Im originally from Buenos Aires, my family moved up when I was young to Canada and I regularly go back. The thing is to say the summer isn’t hot is a bit misleading, it can be INCREDIBLY hot and humid in Buenos Aires
I'm a Brazilian from São Paulo, and I lived in the downtown area. It was so dangerous, and food was incredibly expensive, rent also out of control after pandemic. I moved to buenos aires last December, and I can say that I will not regret this. People say that economy in Brazil seems better than argentina's, but what we experience as citizens, is absolutely hopeless. Thousands of people living in tents on the street, smoking Crack all over downtown, police doing absolutely nothing when people got robbed, human feces on sidewalks and garbage everywhere. Buenos aires is a dream, compared to São Paulo.
Soy Argentina, me gusta Brasil y su gente, no conozco San Pablo, solo la ciudades más turísticas. Ciudad de Buenos Aires es administrado por el PRO ( partido del ex presidente Macri) hicieron obras de infraestructura como modernizar los desagües pluviales de los ríos entubados … eso impide que se inunde durante las temporadas de lluvias y otras obras que estaban postergadas por la corrupcion. AMBA por fuera de la Av. general Paz es lo mismo hay municipios bien administrados otros no tanto. Pero si es una ciudad tranquila y a la vez con mucha actividad , no te aburres nunca.
I am from and live in Colombia and I totally think Argentina is def a top destination for people to travel to. One of the best countries in this continent despite the crisis. Buenos Aires is a beautiful city.
@@asscrackistan if you do end up going there make sure you bring physical dollars. The official rate (controlled by the government) is very low and you’ll get those rates if you make payments using a debit/credit card. Whereas the rate you get on the streets is much higher and you’ll get probably 3 times as much pesos for each dollar you exchange. Only exchange a few dollars at the airport in case you need a cab, as that has the official exchange rate. Street exchanges will always give you a lot more for your buck.
@@LeonardoTH-cam8 Wow, really appreciate you for that! To be honest only after a small bit of research it seems to be a pretty sketchy country in LATAM to move to at the moment. Looking into other places like Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Mexico too. Unfortunately all the other countries are pretty difficult to get residences with for me
Finally, a travel blogger who gets to the damn point and doesn't hype shit up. Too many travel TH-camrs sell the glitz and glamour but I don't care about that trendy café near your hostel Susan. Give me the real scoop like where and what to avoid and how the city operates in real life.
The thing is. It's very different to visit as a tourist than as someone who wants to live for a short period of time in a country. Susan probably stayed for less that a week and that's great as an experience, but you don't get to know a country that way.
@@luislaborda4347 Nah, you should take precautions in any country. Especially as a tourist. There are always people that are gonna take advantage of your innocence as a tourist.
I like the Christian tradition of closing businesses on Sundays. I am old enough to remember when it was the case here in the United States. It gave everybody time off so they could go to church and gather with their families. It created a pause, a time for relaxation and contemplation before the start of another work week.
@@TalesFromTheRoad Sunday for argentinian's people is for sharing with parents and friends, stadiums, football soccer, parks, cafes, theaters, cinemas, bookers. Monday is working day, again.
im argentinian, and it is true some busines dont work on week ends, but you can do all using internet... you can find supermarkets, and restaurants and lot of shops open on weekends, just bank and government are closed on weekends
If Argentina fixed their economy, it would be the best country! I love staying here not only because of climate, nature, architecture but mostly because of that sense of freedom it gives. That's what I missed in my country of origin.
@@MbisonBalrog I think greater probles is that national currency is not convertable. For this reasony for Argentina it is harder to participate in global economy and payments within the country are very inefficient. Many people rely on cash to make their purchases, real estate deals are conducted in cash in USD which you can't get legally with fair rate. People can not save money in their national currency, instead they have to make operations that are time consuming, not always safe, not always legal. These problems repels investments from country (both domestic and foreign). Being tourist or other person with foreign income is more beneficial than being a local working in their country which is unfair. So, there cetrainly is something to fix.
@@MbisonBalrog that's true, infrastructure is great. I stay in Buenos Aires and notice efficient and very accessible public transport system. Medine, education and overall humal development are at high level. Overall they are doing better then one could expect by looking at GDP per capita country have now. But still poverty, lack of economical freedom and security are the issues.
I just returned from Buenos Aires from a wonderful 12 day trip. Update on using US credit cards, I got about 320 pesos to the dollar using Visa. Amex did not get that rate. Paying with 100 dollar bills resulted in even more discounts. I have mothing bad to say about my trip there. The weather, people, food, energy, tree-lined streets were just amazing.
It's not that we eat european food. Our great grandparents and previous generations moved here and brought their lifestyle with them. That is the reason. We, argentinians, don't like for us to be compared to other countries in latin america, each country and culture is different. saludos
Coincido con vos jackie. Me molesta y me.ofende que me.comparen con otros lugares. Somos argentina y punto y nada se parece a nosotros y nosotros a nadie
I like Argentina. this country is so beautiful, and the people are so friendly and they work hard, and another reason that made me like Argentina is that they are so good in football. they have lots of natural resources as well, but why is the economy of Argentina not good? who and what is causing this? i wish the best for Argentina. love from China.
Our economy has failed because of one political party: Peronism. Juan Domingo Peron and Evita has transformed Argentina from a developed country to a undeveloped one. They damaged us more than the two nuclear bombs to Japan. Cristina Fernandez, from their political party, is friend of Putin, Maduro and every dictatorship in the world. Hope we can be free from Cristina in the 2023 Elections.
@@federicoezequielchaves1644 definitely a part, but it definitely goes beyond that. Argentina is a unique country in that it's honestly very difficult to understand the country's economic situation without writing a book on it.
Reason: follow the money. Who is setting the exchange rate? Now you know. Argentina is the number one competitor to the USA in terms of agricultural produce. So....cripple your competitors.
Yeah Argentina really keeps that "family day" mentality about Sunday. Which in my opinion is great if you are native because you just grew up living along with that tradition. Cinemas and Shoppings are roughly the only thing open.
