Budget Recaps

Written by Kobus on April 24, 2012

The links below will take you to our detailed per-country budget reports. We’ve broken down what we spend on food, hotels, camping, gas, and everything else. Also included are useful tips that we've learned to help us stay on budget while traveling.

How Much Will All This Cost?

Here's our original estimates of what we think this entire trip will cost.

Expense	Total	Per Person
Start Up Costs	$17,224	$5,741.33
One-Time Costs	$21,424	$7,141.33
Food & Lodging	$23,446	$7,815.33
Gas	$7,004	$2,334.67
Personal Spending	$14,490	$4,830
Group Spending	$6,762	$2,254

USA Budget Recap

Number of Days in Country:	28
Budgeted Per Diem:	$121.41
Actual Per Diem:	$126.93
Total Spent:	$3,554.17
Total Budgeted:	$3,399.48
Difference:	-$154.69

Mexico Budget Recap

Number of Days in Mexico:	70
Average Exchange Rate (Pesos per USD$):	M$13.55
Budgeted Per Diem:	$73.71
Actual Per Diem:	$72.26
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$445.00
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$389.60
Total Spent:	$5,601.62
Total Budgeted:	$5,700.10
Mexico Balance:	+$98.48
Total Trip Balance:	-$56.36

Belize Budget Recap

Number of Days in Belize:	11
Average Exchange Rate (BZ$ per USD$):	BZ$1.975
Budgeted Per Diem:	$74.19
Actual Per Diem:	$95.79
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$40.00
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$28.00
Total Spent:	$1,053.66
Total Budgeted:	$860.17
Belize Balance:	-$193.49

Guatemala Budget Recap

Number of Days in Guatemala:	61
Average Exchange Rate (Quetzals per USD$):	Q7.68
Budgeted Per Diem:	$88.63
Actual Per Diem:	$106.23
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$10.00
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$23.76
Total Spent:	$6,286.34
Total Budgeted:	$5,406.53
Guatemala Balance:	-$879.81

El Salvador Budget Recap

Number of Days in El Salvador:	11
Budgeted Per Diem:	$88.55
Actual Per Diem:	$70.30
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$0
Total Spent:	$77331
Total Budgeted:	$974.00
El Salvador Balance:	+$200.69

Nicaragua Budget Recap

Number of Days in Nicaragua:	16
Average Exchange Rate (Córdobas per USD$):	C$23.29
Budgeted Per Diem:	$76.34
Actual Per Diem:	$70.99
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$60.00
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$72.00
Total Spent:	$1,209.59
Total Budgeted:	$1,281.44
Nicaragua Balance:	+$71.85

Costa Rica Budget Recap

Number of Days in Costa Rica:	36
Average ATM Exchange Rate (Colones per USD$):	C$498.53
Budgeted Per Diem:	$69.26
Actual Per Diem:	$66.03
Total Spent:	$2,377.26
Total Budgeted:	$2,493.36
Costa Rica Balance:	+$116.10

Panama Budget Recap

Number of Days in Panama:	19
Budgeted Per Diem:	$70.54
Actual Per Diem:	$94.02
Per Diem Spent:	$1,786.31
Per Diem Budgeted:	$1,340.26
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$2,109.60
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$1,945.00
Panama Balance:	-$610.65

Colombia Budget Recap

Number of Days in Colombia:	48
Budgeted Per Diem:	$65.51
Actual Per Diem:	$70.38
Per Diem Spent:	$3,378.24
Per Diem Budgeted:	$3,144.48
One-Time Expenses Spent:	$335.35
One-Time Expenses Budgeted:	$200.00
Colombia Balance:	-$369.11

Ecuador Budget Recap

Number of Days in Ecuador:	20
Budgeted Per Diem:	$63.62
Actual Per Diem:	$61.25
Per Diem Spent:	$1,224.92
Per Diem Budgeted:	$1,272.40
Ecuador Balance:	+$47.48

Peru Budget Recap

Number of Days in Peru:	43
Average ATM Exchange Rate (Soles per USD$):	2.56
Budgeted Per Diem:	$77.87
Actual Per Diem:	$80.77
Per Diem Spent:	$3,473.31
Per Diem Budgeted:	$3,348.41
Peru Balance:	-$124.90

Bolivia Budget Recap

Number of Days in Bolivia:	24
Average ATM Exchange Rate (Bolivianos per USD$):	6.86
Budgeted Per Diem:	$65.48
Actual Per Diem:	$65.72
Per Diem Spent:	$1,577.33
Per Diem Budgeted:	$1,571.52
One-Time Expenses:	$189.61
Bolivia Balance:	-$5.81

Northwest Argentina Budget Recap

Number of Days:	27
Average ATM Exchange Rate (AR Pesos per USD$):	4.69
Budgeted Per Diem:	$82.45
Actual Per Diem:	$86.15
Per Diem Budgeted:	$2,226.15
Per Diem Spent:	$2,326.17
One-Time Expenses:	$0
Balance:	-$100.02

Chile Budget Recap

Number of Days:	52
Average ATM Exchange Rate (CH Pesos per USD$):	464
Budgeted Per Diem:	$82.45
Actual Per Diem:	$86.36
Per Diem Budgeted:	$4,287.40
Per Diem Spent:	$4,490.78
One-Time Expenses:	$166.28
Balance:	-$203.38

Patagonia Budget Recap

Number of Days:	65
Average ATM Exchange Rate (AR Pesos per USD$):	4.85
Budgeted Per Diem:	$82.45
Actual Per Diem:	$86.15
Per Diem Budgeted:	$5,359.25
Per Diem Spent:	$5,620.92
Balance:	-$261.67