South America (budget)

Tusky

Heyo, I'm planning a trip to South America for roughly three months. Hopefully flying out no later than the middle of June. I dont know exactly what countries we are going to try and visit just yet, but I'm trying to come up with a budget. I wont be able to get more than 3-3.5 grand together and I'm wondering will this be enough for everything ? (flights, shots, spending money etc)

I know its hard to give an exact figure, especially when I dont know what countries I'll be visiting (Argentina/Peru/Brazil are definites) but a rough figure would be much appreciated! If 3k isnt enough, I'll just have to go for a shorter amount of time. I'm not looking to just survive over there either...I want to enjoy myself, so take that into account too!

Thanks.

dory

I would say definitely stick to the cheaper countries anyway. I spent 3 or 400 on a 3 weeks in Bolivia, but €1600 on a month in Argentina! First you should find out the cost of your flights and injections so you know how much you have left after that. I'm guessing at best they will cost you €1000 leaving €2000 for three months, which to be honest, isn't a crazy amount.
Then it depends how often you intend on going on the lash, and then doing expensive things day trips. You could definitely have fun there for three months on that, but it really depends on what kind of traveller you are.

Tusky

dory wrote: »

I would say definitely stick to the cheaper countries anyway. I spent 3 or 400 on a 3 weeks in Bolivia, but €1600 on a month in Argentina! First you should find out the cost of your flights and injections so you know how much you have left after that. I'm guessing at best they will cost you €1000 leaving €2000 for three months, which to be honest, isn't a crazy amount.
Then it depends how often you intend on going on the lash, and then doing expensive things day trips. You could definitely have fun there for three months on that, but it really depends on what kind of traveller you are.

Hmm - yeah, I want to have money to eat out/ go for drinks regularly enough. Maybe I should go for two months instead so I would have 1000 a month. Or I could get a student loan of 1000 from the bank...that is if they are still giving out loans.

kraggy

I definitely wouldn't go to S.America with 2k to last me 3 months. And you say you want to go to Argentina and Brazil. There's no way you can make the money last that long. Brazil is the most expensive country in SA and Argentina is the second most as far as I know.

Bolivia and Peru are much cheaper but I wouldn't even be comfortable bringing that much if I was to stay in those countries alone.

The way I would see it, I think you need at least 4k. But 4.5 would be better.

Tusky

kraggy wrote: »

I definitely wouldn't go to S.America with 2k to last me 3 months. And you say you want to go to Argentina and Brazil. There's no way you can make the money last that long. Brazil is the most expensive country in SA and Argentina is the second most as far as I know.

Bolivia and Peru are much cheaper but I wouldn't even be comfortable bringing that much if I was to stay in those countries alone.

The way I would see it, I think you need at least 4k. But 4.5 would be better.

4k including flights ? Hmm, balls. Maybe I'll just have to go for a shorter amount of time then. Would 1k per month (not including flights/shots etc) be enough ?

Any recommendations on where to get the cheapest flights ?

vinylbomb

I'm kinda wondering the same myself at the mo. I am heading over there for just shy of 2 months, with a budget of 2 to 3 grand (I'd rather spend closer to the lower amount obviously, but have more if necessary) but have all the outside costs sorted, so am only really looking to eat, drink and sleep with that.
From what I understand chatting to other people I should be fine on that, some mates of mine reckoned you can get by on a thousand DOLLARS a month, but I took that with a pinch of salt, as you say I wanna live a little, not just scrape it.

kraggy

Tusky wrote: »

4k including flights ? Hmm, balls. Maybe I'll just have to go for a shorter amount of time then. Would 1k per month (not including flights/shots etc) be enough ?

Any recommendations on where to get the cheapest flights ?

It IS doable but I like to go away and not have to worry about money.

If you are good with money normally, then go for it.

cailinoBAC

I´ve spent about 2500 a month since I got here, almost out of money at the moment. Luckily getting to Bolivia soon after spending time in Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, none of which I would describe as particularly cheap. I know I could have spent less, and have been doing a lot of activities, but I wouldn´t like to be going out and worrying about it.

Tusky

cailinoBAC wrote: »

I´ve spent about 2500 a month since I got here, almost out of money at the moment. Luckily getting to Bolivia soon after spending time in Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, none of which I would describe as particularly cheap. I know I could have spent less, and have been doing a lot of activities, but I wouldn´t like to be going out and worrying about it.

2,500 per month?! Jesus Christ. Thats over 600 a week...I could live off that a week in London or any other expensive European city.

Lonely planet says you can live well on around 15-25 per day in Bolivia/Peru and 20-30 per day in Argentina/Brazil.

dory

Well, when I was there I budgeted $1000 a month and I lived fine.
The difference is I was there for a long time, so it wasn't as intense, I spread thing out.
€2,500 is if you go out a lot, Gran Canaria type thing (GC is cheap also - about as cheap as Arg/Bra but just look at how much the IRish youth spend there - I spent 1500 there in 2 weeks in 2003).

€1000 a month should be absolutely fine. LEss alcohol, more kayaking is the way to go I think. You can still go out and have fun. Just don't get drunk and lose the run of yourself, but rounds etc.

Btw, I'm not saying CailinBAC is on the tear everynight, it's just the only way I could go through that type of cash. I went nuts in Argentina; bought and expensive dress for Christmas, had a €50 meal for New Years and still only managed to spend €1600 in the month.

Tusky

dory wrote: »

Well, when I was there I budgeted $1000 a month and I lived fine.
The difference is I was there for a long time, so it wasn't as intense, I spread thing out.
€2,500 is if you go out a lot, Gran Canaria type thing (GC is cheap also - about as cheap as Arg/Bra but just look at how much the IRish youth spend there - I spent 1500 there in 2 weeks in 2003).

€1000 a month should be absolutely fine. LEss alcohol, more kayaking is the way to go I think. You can still go out and have fun. Just don't get drunk and lose the run of yourself, but rounds etc.

Btw, I'm not saying CailinBAC is on the tear everynight, it's just the only way I could go through that type of cash. I went nuts in Argentina; bought and expensive dress for Christmas, had a €50 meal for New Years and still only managed to spend €1600 in the month.

Hmm - maybe I'll try get a loan from the bank of an extra 1000, so I'd have 4000 for 3 months.

cailinoBAC

Haha, I`m barely out on the tear at all. Just I`m not staying in dorms and maybe should cook more often and took a few flights. I just saved up and I`m on holiday, so I don`t want to do all that work. I could `survive`on less, but I want to do all the excursions - walking with the penguins, trekking on the perito moreno, hanggliding, rafting, inca trail, roraima, ciudad perdida etc. I`m not going to be in South America again any time soon, so I don´t feel like turning down things that I might regret later. I know if i was just out of college I would be doing things differently, but I only have 4 and a half months to see as much as possible, so I want to do it right.
I know what the LP says. I have that book too. Just, for Argentina at least, double all the prices it mentions and you`ll get the real idea. They talk about Argentina being cheap since crash of the Peso but that was a long time ago. Brazil and Chile are more like it. Venezuela is well off the mark(but bring dollars in cash and you`ll get twice as much local currency, but I don`t think you`re going there).
I haven`t been to Bolivia and Peru yet, I`m hoping the prices are as low as everyone says.

If you are still a student, then I suppose you`ll be travelling differently. If I was just out of college and travelling on my own, I`d be sleeping in dorms or using couchsurfing.com, going on fewer activities, eating in, travelling semi cama. You can definitely travel on less, but things aren`t as cheap as I thought they would be (having used LP South America on a Shoestring as a guide) so just be ready for that.