One of the things I missed the most is that chill out relax and have a life style that Argentina has... I hope outsiders never influence a change in that respect.
We compensate by staying open far later most every other day and I've heard other youtubers point it out. I thought it was crazy how even large cities in the US turn into ghost towns at about 18:00PM.
I think it's a good thing. And I don't think the sort of "nope, ya gotta work every single day and it's always rush rush rush" and anti-Christian (let's be honest, that's part of it too) mentality should be adopted in Argentina.
I have a dental office in Buenos Aires and I have a lot of patients who are tourists. That happens because usually dentistry is very expensive in US Canada or Europe so tourists can do treatments here that would be very difficult to afford in their countrys like implants or crowns. For example I use Straumann implants (they are from Switzerland 🇨🇭) wich in my opinion are the best, so it doesn’t mean that because is cheaper than another country’s it’s a cheap treatment it self. So if you ever need anything don’t hesitate in sending me a message 😊🦷
Wow, I believe those are the same implants used at my previous job, at a dental office in Beverly Hills (an upscale area of Los Angeles). You clearly take a lot of pride in your work and standards. Wishing you a busy clinic for the rest of the year 🤞🏼
Really good vlog! I was born in Buenos Aires, and i can say you explained things that locals struggle to explain to foreigners in a really simple way. If you are a local and you have been living in the city for a long time, the public transport (especially the bus) can take you to almost any place in the city and its outskirts. It only takes time to get to know the path that makes each bus line. Unfortunately if you didnt like that a lot of places are closed on sundays, it is much worse in the rest of the country. In small cities in another provinces everything, and i mean EVERYTHING is closed except some restaurants
Yo estoy planeando visitar Buenos Aires y algunas otras ciudades de Argentina así que cualquier sugerencia o recomendación será bienvenida. Saludos desde México.
The "blue dollar" (unofficial rate) right now is approximately $300 Pesos to $1 USD. The bank (and credit cards) exchange is $139 Pesos. YES! Absolutely crazy! Also, people usually take a BUS (plush seats - way better than Greyhound) almost everywhere. Flying to another city is too expensive for locals.
One would think so, but bus prices are almost always more expensive than flights now...plus they're still not even serving water when you travel by bus
@@SoyViajeroMundial yup, you could also use crypto and get a slightly better rate but you'd need a local bank account so I don't think it's worth the inconvenience (specially if you're a US Person since no bank in the world would open an account for you). Moneygram is another option!
Help! My wife and I from Seattle fly January 26, 2023, to Buenos Aires and spend a few days visiting. Then our cruise leaves from BA and returns there. Is it safe to carry hundreds in small bills? If we use our BOA debit card, can we get a good exchange rate at a cash station? Any suggestions? 😵💫 Thanks!
How do people survive? I read that Argentina Poverty level is 45 percent and inflation is off the roof. It's seem the rich are the only ones getting everything. I am happy that Messi won for the poor people in Argentina who have nothing. Sad.
una cosa es la ciudad de buenos aires y el resto de las provincias, hay mucha diferencia economica , de hecho el dinero de la ciudad de buenos aires es robado del resto de las provincias
Crime wise Buenos aires has around the same murder rate than toronto in Canadá. It feel quite safe in general even at night with people running on the parks and family up with kids until late. I have been living here already for 3 years. Pretty cool city and really safe overall. If you are looking a very latin american experience i will say to look other place, in Buenos Aires mostly people look, dress, eat and behave very similar to european. Still they have some spark that make them more enjoyable. Btw womans are so pretty in Argentina. I came for the good life standard and very hight IDH, and low price and stay for a woman 🙂
I think a lot of things they say about people stealing your phone or backpack are overstated. We saw people all over the place with their cellphones out but even the men wear cross-body bags or backpacks. I never felt in danger but then again, we stayed pretty much in the touristic areas.
@@barkingbandicoot 0.89 hdi, is basically the human development index. How well developed it is. Education, health, life expentancy, securrity, etc etc. I'm a programmer, i'm fluent in spanish but my work is 50% in english and 50% spanish.
Another thing, at the risk of not being politically correct, is that if you have a lighter complexion and just look more white European you don't stick out like a foreigner in Argentina the way you will in most Latin American countries - apart from Brazil which is the most ethnically diverse and you could be a local no matter what you look like.
En Argentina hay mucha gente blanca la mayoría es descendiente de italianos, españoles y alemanes etc. Si puede ser que se note cuando uno es extranjero, hay que cuidarse como cualquier pais. Sin embargo ARG es el país seguro en Latinoamérica, en la provincia de Buenos Aires y otras provincias es bastante tranquilo y más seguro
I'd like to thank the poster of this video plus all the folks who wrote comments for all the very valuable information which will be very helpful for our upcoming trip to Argentina. I cut and pasted a lot of the comments into one long document I can refer to for getting money, apartments, getting around, weather, etc. etc.
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Thank you for a wonderful explanation of BA … I am moving to BA and would like to know how I could speak/re t with you… I need this line of communication…is there another why I can call all to you?… thank you… Dan Brennan
I'm looking at being a digital nomad living there, toughest thing will be learning Spanish. The locals speak so fast it's going to take some time to be able to follow what is said lol.
Updates to "cons" ... Transportation around the country is problematic, but I've always been impressed with the capital itself. Traffic isn't too bad compared to other LatAm cities (Santiago, for example, is a nightmare) and everything generally keeps moving. And if you include buses into public transport, I almost never have to take more than one ride (bus or subway) to get anywhere in the capital. And public transport is cheap. The level of English here is the best in South America, especially among the younger people (under 30), who have to learn it in school. Even the checkout assistants in supermarkets often speak some English. Argentine Spanish can be problematic as they have a lot of their own slang and vocabulary exclusive to Argentina. "Sleepy Sundays" is like most European countries (I'm European, so it's very comfortable), and it's something I've found in most other LatAm countries. The credit card problem has recently been fixed (apparently!). The government wants tourist dollars so is allowing people with foreign registered credit cards to pay for things at the parallel rate.
