Latin America: Budget Travel Guide
Latin America is the backpacker circuit that never gets old. The continent spans surf towns in Mexico to the salt flats of Bolivia, cloud forests in Ecuador to tango bars in Buenos Aires. The cultural richness is staggering — ancient Inca ruins, colonial cities, Amazonian jungle, and Caribbean coastlines all within a single continent. Budget travellers can do it justice for $30–45 a day if they travel like locals.
Featured Destination
Start with Ecuador
The cheapest entry point in Latin America. Explore the full guide or compare all countries below.
Compare Countries
All Latin America destinations
Click any country to open the full guide. Click column headers to sort.
| Country↕ | From/Day↑ | BDI↕ | Cost Bar | Cities↕ | Best Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇪🇨Ecuador | $24 | -- | 4 | -- | |
🇧🇴Bolivia | $26 | -- | 4 | -- | |
🇧🇿Belize | $27 | -- | 2 | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | |
🇵🇪Peru | $27 | -- | 6 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | |
🇳🇮Nicaragua | $31 | -- | 3 | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | |
🇨🇴Colombia | $37 | -- | 6 | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul | |
🇲🇽MexicoTRENDING | $39 | -- | 17 | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | |
🇬🇹Guatemala | $44 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇵🇦Panama | $46 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇨🇷Costa Rica | $48 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇨🇱Chile | $52 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇦🇷Argentina | $55 | -- | 5 | -- | |
🇧🇷Brazil | $57 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇺🇾Uruguay | $87 | -- | 1 | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar |
Cheapest overall: Ecuador at $24/day. Highest BDI: Ecuador at . Most travelers underestimate how far their money goes once they get off the tourist trail.
Itineraries
Classic Routes
Gringo Trail
Colombia → Ecuador → Peru → Bolivia
Medellín → Quito → Cusco → La Paz. The most popular South American backpacker route.
Central America Loop
Mexico → Guatemala → Costa Rica → Panama
Mexico City → Antigua → Manuel Antonio → Panama City. Combines ruins, coffee country, and jungle.
Southern Cone
Argentina → Chile → Peru
Buenos Aires → Patagonia → Lima. More expensive but unforgettable landscapes.
Colombia Backpacking Route (21 Days)
Bogota → Medellin → Cartagena → Santa Marta
Central America Backpacking Route backpackr
Mexico City → Oaxaca → San Cristobal de las Casas → Antigua → Lake Atitlan → Caye Caulker
More destinations
Also in Latin America
Every country guide includes budget breakdown, hostels, visa and city-level data.
Gateway to Tayrona. Colombian coast without Cartagena markup.
Colonial grid, volcano views, $15/day. Spanish school central.
Copacabana, Christ, and caipirinhas. Safety math changes after dark.
Entry
Visa Snapshot
Insight: Most Western passports have it easy in Latin America. The main friction is Vietnam for some nationalities (e-visa required) and Myanmar (check current advisories). Use the visa lookup on each country guide page for your exact passport pair.
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