[Mekorig]

I concur with what Arg expert said.

[Duke Castile]

Are you expecting the rate of exchange to be more favorable towards the dollar after the elections?

And when will they be held?

The earliest I could go to BA would be in late January.

Thanks for your help gentlemen.

[Merenguero]

(10-21-2013 01:05 PM)Fisto Wrote:  

The earliest I could go to BA would be in late January.

That's a good time to go. It will be warm then. You want to avoid going during summer in the United States.

[portofmanteau]

Figure USD$2000 month. No reason to come here if you want to live like a backpacker - the plane ticket alone is going to cost you ~US$1000. A nice place in Palermo on a temporary basis is going to be around USD$800/month - short term rentals are always priced in USD, although it's nominally illegal.

If you're coming for 3 months, bring USD in cash and change it as you need - the exchange rate really is that volatile, it's 10 pesos/USD now, but could be 12 in a month, or 14 in two, depending on how heavy government manipulation is (the government actually manipulates the black market rate as well).

I've mentioned xoom.com before - if you do run out of USD cash, you can always transfer money to yourself with that service (it's a western union clone) for a slightly less favorable rate, but still worlds ahead of the official exchange rate. http://xoom.com/argentina/fees

Some things are much cheaper than the US, some are more expensive. The higher end is a much better deal than trying to live on a budget. Groceries etc. are actually relatively expensive here right now (seeing tomatoes at +25 pesos/kilo in verdularias), but eating in some of the best places in the city (molecular gastro etc.) is still around US$50/person with wine. I'd spend my time at those places, at closed-door restaurants, private parties, etc. Cocktails at decent places are still cheap, 50-75 pesos is normal (Franks, Ferona, 878 etc.). Beer and wine are cheap. Buses/subways/taxis practically feel free they're so cheap, Romania style prices. I think cross-fit is around 500 pesos a month for 3x/week if you're looking for that, but I haven't been since May, so it probably has gone up.

[portofmanteau]

(10-20-2013 05:58 PM)Arg expert Wrote:  

If you use your US or European-issued credit card at an ATM in Uruguay, if I remember well, the ATM will surely NOT offer you the option of withdrawing in US dollars... you will get Uruguayan pesos, a limited amount per withdrawal, and at a cost (minimum 3 dollars per withdrawal, if not more)... Only people who have local accounts in dollars, at a local Bank, can get dollars direct from the ATM in Uruguay, if I remember right...

Unless things have changed since May, this isn't true, though not all Uruguayan ATMs have a dollar option. Foreigners can withdraw USD in Uruguay without a problem.

What you're saying does apply to Argentina, however - Argentines can withdraw USD from their Argentine bank only if they have a USD-denominated account.

[MisterSSW4]

I think the cost of living going up in Argentina was always going to happen, since the growth of neighbouring countries such as Brazil, Argentina was always going to follow suit.

[Duke Castile]

No living like a backpacker for me thanks.

So we've gone from 400usd to 800usd on rent in a matter of hours? Seems like the opinions are as inflated as the currency! Haha

Thanks for the info. I'm definitely coming and I'll bring cash. Hopefully some of you vets will be around.

[speakeasy]

(10-21-2013 12:36 PM)Arg expert Wrote:  

If you do sell your usd on black m., sell just 200 usd, get the almost 2000 pesos, check the banknotes against the light, taking your time. Repeat process. Repeat process. Until you have changed all of your usd.

You may also want to wait until after the elections, to see what will happen with the peso, lol.

I actually meant to ask about this and now you reminded me. I would be worried that exchanging money on the black market would mean I end up with a pocket full of counterfeit pesos if I don't know what to look out for or have a connection that I trust.

[BIGBOY]

Temporary rentals in a good part of town will start at 600usd. Factor in another 200usd of spending money per week. I would say budget at least 1500usd per month. If you are traveling at all, or going out a lot money can go quicker and I would say 2000usd is a more comfortable budget.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(10-21-2013 03:12 PM)MisterSSW4 Wrote:  

I think the cost of living going up in Argentina was always going to happen, since the growth of neighbouring countries such as Brazil, Argentina was always going to follow suit.

Buenos Aires was always expensive pre-2000 financial crisis. Prices were on par with NYC and Paris.

[Merenguero]

(10-21-2013 04:42 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 03:12 PM)MisterSSW4 Wrote:  

I think the cost of living going up in Argentina was always going to happen, since the growth of neighbouring countries such as Brazil, Argentina was always going to follow suit.

Buenos Aires was always expensive pre-2000 financial crisis. Prices were on par with NYC and Paris.

For some things, such as drinks at bars, it was more expensive than any U.S. city or any other Latin American city. I left in the summer of 2000, so I still haven't seen the effects of the crisis.

[Soma]

Regarding getting US dollars: When I was living there you were able to buy dollars with a foreign credit card (and your passport) from the Banco Supervielle in Villa Freud, Palermo, i.e. it would be charged to your card as if you were purchasing a TV or anything else. That's what all the expats I knew used to do get get larger sums of money, for example, to pay their rent. Would be worth looking into on any active expat forums to see if you can still do that before deciding to bring in large amounts of cash.

[Cattle Rustler]

I wonder what the locals in most cities would say when we tell them what our minimum budgets are for staying in their city lol.

By the way, I'm not calling anyone out but it brings flashbacks of friends earning 8K Mex Pesos (MXN) a month being shocked when I rented a place that costed 12K MXN.