It's not exactly the same as the parallel rate. It's a better option than the official dollar, but it's still worse than the "blue" one. We have like 5 types of dollars nowadays. We have a page called "dolarhoy" that shows all the exchange rates lol
It was really interesting to see your point of view. I was born here in Buenos Aires and I'm leaving. This country has a lot of good things and I love it but the economy and politics are nightmares.
@@MbisonBalrog Yeah Macri endeudo el pais con el FMI en dolares, ahora el problema de convertibilidad, ademas en 2001 le robaron los dolares a los Argentinos de los bancos, es un pais sin confianza economica.
@@MbisonBalrog Because Argentina is not a poor country in general. Yes, we are in the line of the third world, we have enormous inflation and a lot of corrupt politicians, but the country's resources are vast. For example: here is the most fertile area on the planet, we have oil, minerals, good fishing and a large amount of fresh water reserves. What I am going for is that the country has had its high and low points, it was not always a poor country, even for a year Argentina was literally the best country in the world, being considered a world power (one of the reasons why that entered the G20). Argentina always had reserves from its golden years and had known how to handle crises very well, unfortunately those reserves are running out and that is why they have had to go to the IMF, but although the country is third world and has a disastrous economy, it is not Haiti, Do you understand what I mean? Xd
Thanks for the explanation of the parallel exchange rates. I'm looking to visit Buenos Aires soon and had heard bits and pieces about this issue but wasn'treally getting it. Your explanation was the clearest I've heard. Another great video...keep up the good work!
Just send the money to yourself via Western Union and use that cash. Do not use your own credit or debit cards because each dollar will be recognized at the official rate, whereas Western Union pays the CCL dollar, the exchange rate of selling shares of Argentina stock companies in the US which is a rate defined by the market.
@@MartinZanichelli yes but he can bring up to 10.000 dollars with him without paying any charge to western union or taxes in the airport, i think its better way
@@mohammedsharif2651 There's houses of "cambio". In there, you basically sell your dollars in what can be consider like the "black market". The official rate of dollars is something like 100 pesos, so if you have 1 dollar you have 100 pesos. But if you exchange it in the black market (which is really common don't worry for that name) you get almost 300 pesos, so if you bring cash and exchange it, you'll triple the amount of money.
@@leandromartin6145 Can I ask why is this difference ? Basically it seems Argentines prefer cash rather than transacting cash through cards. I wonder what are those reasons ? No belief in Banking system or something else like they are used to using cash and cash withdrawals from Banks are charged heavily ? Thanks in advance.
Excellent and informative video. As someone looking at potential retirement destinations, I found your video to be one of the best so far on Argentina. Thank you.
Keep in mind he said in the video that summers aren't too hot, well they can get above 40°C easily and it's very humid, so not very mild summers in general.
Having just gotten back from there, I would agree it would make a great retirement destination if you had an outside-Argentina source of income. The people were friendly and overall, the cost of living was pretty low. Like the guy below me mentions, do an exploratory visit first and see what different areas are like to see which one suits you best lifestyle and climate wise. Argentine Spanish is different from Mexican or Spain Spanish and takes some getting used to.
Most of the things that we Argentines use are open on Sundays, even in small cities, bank hours are annoying but most of us are not interested in things like Wester Union, the fact that few speak English can be a disadvantage for us tourists, but it is the same thing that happens to us Argentines if we travel to a country that does not speak Spanish.
I was a Mormon missionary in Buenos Aires 1987-1989. I visited again in 1996. Buenos Aires absolutely captivated me, it was so exotic and strange with beautiful women and food and the bustle and scale of the city almost overwhelming. I remember walking the streets and seeing tall, blond or brunette women with European features, green eyes, blue eyes, just stunning. Also in the summer many women wore shorty shorts and with all the walking everyone does, everyone's legs were toned and fit. It was just too much eye candy. When I first arrived, they used the Austral. It had an exchange rate of 1:1 which did not last long. I remember buying full steak meals that cost about $2.00. Another vivid memory was watching a coup unfold on T.V. with tank battles and dead soldiers. As inflation worsened crime intensified and almost daily there were shootouts and robberies on the collectivos (buses). Despite this, as the author notes, the city itself felt very safe, even at night. The people of Argentina were so fantastic, but for the working class, there was a sense of hopelessness as jobs paid very little and inflation ravaged any chance at getting ahead. That sense of hopelessness started to seep into my consciousness and it made me very sad for the Argentine people. I lived in B.A before the era of household computers, the internet or cell phones. Walking Buenos Aires there were these used book stores everywhere, cinemas and in many areas it felt like a time warp to the 1940s, with old historic and vintage buses and automobiles. One of my favorite pastimes was going to the bootleg cassette music stores (remember cassette tapes) and buying crappy sounding bootleg music for .50 cents to a dollar. Buenos Aires had a lot of English Ska that I loved. Buenos Aires today is not much like I experienced it, but I thought I would share memories from the past.
At least 3 huge Mormon churches opened in the suburbs surrounding Buenos Aires, one of them even has a basketball court and a complete athletics track field, so I guess the missions where successful.
It was great reading you. I know the Church of Jesus christ since some months ago, amazing people. I'm from Buenos Aires province, hope you come back soon, always welcome to this country, you are an argentine more
Living in Buenos Aires for those who work and paid in US Dollar is cheap because you can change your money with blue dollars. But because of its high inflation rates, as per October is more than 70%, prices are climbing up, and this is not helping. Generally in CABA, it is safe although we must always be aware of pick pocketers. I agree with the weather. It's not too cold or too hot, but definitely have strong wind. Never use your Argentina credit card outside the country. The tax is hilarious. If you like going to cafes, BA has plenty of good ones with awesome interior and ambience, but basically they sale the same stuffs : coffees and medialuna. Learn Spanish. I agree. Not many people here speaks English. I travel to many countries, but this is the one country where I feel people judge me for not able to speak the local language. I have been living in BA for 7 months now, one thing that I notice is people here are somewhat in relaxed mood. Generally nice people but slow in responding your request, let say if you have problems with your apartment, heater, and so on. If you think of buying a car, think again, because the price is getting higher and higher, and the insurance as well. I find the public transport ok though. All in all, with its ups and downs, BA is a beautiful and culturally diverse city.
