(And How You Can Too Without Sacrificing Experiences)
If you live in or near Miami, you’re already in one of the best launchpads for affordable international travel—especially to Latin America. Earlier this year, I flew out of Miami International Airport and spent three weeks backpacking through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru for just $1,492 total. That includes flights, accommodation, food, transportation, and activities. I didn’t sleep in airports or skip meals—I just traveled smart. Here’s exactly how I pulled it off, down to the dollar.
My first flight was from Miami to Cartagena, Colombia, which cost me just $145 on Avianca. That’s one of the perks of living near Miami: cheap direct flights to places like Medellín, Bogotá, or Lima are easy to find if you’re flexible on dates. I used Google Flights to monitor price trends for two weeks and set an alert through Hopper to grab the lowest fare. I flew mid-week (Wednesday), which tends to be the cheapest day to fly.
Once I landed in Cartagena, I booked a bed at Viajero Hostel for $14 a night. It came with free breakfast and was walking distance from the historic walled city. The local food scene was unbeatable—arepas, fresh juices, and full plate lunches for under $4. Most days, I spent less than $10 total on food, thanks to a combination of street food, hostel kitchens, and grocery store basics like eggs, fruit, and rice. On the second day, I joined a free walking tour (tip-based) and spent the afternoon relaxing at Bocagrande Beach, which cost me exactly $0.
After a few nights in Cartagena, I took an overnight bus to Medellín for $21. The buses in Colombia are surprisingly comfortable—think reclining seats, air conditioning, and onboard movies. I stayed at Selina Medellín, which was slightly more expensive at $17 per night but included coworking space and nightly events. I joined a free salsa class, ate bandeja paisa from a corner café for $3, and rode the metro up to the famous Comuna 13 neighborhood. This was one of the best parts of the trip—and it cost almost nothing.
From Medellín, I took a cheap local flight to Quito, Ecuador using Wingo Airlines for $82. Since Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as its currency, I didn’t have to worry about exchange rates or ATM fees. I spent a few days exploring Quito, then took a $6 bus to Baños, a small mountain town known for adventure sports and hot springs. I biked the famous Ruta de las Cascadas (Waterfall Route) for $8, hiked to the “Swing at the End of the World” for free, and soaked in the thermal pools for just $3.
Getting around Ecuador by bus was simple and cheap. I traveled from Baños to Cuenca for $10, then crossed the border into Peru. Once I made it to Cusco, I stayed at Pariwana Hostel for $13 a night. From there, I booked an $18 tour to Rainbow Mountain, and later splurged a bit on a two-day jungle excursion near Puerto Maldonado for $55, which included meals and lodging. I kept food costs just as low as in Colombia, averaging $10 per day by eating set-menu lunches and cooking basic dinners with other travelers.
My final leg was a flight from Lima back to Miami on JetSmart Airlines for $198. By choosing budget airlines and flying on less popular days, my total airfare for all three flights came to just $425. For accommodations, I spent $308 total across 21 nights, averaging just under $15 per night. Ground transportation (buses and a couple of cheap domestic flights) added up to $123, food came in around $160, and tours and activities—like biking, hiking, and jungle excursions—cost me $110 total. I also spent $58 on souvenirs, SIM cards, and small extras.
I used my Chase Sapphire Preferred card to book flights and some accommodations, which earned me points and also saved me from foreign transaction fees. Plus, the sign-up bonus covered $250 of my trip once I hit the minimum spend, effectively bringing my final out-of-pocket cost to just $1,006.
This trip reminded me that budget travel doesn’t mean bare-bones or boring. I hiked through the Andes, danced salsa in Medellín, soaked in Ecuadorian hot springs, and explored the Amazon—all without luxury hotels or fancy restaurants. It was rich in experience, culture, and connection. If you’re based in Miami (or anywhere in South Florida), you already have access to some of the cheapest international gateways in the country. Take advantage of that. With smart planning, flexible dates, and a little bit of hustle, you can see the world for less than most people spend on a weekend in South Beach.
Flights and Finances 