How Much Does 2 Weeks in Mexico Guatemala Cost? 4-City Budget Itinerary

A backpacking guatemala and mexico budget covering Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas, and Antigua fits 4 cities across 2 countries into two weeks. That works out to roughly 3.5 days per stop, enough time to settle into each city without rushing to the next bus station. At the backpackr level, daily costs average $35/day, covering a hostel dorm bed (averaging $11/night), three meals ($7/day), and local transport ($2/day). The price gap between the cheapest city (San Cristobal de las Casas at $19.89/day) and the priciest (Puerto Escondido at $30.65/day) is worth planning around. All prices on this page are in USD.

Hostel dorm rates city by city: San Cristobal de las Casas at $7.77/night, Oaxaca at $10.52/night, Antigua at $11.29/night, Puerto Escondido at $13.79/night. Food costs average $7/day for the route. San Cristobal de las Casas is the cheapest place to eat at $6.06/day, while Puerto Escondido runs $8.43/day for three meals. Inter-city ground transport for the full route comes to $406 to $549, depending on whether you prioritize budget buses or faster trains. Adding it up: 14 days of accommodation, food, local transport, and inter-city travel comes to roughly $495 to $1044 before international flights.

Pairing Mexico and Guatemala creates genuine variety. Each country brings different food traditions, transit systems, and price points, giving the route a sense of progression rather than repetition. The Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas connection takes just 11.2 hours by bus, and the cheapest leg (San Cristobal de las Casas to Antigua) starts at $25 by shuttle. The route trends cheaper as it goes, starting at $30.65/day in Puerto Escondido and dropping to $25.10/day by Antigua. All stops align for January, February, November, and December travel, when drier conditions and moderate temperatures make each city more walkable and enjoyable.

January, February, November, and December is the recommended window, balancing good weather with reasonable hostel availability. Avoid June through October when conditions are less favorable for overland travel. The cost table below breaks down exactly what each city costs per day, sorted so the cheapest stop (San Cristobal de las Casas) stands out immediately. Below that, the transport section shows pricing and duration for every city-to-city connection on the route. Toggle between the brokepackr, backpackr, and flashpackr tiers to see how costs shift at each spending level.