In March of 2023 I decided to take a solo trip around Guatemala. At the time I was living in Budapest and came back to the US for the Women’s Travel Fest and Latino Travel Fest happening at the beginning and end of that month respectively. Below you’ll see my full Guatemala travel costs broken down into categories and the total.
For this trip I traveled with only a backpack as I was flying Spirit and dislike paying extra fees. It was only a week but due to different weathers I would be coming across, I feel like I overpacked.
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Guatemala Travel Costs
Flight
Back in October of 2022 I opened a Spirit Free Mastercard knowing I would want to use the new account bonus points for this and other upcoming trips. The bonus points were 60,000 which I hope could be up to 3 flights if I did it right.
I waited a bit too much to buy my flight so it went up in points. Originally I had seen one that would have cost about 32,000, but it ended up costing me 49,000. Flights bought with points don’t cover the taxes which came out to $45.50.
If I knew more about travel hacking I could have gotten a better deal. Do you travel hack? If so, what would you have done?
Transportation
Once on the ground, buses were my preferred method of transportation. The thing about Guatemala is that they use cash a lot so lots of my bus tickets had to be paid that way in local currency. Make sure to have cash on hand.
I landed in Guatemala City but I knew I wasn’t spending the night there. I headed to the bus station in an Uber ($2.79) and got a one way overnight ticket to Flores which cost $39.77. It was more expensive than I thought because it was last minute and I chose the semi laydown option since it was 12 hour bus ride. The bus was cold according to my standards so come prepared.
Before I took the bus, I grabbed some food and took an Uber for $2.
The main reason for my visit to Flores was to go to Tikal. It’s quite a bit away so I had to take transportation which included a guide. This came out to 125 Quetzales ($16) and paid in cash.
I highly recommend visiting Tikal whether during sunrise, the day or sunset!
From Flores, the next stop was Rio Dulce. Flores has two bus stations, an old and new one. This one way ticket cost 150 Quetzales ($19.25) and was able to be paid in card.
Livingston is only accessible by boat from a few places, one including Rio Dulce. Since it’s a Garifuna community and very unique, I knew I wanted to visit. The night before I went to the dock to get the hours which weren’t many. The round trip ride cost 200 Quetzales ($25.75) in cash.
Next stop on the itinerary was Antigua. I couldn’t find a direct bus to Antigua so I had to take a bus to Guatemala City which cost 150 Quetzales ($19.25) which I could pay by card. To get to the bus station so late at night I took a taxi that cost $3.89. Once I arrived in Guate I didn’t know how I’d be getting to my next stop. At the bus station I found a shuttle about to leave. It cost 150 Quetzales ($19.25).
Antigua was my last stop so all I had to do was head back to Guatemala City. My flight was late so originally I planned to take a bus, but then it never showed so I decided to get an uber. It was about an hour drive and cost $27. I could pay through the app.
My transportation total came out to $174.95.
Meals
Food is the first thing I always want when I land somewhere new. I’ll share each meal I had in each city.
Guatemala City
After getting to the city center, I headed straight to the Central Market. Here I had a typical lunch of soup, rice with chicken and veggies for $3 in cash. At the main plaza I got a granizado for 10 quetzales ($1.50) in cash. Before heading to my night busI grabbed a beer and sandwich at Amore Cafe for 60 Quetzales ($7.70) on a credit card.
Flores
I arrived in Flores very early in the morning. Once I made it to the hostel I got a sandwich for 25 Quetzales ($3.20) in cash and ate it on my way to Tikal. At Tikal I got thirsty and a bit hungry so I bought water and cookies for 17 Quetzales ($2.20) cash and water and iced tea for 27 Quetzales ($3.50) card. For dinner back in Flores, I got tacos al paster with a lemonade for 50 Quetzales ($6.40) in cash. For desset I got ice cream for 10 Quetzales ($1.30) in cash.
The next day for breakfast I went to Maple and Tocino on the north side of the island. I got a pretty big breakfast with a milkshake which all came out to 70 Quetzales ($9) on a card. It was way too mcuh food, but so good.
Rio Dulce and Livingston
I had dinner overlooking the river in Rio Dulce at Los Pinchos. I tried the Gallo Pinto, a local beer, and ceviche. Total came out to 145 Quetzales ($18.60) on a card.
