A trip to Pan America on a motorhome

We drove our RV through Central America, skipping the U.S. in our stats since we headed straight to Mexico after purchase. Below are average monthly costs for a family of four across all countries visited.

The United States was not included in the statistics, because after buying the motorhome, we almost immediately went to Mexico.

Here are the main cost items for a family of 4 people:

1. Food

We bought in supermarkets and cooked in a motorhome. The groceries cost $ 500-$ 800. This is taking into account the fact that we do not eat meat and do not drink alcohol.

Sometimes we try the national cuisine in local establishments 1−2 times a week for another $ 100.

2. Housing and Gasoline

From time to time, we stayed at airbnb for a couple of weeks to exhale, work, study, and just live like normal people???

These points are connected because the more we drove, the less we spent on housing. Accordingly, the more we spent on rental housing, the less we spent on gasoline.

The average price of gasoline in Central America is $ 1 per liter.

The consumption of a motorhome is 30 liters per 100 km.

It turns out that 1000 km = $ 300.

The most expensive month is housing+gasoline — $ 1,214

The cheapest month is housing+gasoline — $ 655

3. Maintenance

Mobile home Spare parts and maintenance — $ 20-$ 80

4. Other expenses per month

Mobile communication for two phones — $ 30;

Border Crossing — $ 286 (more information about border crossing here);

Gas refueling of a motorhome (for a stove and refrigerator) — $ 21;

Other — $ 200

Total: $ 1596 — $ 2515

We felt quite comfortable in such a framework. We didn’t posh like tourists who came for a couple of weeks, but they didn’t really limit themselves either.

Hobo Mode

Let’s now see what our minimum budget could be with this lifestyle and what we could save on?

1. Reduce housing costs to zero

Always spend the night in a mobile home, staying at free campsites, gas stations, fire stations, as well as using couchsurfing and workaway. this is quite realistic because we always have a house with us.

Savings — $ 400-$ 600

2. Initially buy a motorhome based on Toyota

Such a car is smaller and the gasoline consumption is correspondingly the same, almost twice — 16 liters / 100 km. Considering that we drove an average of 1800 km per month, the savings would amount to $ 250

3. Exclude trips to cafes

Eat only at home. Savings — $ 100

4. Buy the cheapest products

In the markets, stocks, etc., and there could be less to easily hide behind a mop.

Savings — $ 100-$ 200

Thus, the minimum budget could be $ 746-$ 1,365.,

High Roller Mode

And, conversely, what could we spend more money on?:

1. We set the price range for housing search not up to $ 30, but say $ 50-$ 100 and that there was a pool!

+ $ 400-$ 800 per month

2. We would go to the gym more often

+ $ 300-$ 500

3. We would buy more clothes (although we would have to think hard about where to put them in the motorhome)

+ $ 500-$ 600

4. We would take expensive excursions and all kinds of tourist entertainment, for example, helicopter flight

+ $ 300-$ 500

In total, the "High Roller Mode" would be $ 3,000-$ 5,000.

As you know, there is no limit to this tariff))

Prices are current for 2018

List of Central American countries by Cheap Prices: Nicaragua, Mexico

Average person: El Salvador, Honduras

Dear ones: Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama