Overland Budget: How Much It Costs to Drive South America

The question that comes up at every bar table among Brazilian overlanders is the same: "how much do I spend per month driving out there?"

The honest answer is "it depends a lot," but that does not help anyone make a decision. So we will give a useful answer: three travel profiles, spending categories, and a comparison between South American countries, all in USD so it lasts longer.

In short: as a couple, you can travel on between USD 800 and 4,500 per month, depending on style. Fuel, lodging, and food are 70 to 85% of the budget. Bolivia is the cheapest, Uruguay and Chile the most expensive, and Argentina is the most unpredictable.

Why everything in USD and in ranges

Before any number, three rules for using this post with good sense:

• Values in USD, not in reais, pesos, or bolivianos. The dollar is more stable and has a worldwide reference. The exchange rates of the real and local currencies swing too much to serve as a long-term reference.
• Ranges, not fixed numbers. "Fuel in Argentina between USD 1.00 and 1.30 per liter" holds for months.
• Check the updated value before leaving. Use this post to calculate magnitude (I will spend between X and Y), not to close an exact spreadsheet. Argentine inflation and exchange rates in general change fast.

The 3 travel profiles

For a couple, driving at a typical pace of 1,500 to 2,500 km per month.

Budget profile: USD 800 to 1,500 per month

How you live: free or cheap paid camping, sleeping at gas stations at no cost, cooking your own meals with local market food, free activities (parks without expensive entry, lookouts, trails), zero hotels.

Who it is for: long trips (6 months or more), retirees on a tight budget, young people who have time but not money, remote workers who want to maximize time on the road.

Mid-range profile: USD 1,500 to 2,500 per month

How you live: a mix of paid camping and the occasional hostel, a mix of cooking your own meals and eating at a restaurant 1 to 2 times a week, some paid activities (Perito Moreno, a one-day tour in Uyuni, national parks with entry fees), a decent hot shower every night.

Who it is for: trips of 2 to 4 months with reasonable comfort, a sabbatical with saved-up salary, a young couple on a long vacation.

Comfort profile: USD 2,500 to 4,500 per month

How you live: a hotel or cabin most nights, regular restaurants, full tours without cutting anything, a motorhome with diesel everywhere, good internet at every destination.

Who it is for: vacations of 3 to 6 weeks with short time and available money, retirees who want to make the most of it, a celebratory trip.

Where the money goes

No matter the profile, the typical distribution looks similar:

• Fuel: 30 to 45% of the budget. It is always the biggest item.
• Lodging: 15 to 30%. Those who sleep for free (gas station, free camping) drop it to near 5%.
• Food: 20 to 30%. Cooking your own cuts it in half.
• Attractions and tours: 5 to 15%. It can be zero if it is "just driving."
• Maintenance, borders, tolls, and communication: 5 to 10%.
• Unexpected costs: always set aside 10 to 15%. A flat tire, a burning clutch, a health emergency. Without a reserve, the trip stalls.

Category by category

Fuel, the main item

For a mid-size car getting 10 to 12 km/L driving 2,000 km per month:

• Brazil: USD 1.00 to 1.20 per liter of gasoline. Typical monthly cost: USD 170 to 240.
• Argentina: USD 1.00 to 1.30. It varied a lot in 2024 and 2025 with the subsidy change. Check before going.
• Chile: USD 1.40 to 1.60. Expensive fuel, especially diesel.
• Uruguay: USD 1.70 to 1.90. It is the most expensive in the region.
• Bolivia: the price for foreigners is between USD 1.30 and 1.70. The subsidized local price of USD 0.55 does not apply to you, and some stations refuse to sell to a foreign plate.
• Paraguay: USD 1.00 to 1.20. Cheap, worth filling up before crossing.
• Peru: USD 1.20 to 1.40.

A tip that saves money: Patagonian wind cuts fuel economy by 30%. Calculate range conservatively in windy regions.

Lodging

• Free (wild) camping or gas station: USD 0. It is the base of the budget profile.
• Simple paid camping (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay): USD 5 to 15 per night.
• Paid camping in Argentina and Chile: USD 15 to 35. It went up a lot.
• Paid camping in Uruguay: USD 20 to 40.
• Hostel in a shared room: USD 12 to 25.
• Simple hotel or inn: USD 30 to 70.
• Cabin or tourist lodging: USD 50 to 150.

Food

Cooking your own meals, as a couple:

• Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay: USD 8 to 15 per day at the market.
• Peru and Argentina: USD 12 to 25 per day.
• Chile and Uruguay: USD 20 to 40 per day.

At a restaurant, main dish per person:

• Bolivia and Paraguay: USD 4 to 10.
• Brazil, Peru, and Argentina: USD 8 to 20.
• Chile and Uruguay: USD 15 to 35.

The food routine on the road details how the split between cooking and eating out changes this number.

Borders, insurance, and fees

• Mercosur insurance (Green Card): USD 100 to 200 for 30 days, USD 300 to 500 for 90 days. Mandatory, and part of the border documents checklist. Some Brazilian insurers already include the Green Card in the policy at no extra cost, so talk to your broker before buying it separately.
• Chile's SOAP (mandatory local insurance): USD 15 to 30 per month.
• Border crossing fees: almost everything is free for Brazilians. Some customs offices charge a small free-zone fee.
• Possible fines: budget USD 50 to 100 per month.

Maintenance and unexpected costs

• Oil and filter change (every 5,000 to 10,000 km): USD 60 to 150 depending on the country. Argentina is expensive for imported parts.
• New tire (1 or 2 on a long trip): USD 100 to 250 each.
• Unexpected repair: no ceiling. That is what the 10 to 15% reserve is for.

Main attractions

• Perito Moreno Glacier (Argentina): USD 35 to 50 per person.
• Torres del Paine Park (Chile): USD 30 to 45.
• Atacama tours: USD 20 to 60 per tour, each.
• 3-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia): USD 150 to 220.
• Machu Picchu (Peru): USD 70 to 100 with the basic train.

Tolls

• Argentina: USD 1 to 3 per toll. Cheap.
• Brazil: varies a lot by state. The coast between SP and RJ is expensive, BR-101 south is cheaper.
• Chile: USD 8 to 20 on main highways. High.
• Uruguay: USD 5 to 10 per toll, and the Brazilian electronic tag does not work. You need to register the Uruguayan tag beforehand.

Communication

• Local prepaid SIM: USD 5 to 15 per month, per country.
• International eSIM: USD 30 to 80 per month with regional coverage.
• Starlink Roam: USD 50 to 150 per month. Only worth it if you work remotely or travel in a motorhome.

Quick comparison between countries

From cheapest to most expensive to drive and live in:

• Bolivia: cheap food, lodging, and attractions. Fuel is the weak point.
• Paraguay: good on almost everything, cheap fuel.
• Peru: affordable food, paid attractions weigh in (Machu Picchu).
• Brazil: varies a lot by region.
• Argentina: volatile. When the exchange rate favors the dollar, it gets cheap. When it stabilizes, it becomes like Uruguay.
• Chile: expensive on almost everything. Fuel, food, and camping hurt.
• Uruguay: the most expensive in the region. A short country, so the impact on the total budget is smaller.

Practical care to avoid blowing the budget

• Always keep USD cash as a reserve. Bolivia and Argentina (on the parallel exchange rate) work better with dollars than with a card. The three-layer exchange strategy covers how to split it.
• An international card with the commercial exchange rate avoids IOF tax and bad withdrawal fees.
• Update your calculation every 60 days. Exchange rates and local inflation do not wait for you.
• Do not trust the budget of an overlander who drove more than 1 year ago. Argentina especially. Use it only to estimate magnitude.
• The unexpected is not "if," it is "when." A 10 to 15% reserve is a rule, not a luxury.

So how much will I spend?

If you want a number to put in the spreadsheet today, use these ranges as a starting point for a couple:

• Short trip (30 days, mid-range profile): USD 1,800 to 2,800 total.
• Medium trip (90 days, mid-range profile): USD 5,000 to 8,000 total.
• Long sabbatical (6 months, budget profile): USD 5,000 to 9,000 total.
• Full Brazil to Ushuaia crossing round trip (60 to 80 days, mid-range profile): USD 3,500 to 6,500 total.

For a solo motorcycle, reduce 30 to 40%. For a large motorhome on diesel, add 30 to 50% on fuel alone.