The Bottom Line - how much it cost

• Slipperycoconut's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Arlington

  Arlington, Virginia, United States
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Here it is all you travel planners. The moment you have all been waiting for. Drumroll please. We are proud to present, for the first time ever...what it cost us to travel for 5 months in Central America. We hope this helps for those in the midst of planning a big trip. SHHHH do not tell everyone how cheap it is to travel or everyone may quit their jobs and do it and nothing would get done in the world.

Cheers,

Frank & Kay

Notes:

- Currency below is in $$ US Dollars

- Costs are for 2 people. Divide in half for per person costs.

- Most hotels (includes hostels, guesthouses, etc) were Budget+1. Clean, safe, and usually with a private room and private bathroom.

- Travelled mostly by public (Chicken bus), with many ferry boats, a handful of cabs, and very few private shuttles or 1st class buses. And a random hitchhike.

- Total costs include everything: food, transportation, entertainment, etc...

OVERALL COSTS

Overall Total: $9232 ($7788 excluding all airfare)

Days of Travel: 141 nights / 142 days (4.5 months)

Average Daily Cost: $65.47 ($55.23 excluding all airfare)

Total Cost of Internet Usage at Cafes and Hotels: $89.75

Tranportation Costs:

Airfare Los Angeles to Cancun (one way): $396

Airfare Managua to Big Corn Island, Nicaragua (round trip): $328

Airfare Costa Rica to Washington DC (one way): $729

BREAKDOWN BY COUNTRY

Mexico:

Total Expenses: $1170

Days of Travel: 19

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 11 pesos

Daily Averages:

- Total: $61.90

- Hotel: $20.80

- Transportation: $10.88

- Food: $17.77

Notes: Saved 1 night of lodging by taking an overnight bus to Palenque. Visited 4 Mayan sights, 3 cenotes, 2 waterfalls. Rented bikes in Isla Mujeres and Campeche.

Guatemala:

Total Expenses: $2035

Days of Travel: 40

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 7.50 Quetzales

Daily Averages:

- Total: $50.89

- Hotel: $10.81

- Transportation: $6.74

- Food: $20.08

Notes: Costs include 3 weeks of Spanish School ($50 per week per person). Visited Tikal ruins, Semuc Champey, Rio Dulce, Monterrico, Antigua, Lake Atitlan.

Belize:

Total Expenses: $802

Days of Travel: 9 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 2 Belize Dollars (fixed)

Daily Averages:

- Total: $89.07

- Hotel: $19.44

- Transportation: $14.92

- Food: $37.28

Notes: Includes snorkel trip ($45 per person) and 2 dinners at nice restaurants. Ferry rides to/from Caye Caulker and Placencia. No scuba diving and no side tours like jungle trips, rafting, etc because they were too expensive.

Honduras:

Total Expenses: $938

Days of Travel: 13 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 18 Limpiras

Daily Averages:

- Total: $72.18

- Hotel: $22.69

- Transportation: $12.97

- Food: $15.98

Notes: Includes 9 nights on Roatan and 3 nights in Copan Ruinas. Ferry ride to/from Roatan. Scuba Diving Refresher Course ($45 per person). 3 Scuba Dives ($20 each dive). Saved $$$ by using own snorkel equipment and snorkelling from shore.

El Salvador:

Total Expenses: $494.67

Days of Travel: 12 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: US Dollar is official currency

Daily Averages:

- Total: $41.22

- Hotel: $14.25

- Transportation: $3.19

- Food: $15.99

Notes: Best value activities - Santa Ana soccer game ($3 per person) and National Symphony ($2 per person). Freebies included mountain bikes and an all-day picnic and hiking at a family coffee finca outside Juayua.

Nicaragua:

Total Expenses: $1329

Days of Travel: 28 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 18 Cordobas

Daily Averages:

- Total: $47.45

- Hotel: $11.71

- Transportation: $3.92

- Food: $22.56

Notes: Includes volcano boarding, surfing, snorkelling, hiking. Does not include airfare to Little Corn Island ($165 per person round trip). Saved $$$ on Little Corn Island by using own snorkel equipment and snorkelling from shore - no scuba diving. Also saved $$$ on Little Corn Island by picking wild mangoes for breakfast.

Costa Rica:

Total Expenses: $689

Days of Travel: 14 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 520 Colones

Daily Averages:

- Total: $49.23

- Hotel: $15.14

- Transportation: $6.76

- Food: $15.18

Notes: Includes surfboard rental, canopy zip line, bike rental, and Franks birthday party. No scuba diving, no guided tours. Saved $$$ by doing independent activities - hiking without a guide, combining transporation and sight-seeing by travelling on ferries/boats in the canals around Tortuguero.

Panama:

Total Expenses: $329

Days of Travel: 6 days

Approximate Exchange Rate: US Dollar is official currency. But they print their own coins.

Daily Averages:

- Total: $54.88

- Hotel: $15.75

- Transportation: $13.17

- Food: $11.79

Notes: Includes ferries in Isla Bocas and long-haul bus ride from David to San Jose (Costa Rica). Cheapest beer in Central America - 50 cents a can. Saved $$$ by going on self-guided hikes and cooking at home. No guided tours.

Let us know if you have any questions or comments!