How we travelled on USD60 a day in 2015

We would like to share with you how we travelled on USD60 (AUD92) for 300 days in 2015. Back in 2013/14 our travel budget was AUD165 per day, our challenge was to achieve this new lower figure and we did it!

Our Travel Statistics:

• Number of Days: 300 days
• Budget: USD60 per day
• Actual Budget: USD60 per day
• 6 Countries – USA, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
• Insurance: USD1332.00
• Airfare costs: USD3711 (using a mix of frequent flyer points and airfares)
• 8 Airlines – Qantas, Lan Airlines, Avianca, Copa, Interjet, Natureair, United, American Airlines
• Kilometres Flown: 46,999
• Land Miles Travelled: 5,607
• Number of Housesits: 10 – Canoa in Ecuador, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico x 2, Zihuantanejo in Mexico, Tepoztlan in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, Granada and Ometepe Island in Nicaragua, Boquete and Playa del Rompio in Panama
• Cheapest Country: Nicaragua
• Most Expensive Country: USA
• Cheapest Bus Travel per km: Mexico

United States of America:

Average Spend per day: USD88.50**

Places Stayed (both in transit): Miami, Los Angeles

Average Cost of Dinner:

• Miami USD17 total for two people main meal only (hotel)
• Los Angeles USD11 total for two people main meal only (airport)

Average Cost of Accommodation:

• Miami Airport – USD146 for two people, no breakfast, free airport shuttle and free wifi
• Los Angeles Airport – USD116 for two people including breakfast, free airport shuttle and free wifi

Ecuador:

Average Spend per day: USD79.66 per day**

Days: 81 days (Housesitting 42 days)

Places Stayed: Quito, Otavalo, Canoa, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Galapagos Islands

Average Costs of Dinner: (main meal, no starters or dessert)

• Quito – USD 19 total for two people including beer
• Otavalo – USD 21 total for two people including beer
• Canoa – USD 18 total for two people including beer
• Guayaquil – USD 31 total for two people including beer
• Cuenca – USD18.50 for two people including beer
• Galapagos Islands – Santa Cruz USD 29 total for two people including beer
• Galapagos Islands – San Cristobal USD 28 total for two people including beer

Average Costs of Accommodation:

• Quito – USD 48 total for two people per night (including breakfast)
• Otavalo – USD 36 total for two people per night (including breakfast)
• Canoa – Housesitting no costs
• Guayaquil – USD 68 total for two people per night (including breakfast)
• Cuenca – USD 31 total for two people per night (including breakfast)
• Galapagos Islands – Santa Cruz USD 80 total for two people per night (including breakfast)
• Galapagos Islands – San Cristobal USD 45 total for two people per night (no breakfast)

Bus Travel:

• Quito to Canoa (Bahia de Carazquez Bus Station)  353km USD10 per person = 35.3 cents per km
• Canoa (Bahia de Caraquez Bus Station) to Guayaquil 254km USD16 per person = 15.88 cents per km
• Guayaquil to Cuenca 199km USD8 per person = 24.88 cents per km

Mexico:

Average Spend per day: USD43 per day

Days: 122 days (Housesitting 76 days)

Places Stayed: Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, Morelia, Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta

Average Costs of Dinner: (main meal only, no starter or dessert)

• Queretaro – USD5 for two people (Pizza)
• San Miguel de Allende – USD33 for two people including beer
• Mexico City – USD5 for two people (fast food)
• Zihuatanejo – USD12 for two people
• Acapulco – USD13 for two people
• Morelia – USD17 for two people including beer
• Cuernavaca – USD10 for two people
• Tepoztlan – USD11 for two people
• Guanajuato – USD5 for two people
• Guadalajara – USD26 for two people including beer
• Puerto Vallarta – USD25 for two people including beer

Average Costs of Accommodation:

• Queretaro – USD22 for two people per night
• San Miguel de Allende – no accommodation costs, we were housesitting
• Mexico City – USD35 for two people including breakfast
• Zihuatanejo – USD66 for two people
• Acapulco – USD77 for two people
• Morelia – USD23 for two people including breakfast
• Cuernavaca – USD24 for two people
• Tepoztlan – USD23 for two people
• Guanajuato – USD48 for two people including breakfast
• Guadalajara – USD46 for two people
• Puerto Vallarta – USD28 for two people

Bus Travel:

• Mexico City to Queretaro – 217km USD20 = 10.85 cents per km
• Queretaro to San Miguel de Allende – 65km USD4 = 16.25 cents per km
• San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City – 266km USD16 = 16.62 cents per km
• Zihuatanejo to Acapulco – 254km USD10 = 25.4 cents per km
• Acapulco to Cuernavaca  – 291km USD23 = 12.65 cents per km
• Cuernavaca to Morelia – 322km = USD31 = 10.38 cents per km
• Morelia to San Miguel de Allende – 188km USD15 = 12.53 cents per km
• San Miguel de Allende to Guanajuato – 100km USD9 = 11.11 cents per km
• Guanajuato to Guadalajara – 272km USD29 = 9.37 per km
• Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta – 306km USD29 = 10.55 cents per km

Nicaragua:

Average Spend per day: USD23.00**

Days: 45 days (44 days housesitting)

Places Visited: Granada, Ometepe Island, Rivas

Average Costs of Dinner: (main meal only, no starter or dessert)

Granada: USD18 for two people including beer

Ometepe Island: USD19 for two people including beer

Rivas: USD23 for two people including beer

Average Costs of Accommodation:

Granada: no accommodation – housesitting

Ometepe Island: no accommodation – house sitting

Rivas: USD34 for two people including breakfast

Bus Travel:

Rivas to San Jose (Costa Rica) – 321km USD29 11.06 cents per km

Costa Rica:

Average Spend per day: USD86.40

Days: 6 days

Average Costs of Dinner: (main meal only, no starter or dessert)

San Jose – USD16.48 for two people including beer

Average Costs of Accommodation:

San Jose – USD38.66 for two people per night including breakfast

Bus Travel:

San Jose to David (Panama) – 413km USD21.38 = 19.32cents per km

Panama:

Average Cost per day: USD33.90

Days: 43 days (32 days housesitting)

Average Costs of Dinner:(main meal only, no starter or dessert)

Boquete: USD40 for two people including beer and wine

Panama City: USD34.50 for two people including beer

Playa El Rompio: USD30 for two people (included 1 bottle wine)

Average Costs of Accommodation:

Boquete:USD45 for two people per night

Panama City: USD41 for two people per night including breakfast

Playa El Rompio: no accommodation costs – house sitting

Bus Travel

David to Panama City: 472km USD15.50 per person = 30.45 cents per km

Panama City to Playa El Rompio: 276km USD9 per person = 30.66 cents per km

Originally published here

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