Things I Bought for Less Than $3

Carlo -

Travelers are almost always on some sort of budget. We try to make the money weâ€™ve set aside stretch as far as it can possibly go, enabling us to see as many places as we possibly can. With that in mind Iâ€™ve compiled a list of a number of things I was able to purchase in Central America for under $3. Some things on this list arenâ€™t a huge surprise, but there were a couple of times I was baffled at some of the low low prices I encountered. So, here it goesâ€¦

1. Sandals â€“ I was plagued with the broken sandal syndrome for a majority of my five weeks in Central America, but luckily each time I was able to find a replacement pair for under $3. Maybe that is why the kept breaking, huh?

2. A 1 hour Kayak Rental â€“ While on Lake Atitlan we were able to rent Kayaks for $2 an hour. I was able to snap some amazing photos and shoot this video while out on the kayak.

3. Lots of Beer â€“ Everywhere you go you can snag a regular 12oz or less beer for a dollar or two, even in Belize! In Guatemala, however, my friends and I were able to track down a few of the big 32oz beers for as low as 20 Quetzales, or $2.50. They were few a far between, but every now and then we would walk into a local shop and stumble upon this liquid gold.

4. A Bed in a Hostel â€“ In San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala my friend and I were able to strike up quite a deal with the owner of Hotel San Francisco. For two rooms, that would each sleep three people, she agreed to only charge us 15 Quetzales per night each, so less than $2!! It wasnâ€™t necessarily the nicest place we stay, but for $2 it was a great find and the view was absolutely stunning!

5. Meals â€“ Lots of meals! Â All of the street food and many of the restaurants run in the local areas of towns were EXTREMELY cheap. There were many times when I ate for under $3.

6. Three hour bus ride â€“ In Guatemala it seemed the public bus price as about $1 per each hour that trip was supposed to take. This was usually 10% to 20% what a tourist shuttle or private taxi would charge!

7. A Personal Guide â€“ While in Copan Ruinas, Honduras I paid a tuk tuk driver $3 (technically not under $3 but oh well) to take me up the mountainside overlooking Copan Ruinas. After a long and windy ride to the outlook I was able to snap some great shots with a birds eye view of the town.

36 comments

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ayngelina at

I’m impressed with your hostel negotiation, it can be tough in such a popular area.
Matt at

Well, it did have a lot to do with the fact that we got two rooms with 3 people in each one. However, we also made the decision to get outside of the tourist area near the docks and we were a decent walk up the hill and to the left of the Pana dock.
Jamie at

Nice article! We love Guatemala, and found the lake to be incredibly cheap. We should be back there in a few weeks, and really can’t wait. I loved the banana bread there. Great breakfast option.
Jamie from http://www.cloudpeopleadventures.com
1. Matt at
  
  Gotta love that Banana bread. The women selling it on the streets definitely know what they are doing!
David @ Malaysia Asia at

Hey Matt, love the first Kayak Picture! Perfectly composed with excellent lightning.

Regards,
David
1. Matt at
  
  Yea it was a great opportunity. This was the very last picture I snapped before the rain started coming down on us but it was a good one to end on!
Laura at

This list is amazing! The hostel bargain seems indeed to be the best deal of all, but the other ones are impressing too. God, that fourth photo made me hungry! 🙂
1. Matt at
  
  That wasn’t even my food, I started eating mine before I remembered to take a picture of it, haha. Needless to say it was really good.
11 Things that Didnâ€™t Make it Home: The Central America Casualty List at

[…] battle as every pair of sandals I purchased were just cheap pieces of crap, all of which I bought for under $3. Needless to say the cycle continued and I broke pair after pair, but Iâ€™m happy to say the last […]
Migrationology at

Great display of how traveling doesn’t have to be expensive! You live pretty well off $5-10 per day!
1. Matt at
  
  Yea sometimes it really can be quite cheap. The best days are when you find the cheap hostel, the cheap food, and a cheap thing to do for that day!
d at

impressive bargains, the guide and kayak rental in particular!
in reply to your comment the picture is of a stick fishermen, no idea what they are specifically fishing by they stand on this pole like structures they have built
1. Matt at
  
  very interesting! I’d like to see that for myself one day.
Juno at

I just fell in love with No.5. 🙂
Yes you are right. We can buy plenty of things under $3! 🙂
But bed? That’s impressive.
1. Matt at
  
  definitely my favorite one of the list! Especially because we stayed for 3 or 4 nights so that really added up to some savings!!
Sarah at

Thanks for this Matt, it’s great to know there are so many bargains to be had in Central America! I’m currently planning my trip and it’s great to get some idea of what things really cost on a day to day basis.
1. Matt at
  
  Some places things will cost more but in some areas (specifically the Lake Atitlan area) you can really find some bargains. Good luck with your trip and let me know if you have any questions while you are planning!
Claire at

I also bought a pair of flip flops (in Nicaragua) that I STILL wear 5 years later, and have gotten quite a few compliments on!
1. Matt at
  
  mine finally went…. I just use them so much I guess…
Kelly at

I am DYING to go to Guatemala! And when I do, expect an email with lots of questions from me!!
1. Matt at
  
  Feel free to email away! You have got to visit, it was my favorite country on the trip!
Top 150 travel blogs for students ~ Blog ~ CollegeScholarships.org at

[…] he earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Central Florida. Recommended posts: “Things I Bought for Less Than $3” and “The Art of Bargaining While Backpacking in Central […]
discoverina at

you should visit Indonesia, you’ll be surprised to what you’ll get for under $3.
btw, the meals look delicious 😀
1. Matt at
  
  definitely on my list of places to go!
Isa Grajeda at

So proud of my country! 🙂 i’m glad you liked it! I bet you’ll keep visiting.. There’s so much too see 🙂
Kyle Morgan at

haha, great post, i should probably try negotiating at hostels more often, haven’t tried it yet!
1. Matt at
  
  Definitely do it! I do it everywhere I go. The more people you have with you the easier it gets.
Priyank at

Hi Matt, its amazing how far a dollar can go in other countries! I cannot imagine the plight of people traveling from those countries to here… 🙁
1. Matt at
  
  Yea, definitely quite expensive the other way around.
Laurel at

Amazing at what you can buy in some parts of the world for under $3. I can’t believe the tour and the kayak rental, usually those things are much more expensive as they’re geared towards tourists.
1. Matt at
  
  At the time I didn’t even realize how great of a deal the kayaks actually were. After traveling again for a few months this year there hasn’t been a place renting kayaks for even twice that much…. Everything is like $5 to $15 an hour…
Bino at

WOW! You got me at number 4.. Less than $2.. Awesome deal! 🙂
Ontario cottage rentals at

It’s time for me to check Guatemala … sadly i’m in Eastern Europe the plane ticket will cost a fortune …
Henry Williams at

Great article its amazing how cheap the kayak tour was nice post
Colleen Hayward at

Very awesome, I’m going to have to learn how to bargain, I don’t have a lick of sense when it comes to haggling.