14-Day Budget Travel to Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador from the Philippines

By Dan Forteza

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“Isn’t it expensive to go to South America?” — you probably are asking yourself this question now. To simply answer it: yes, it is. I find it very expensive, but it doesn’t mean you can’t save money before or during your trip. If you plan in advance, you will definitely save a lot!

Read also: My detailed 7-day Peru itinerary with guide + budget

In this blog, I’ll show you the breakdown of my expenses before and during my trip to South America, particularly in four countries I visited — Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. You may use this as a guide to gauge your finances for your own South America trip.

Read also: How I got the required Yellow Fever Vaccine card before traveling to South America

A person like me who got fascinated with geography and languages at such a young age always dreamed of setting foot on every continent. South America has always been my favorite continent among the seven. I always dreamed of traveling there even though it is halfway around the world from where I live.

Hi there! First of all, I am Daniel — a solo backpacker from the Philippines. If you don’t know my story yet, feel free to read this article where I talked about how I quit my job in order to travel. This article was also featured on TripZilla Philippines.

So how did I plan it? How did I manage to visit 4 countries in only 14 days? Yep — only 14 days! That was my 2-week Christmas holiday break, and it became the grandest solo backpacking adventure of my life (so far).

NOTE: For Philippine passport holders, visiting Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador does not require a visa. These countries are visa-free for Filipinos!

BEFORE THE TRIP: TIMELINE WITH COST BREAKDOWN

1. FLIGHTS

NOTE: For flights, I often use Trip.com and Kayak to search for cheap flights in South America.

• March 31, 2018 – 927.80 USD Booked a round-trip flight from Manila to São Paulo via Ethiopian Airlines (seat sale).
• April 19, 2018 – 301.40 USD Flight from Rio de Janeiro to Lima via Avianca.
• May 31, 2018 – 94.25 USD Flight from Lima to Bogotá via VivaAir.

SUBTOTAL: 2,173.60 USD

2. FINAL ROUTES IN SOUTH AMERICA

December 22, 2018 to January 5, 2019 (actual travel date)

• Manila – Sao Paulo (Layover at Hong Kong and Addis Ababa)
• Sao Paulo – Rio De Janeiro
• Rio De Janeiro – Lima
• Lima – Cusco
• Cusco – Lima
• Lima – Bogota
• Bogota – Quito
• Quito – Sao Paulo
• Sao Paulo – Manila (Layover at Addis Ababa and Hong Kong)

3. HOSTEL / ROOM ACCOMMODATIONS

April 19, 2018

18.90 USD – 2 Nights in Cusco, Peru. Booked via Booking.com.

TIP: If you intend to visit Machu Picchu and hike Huayna Picchu, book your ticket 3–6 months in advance since only 200 hikers are allowed daily. My credit card wasn’t accepted on the official website, so I asked my Cusco hostel owner to help purchase my ticket.

November 20, 2018

24.33 USD – 2 Nights in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Airbnb)

November 21, 2018

36.40 USD – 2 Nights in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (Airbnb)

28.36 USD – 2 Nights in Lima, Peru (Airbnb)

12.00 USD – 1 Night in Cusco, Peru (Booking.com)

12.60 USD – 2 Nights in Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), Peru (Booking.com)

December 12, 2018

18.92 USD – 1 Night in Bogota, Colombia (Booking.com)

SUBTOTAL: 151.51 USD

4. TRAIN TICKETS

November 20, 2018

79.00 USD – Train ticket from Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo via IncaRail.

December 4, 2018

76.00 USD – Train ticket from Machu Picchu Pueblo back to Cusco.

SUBTOTAL: 155.00 USD

5. OTHER TICKET FEES

April 23, 2018

60 USD – Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu ticket purchased through hostel.

December 10, 2018

31.50 USD – Rainbow Mountain tour booking.

SUBTOTAL: 91.50 USD

BOOKING ESSENTIALS

• Hotels / Hostels
  • Booking.com
  • La Casa De Ingrid – Cusco
  • Pirwa & Waca Machu Picchu (Illapa Inn)
  • Hotel San Francisco de Asís – Bogota
  • Blue Door Housing – Quito
• Flights
  • Trip.com – main flight search engine used for this trip
• Package Tours
  • Viator – booking travel experiences worldwide
• Machu Picchu Train Tickets – IncaRail
• Machu Picchu Entrance Ticket
• Rainbow Mountain Tour

TIP: I recommend getting travel insurance. I used World Nomads which is popular among backpackers.

DURING THE 14-DAY BUDGET TRAVEL TO BRAZIL, PERU, COLOMBIA & ECUADOR

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

Language: Portuguese
Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL)
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3.9030 BRL (Dec 2018)
Preferred transport: Uber
Airports: GRU, GIG

DAY 1:

• BRL 156 – Regular Taxi: Guarulhos (GRU) Airport to Paulista Avenue, Sao Paulo
• BRL 64 – Uber Taxi: Paulista Avenue to GRU Airport

TIP: You should integrate your credit/debit card as your primary payment method when using the Uber app so you won’t have to worry about paying in cash. Your Uber app will also adapt to the local currency of your location.

