How expensive is it to backpack central & south america?

Question

I will be backpacking between august and februaury and just need some idea of living expnses eg. hostels, food, buses, etc all over central and south america. looking to do it cheaply.

thanks.

Answer 1

Yea I'm going there too, in early 2009 ~ from what I've read the cheapest (& safest) part of Central-Am is Nicaragua...under 15$ a day is possible there. *I found lots of budget hotels listed in "footprint - central america" travel book for 6$ a night.

*Highlights for Nica are: Granada, Isla de Ometepe, San Juan Del Sur, Lake Nicaragua, Managua, Masaya, Leon, Esteli, Ocotal, Bluefields, Corn Islands

For South-Am it's Bolivia (even under 10$/day), which is the cheapest country in all of the Americas. *I found the cheapest hotel in the world!, listed on wikitravel in Copacabana, for under $1.50 per night (unbelievable!!!)

*Highlights for Bolivia are: Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Isla del Sol, La Paz, Sucre, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Tarija, Oruro (for carnivale), Salar de Uyuni (salt plains)

Even though these are both inexpensive countries they still have lots of beautiful tourist spots to visit, with tons of history & colonial architecture.

If you want to go all the way from Guatemala to Panama, you can buy a "TICA bus" ticket for like 72$. That takes you thru Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.

A really nice colonial town on the caribbean coast of South-Am (& cheap) is Cartagena, Colombia. Fly there from Panama for under 300$. Day trips out to Islas del Rosario from there, for the white sand beaches, are easy to do by boat.

Unfortunately bus travel thru Colombia (to other South-Am countries) is dangerous...so you'd have to fly again to your next destination.

If you fly to Ecuador or Peru you can bus all the way south into Bolivia, Chile, & east to Argentina, Brazil etc...

*The most expensive countries are: Brazil (South) & Panama (Central)...every thing else is somewhere in between!

Good luck, do you have a blog? *I'd like to see where you go...

-Jake

Answer 2

Bolivia is the cheapest of South American countries

Accommodation: Cheap, sometimes basic and cold (spend money on better warmer accommodation if need be)

Average cost: less than $10-15

Brazil

costs: US$50-60 a day should cover you, if hitting some big cities. If you want your money to go the furthest, Northern Brazil is certainly cheaper and some knowledge of Portuguese is essential. Kitchens in many hostels and good super markets mean self-caters can really reduce daily costs. The same goes with using dorm bed rather than private rooms.

Accommodation: Can be quite expensive relative to the rest of South America.

Average cost: 70R up to 110R in cities, (approx. $35 to $50)

Chile  --Costs: Reasonable, transportation is a major cost,

Average cost:: Less than $15

Colombia

Highlights: Cartagena old town, San Agustin

getting around: Great bus system and excellent faster 'collectivos' (mini-buses that leave when full). Good value on main routes, more expensive on country routes. Travel at night at your own risk, and always know the situation along the road you are travelling.

Costs: $35 per day, general costs much higher than in Ecuador - similar costs to Brazil

Accommodation: Hostels and bulk standard hotels in cities, accommodation has much more character and is cheaper in rural areas. Try and stay on a coffee farm.

      Average cost: $20 big cities, $5-10 in rural areas

Food: Okay, eating out not overly cheap in cities, commonplace supermarkets means cooking for yourself in hostels is easy. Water comes in silly little packets and fruit, especially mangos are ubiquitous and cheap.