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Looking for a cheap winter getaway in 2024?
Forget the Caribbean and Mexico — these 3 countries in Central America are the most affordable for American travelers!
Central America is an incredibly diverse place to explore. Made up of six countries, there’s something for every type of traveler here.
Whether you’re hunting for amazing beaches, cultural cities, active adventures, or something else, you can find it in Central America.
And budget travelers will be pleased to find out that many countries in Central America are very affordable.
Based on data from BudgetYourTrip, we’ve found that it’s possible to travel in these destinations for just $50 to $60 a day including food, transportation, and accommodation.
These are the three cheapest countries in Central America to visit in 2024:
Guatemala
The most affordable destination in Central America is Guatemala. This gorgeous country is the most affordable in Central America and is perfect for a winter getaway.
Some highlights of Guatemala include the colorful colonial city of Antigua, the epic Acatenango volcano hike, the stunning Lake Atitlan, and the fascinating Mayan ruins of Tikal.
According to BudgetYourTrip, the average daily cost of travel in Guatemala is $48 per day, or $679 for a week-long vacation for two people.
Getting to Guatemala is cheap too — there are tons of affordable nonstop flights from major U.S. cities to Guatemala City. For example, flying from New York’s JFK to Guatemala City is under $200 on JetBlue this winter. You can find round-trip flights for under $300 from other cities too.
Nicaragua
Another one of the cheapest countries in Central America is Nicaragua. This is a country that combines culture and beaches really well. The historic cities of Leon and Granada are both well worth a visit, but the country also boasts plenty of natural beauty including Lake Apoyo and two coasts with great beaches.
On the Pacific side, beaches like San Juan del Sur are known for being surfing (and party!) hotspots. Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast is more remote, but it’s worth the effort to visit beautiful and untouched destinations like the Corn Islands.
All of this exploring in Nicaragua doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Based on estimated travel costs, you can expect to spend $54 per day or $754 for a week-long trip for two people.
Flights from the U.S. to Nicaragua are limited, so it usually works out cheaper to fly into Liberia, Costa Rica, which has lots of nonstop flights from the United States. Then, it’s less than two hours by tourist shuttle to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
Honduras
Honduras often gets a bad rap for being the most dangerous country in Central America.
However, if you stick to the tourist trail in Honduras, you won’t have anything to worry about. In fact, this underrated destination has only been growing in popularity with American travelers recently.
It’s another one of the cheapest destinations in Central America, with an average cost of $57 per day or $799 for a week-long trip for two people.
Specifically, the Bay Islands of Honduras are extremely popular with tourists.
These islands on the Caribbean coast of Honduras offer stunning beaches and an abundance of great scuba diving and snorkeling spots. Roatan is the most popular of the Bay Islands, but Utila is the best choice for budget travelers — it’s more affordable and has some of the cheapest diving in the Caribbean!
In Utila, you can expect to pay $15 to $20 a night for a basic room and as little as $30 per dive.
Read More:
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Francisco
Thursday 18th of January 2024
El Salvador is in the #1 this 2024
Hanz
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
Hello, I'm a native of Guatemala City, and while all opinions are valid, I'd like to provide some authentic insights into living and visiting Guatemala. Feel free to reach out for local expertise or assistance with travel plans. I'm not a travel agency; just here to share the genuine experience. 🇬🇹✨ (hmansilla89@gmail.com)
Daisy Garcia
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
Why is there no references of the beautiful country of El Salvador the safest country in the world?
Laurel
Tuesday 16th of January 2024
Guatemala is not cheap. I have lived here for over a year and can tell you from personal experience that it's more expensive than most countries in this region.
Chris
Sunday 21st of January 2024
@James, brother you can't be a real person
James
Saturday 20th of January 2024
@Dan, I am in Costa Rica now. Costa Rica is very expensive at this time . The dollar exchange is 513 colones to one dollar before it was 700 colones to one dollar. The rent y food prices are way more expensive now. The economy is bad every where. I am praying Trump is elected President. The economy was very good Uber his Presidency.
First Last
Thursday 18th of January 2024
@Will, She didn't say it was exorbitant. Perhaps an air mattress, a beach and a can of frijoles is sufficient for you. Cancun is expensive and so is Las Vegas.
Dan
Thursday 18th of January 2024
@Laurel, hi this is Dan, we just got back from Costa Rica and we found it pretty expensive there let's go Guatemala about the same?
Will
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
@Laurel, then why are you living there.
Al
Tuesday 16th of January 2024
El Salvador is cheaper and safer then all 3 of these countries!