Cost to Travel South America, Our 3-month Budget Breakdown

Introduction

If you’re wondering how much it really costs to travel South America for 3 months, here’s a full, transparent look at our expenses. We spent three months backpacking through Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile, mixing long-distance buses with the occasional flight, cooking our own meals, and staying mostly in Airbnb apartments and local guesthouses.

This was a budget-friendly trip, but not the kind where you suffer to save a few euros — more of a comfortable backpacking style. We still had private rooms, enjoyed a few nice meals out, and treated ourselves to experiences like the W-Trek in Patagonia.

In total, we spent around €9,000 for two people — that’s about €4,500 per person, or €1,500 per month. It’s not ultra-cheap, but for everything we did and the distance we covered, it was absolutely worth it.

Now, let’s break it down category by category and see what affects the budget to travel South America the most — from accommodation and food to transportation, activities, and hidden costs.

Cost to Travel South America Breakdown

Accommodation

Accommodation is one of the biggest factors when calculating the Cost to Travel South America, but it’s also one of the easiest to adjust depending on your comfort level. During our 3 months in South America, we mainly stayed in Airbnbs and guesthouses, which gave us private spaces, kitchens to cook in, and opportunities to meet locals while keeping our backpacking budget South America friendly.

We spent about €3,250 for two people (or €1,625 per person) — roughly €35 per night total (€17.50 per person). For a couple traveling on a budget to travel South America, that’s a sweet spot between comfort and affordability.

Here’s how it broke down by country:

• Brazil offered good value, especially for entire apartments near the beach.
• Uruguay was surprisingly pricey, particularly around Punta del Este and the coast.
• Argentina was the most budget-friendly, thanks to the favorable blue dollar exchange rate.
• Chile, especially Patagonia, was the most expensive — mostly because of limited accommodation along the W-Trek in Torres del Paine.

If we exclude those four expensive nights in Torres del Paine, the total drops to about €2,655 for both, or €30 per night (€15 per person) — a much more typical travelling South America budget.

Tip: Want to cut your accommodation costs even more? Bring a tent and camp. Camping is common and safe in many areas across the continent, and it’s one of the easiest ways to lower your budget to travel South America without sacrificing the adventure.

Transportation

Transportation is another major part of the Cost to Travel South America, especially when you’re covering long distances across such a massive continent. We mixed buses, planes, boats, and cars — always trying to find the most cost-efficient way to move around while keeping our travelling South America budget realistic.

During our 3 months in South America, transportation cost us around €2,850 for two people, or roughly €1,425 per person. Here’s what that included:

• 9 flights
• 19 long-distance buses
• 3 car rides
• 2 speed boats
• 1 ferry
• 2 vans

We quickly realized that the best way to travel on a budget in South America is by bus. In most countries, buses are much cheaper than planes or trains, and often surprisingly comfortable — with reclining seats, snacks, and even Wi-Fi. For example, in Argentina, we mostly traveled by bus, except for one long journey from Bariloche to El Chaltén, where we found a last-minute flight at nearly the same price as a 24-hour bus ride.

Still, not every country is the same. In Brazil, internal flights can sometimes be cheaper than long-distance buses if you book early. In Chile, Patagonia is best explored by mixing buses and occasional short flights, while in Uruguay, distances are short and bus networks are well-developed.

If you’re backpacking for a few months, you’ll see that time is often more valuable than money. Taking a flight can save you an entire day or two — and sometimes it’s worth the splurge. But if you’re not in a rush, night buses are your best friend: they’re safe, reliable, and help save both travel days and hotel nights.

Tip: To keep your backpacking budget South America low, always compare routes with apps like Rome2Rio or Busbud, and check flight aggregators like Skyscanner. Flexibility with travel dates can make a big difference in your 3 months in South America budget.

Food

Food is one of those areas that can completely change your Cost to Travel South America — depending on whether you eat out daily or cook for yourself. During our 3 months in South America, we cooked almost every meal and treated ourselves to local restaurants only once in a while. That simple habit made a huge difference in keeping our travelling South America budget low without feeling like we were missing out.

Altogether, food cost us about €1,200 for two people, or roughly €600 per person over three months — that’s just €6.50 per day per person. Not bad, right?

We always looked for Airbnbs or guesthouses with kitchens, which let us buy local ingredients at markets and prepare simple meals. Being on a plant-based diet helped a lot too — vegetables, rice, beans, fruits, and local bread are cheap and available almost everywhere.

Of course, we did enjoy some local treats:

• Empanadas in Argentina — quick, filling, and budget-friendly.
• Açaí bowls in Brazil — the perfect cool snack in the heat.
• Freshly baked bread and cheese in Uruguay — local, simple, and satisfying.