“I travel to many countries, but this is the one country where I feel people judge me for not able to speak the local language.” IME this is particularly true of Buenos Aires itself. I used to live in Rosario. After about 1 year living there I needed to travel to BsAs to retrieve a package that had been held up in customs over some weird misunderstanding. The lady in the customs office made numerous passive aggressive and rude comments about “hating when people come to this country and can’t speak the language.” My Spanish wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough that there was no reason for her to comment. When I got back to Rosario I was talking to my girlfriend and her family about my trip (in Spanish mind you), and when I told them about this lady they all shook their heads and said that’s just how Porteños can be sometimes. Never had a single negative comment about language issues in all of Argentina outside of BsAs.
I think the food is the best I've had...did you have "facturas" at the bakery? sandwiches the miga? BBQ? Italian food?! Even the salads taste amazing there.
los domingos son mas len tos pero lo unico que no esta abierto son algunos negocios , bancos y estado... anda a algunas ciudaddes europeas e incluso norteamericanas donde no encontras nada abierto luego de las 19 ... me paso en 2008 ... menos mal que llevaba unas galletitas en la cartera hahaha
Guys hi, just wanted to clarify a recent change about the credit card exchange. Now, when a tourist uses VISA access to a very similar exchange rate called DOLAR TURISTA, it's very close to DOLAR BLUE. Soon it will be available to MasterCard, but just VISA for now.
My wife & I spent a few days in Buenos Aires just before the pandemic. It was lovely. And yeah, we felt very safe walking around, including at night. You mentioned the transportation and it reminded me of how frustrating I found the lack of good inter city and international trains. I know there's political and historic reasons for that (England!), but it's still frustrating. We were there in the middle of the summer, so we didn't ride the subway, which we've heard from multiple people can be beastly hot. I enjoyed it quite a bit and would love to go back and spend more time. But it's a LONG flight. We can be in Europe in half the time.
Great essential points about a great city -particularly in re geographic isolation and economic uncertainty. Aparte de esos factores, me encanta la ciudad. Aprender Español es primordial.
I'm from Argentina and I think overall this vieo is pretty accurate. My only question is why the mexican music? No tango or anything else available? XD Good job!
As an American having lived in Argentina for one year 2023, I agree with most pros and would add public transportation is fantastic and cheap, wifi is cheap, airbnb cheaper than most European countries. Naturally depends on needs. Cons: food expensive and limited choices. Shopping mall clothes/shoes, etc. same as US.. expensive. Real estate expensive and form of payment Only Dollar. Taxis will rob you every chance they get. Gorgeous and safe city though, definitely a must see!! Take advantage of Free City Tours. Buy peso black market while still allowed.
I lived in Buenos Aires Argentina for nearly 10 years and this video had a lot of correct and valuable information but one thing for sure never use the ATM system in Argentina the fees are high and the amount of money you can withdraw is very limited. And also if you travel a little outside of Buenos Aires you will see a totally different side of Argentina take a look at the neighborhood of Once for example.
Se puede retirar hasta 80 mil pesos en los cajeros por dia Pero la el uso del dinero en efectivo es innecesario podes pagar con QR desde el cel o con tarjeta de debito se hace mas comodo. El barrio de once mejoro mucho desde que sacaron a todos los vendedores ambulantes y hay mucho mas control policial
@@lifeinyellow vivir durante 10 años en Argentina y pensar que Once está un poco afuera de microcentro es un pensamiento muuuuuuuy de turista o de un boludo total, lejos de microcentro son lugares como Mataderos, Devoto, Nuñez que incluso están dentro de capital federal. Muy típico de elitista no querer poner un pie en provincia de Buenos Aires si no es para ir a la playa o a un country. Y si el tipo dice que vivió 10 años en el país pero piensa que Once está "viajando un poco afuera de Buenos Aires" es porque fueron 10 años de vivir en su zona de confort en las que no hacía ni 5 cuadras de su departamento, no hay forma de justificar esa barbaridad, Palermo que es un barrio cheto y muy acomodado está más lejos del centro que Once y seguís estando en la zona de turista. No me habría reído del tipo si en lugar de Once decía Hurlingham, La Ferrere, Tigre o cualquier otro lugar bien lejos que siga estando en el AMBA. Si no sos capaz de moverte a más de 1 hora de viaje de la plaza de mayo en bondi o auto es porque no sabes lo que es alejarse del centro.
@@AstaReBasado Claro, me hizo reír el loco nombrando Once como las afueras de Bs As, le nombras Tigre y piensa que está en otra provincia masomenos jajsjj
10:30 minutes of the video: Now that we're use to everything being open on Sunday's it's very strange to deal with. I'm old enough to remember when in the west most everything was closed on Sundays and in some ways I don't think it was a bad thing. I remember if something had to be done and you knew the business was closed on Sundays then we would just do it before Sunday. In many way's it's just made us put things off that extra day.
the thing is, honestly i'm surprised he said restaurants and cafes were closed on sundays? because that's 100% not true, specially in BA. smaller comercial stores, convenience stores, green grocers, family owned businesses? sure, can happen. places to eat? there's just no way. i live here, and i've never seen a food establishment closed on a weekend, because that's when they get the most business also, i'd add that these days it's not related to religion (as argentina, and specially BA, are trending more and more towards secularism), but with the fact we're not obsessed with work like north american culture is
sundays it's not a christian tradition in Argentina but a Legal Right for workers, if they want to put you to work they have to pay double, many people have long hours to go to work every day, after the isolation due to the pandemic has changed but before the regular closing time was 8 pm for everything, shoppings at 10, restaurants around midnight or even 2 am, av corrientes 24 hs open, supermarkets at 10, others at 00:00hs, put 2 extra hours to get home and for sure you need at least one day for you and try to have a life, a family, friends, or get some sleep, it´s a workers right by law, the same law that stablished 8 hs shift per day, 2 weeks paid vacation, 1 month salary per year worked and medical leave paid. Lo digo de onda.
i think the weather in Argentina appeals to me for a latin american nation. countries like Ecuador or Peru or Costa Rica can have high humidity. i hate humidity, so Argentina sounds great to me. if it has mild winters, then excellent!