NOTE: My flight from Manila to Addis Ababa got delayed. As a result, I arrived in Sao Paulo with a one-day delay. I even canceled my 2-night room accommodation in SP. Also, I wasn’t feeling well the day I arrived in SP, so I didn’t do much except roam around Paulista Avenue.

DAY 2:

• BRL 16 – Fried Chicken & French fries at KFC (GRU Airport)
• BRL 7 – Cup of Choco at Baked Potato (GRU Airport)
• BRL 50 – Sim card (GRU Airport)
• BRL 10 – Top up for Internet use (GRU Airport)
• BRL 52 – Uber Taxi: Rio De Janeiro (GIG) Airport to Copacabana (Airbnb apartment)
• BRL 42 – Uber Taxi: Apartment to Cristo Redentor Entrance Building
• BRL 43 – Entrance fee at Cristo Redentor Monument
• BRL 10 – Van from Cristo Redentor to Bus stop
• BRL 13 – Bus from Bus stop to Copacabana (Airbnb apartment)
• BRL 19 – Food (Chicken, Rice, Fries)

DAY 3:

• BRL 32.4 – Food (Chicken, Rice, Salad, Fries)
• BRL 25 – Share of Gas (Car with a friend to Pedra do Telegrafo)

NOTE: A Brazilian friend took me to Pedra do Telegrafo this day. It was an awesome hike!

DAY 4:

• BRL 40 – Uber Taxi: Copacabana (Airbnb apartment) to GIG Airport

SUBTOTAL: BRL 539.4 = USD 138.2

PERU 🇵🇪

Language: Spanish
Currency: Peruvian Soles (PEN)
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3.3580 PEN (Dec 2018)
Prefer mode of transportation: Uber Taxi
Int’l Airport: LIM, CUZ

DAY 4:

• PEN 195 – Sim Card with Internet (Lima Airport)
• PEN 37.5 – Uber Taxi: Jorge Chavez (LIM) Airport to Airbnb Apartment in Lima
• PEN 2 – Bread
• PEN 1.5 – Bottled Juice
• PEN 12.5 – Uber Taxi from Apartment to Lima Square
• PEN 16 – Lunch: Chaufa con Pollo (Fried Rice, Chicken, Potatoes)
• PEN 16 – Dinner: Chaufa con Pollo (Fried Rice, Chicken, Potatoes)
• PEN 2 – Bottled Water
• PEN 9.5 – Uber Taxi somewhere in Lima to Apartment

NOTE: You probably will notice that I had been eating ‘Chaufa con Pollo‘ in my stay in South America. It means Fried Rice with Chicken. Well, as an Asian, I love rice! Since I am not so familiar with their food or how it tastes, I prefer going for anything with RICE.

DAY 5:

• PEN 3.5 – Some Coffee near my apartment
• PEN 3 – Laundry Detergent and Fabric Conditioner
• PEN 1.5 – Bottled Water
• PEN 9.2 – Uber Taxi: Apartment to Lima Square
• PEN 16 – Lunch: Chaufa con Pollo (Fried Rice, Chicken, Potatoes)
• PEN 16 – Dinner: Chaufa con Pollo (Fried Rice, Chicken, Potatoes)
• PEN 11.5 – Uber Taxi: Lima Square to Apartment

NOTE: Yep, I did the laundry that day. My Airbnb host was very kind to assist me with my laundry needs.

DAY 6:

• PEN 33 – Uber Taxi: Apartment to Jorge Chavez (LIM) Airport
• PEN 10.5 – McBreakfast at LIM Airport
• PEN 25 – Regular Taxi: Cusco (CUZ) Airport to La Casa De Ingrid Hostel
• PEN 5.05 – Uber Taxi: Hostel to Plaza Mayor
• PEN 20 – Sightseeing bus tour around Cusco City
• PEN 0.2 – Toilet fee
• PEN 1 – Bread
• PEN 7 – Food (Chicken, Rice, Potato)

DAY 7:

• PEN 4.92 – Uber Taxi: Hostel to Plaza de Armas (then walk to Incarail office)
• PEN 25 – Food (Chaufa con Pollo) with Bottled water at Machu Picchu Pueblo

NOTE: I was in transit to Machu Picchu Pueblo (a.k.a. Aguas Calientes) this day. Good thing the train ticket includes food for lunch and snacks for passengers.

DAY 8:

• PEN 3 – Bottled water
• PEN 40 – Bus ticket: Pueblo to Machu Picchu ruins
• PEN 50 – Tour guide fee
• PEN 2 – Toilet fee
• PEN 40 – Bus ticket: Machu Picchu ruins to Pueblo
• PEN 6 – Bottled Water
• PEN 25 – Some Hamburger
• PEN 48 – Food (Chaufa con Pollo)

TIP: Food is very expensive in Machu Picchu Pueblo. I recommend bringing or packing food if you’re on a tight budget.