The only category where we could have saved even more was drinks. Between the occasional beer, wine, and caipirinha, we spent around €300 on alcohol during the trip. Cutting that out completely could have dropped our backpacking budget South America by another 10%.

Tip: If you’re wondering how to travel for cheap in South America, grocery shopping and cooking at home will get you far. Local markets are not only cheaper but also one of the best ways to experience the culture — you’ll meet locals, try regional products, and save money all at once.

Activities & Experiences

Activities are where your Cost to Travel South America can vary the most. You can spend almost nothing by exploring freely — or blow your daily budget on a single tour. During our 3 months in South America, we tried to keep things balanced, choosing a few must-do experiences while skipping overpriced tours we could easily do on our own.

In total, we spent around €700 for two people, or €350 each, which breaks down to about €8 per day per person — a pretty reasonable figure for such a trip. That’s the beauty of backpacking South America on a budget: so many incredible places can be explored independently.

For example:

• In Argentina, we hiked in El Chaltén and explored Patagonia’s trails for free — some of the most stunning landscapes we’ve ever seen.
• In Chile, we did the Torres del Paine W-Trek. That was the priciest part of our trip but worth every cent.
• In Brazil, beaches, waterfalls, and viewpoints were often free — no need to pay for much more than transport.
• In Uruguay, we explored charming coastal towns and local markets without joining any paid tours.

We found that avoiding guided tours whenever possible helped us stick to our travelling South America budget. Most national parks have clear trails and visitor centers that make self-guided travel easy. And when we did book tours, we compared prices between several agencies — sometimes the difference was huge for the exact same experience.

Tip: Before booking any activity, do a quick check on Google Maps or travel blogs. You’ll often find that what looks like a “must-book” tour can actually be done independently or with a local bus — one of the best-kept secrets for those learning how to travel on a budget in South America.

Other Expenses

Besides accommodation, transportation, food, and activities, there are always a few extra expenses that sneak into your 3 months in South America budget. Things like exchange fees, souvenirs, skincare, and small daily items don’t seem like much at first — but they do add up over time.

In our case, those “other” expenses came to about €1,700 for two people, covering:

• Exchange & withdrawal fees: around 2% of our total budget. We used Wise, which made a big difference — low transfer fees and great exchange rates. Before that, we tried Azimo, but Wise ended up being far more reliable.
• Souvenirs: we didn’t buy many, just small local items that actually meant something to us — quality over quantity.
• Healthcare & skincare: sunscreen, natural repellent, toothpaste, a few pharmacy runs — all those small things you forget to count.
• Unexpected costs: small repairs, laundry, and replacing a few travel items along the way.

Total Budget Breakdown

When we add everything together, our budget to travel South America looked like this for two people over three months:

• Accommodation: around €3,250
• Transportation: around €2,850
• Food: around €1,200
• Activities: around €700
• Other expenses: around €1,700
• Total: about €9,000 for two people (or €4,500 each)

That means our total Cost to Travel in South America averaged €100 per day for two people, or roughly €50 per person per day — including everything.

If your goal is backpacking South America on a budget, you could bring that down to about €30–€40 per day per person by camping, skipping alcohol, or using even more local transport. But for us, this balance of comfort and freedom was ideal — affordable yet comfortable enough to truly enjoy every stop.

Tip: Always add a small buffer — around 10–15% — to your travelling South America budget. Whether it’s a bus delay, a new experience you can’t skip, or simply a few extra empanadas, it’s better to have a cushion than stress about every euro.

Final Thoughts: Our Real Cost to Travel South America

Looking back, our 3 months in South America were some of the most memorable weeks we’ve ever had — and surprisingly, they didn’t break the bank. Spending around €9,000 for two people felt fair for the comfort, flexibility, and freedom we had.

If you’re wondering how to travel on a budget in South America, it’s absolutely possible without sacrificing the quality of your trip. The key is to plan smartly — not by over-organizing, but by making small decisions that add up:

• Choose Airbnb and guesthouses instead of hotels.
• Cook your own meals whenever possible.
• Use buses instead of planes for shorter distances.
• Compare prices for activities — many can be done independently.
• And most importantly, stay flexible.

South America is a dream for long-term travelers — stunning landscapes, welcoming people, and plenty of affordable options. Your backpacking budget in South America can easily adapt to your style, whether you want to live simply or add a few comfortable touches along the way.

For us, travelling slowly, cooking our meals, and skipping unnecessary tours made the difference. We learned that the Cost to Travel in South America doesn’t have to be high — it just depends on how you travel.

Tip: Budget travel isn’t about spending less; it’s about spending smarter. The more you understand your priorities, the longer you can stay on the road — and the richer your adventure will be.