Excellent vlog! I have spent 5 months in BA and still have some friends there that I stay in touch with. Your pros and cons lists are spot on!!! I have also been to Medellin for 2 months right before the pandemic. You like BA or Medellin better? Where else would you recommend to take an extended visit?
I lived for 2 years in Medellin and I live in Argentina. Medellin is fantastic. Depends what you want. Perfect weather year around and very friendly people in Medellin. BA on the other had is a world city with a lot more things to do and to see, but not as safe. If I had to chose I would live in Medellin. Now I live in Mendoza which is also a great city.
We are an American family with two young kids and we all know very little Spanish. Do you think Argentina would be a good move for us? Thoughts on moving to BA vs further south/rural given our situation?
My only visit was in august 1980 when the currency was tremendously overvalued versus the dollar. With all its financial crises as long as one has access to the dollar or euro there is some stability.
Interesting how they regulate their public transportation. Taxi drivers not ripping off people. If you go to Las Vegas even New Orleans those taxi's are just short of robbing you at gun point with their fares.
Use Uber and know in advance how much you are being charged. While one guy dumped us off far from our actual destination, all the other drivers were courteous and respectful, even with language issues.
You are not "exploiting" the economy in any way by spending your money there, how could you think that? The exchange rate is super favorable because the economy lacks dollars, by spending yours there you are actually helping, never mind supporting local businesses. Tourism is a huge win win.
Actually, they are trying to institute a virtual nomad type of visa for folks who like to stay longer in Argentina while working online. Foreigners are bringing their dollars, Euros and other currency which actually gives a boost to their economy. Making it easier to stay longer will insure the dollars continue to flow.
Indeed, and all the foreigners coming with their tourism dollars boosts their economy. Seems like just about everyone works in some aspects of tourism.
Thanks for the great insight. I always wanted to spend some time in Argentina to experience life in the south & western hemisphere. Not sure about the investment though -- Argentina seems financially unstable for the last half-century, it is good that the people's life seems to be quite normal.
Yeah, we are hungry for investments but have no guarantees. We are a lovely tourist place though. The south has snowy mountains, the north has colorful deserts and mountains and great rivers and lakes and our biggest cities are beautiful. Try not to look under the rocks though, it can be dangerous.
Thanks, that's interesting, and BA is on my bucket list. One minor point: early in the video I think you refer to the parallel rate as the same as the official (bad) rate. In my experience (eg in the Dominican Republic), normally the parallel rate refers to the unofficial and 'good' rate. Referring to visitors' perspective of course!
Back when I traveled and stayed in the city I could agree wirh everything you said except for it being safe and sleepy on Sundays. In tourism season it wasn't so safe at nights for tourists and pickpocketing was very common. As for Sundays I recall major restaurants and cafes were open plus some attractions like San Telmo market. Overall the city is cool interesting and has some beautiful spots
I like all the pros, they make me appreciate living in Bs As. Regarding the first con, the rate for using the credit card now is almost the same you get with cash.
En cuanto a gastronomía, tendrías que mencionar que la parrilla Don Julio fue premiada como uno de los 15 mejores restaurantes del mundo, otra parrilla, La Cabrera también es excelente. Visitar Buenos Aires y no ir a una buena parrilla, es perder una interesante experiencia culinaria ... Que estás bien!, saludos 🙂
I had a great time in Buenos Aires. I'm Mexican American and I always had a negative perception of Argentineans. In Latin American culture, Argentineans have a reputation of being arrogant and insufferable. As a kid watching Hispanic Tv, I was inundated with these fake stereotypes of Argentinean people. But what I experienced there in Buenos, was the complete opposite. When I spoke Spanish, they always asked me if I was from Mexico, but they would do it with a surprising curiosity. So I would answer that my parents are Mexican, but I never lived in Mexico, however I'm ethnically Mexican. They made me feel like my accent was sort of cool. So everywhere I went, people were so kind and tell me how much they love my culture. Anyhow, go to Argentina and have a great time. Great food, great people, cheap prices and get treated very well.
I just came back from Argentina. The exchange rate from the bank at that time is $1 USD to $255 AR and the Black Market Rate is $485. Unbelievable how bad the value of the pesos has dropped.
Very nice wrap-up of what is going on here! Just my 2 cents…I know ARG 18 years and have lived here 12. Unles you are a MONSTER IN CASTELLANO you are going to have troubles if you stay longer and if you do not have Family here. Bank accounts, renting, buying a house, buying a car, obtaining cash etc.etc. is just not easy in my experience. As soon as I open my mouth they know I am a foreigner of course and so the hunt for US Dollars is on. My wife does all the business chores here. She is a local. We are way out in the country which is much easier than BS AS. So for all those wanting to move here, be sure you know what you are getting into. Not as easy as it seems on the surface.
I don't think there is a place in the world that is easy to move to. There are always pros and cons to every destination and one often trades one set of problems for another.
It is safe? If you walk around talking on your cell phone, they will snatch from you, especially an iphone. The weather doesn’t get too hot or too cold? Summers are humid and get up to 85 to 90 degrees, the winters gets down to 20 and sometimes 10 degrees Fahrenheit.That is not very hot and cold? As an American you will pay extra for everything especially rent because they know you come from a rich country. That is true for anywhere in Latin America.
it's very cheap here, but also just so you know, Mendoza is even cheaper if you want to move temporarily and enjoy the mountains and even visit chile which is also beautiful.