DAY 9:

• PEN 22 – Food (Chaufa con pollo)
• PEN 21 – Food (Chaufa con pollo)
• PEN 4.14 – Uber Taxi: Cusco drop-off to La Casa De Ingrid Hostel

NOTE: Later that day, I was in transit from Machu Picchu Pueblo back to my hostel in Cusco City.

DAY 10:

• PEN 1 – Toilet fee at Rainbow Mountain
• PEN 3 – Coffee at Rainbow Mountain
• PEN 6 – Photo Op with natives at the Rainbow Mountain summit
• PEN 1 – Toilet fee at Rainbow Mountain

NOTE: Breakfast and lunch were included in the Rainbow Mountain Tour.

DAY 11:

• PEN 3.4 – Bottled Water and Doritos
• PEN 16.59 – Uber Taxi to Cusco (CUZ) Airport
• PEN 839.5 (USD 250) – Flight from Cusco to Lima (due to canceled flight)
• PEN 16.5 – Coke and Doritos Snacks

NOTE: My flight Cusco–Lima via LC Peru Airlines was canceled. I only discovered this when I arrived at the airport (I suspected it earlier because I couldn’t complete web check-in). I had to book a new flight via LATAM Airlines to catch my Lima–Bogota flight via VivaAir.

TIP: For VivaAir flights, print your boarding pass between 72 to 2 hours before departure; otherwise there will be an extra airport check-in fee. More details HERE.

SUBTOTAL: PEN 1632.5 = USD 486.15

COLOMBIA 🇨🇴

Language: Spanish
Currency: Colombian Peso (COP)
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3,248 COP (Jan 2019)
Prefer mode of transportation: Uber Taxi
Int’l Airport: BOG

DAY 11:

• COP 25,498 – Uber Taxi: El Dorado (BOG) Airport to Hotel San Francisco de Asis

DAY 12:

• COP 50,000 – Extra fee for room extension until 8:00 PM
• COP 6,000 – Ticket fee at Bolivar Museum
• COP 6,000 – Bottled Water
• COP 6,000 – Food: Tamal (share with a friend)
• COP 11,100 – Taxi: Somewhere near Monserrate to Plaza Bolivar
• COP 2,600 – Bottled water
• COP 26,400 – Uber Taxi: Hotel to BOG Airport

SUBTOTAL: COP 133,598 = USD 41.13

ECUADOR 🇪🇨

Language: Spanish
Currency: US Dollars (USD)
Prefer mode of transportation: Uber Taxi
Int’l Airport: UIO

DAY 13:

• USD 27 – Uber Taxi: Mariscal Sucre (UIO) Airport to Mitad Del Mundo
• USD 3.5 – Food (Arroz con Pollo)
• USD 0.75 – Soda Apple Drink
• USD 5 – Entrance fee at Mitad Del Mundo monument
• USD 0.75 – Soda drink
• USD 13.51 – Taxi to Hostel
• USD 12.8 – Booking fee for my Hostel in Quito
• USD 2.25 – Food (Arroz con Pollo) with soup
• USD 1 – Doritos snack and Water
• USD 26.6 – Uber Taxi: Hostel to UIO Airport
• USD 2.5 – Bottled Juice at UIO Airport
• USD 4 – Food (Empanada con Pollo) at UIO Airport

NOTE: I ended up booking a room in Quito as carrying bags all day would be very tiring (I was already very tired and lacking sleep).

SUBTOTAL: USD 99.66

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

Language: Portuguese
Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL)
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3.9030 BRL
Prefer mode of transportation: Uber Taxi

DAY 14:

• BRL 25.14 – Some Chocolates
• BRL 24.25 – Uber Taxi: Guarulhos (GRU) Airport to Hostel Vitoria
• BRL 37 – Hostel Vitoria booking fee in Guarulhos (near GRU Airport)
• BRL 2 – Bottled water
• BRL 1.6 – Bread
• BRL 2.5 – Bottled Juice
• BRL 0 – Taxi: Hostel to GRU Airport (free c/o my hostel roommate!)
• BRL 17 – Starbucks Frap Caramel (for wifi haha)
• BRL 18 – Starbucks Frap Caramel (for wifi again)

NOTE: I booked a hostel near GRU Airport just to get some good rest prior to leaving Brazil.

SUBTOTAL: BRL 126.49 = USD 32.41

And here is my overall expenses! Drum roll please!!!

TOTAL: USD 3,369.16

Phew!!! There you have it! I thought I couldn’t finish it today!

Though I went beyond my travel budget, for me it was totally worth it. The experience was PRICELESS! The next time I visit South America, I will definitely take it slow (I know, I felt like I was rushing the whole 14-day trip).

I hope that by the guide and tips I’ve laid out, you’d find them informative. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d be happy to answer your queries to the best of my knowledge.

Good luck and happy travels!