Youth hostels are not usually the cheapest

Youth hostels are not usually the cheapest or most viable option in South America, but they do exist in some areas and can be an excellent place to meet other young travellers.

In the more expensive southern countries, especially Argentina and Chile, they become a more attractive option: here competition means that many of them have great facilities and offer all sorts of extras, from free Internet to party nights. Prices average around US$8 to 15 a night and most hostels are open year round, although some only open in January and February, for the South American summer. The IYHF has hostels in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia (Bogotá only), Peru and Uruguay. If you are planning on using hostels extensively, an official HI card will very quickly pay for itself in discounted rates.