Right on report. For the most part. The segment on transportation was not very clear. Is traffic in the city the problem? Not so much. Compared to let's say American cities or Bogota or Sao Paulo, traffic is BA is a breeze. Was the complain about the lack of day trips from BA? Or the distance to Cordoba or Mendoza? Or the air fares? Well, Argentina is a large country. But major and not so major cities are very well connected by air, if not with each other, at least with BA. And fares, if paid in cash (which I agree, is a pain) are OK. Roads are fine too. Of course it's not the US freeway system. BTW, car rentals are expensive and a subject of another video perhaps? Anyways, good report. As the first video I checked on this channel, I wanted to see one about a place I know well, just to see how good this guy is, and he passed the test :)
we have been three times, going back to 2008. I don't think the statement about domestic us credit cards is accurate in all cases. I observed this once, but when I got a zero fee international card i never got effected that way.
Can you find cheap or inexpensive Hostel’s In Buenos Aires. If I contacted my Airbnb host, couldn’t I just meet them in person and pay them in cash for a whole month?. 👍🏻😊
you can find cheap hostels in BA but I don't think you can book in advance without paying a lot more than it should be, so you must come here and talk to the owner in-person to pay for the whole month (if you are staying for a month for example) and they could even gave you a discount if you stay for a long time.... but this may be a risky move as you can find the hostel you were expecting to live in fully booked and should search for another one on the moment
Want personalized travel consulting for you next trip to Argentina or anywhere else in the world? Book me here: www.tastesfromtheroad.com/about-5
@@TalesFromTheRoad
Excuse me, on 1:47, but Argentina is most definitely in _The West._
West/Western ≠ Anglo-Saxon countries.
Im originally from Buenos Aires, my family moved up when I was young to Canada and I regularly go back. The thing is to say the summer isn’t hot is a bit misleading, it can be INCREDIBLY hot and humid in Buenos Aires
Maybe it's hot relative to Canada?
Doesn't last long though. I loved the four season!!
@@nahuelcassullodiaz4938 I have never met an Argentinian in Canada. I hope to !
I'm a Brazilian from São Paulo, and I lived in the downtown area. It was so dangerous, and food was incredibly expensive, rent also out of control after pandemic. I moved to buenos aires last December, and I can say that I will not regret this. People say that economy in Brazil seems better than argentina's, but what we experience as citizens, is absolutely hopeless. Thousands of people living in tents on the street, smoking Crack all over downtown, police doing absolutely nothing when people got robbed, human feces on sidewalks and garbage everywhere. Buenos aires is a dream, compared to São Paulo.
Só mais o meu Brasil
I lived in Sao Paulo. It is a nightmare. Buenos aires by comparison, is a paradise.
Soy Argentina, me gusta Brasil y su gente, no conozco San Pablo, solo la ciudades más turísticas. Ciudad de Buenos Aires es administrado por el PRO ( partido del ex presidente Macri) hicieron obras de infraestructura como modernizar los desagües pluviales de los ríos entubados … eso impide que se inunde durante las temporadas de lluvias y otras obras que estaban postergadas por la corrupcion. AMBA por fuera de la Av. general Paz es lo mismo hay municipios bien administrados otros no tanto. Pero si es una ciudad tranquila y a la vez con mucha actividad , no te aburres nunca.
That sounds exactly like America
@@CrystalHotSauce1 Sounds like New York City 😂😂
I am from and live in Colombia and I totally think Argentina is def a top destination for people to travel to. One of the best countries in this continent despite the crisis. Buenos Aires is a beautiful city.
What crisis are you refering to?
@@asscrackistan their currency is experiencing heavy inflation.
@@LeonardoTH-cam8 Thank you for that info!
@@asscrackistan if you do end up going there make sure you bring physical dollars. The official rate (controlled by the government) is very low and you’ll get those rates if you make payments using a debit/credit card. Whereas the rate you get on the streets is much higher and you’ll get probably 3 times as much pesos for each dollar you exchange. Only exchange a few dollars at the airport in case you need a cab, as that has the official exchange rate. Street exchanges will always give you a lot more for your buck.
@@LeonardoTH-cam8 Wow, really appreciate you for that!
To be honest only after a small bit of research it seems to be a pretty sketchy country in LATAM to move to at the moment.
Looking into other places like Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Mexico too. Unfortunately all the other countries are pretty difficult to get residences with for me
Finally, a travel blogger who gets to the damn point and doesn't hype shit up. Too many travel TH-camrs sell the glitz and glamour but I don't care about that trendy café near your hostel Susan. Give me the real scoop like where and what to avoid and how the city operates in real life.
The thing is. It's very different to visit as a tourist than as someone who wants to live for a short period of time in a country. Susan probably stayed for less that a week and that's great as an experience, but you don't get to know a country that way.
smh Susan sure loves that cafe
What's the"damn point" in your opinion?
@@tintillor If the important thing when you are going abroad is where and what to avoid, maybe the important thing for others is to avoid you...
@@luislaborda4347 Nah, you should take precautions in any country. Especially as a tourist. There are always people that are gonna take advantage of your innocence as a tourist.
I like the Christian tradition of closing businesses on Sundays. I am old enough to remember when it was the case here in the United States. It gave everybody time off so they could go to church and gather with their families. It created a pause, a time for relaxation and contemplation before the start of another work week.
I agree, but still find it annoying since Sundays are one of the only days off
@@TalesFromTheRoad Sunday for argentinian's people is for sharing with parents and friends, stadiums, football soccer, parks, cafes, theaters, cinemas, bookers.
Monday is working day, again.
im argentinian, and it is true some busines dont work on week ends, but you can do all using internet... you can find supermarkets, and restaurants and lot of shops open on weekends, just bank and government are closed on weekends
@@luanahi837 but it is not true all is closed on week ends...
@@TalesFromTheRoad perhpas you need to know a little more this city....:) just banks and government don't work on week end...
If Argentina fixed their economy, it would be the best country! I love staying here not only because of climate, nature, architecture but mostly because of that sense of freedom it gives. That's what I missed in my country of origin.
There is nothing to fix. Everything looks nice. Inflation is just a number.
