Realistic costs in Mexico & Central America
 

This is an incredibly broad and open to all opinion answers...

Ill be doing a tour from canada to central america, and I just dont know the costs of things will be once we get to Mexico and Central America.
We will be camping for most of the way (free as much as poss), cooking for ourselves (unless its really cheap), staying in budget places when not camping.
From experience, what are pples opinions on daily costs, or the costs for say 4 months. (not including bike, insurance) We will put aside whatever we need for the journey back, and probably just ride till we run out of money. We will be travelling on the british pounds, which is in our favour, but am I being too naive to think that those areas are dirt cheap still?
Cheers!

My monthly totals were between $350 and $600 for 6 months travelling from Mexico to Panama. Not including spanish lessons, ferry rides, and other non-daily expenses. I camped where possible, but that was mostly in Baja. I was travelling alone, eating in street. Hope this helps.
Enjoy it, its a great place.
Rene
www.renedian.com

No, you are not too naive... once you get into Central America, costs will be very low.

In rural Mexico, hotels with a private bathroom are $11-25 U.S. A good restaurant meal with chicken, vegetables, rice, tortillas is around $3.50, but if you eat off a street vendor or in the markets it will be a bit less.
The Mexicans really know how to grille chicken, when you see a smoking grille, it's time to stop and eat! Unleaded premium gasoline was $2.65 gallon earlier this year, it has probably gone up a bit.

In Guatemala (except major tourist areas), hotels are $5-9 with a private bathroom, and about $3 with a communal bathroom. Hardly worth camping. Restaurant meals are $2-4, less in the markets. Most fruits and vegetables are 12 to 25 cents per pound. The Maya women sell awesome bean & cornmeal breakfast patties wrapped in palm leaves, high in complex carbos and good for a snack later in the day, too. Lunches are often served as large soups with chicken and vegetables in the soup. Unleaded premium is a tad less than in Mexico. Guatemala and Costa Rica are the best countries for motorcycle parts availability, there is very little in Mexico.

In Belize prices are generally somewhere between Mexico and Guatemala.

Honduras, hotels with a private bathroom are $8-14. Food is priced about the same as Guatemala, the comedors (small restaurants, usually in people's homes)are excellent with lots of fresh veggies.

Nicaragua, hotels are a bit more expensive than Honduras, but lunch at a restaurant costs 65 cents.

El Salvador, there is very little food, mainly papusas which cost about 12-15 cents each.

Costa Rica has awesome meals at the "sodas" (small roadside restaurants), usually about $2.50. Costa Rica and Panama are the most Americanized countries in Central America, with American chain restaurants and hotels. But you lose much of the culture and wildness of the more northern Central American countries.

Well, that's my quickie summary, let me know if you have any other questions.

{In Belize prices are generally somewhere between Mexico and Guatemala.}

I found prices in Belize to be similar to those in the US.

I've heard people say that Belize is expensive, but I haven't found it to be that bad. Perhaps the reason is that I have mostly been in the rural western part of the country. I would imagine that if you are on the more touristy and diver-oriented coast, it would be more expensive. However, I remember having lunch in a small restaurant in Dangrida (Stann Creek) on the coast, and it was dirt cheap.

We are currently travelling south to Ushuaia and have found that $50 pp/day seems to be the number. Belive it or not this includes the usuals (gas, food, lodging) but also mandatory insurance (i.e. - Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia), ferry rides, all border dues, bike repairs and parts (yes, we do it ourselves) and some (very few, mind you) personal items like new clothes.

We try not to stay in roach-infested lodgings and normally have a (decent) private bathroom with cable. Clean and basic.

Food items normally come from the street or an inexpensive vendor (like the ubiquitous rotisserie chicken......yummmmmy!). Also, we never camp - too much trouble. All this and we can still afford beer, wine and the local libation (a nice tequila, mezcal or rum).

Days that we spend less than $50 are made up by days that we spend more than $50. Also, past Mexico everything gets less expensive with the exception of Belize which seemed to be on par with US prices aaaaaaaaand Costa Rica which is a bit pricey for a Central American country (must be all us gringos).

Hope this helps

I agree with Big Joe on this one $50 a day did Mexico (keep off the tollroads though!) but I found that further south a little less was possible including all expenses: subsistence, bordering crossings, trips, fuel etc.

thanks everyone...this gives me more of an idea of what i need to start saving for!
keep the replies coming on other central america costs.

cheers amigo's!!

Hi,
I've just arrived in colombia after spending 2 months travelling through mexico and central-america.
not counting the shipping from panama I've spend an average of 60 US$ a day, travelling solo. It will be a bit cheaper if you can share the costs of a hotelroom, dubbelrooms are almost the same price as a single.
have a good trip,
Mark