Why is Argentina Expensive for a traveler? I was reading about having dinner out every day for 5 US dollars and having the most fantastic time traveling in Argentina. Reality hit me hard in Buenos Aires. There is no such thing as cheap.
Why is Argentina Expensive for a Norwegian Student?
Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in and Oslo as one of the most expensive cities. Why is Argentina Expensive for a Norwegian student?
I should have been ready for this since I live in Oslo. No, I wasn’t. Why didn’t I do my research better, before traveling and studying in Argentina? I wanted to live in Buenos Aires, and I do not regret it. I Loved all the eating in Palermo, I enjoyed visiting Iguazu Falls, La Boca, and Mendoza, but it was not cheap but, neither crazy expensive either.
Read More:
7 Fabulous Things to Do in Buenos Aires
4 Great Saving Tips for Staying in Buenos Aires
Why is Argentina Expensive?
Government, Pesos, Corruption, Inflation & Blue Market & Blue Dollar (Black Market).
One of the main reasons, in my opinion, is the government in Argentina. They were the mafia (Christina Fernandez), and they did a lot of corruption, which pretty much destroys the pesos and the trust for the country’s currency. I´m not a finance person or anything. Coming from Norway, I´m shocked at how the government of Argentina is doing corruption on a significant scale. Hopefully, this will get better with the new president.
The Blue Market Do Not Exist in 2017
The fact that it exists a black market or a “blue market” for the pesos and it was a billion-dollar business is a fascinating concept. The whole country is an exciting concept in corruption. It is an expansive idea for a traveler and the people in Argentina.
Argentinean people will never know what the value of the money will be for the next week. That is a crazy concept to live by, but that is
When Living in Argentina:
You Learn to Live with Inflation
What a funny concept that from one week to another you maybe need 1/3 more money to get the same things for your daily living.
When I left the country, I was using double as much money when entering the country, but I was still buying the same food.
A crazy concept to live by but the Argentinians have to adopt the situation if not – they will get insane as individuals. That was what I did; adopt because this is the life for Argentinean people and persons living in Argentina either as a student, foreigner or a traveler. Prepare yourself for this way of life when being in Argentina because I don´t think it´s going to change for the next year.
Why is Argentina Expensive for the Norwegian Student is Another Aspects
It has more to do with not having my Norwegian salary in Argentina since I was there as a student and a traveler. I only had savings. If you are on Holiday, it will probably be more than okay to be in Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina. If you are traveling in Argentina on a budget, it will be more expensive than other places in South America.
Food is Expensive in Argentina
The food was and probably still is expensive. My mom asked me; how about the prices for wine? The wine is still cheap. I can’t eat wine for dinner, or could I? A bottle of wine is like 27 pesos! One thing that is way better than Norway, since a bottle of wine in Norway will cost 125 pesos. If you eat dinner at 23:00 Argentinean dinner time, you can skip breakfast the next day! Or eat only Medialunas for Breakfast, and you can save some money.
Save Money on Great Steaks
Another way to save money is to eat early at La Cabrera– Parilla, if you go between 7-8 PM get 40 % off the entire meal and your wine as well. If you are a budget traveler or a student like me, it´s the perfect deal. If you are a foreigner, It would probably be an ideal dinner time as well. Win-win. The food is fantastic!
10 Tasty Places to Eat in Palermo, Buenos Aires
I had sushi for 260 pesos it’s more than I pay for my sushi in Norway which coast 85 pesos. It was tasty sushi. I’m just saying it’s not cheap in Buenos Aires. Renting a room is from 400 to 600 US dollars in Palermo that is crazy, but okay. Great Location coast Great money in Buenos Aires as in any other city in the world.
Thanks for the wake-up call Buenos Aires. I like you, but you are expensive at the moment – 11.02.2015.
Do Not Take Money out of the ATM! (2015)
It is like putting money out of the window. If you are a traveler or student, look for other opportunities to get more value for your money: like the blue dollar market.
The Blue Dollar Marker is where you exchange American US dollars to pesos and get a higher rate of the pesos. Which is not the right way to end the problem of weak currency, but it will make it easier for you to stay longer in this beautiful country.
Because of the new government, the blue dollar market is gone. If you have dollars at least you will know that the value of the money will stay equal.
Every month: Hoping that the economy maybe is in a better favor for next month.
Why is Argentina Expansive in
2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 ?
Update – 27. November 2016
Why is Argentina expensive in November 2016? The blue market is
You can not take cash out of an ATM, or you can, but they will charge you 100 pesos for each transaction. If you take out 100 pesos, they will charge you 100 pesos for the transaction, which is insane. The highest amount you can withdraw from the ATM is 1000 pesos, which is still 10 % fee in 100 pesos.
My girl from London is telling that Buenos Aires is as expensive as London. Many of our Buenos Aires friends have returned to their home country because it was not possible anymore to say in Buenos Aires.
