Maximise your Adventure: Complete Budget Breakdown of 18 Days Backpacking in Colombia
Wondering how much it costs to backpack Colombia? I spent 18 days traveling on a modest budget and tracked every expense. This post covers daily costs, flights, meals, hostels, and tours, plus tips for saving money, how Colombia’s economy impacts prices, , and practical budget tips to help you save money while still enjoying Colombia.
Maximise your Adventure: Complete Budget Breakdown of 18 Days Backpacking in Colombia
Wondering how much it costs to backpack Colombia? I spent 18 days traveling on a modest budget and tracked every expense. This post covers daily costs, flights, meals, hostels, and tours, plus tips for saving money, how Colombia’s economy impacts prices, , and practical budget tips to help you save money while still enjoying Colombia.
20/09/2025 • 6 min read
Colombia is often marketed as one of the cheapest destinations in South America. But after spending 18 days there, I realized that “cheap” doesn’t always mean “good value.” Hostels were basic, food was repetitive, and sometimes saving money meant sacrificing comfort or even safety. I tracked every peso I spent using the Tripcoin app (not sponsored), which makes this one of the most accurate cost breakdowns you’ll find - trust me, I tracked e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. In this post, I’ll share the full budget breakdown, what it costs me per day to backpack Colombia, and the money-saving tips that actually worked for me or would do next time.
Table of Contents
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Season, Weather and What to Expect
I travelled in February 2024, which is part of Colombia’s dry season (December through March) in many regions (Rough Guides, 2025).
Here’s what that meant in practice:
In the Andean region (Bogotá, Medellín, Cali) the weather was generally mild, with cool mornings and evenings, warmer during the day (Rough Guides, 2025).
On the Caribbean coast (Cartagena, etc.) there were hot, sunny days, with little rain — ideal for beach time (Rough Guides, 2025).
In regions like the Pacific coast or the Amazon, even in February there’s more humidity and more frequent showers, though February is among the less wet months (Rough Guides, 2025).
Crowds / Prices: February falls in high season in many parts because of the dry weather and also local holidays/festivals. That means prices for flights, accommodation etc can be higher than during the rainy/low season (Rough Guides, 2025).
Verdict: February is a good time to go if you prefer more predictable weather, fewer rain delays, and don’t mind paying a bit more. The trade-off is less flexibility in price and possibly more crowds in popular spots.
If you want the full itinerary of my three weeks in Colombia, you can read all about it on the blog:
How Much Does 18 Days in Colombia Cost?
Here’s the breakdown of what I spent during my trip in Colombia (per person, in USD).
Total (18 days): $591
Average per day: $33
Our daily average budget was set to $44 per person, which then made Colombia very affordable. But the daily average from there didn’t include three other expenses, as I find them time sensitive and personal:
International and domestic flights: $936
Shopping: $45
Gifts: $4
This means that the average daily cost for me was actually $58, making it one of the more expensive countries during my backpack travels in South America.
What This Budget Really Shows
My budget reflects a modest backpacker style of travel: hostels, street food, local buses, and a few paid activities mixed with free ones. It also shows that while Colombia can look cheap on paper, it adds up quickly once flights and basic comfort are factored in.
Compared to other South American countries I visited, Colombia was where I felt that the value didn’t always match the price.
Food: Menu del día (set lunch) was affordable at around $3–4, but after a week, it became repetitive.
Hostels: Often basic, even if not always cheap. A private room with breakfast was usually the best balance.
Transport: Long bus rides could be cheaper (but more expensive travel format compared to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina), but flights were often safer and more time-efficient.
If you want the full budget breakdown from my whole South American trip, I have just the post for you:
Economy and Notable Changes Since My Trip
It adds value to know how Colombia’s economy has been moving, especially since travel cost is tied to inflation, exchange rates, etc. Here are some updates and trends (from February 2024 until September 2025) that could affect travellers’ budgets:
Inflation: In 2023, inflation was high (11-12%) but it has eased in 2024. In 2024, the inflation rate was about 6.7%(annual) (Macrotrends, 2024). This means prices rose more slowly than before, though still above ideal levels.
Policy / currency: The central bank has been implementing tighter/interest rate policies to bring inflation down, and there has been some currency depreciation (banrep, 2024).
Economic growth: Colombia’s GDP growth was modest but recovering.(Deloitte United, 2024)
Minimum wage / cost of living: The minimum wage increase of ~9.5% in 2025 has been announced, which can have downstream effects on prices of services, hostel rates, etc. (Reuters, 2024)
What this means for travellers: your day-to-day prices (food, transport, accommodation) may be somewhat higher now compared to what I paid in February. Also fees, permits, guided tour costs might have adjusted. But the rate of inflation easing means things aren’t escalating as fast as they were.
Realistic estimate for Backpacking Colombia
If you want a realistic estimate, and you are traveling in high season, I would suggest:
On the ground (without flights): $35-40 per day
Including flights: $55–65 per day
That number assumes modest choices — not luxury, but not the cheapest possible either.
Salento
Cartagena
Jardín
Cocora Valley
Budget Tips and Lessons
Mix Big Adventures with Chill Days
This tips is not only about Colombia, but in general when traveling in South America. You don’t need a tour every day. Some of my best memories came from free hikes or exploring local markets, while some of my worst experiences were from overpriced tours. If you're considering going to Bolivia, you can read my honest experience and reflections from 3D2N tour through the Uyuni Salt Flat here: Is the Uyuni Salt Flat Tour Worth It?
Stay in Private Hostel Rooms
Private hostel rooms often cost only slightly more than dorms but include more comfort and sometimes breakfast. They were my sweet spot between budget and comfort throughout South America. However, when it comes to Colombia, I rather pay a little extra and making sure that I live in a good neighbourhood.
Use Night Buses (Strategically)
If you’re traveling far, night buses save both time and a night’s accommodation. That said, buses in Colombia are not always the safest nor very cheap, compared to other South American countries, so use them wisely.
Cook When You Can
Buying fresh produce at local markets and cooking a few meals per week saved a lot of money - if your hostel has a kitchen of course. Plus, markets were cultural experiences in themselves.
Cabin-Sized Backpack
I avoided checked luggage throughout South America by traveling with a carry-on sized backpack. This saved both money and time at airports, and would recommend more travel by air than land in Colombia. If you want to see my full packing list for South America, in my 40L backpack and with only 10 kg, read more here: The ultimate packing list for women backpacking South America.
Track Your Spending Daily
I used the Tripcoin app (not sponsored) to track my spending. Without it, I would have underestimated how much small expenses like snacks and coffees added up.
Watch Out for Bank Fees
Colombia was the country where I paid the most in exchange rates and ATM fees. Plan ahead by bringing a card with no foreign transaction fees just to save some money, like I did.
For more tips, lessons learned, and reflections of backpacking as a woman in Colombia, read about 7 mistakes to avoid in this post before you go:
Final Thoughts
Colombia is not the rock-bottom budget destination many people make it out to be. It’s possible to travel cheaply here, but you’ll often compromise on comfort, food variety, or even safety. Since February, inflation has cooled a bit and some economic pressures have eased, but the reality is: prices are higher than when I travelled. If you're going soon, plan with a small buffer, especially for lodging, food, and transport. The weather in February made a huge difference in experience — dry, warm, fewer surprises — and that counts for a lot. If you prepare well, track your spending, mix adventures with rest, and make smart choices, you can still get a rich, memorable trip without breaking the bank.
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