On my way to the boat to Livingston, I passed a little shop selling food. I got a ham and cheese sandwich, platanos, and tamarindo juice for breakfast for 20 Quetzales ($2.60) cash.
Even though I always travel with water, when it’s hot I need to refill. In Livingston I got water for 9 Quetzales ($1.15) cash. I had to try something from the Garifuna culture so I headed to Las Tres Garifunas and got arroz frito con camarones (fried rice with shrimp) and a gallo for 90 Quetzales ($11.55) on a card.
Antigua
I feel like I had to have eaten between my meal in Livingston and my first one in Antigua, but I must have not written it down.
The next meal I had was breakfast at the Restaurante del Arco for 82.50 Quetzales ($10.60) on a card. For lunch I headed to the Merced Park for a chorizo sandwich for 25 Quetzales ($3.25) in cash. As a snack I got a tea refresher and muffin for 46 Quetzales ($5.90) on a card.
The next day I got pastries at a bakery for 3 Quetzales ($0.40). I wanted to try local food so I headed to Los Tres Tiempos for lunh for 203 Quetzales ($26.41). It was a lot as the plates were large. This meal was filling so I only got a latte for the evening at Ojala cafe for 22 Quetzales ($2.86) on a card.
For a small breakfast I went to El Viejo Cafe for coffee and an almond croissant for $4.10 on a card. It was an early morning for me to get photos by the arch by myself. Afterwards I got a typical breakfast from el Patio de la Primavera for $10.30 on a card. That evening I got lunch/dinner at La Cuevita de los Uquizu for 120 Quetzales ($15.61). With my Greether, Beverly, I grabed a mango/maracuya juice for 26 Quetzales ($3.38)
My food total came out to $154.51.
Accommodation
Although my trip was for 8 days and 7 nights, I only stayed in accommodation for 5 nights. That happened because I spent two nights on bus. Definitely not that comfortable so I wouldn’t recommend it for most people.
In Flores I stayed at Maya Pan Hostal for one night and it cost $16.
Afterwards I spent one night in Rio Dulce at the Hostal Blood Moon for $14.
My two nights Antigua were spent at Yes Please! Hostel which cost $35.39.
My accommodation total came out to $65.39.
Activities
I only did a couple of activities in each location with a comped one by Get Your Guide.
In Guatemala City, I went to the Natural History Museum which cost 50 Quetzales ($6.45). They have lockers with keys where you can leave your things as you walk around.
The entrance to Tikal is separate from the tour I took and it needed to be paid in cash which was 150 Quetzales ($19.30).
Antigua is where I did the most activities:
- Museo del Hermano Pedro – 10 Quetzales ($1.30) paid in cash
- Convento Santa Clara – 40 quetzales ($5.20) paid cash
- Pacaya Volcano Tour comped by Get Your Guide
- Entrance to Pacaya – 100 quetzales ($14) paid in cash
- Convento las Capuchinas – 20 Quetzales student ($2.60) paid in cash, 40 for adult
- Ruinas de la Catedral – 20 Quetzales ($2.60) paid in cash
My activities total came out to $51.45.
Miscellaneous
For this category, this includes things like bathroom, souvenirs, and snacks.
- Bathroom at Museo del Hermano Pedro – 4 Quetzales ($0.52) paid in cash
- 2 magnets – 40 quetzales ($5.20) paid in cash
- 3 headbands & 3 scrunchies – 75 quetzales ($9.75) paid with card
- Tea for Hassan – 100 quetzales ($12.85) paid with card
- Takis – 13 quetzales ($1.70) paid in cash
My miscellaneous total came out to $30.02.
Total Expenses
A quick recap of all the categories and the expense totals:
- Flight taxes: $45.50
- Transportation: $174.95
- Meals: $154.51
- Accommodation: $65.39
- Activities: $51.45
- Miscellaneous: $30.02
My full Guatemala travel costs for 8 days came out to $521.82 or $65.23 per day. This was definitely lower than I had expected.
I would suggest Guatemala as a budget destination especially if you want to make it that way. It could also be luxury if that’s more your style.
How do you think I did with this budget? Where could I have saved or do you think it would have come out to be more? Tell me in the comments!
Related Guatemala Posts
- Things to do in Antigua, Guatemala
- Guatemala One Week Ultimate Itinerary
- Mexican Caribbean Coast Itinerary
- Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen
- Latin America
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Viaja more y live más,
