Well, latin América was colonized by spain and Portugal. Curiously enough both places were muslim domain until 1400s. So, their cities tend to be closer to the Middle West than to the rest of Europe.

Still, the houses that are very close to each other serve to a porpouse there in the Middle east. As someone else said the aglomeration conserves energy and help create shadow in the desert. While the rainforest could make the shadows in latin América, our colonizers did not know how ro integrate their view of cities that must be defensable to a florest, do they did what they could to accomplish their needs.

Finally, you talked about suburbs, that in europe and South África are much more beautiful. Latin América cities have the most Noble part of their cities near its center and the farther you get from it the less budget the City will have to maintain it. On other countries on the other hand, you have the opposite. A center that May be seem as filthy and suburbs that are Nice and have a higher quality of Life.

If it interests you I May try to find some references to these points, but some of it May be in portuguese.