central america budget travel

How to plan a trip to Central America on a budget

In this guide, we want to talk about visiting Central America on a budget.

We’ll cover important things to know about traveling Central America, including the different currencies used, languages spoken, some safety tips as well best practices for getting in and around the region.

How to plan a trip to Central America on a budget

Before we cover budgeting when it comes to travel in Central America, let’s look at some of these other factors which will ultimately save you money.

Language and Currency

Let’s now look at some important elements of backpacking Central America that most travelers will need to consider at some point during there trip:

Language

Pretty much all the countries in Central America speak Spanish as their main language, with the exception of Belize, whose lingo is English (although many do speak Spanish as well).

Costa Rica and Panama are the more developed nations of the region, and so many of the locals learn English in school which makes communicating much easier for those who haven’t yet learned Spanish.

weather in nicaragua

Whilst there’s many language schools for learning Spanish in Nicaragua and Guatemala, most of the locals don’t speak English. This is even more the case in Honduras and El Salvador.

Learning a bit before you head off can be extremely useful. We recommend that you learn some basic Spanish lingo that’s related to food and getting directions, which are probably the most vital info you’d need when backpacking in a new country.

There are also many indigenous languages spoken throughout Central America, Mayan is the most wide-spread, with around 4.5 million speakers in the northern nations of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Others include the Miskito, Kuna and Embera languages.

Currency

Many who’ve traveled through Central America tend to agree that the currency is one of the biggest headaches when exploring this region.

Each country uses its own money, and considering how small and quickly you can pass through each, it can be quite confusing trying to work out a new currency every few weeks!

The easiest is El Salvador, who along with Ecuador, are the only Latin American nations to use the US Dollar as their primary currency.

  • Guatemala uses the Quetzal
  • Belize the Belizean Dollar*
  • Honduras the Lempira
  • Nicaragua the Córdoba
  • Costa Rica the Colón
  • Panama the Balboa

*although Mexican Pesos are accepted in some parts, especially in the north of the country.

You can look up exchange rates online on sites such as XE, who provide the most accurate rates. Be sure to check right before buying to make sure you get the best conversion and value possible.

Transport in Central America

How and where you arrive (plus how you travel around) will have a big impact on your Central America backpacking trip. In this section we will give you some practical ideas.

flying to costa rica

Getting to Central America

Central America can be accessed best by flying, with the most popular and accessible airports being in San José (Costa Rica) and Panama City (Panama).

You can also enter via the north through Southern Mexico. Chetumal in the Riviera Maya region is the most popular border crossing into Belize, and you can also cross into Guatemala through the jungle-swathed state of Chiapas.

The other way is by entering the south via sail boat into Panama from Colombia. This is definitely the coolest option of them all, as you’ll spend days sailing through the Caribbean whilst also visiting stunning islands (as well as the native tribes who still inhabit them).

Last but also important to mention is The Darien Gap. If you look at a map of Central America, you’ll notice that it connects seamlessly onto South America.

However, this extreme-southern region is seldom crossed due to the dangers involved, which includes the presence of FARC rebels, drug smugglers as well as thick and impassable jungle.

Some have done it and lived to tell the tale; however you’d need to do your own research if you’re considering it!

Getting Around Central America

Buses will be your best friend in Central America.

Now you could fly in-between nations, but would you really want to!? Distances aren’t that big between countries, plus as well as being more expensive, you’ll miss out on lots of cool destinations along the way.

Repurposed buses are common modes of transport in Guatemala

Of course if you really are time-strapped then of course you can fly, but even then it would be better to travel to countries that are grouped together.

Popular grouped options include Costa Rica and Panama, or Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. You can check out our Suggested Backpacking Routes for more ideas.

Now if you’ve already traveled through South America, you can breathe a huge sigh of relief in this region.

Distances between major destinations are never really more than 7 or 8 hours, which means a night bus every now and then.

For most destinations within a single country, you’d be looking at buses that take a few hours.

Of course this will be more in some of the longer countries such as Panama and Costa Rica, as well as those that have more remote and tricky terrains such as Guatemala.