@@MbisonBalrog I think greater probles is that national currency is not convertable. For this reasony for Argentina it is harder to participate in global economy and payments within the country are very inefficient. Many people rely on cash to make their purchases, real estate deals are conducted in cash in USD which you can't get legally with fair rate. People can not save money in their national currency, instead they have to make operations that are time consuming, not always safe, not always legal. These problems repels investments from country (both domestic and foreign). Being tourist or other person with foreign income is more beneficial than being a local working in their country which is unfair. So, there cetrainly is something to fix.
@@vitaliiivanov9514 even still they become self reliant. It has done wonders for their infrastructure. It’s so clean and well built.
@@MbisonBalrog that's true, infrastructure is great. I stay in Buenos Aires and notice efficient and very accessible public transport system. Medine, education and overall humal development are at high level. Overall they are doing better then one could expect by looking at GDP per capita country have now. But still poverty, lack of economical freedom and security are the issues.
@@vitaliiivanov9514 I don’t see any poverty like the US. Where are the homeless?
The food is actually amazing, it’s the quality of the ingredients. Every where you go, it’s next level.
Completely disagree and total disappointment!! They do however have good empanadas. That's it!!
I just returned from Buenos Aires from a wonderful 12 day trip. Update on using US credit cards, I got about 320 pesos to the dollar using Visa. Amex did not get that rate. Paying with 100 dollar bills resulted in even more discounts. I have mothing bad to say about my trip there. The weather, people, food, energy, tree-lined streets were just amazing.
Now it's around 550 pesos.
I'd suggest not to think that you can pay in U$S ik every place you go. That only happens in tourist centric barrios.
@@tintillordo you mean not to expect to be able to pay with a credit card or usd cash?
It's not that we eat european food. Our great grandparents and previous generations moved here and brought their lifestyle with them. That is the reason. We, argentinians, don't like for us to be compared to other countries in latin america, each country and culture is different. saludos
Coincido con vos jackie. Me molesta y me.ofende que me.comparen con otros lugares. Somos argentina y punto y nada se parece a nosotros y nosotros a nadie
I like Argentina. this country is so beautiful, and the people are so friendly and they work hard, and another reason that made me like Argentina is that they are so good in football. they have lots of natural resources as well, but why is the economy of Argentina not good? who and what is causing this? i wish the best for Argentina. love from China.
The government is terrible, that's why the economy sucks.
Our economy has failed because of one political party: Peronism. Juan Domingo Peron and Evita has transformed Argentina from a developed country to a undeveloped one. They damaged us more than the two nuclear bombs to Japan. Cristina Fernandez, from their political party, is friend of Putin, Maduro and every dictatorship in the world.
Hope we can be free from Cristina in the 2023 Elections.
@@federicoezequielchaves1644 definitely a part, but it definitely goes beyond that. Argentina is a unique country in that it's honestly very difficult to understand the country's economic situation without writing a book on it.
The reason is simple. Politicians. There is a saying that says that when politicians sleep the country grows.
Reason: follow the money. Who is setting the exchange rate?
Now you know.
Argentina is the number one competitor to the USA in terms of agricultural produce. So....cripple your competitors.
Yeah Argentina really keeps that "family day" mentality about Sunday. Which in my opinion is great if you are native because you just grew up living along with that tradition. Cinemas and Shoppings are roughly the only thing open.
One of the things I missed the most is that chill out relax and have a life style that Argentina has... I hope outsiders never influence a change in that respect.
Restaurants, bars, supermarket, kioscos too.
no entiendo en otros países se trabaja domingo o qué
We compensate by staying open far later most every other day and I've heard other youtubers point it out.
I thought it was crazy how even large cities in the US turn into ghost towns at about 18:00PM.
I think it's a good thing. And I don't think the sort of "nope, ya gotta work every single day and it's always rush rush rush" and anti-Christian (let's be honest, that's part of it too) mentality should be adopted in Argentina.
I have a dental office in Buenos Aires and I have a lot of patients who are tourists. That happens because usually dentistry is very expensive in US Canada or Europe so tourists can do treatments here that would be very difficult to afford in their countrys like implants or crowns. For example I use Straumann implants (they are from Switzerland 🇨🇭) wich in my opinion are the best, so it doesn’t mean that because is cheaper than another country’s it’s a cheap treatment it self. So if you ever need anything don’t hesitate in sending me a message 😊🦷
Wow, I believe those are the same implants used at my previous job, at a dental office in Beverly Hills (an upscale area of Los Angeles). You clearly take a lot of pride in your work and standards. Wishing you a busy clinic for the rest of the year 🤞🏼
@@siiiiiuu7 thank you 💕
Ok
You have a website with prices and brands
@@eryc817hi eric, I’m sorry but not. I had to close my office and move out of argentina 😢😢
Really good vlog! I was born in Buenos Aires, and i can say you explained things that locals struggle to explain to foreigners in a really simple way. If you are a local and you have been living in the city for a long time, the public transport (especially the bus) can take you to almost any place in the city and its outskirts. It only takes time to get to know the path that makes each bus line. Unfortunately if you didnt like that a lot of places are closed on sundays, it is much worse in the rest of the country. In small cities in another provinces everything, and i mean EVERYTHING is closed except some restaurants
Yo estoy planeando visitar Buenos Aires y algunas otras ciudades de Argentina así que cualquier sugerencia o recomendación será bienvenida.
Saludos desde México.
Sorry for you born in that piece of sh.
@@eduardoacevedosalinas1740no Vayas te roban
The "blue dollar" (unofficial rate) right now is approximately $300 Pesos to $1 USD. The bank (and credit cards) exchange is $139 Pesos. YES! Absolutely crazy! Also, people usually take a BUS (plush seats - way better than Greyhound) almost everywhere. Flying to another city is too expensive for locals.
One would think so, but bus prices are almost always more expensive than flights now...plus they're still not even serving water when you travel by bus
So i'm thinking about visiting for a couple of months. Is the best plan to have $$ sent to me via WU in order to get the "blue dollar?"
