Mar del 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
In Mar del Plata travelers spend around $23 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
In Asuncion travelers spend around $15 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Mar del Plata $23
Asuncion $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Asuncion
For Asuncion, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Asunción Dinner and Show Experience:
$93
-
Private Tour: Asuncion at Night with Dinner Show:
$103
-
Dinner Show in Asuncion:
$149
Entertainment
In Mar del Plata, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
In Asuncion, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Asuncion
For Asuncion, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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2 Hours Catamaran Tour from the Asunción Bay with Audio Guide:
$55
-
Asuncion Birding Tour:
$70
-
Asunción City Market Tour:
$72
-
Asunción Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$31
-
Asunción Small-Group Art and Cultural Walking Tour:
$78
-
Birding and Nature Chaco Tour:
$140
-
City Tour Asunción:
$48
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Crystal Fall - day tour in a reduced group:
$110
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Cultural City 3 Hour Tour in Asuncion by Bus:
$99
-
Day Tour “Cerrito”:
$231
-
Day tour to “National Park Ybycuí”:
$265
-
Day tour “Circuito San Bernardino”:
$214
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Mar del Plata, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $11.
Typically, people visiting Asuncion spend on average $8.89 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Asuncion
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Asuncion are as follows:
When comparing the travel costs between Mar del Plata and Asuncion, we can see that Asuncion is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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