[speakeasy]

(10-21-2013 06:49 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

I wonder what the locals in most cities would say when we tell them what our minimum budgets are lol.

By the way, I'm not calling anyone out but it brings flashbacks of friends earning 8K Mex Pesos (MXN) a month being shocked when I rented a place that costed 12K MXN.

A girl in Guadalajara told me that she was paying around $200USD a month for her share of the rent. This was in Chapultepec, one of the prime neighborhoods in that city. Her jaw nearly fell on the ground when I told her what I pay for an apartment in L.A. and that many people pay far more than I do.

[Hispanic_Reasoning]

(10-21-2013 07:15 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 06:49 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

I wonder what the locals in most cities would say when we tell them what our minimum budgets are lol.

By the way, I'm not calling anyone out but it brings flashbacks of friends earning 8K Mex Pesos (MXN) a month being shocked when I rented a place that costed 12K MXN.

A girl in Guadalajara told me that she was paying around $200USD a month for her share of the rent. This was in Chapultepec, one of the prime neighborhoods in that city. Her jaw nearly fell on the ground when I told her what I pay for an apartment in L.A. and that many people pay far more than I do.

see, that's one of the good things about GDL right there; if you make the right moves, GDL can be very cheap and friendly on your wallet.

[Soma]

(10-21-2013 01:13 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 01:05 PM)Fisto Wrote:  

The earliest I could go to BA would be in late January.

That's a good time to go. It will be warm then. You want to avoid going during summer in the United States.

BA in January and February is sweltering and deserted, not the best time to visit. Starts to cool-off and repopulate in March.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(10-21-2013 08:21 PM)Soma Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 01:13 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 01:05 PM)Fisto Wrote:  

The earliest I could go to BA would be in late January.

That's a good time to go. It will be warm then. You want to avoid going during summer in the United States.

BA in January and February is sweltering and deserted, not the best time to visit. Starts to cool-off and repopulate in March.

Yeah. A bunch of Portenos go to Mar del Plata that time of year.

[portofmanteau]

(10-21-2013 04:52 PM)Soma Wrote:  

Regarding getting US dollars: When I was living there you were able to buy dollars with a foreign credit card (and your passport) from the Banco Supervielle in Villa Freud, Palermo, i.e. it would be charged to your card as if you were purchasing a TV or anything else. That's what all the expats I knew used to do get get larger sums of money, for example, to pay their rent. Would be worth looking into on any active expat forums to see if you can still do that before deciding to bring in large amounts of cash.

Don't listen to anyone about currency issues or costs who hasn't been living here in the past year. Inflation is 30%. Currency/tax laws change on a monthly basis. The peso has devalued rapidly against the black market rate since late 2011, doing this kind of thing is a huge waste of money. I put up a thread about arbitrage in Argentina and I've seen a few others since then. Argentina is volatile and you should check in on the best way to do things about a month before coming, there are Argentine members on this forum and it looks like a bunch of other people who are actively living here.

[Soma]

(10-21-2013 09:53 PM)portofmanteau Wrote:  

(10-21-2013 04:52 PM)Soma Wrote:  

Regarding getting US dollars: When I was living there you were able to buy dollars with a foreign credit card (and your passport) from the Banco Supervielle in Villa Freud, Palermo, i.e. it would be charged to your card as if you were purchasing a TV or anything else. That's what all the expats I knew used to do get get larger sums of money, for example, to pay their rent. Would be worth looking into on any active expat forums to see if you can still do that before deciding to bring in large amounts of cash.

Don't listen to anyone about currency issues or costs who hasn't been living here in the past year. Inflation is 30%. Currency/tax laws change on a monthly basis. The peso has devalued rapidly against the black market rate since late 2011, doing this kind of thing is a huge waste of money. I put up a thread about arbitrage in Argentina and I've seen a few others since then. Argentina is volatile and you should check in on the best way to do things about a month before coming, there are Argentine members on this forum and it looks like a bunch of other people who are actively living here.

Doing what kind of thing? I was explaining how it was possible to get US dollars from a local bank using your credit card. Nothing to do with pesos or devaluation.

[Mekorig]

(10-21-2013 06:49 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

I wonder what the locals in most cities would say when we tell them what our minimum budgets are for staying in their city lol.

By the way, I'm not calling anyone out but it brings flashbacks of friends earning 8K Mex Pesos (MXN) a month being shocked when I rented a place that costed 12K MXN.

Dont tell me? Really?

[portofmanteau]

(10-21-2013 09:56 PM)Soma Wrote:  

Doing what kind of thing? I was explaining how it was possible to get US dollars from a local bank using your credit card. Nothing to do with pesos or devaluation.

Gotcha, that ship has sailed.

[Duke Castile]

Alright, looks like Colombia until at least March.

I hope our argentine members are still active by then, I'll be shamelessly hitting you up for info

[Soma]

(10-22-2013 12:55 AM)Fisto Wrote:  

Alright, looks like Colombia until at least March.

Carnival in Barranquilla will be March 1-4 in 2014; if you're already in Colombia might as well stay for that.

[InternationPlayboy]

When I was traveling in Peru I met some German girls. They said buenos aires was pushing almost as expensive as Germany. They also mentioned inflation being astronomical.

[Mekorig]

(10-22-2013 12:55 AM)Fisto Wrote:  

Alright, looks like Colombia until at least March.

I hope our argentine members are still active by then, I'll be shamelessly hitting you up for info

Just ask or send PM Fisto.

BTW, the dollar just broke the 10 pesos barrier in the black market.