Update – 7. January 2016
My friends in Argentina tells me that the blue market is not active with the new government and that the official and the blue dollar rate is the same. You can take money out of the ATM and pay with credit cards (if the bank like your card).
Taking money out of the ATM is a revolution if you ask me. Maybe it’s time to go back.
Update – 25. January 2017
My friends in Argentina are struggling the inflation 40 % up, and life is hard for the people trying to make a living.
If you are going for a Holiday, you will be good but with a western salary. If you have noticed that flight tickets are crazy expensive, you should try to take a bus to either Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and fly out of these countries and back home.
Traveling in Argentina is extensive and flying out of Argentina is expensive. Do I love the country and the people? Yes. Will I want to go back? Yes.
The ATM has a crazy fee for taking out money. The best is to get a money transfer.
Booking.comWhy is Argentina Expensive in 2018?
It dosent matter anymore that you take money out of the ATM, now when the blue market is gone.
I traveled back to Argentina in May to visit Patagonia and Buenos Aires, what did I discover after three years of not being in the country? Well, Argentina is still complicated, the inflation still affects the Argentineans daily.
For a traveler, it is still expensive to travel around the country, eating and drinking is more or less like – Spain – Madrid in prices, with other words, a good dinner can be from around 10 to 20 US dollars, a wine bottle is approximately 4 US dollars in the supermarket.
If you are being on vacation traveling in Argentina, it should not be a problem with the money, but if you are backpacking other countries like Colombia will be cheaper in South America. There is always some way of saving money when traveling; it is just a matter of deciding where you want to save the money on.
4 Great Saving Tips for Staying in Buenos Aires
Nomadic Matt has a great blog post on:
10 Ways to Save Money in Argentina – The year 2016
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12 Comments
Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
As of October 2018, we are having lunch for 2 or 2.5 dollars. There are Chinese self-service takeaways where you can buy a kilo of food for little more than 200 pesos. A subway ticket in Buenos Aires is about 30 cents (dollars).
Yes, I was traveling alone in Argentina, did not have any problems with being a solo female traveler.
Is Argentina safe for lone-travel woman?
Thank you so much for your comment wit the view of living in Cordoba. I’m sad to hear how big the difference is between society. I was in Buenos Aires for almost 4 months, it was absurd to see how people just accepted the situation but if not they will just turn crazy. I do remember walking in the payment and stubble. There is no money to fix all the wholes in the payment the same goes for the economy (to many wholes). If people can take your iphone they will, do not make yourself a target for that. Buenos Aires did have a dark side, I was more on the other side, most of the time just positive happening.
Goverment, pesos , coruption also insecurity Pauline , having tried to live in Cordoba ( due to the fact that my ex wife brought my son here from Spain ) I was surprised at the attitude of the people and the amount I met who did not even like their fellow countrymen, massive divide between rich and poor and no respect for even the most basic laws i.e. stopping for a red traffic light or putting rubbish in a bin , it is a third world country with beggers and packs of stray dogs in the street , hour long ques to use the ATM machines .ifpeople can rip you off here they will
Hi Nick! I´m so glad to hear that you find it valuable for your travel planing. You should definitely go to Argentina it is an amazing country! 🙂 Just be aware that is maybe not going to be as cheap as you hoped for that is all. You will have a great time there 🙂
Hi!!
Thanks for the great update. I never been there to Argentina, But i was planning with my family to visit Argentina and nearby places. I love travelling and enjoy their cultures as well. Thanks for the information, it is very valuable for me. 🙂
Ivan, thank you for this great update!!! Yes cash is king in Argentina for real! I only lived in Buenos Aires, I actually could use ATM with my card. That is only in buenos Aires. I can see how that is a problem in South of Argentina. Thank you for sharing!
Travelling around Argentina before and after the collapse of the “Blue Dollar”, I think it is as expensive as before, the locals say maybe even more. As everybody was worried what is going to happen, some prices skyrocketed. Even for basic things, you pay maybe twice as much as you would in Chile.
As for your update – yes, it’s true that finally we can use our credit cards – but as always, there is a catch. They often do not work with foreign cards, especially the ATMs – many have ridiculously low limits, or they just don’t work with your VISA/Mastercard at all. This is true especially in the southern Argentina, where many travellers have problem finding an ATM that would accept their card. Same applies when paying with the card, but that mostly work (with our VISA abou 85% of the time, with Mastercard about 50%)
Thanks for your informative blog, I was too thinking of moving to BA.
Just small update from April 2016 🙂
Cheers, Ivan
Wedding Travellers
I dont do it true internet. Because I have Norwegian Currency, I haven’t found any that do exchange with them. So I had to go to Uruguay to get dollars in my hand.
Google “Argentina blue dollar”. That’s how you get 20-35% off of the prices you’re paying.