I have often been asked how much it costs to go on a backpacking trip. Obviously the amount depends on what you want to see and do, how long you will spend in each place, and how you plan to travel, but in order to give you a rough idea, I documented every dollar that we spent during our 6 months in South America (this had the added benefit of ensuring that we kept our spending on track). Hopefully these numbers will provide some insights into what the hard costs on the ground look like, and a rough framework for you to begin planning your own trip.

I’ve included how many free nights’ accommodation we had in each country, either from overnight busses or couchsurfing, to give you an idea of how much you can save if you are smart, as accommodation is often the biggest expense. We shopped around quite a bit for hostels to ensure we were getting the best deal and rarely booked in advance. The hostel numbers below indicate a private double room for two people. The food costs below represent a combination of some meals out at restaurants and some cooked in our hostels. Transportation, unless otherwise stated, was always by bus for long distances and the occasional taxi around town. All figures below are in approximate US dollars at the time of exchange for each country for two people traveling together, unless otherwise stated.

Argentina: