Where can I find a cost-breakdown budget for backpacking through South America?

Question

I'd like to find another traveler's list of how much they budgeted for / spent on transportation, lodging in youth hostels, food, etc. in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.

Answer 1

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/south-america Lonely planet gives a breakdown of each country. Chile at this time the most expensive except for places like Rio de janeiro http://www.hostelworld.com/ where lodging is more expensive. For me $35 a day but can be done cheaper

Answer 2

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Answer 3

You can't. If you want to backpack through South America, you have to many countries to pack through. The costs for food, lodging and transportation vary markedly from country to country, and area to area. There will be many times when backpacking, in its strictest sense, would be foolhardy at best, and extremely dangerous at the very least. There will also be times when backpacking just won't be feasible, speaking strictly. There is no such thing as a cost break-down for what you're thinking about. Anyone who thinks that it can be done is trying to fool himself. You can travel and live out of a backpack while in South America, but you're lodging, which you're going to have to have frequently, will cost. You can't buy backpacking supplies as they are sold in the US. Everything there outside of the very large cities will be most fresh, canned, or dry goods. Taking an extend trip through South America, you will have to many times resort to area buses to go from town to town because of the distances involved as well as the geography. First time going to South America, I would plan on having at least $5,000 dollars for one year of travel. And this isn't allowing much for luxuries. It will be a bare-bones tour, staying in the cheapest places you can find and eating in the out-of-the-way places that cost very little, or buying fresh and prepariing it yourself. I envy the idea. I did something similar, but in Mexico only. Think about the places you may want to see. Get Fodor's travel guide to South America and study what it says about the places you want to go. Think your budget through very carefully and allow for problems. Add about thirty percent and you'll probably have a working figure. Try to learn at least some survival Spanish before hitting the road.

Good luck.