Within cities and small towns, your best bet will be using the local chicken buses which run riot around the streets. These are usually very cheap, and the experience itself is a gem in its own right!

Also, with all the movements around the continent, knowing how to stay safe when backpacking is one of your most important priorities whilst on the road.

Travel Costs and Budgeting

Now onto the important and practical part of how much things costs.

Central America can vary in terms of prices on a country by country basis which we’ll explore below.

As well as these, we’ll also look at a realistic backpacking budget so you can plan in advance how much you’ll spend whilst in the region.

The costs we listed here as correct as of October 2021:

Costs

Compared with the rest of Latin America, there is a good variety of hostels in Central America as well as food options regardless of where you are.

Average Prices in Central America:

  • Average Dorm Bed = £4-8
  • Private Single Room in a Hostel = £9-17
  • A Street Food Dish = £0.75-1.50
  • A Meal at an inexpensive Restaurant = £3-6
  • Beer at a Local Bar or Dive = £0.50-£1.30
  • Beer at a Touristy Bar = £1.50-3.00

Whilst these may fluctuate (for example, buying food in rural Honduras will be a lot cheaper than along the popular Costa Rican Caribbean coast), these are a pretty good starting point.

Budgeting

Now for one of the more practical parts of this guide.

Central America is mostly quite cheap. In Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua you’re budget will range from £15-20 for the economical and (mostly) sensible backpacker.

This includes eating at local restaurants and street food as well as staying in a dorm room at a non-mainstream hostel (some of the chains can be quite pricy in this area of the World).

Belize and Panama is be a more expensive, around the £20-25 mark. Finally, Costa Rica is the most expensive country to backpack in Central America, and here you can expect a daily budget of anywhere between £25-35.

Of course these budgets aren’t strict rules, and there are always exceptions for all the above to go cheaper. However, in general these are what we found and are similar to others’ experiences.

Central America Trip Planning

We believe that your trip starts way before you land in a new exotic country.

Preparing properly before heading-off can make your trip much more relaxed, and you’ll know how to better avoid or manage any slip-ups along the way.

Let’s take a look at our preparation list you’ll need to consider before leaving.

What to Pack for Central America

Central America is quite easy to prepare for in terms of packing. All countries have pretty similar temperatures, with only a few areas getting chilly such as the Guatemalan highlands.

After you know when you’ll visit and the temperatures, it’s now time to look at what you need (NEED not want). One of my best tips that have helped me during planning is to first lay out what I want to take.

Second is to divide into two piles; absolute essentials that I need, and others that I want. Thirdly, add around 50% of the “others that I want” to your essential pile and start filling your backpack. Done.

Remember that whilst your backpack may feel empty this way, this is good as a) You’ll need space for new souvenirs and things you pick up along the way and b) it’s a pain trying to fit everything back in every time you move hostel, especially if in a rush.

For Central America, you’ll mostly want to pack light clothes as well as a jumper, a rain-coat (depending on time of year, but best to take one as you never know…) as well as hiking boots.

You can read our detailed guide on the best time to visit Central America for more ideas on what type of weather to expect depending on where you go.

Toiletries are also very important, although try to pack liquids of less than 100ml, as this way you may be able to fly with just hand luggage saving you some dollar.

Other things to pack include your documents in a safe folder, hiking boots, a sleeping mattress, towels, electronics such as a laptop and some backup wallets and spare credit cards etc.

Injections

It’s important to get all your injections before heading off.

We know it can seem like a pain and an unnecessary waste of time, but trust me you’d rather get a jab back home instead of spend days ill in a lesser capable third-world country hospital.

As well as the below, take lots of mosquito-repellent.

Malaria and Dengue are found throughout this region of Latin America, and whilst there’s no preventative injection, you can and should still prepare as best as you can.

Some injections that travelers tend to get before heading to Central America include:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Rabies
  • Typhoid

Please see your doctor as we are not medically trained or qualified to give advice. They’ll tell you exactly what you need.

How to plan a trip to Central America on a budget

Be sure to read our guide on backpacking South America for places to visit.

👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.


Dear traveler! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot and helps us to carry on traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”

Similar Posts