Airport taxes.

ONE OF THE WORST SURPRISES IN LIFE IS TAXES. And when you're low on cash at the end of a trip, an airport departure tax can be a challenge. Just about every major airport in Latin America requires an exit tax payable in cash, so be sure to set aside some money, as follows in U.S. dollar values:

ARGENTINA (Buenos Aires; Ezeiza airport): $23.50 upon departure. At Mendoza: $2.50 admission fee.

BOLIVIA: At La Paz, $20 upon departure.

BRAZIL: $36 upon departure.

CHILE: U.S. citizens pay $20 upon entry (U.S. currency only). Upon departure, all nationalities pay $18 in Chilean or U.S. cash. For domestic flights, $8.

COLOMBIA (Bogota): $23 upon departure, or $44 if the stay is longer than 60 days or if you are traveling on a business visa. At Cali: $44. At Medellin: $42.

COSTA RICA: $17 upon departure if length of stay is more than two days.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: $10 in U.S. cash.

ECUADOR: $25 for international departures; none for domestic.

EL SALVADOR: $24.50 upon departure, payable in U.S. cash or local currency. G

GUATEMALA: $10 upon departure, payable in local or U.S. currency.

HONDURAS: $8 upon departure.

MEXICO: $15 upon entry; $12.50 upon departure.

NICARAGUA (Managua): $5 upon entry, $20 upon departure.

PANAMA: $25 upon departure, in U.S. currency only.

PARAGUAY (Asuncion): Two taxes totaling $16 upon departure.

PERU (Lima): $25 upon departure.

URUGUAY: $12 upon departure. For travelers from Uruguay to Buenos Aires, exit tax is $6.

VENEZUELA: $29 upon departure.