@@SoyViajeroMundial yup, you could also use crypto and get a slightly better rate but you'd need a local bank account so I don't think it's worth the inconvenience (specially if you're a US Person since no bank in the world would open an account for you). Moneygram is another option!
Help! My wife and I from Seattle fly January 26, 2023, to Buenos Aires and spend a few days visiting. Then our cruise leaves from BA and returns there. Is it safe to carry hundreds in small bills? If we use our BOA debit card, can we get a good exchange rate at a cash station? Any suggestions? 😵💫 Thanks!
@@sockmonkey22 by that time foreign credit/debit cards should already be working with a MUCH better exchange rate, so almost no cash needed.
Buenos Aires é uma cidade muito linda!
Buenos Aires es una ciudad muy bonita.
How do people survive? I read that Argentina Poverty level is 45 percent and inflation is off the roof. It's seem the rich are the only ones getting everything. I am happy that Messi won for the poor people in Argentina who have nothing. Sad.
Buenos Aires je zelo lepo mesto.
Buenos Aires es simplemente hermosa. Al igual que toda la Argentina. Es un país magnífico, sus paisajes, su gente, su cultura. MAGNÍFICO PAÍS.
una cosa es la ciudad de buenos aires y el resto de las provincias, hay mucha diferencia economica , de hecho el dinero de la ciudad de buenos aires es robado del resto de las provincias
Crime wise Buenos aires has around the same murder rate than toronto in Canadá. It feel quite safe in general even at night with people running on the parks and family up with kids until late. I have been living here already for 3 years. Pretty cool city and really safe overall. If you are looking a very latin american experience i will say to look other place, in Buenos Aires mostly people look, dress, eat and behave very similar to european. Still they have some spark that make them more enjoyable. Btw womans are so pretty in Argentina. I came for the good life standard and very hight IDH, and low price and stay for a woman 🙂
I think a lot of things they say about people stealing your phone or backpack are overstated. We saw people all over the place with their cellphones out but even the men wear cross-body bags or backpacks. I never felt in danger but then again, we stayed pretty much in the touristic areas.
Basically paying a prostitute aren't you? 😂
What is "very hight IDH"? What do you do for work in BA? Are there opportunities for those who do not (yet) speak Spanish?
@@barkingbandicoot 0.89 hdi, is basically the human development index. How well developed it is. Education, health, life expentancy, securrity, etc etc. I'm a programmer, i'm fluent in spanish but my work is 50% in english and 50% spanish.
@@TheLAMARQUENET Ok. Thank you for the explanation and reply!
The "last" pro would be the public transport. Efficient. Regular. Cheap. And secure, also. ;)
It's good transport, except getting the SUBE card was such a pain, no kioskos had them. I found out there are production issues.
Another thing, at the risk of not being politically correct, is that if you have a lighter complexion and just look more white European you don't stick out like a foreigner in Argentina the way you will in most Latin American countries - apart from Brazil which is the most ethnically diverse and you could be a local no matter what you look like.
En Argentina hay mucha gente blanca la mayoría es descendiente de italianos, españoles y alemanes etc. Si puede ser que se note cuando uno es extranjero, hay que cuidarse como cualquier pais. Sin embargo ARG es el país seguro en Latinoamérica, en la provincia de Buenos Aires y otras provincias es bastante tranquilo y más seguro
Ahh good point here. Cool…
I'd like to thank the poster of this video plus all the folks who wrote comments for all the very valuable information which will be very helpful for our upcoming trip to Argentina. I cut and pasted a lot of the comments into one long document I can refer to for getting money, apartments, getting around, weather, etc. etc.
In light of the ongoing global economic crisis, it is crucial for everyone to prioritize investing in diverse sources of income that are not strongly reliant on the government. This includes exploring opportunities in stocks, gold, silver, and digital currencies. Despite the challenging economic situation, it remains a favorable time to consider these investments.
Very true, I find myself lucky enough exposed to money management at an early age. Worked full time when I was 19, purchased first home at 28, fast forward time... I'm 50 now, got laid off March 2020 amidst lockdown, a blessing in disguise. At once, I consulted an advisor to stay afloat and with subsequent investments, I'm only 15% short of $1m as of today.
'Jenny Pamogas Canaya is the lady's name. I first saw her on a goldman sachs' report, then on Smart Advisors, and immediately looked her up on the internet; it was the best decision I've made to stay afloat in these crazy times. She has been outstanding.
Investing = gambling. Or didn't you know?
Want to hear more about Argentinian history and life in the country? Check out my other video! th-cam.com/video/YuVWsCzd4Xs/w-d-xo.html
music mistake intro: caribean/mexi should be tango the Argentinean musical identity. Thank you
Thank you for a wonderful explanation of BA … I am moving to BA and would like to know how I could speak/re t with you… I need this line of communication…is there another why I can call all to you?… thank you… Dan Brennan
I do too!
Don't cry for me Argentina, hahaha
Interesting fact immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries do not learn English within the United States, their entire natural life.
Just got back from Argentina. Was there during the World Cup. Amazing experience. $1 to 310 Pesos at Western Union.
😱
I have opportunity to transfer my job to Argentina. Your video is really infomatic. Thanks
Thanks so much for watching
Ehh welcome friend 👍👍🇦🇷🤗..
I'm looking at being a digital nomad living there, toughest thing will be learning Spanish. The locals speak so fast it's going to take some time to be able to follow what is said lol.
Updates to "cons" ...
Transportation around the country is problematic, but I've always been impressed with the capital itself. Traffic isn't too bad compared to other LatAm cities (Santiago, for example, is a nightmare) and everything generally keeps moving. And if you include buses into public transport, I almost never have to take more than one ride (bus or subway) to get anywhere in the capital. And public transport is cheap.
The level of English here is the best in South America, especially among the younger people (under 30), who have to learn it in school. Even the checkout assistants in supermarkets often speak some English. Argentine Spanish can be problematic as they have a lot of their own slang and vocabulary exclusive to Argentina.
"Sleepy Sundays" is like most European countries (I'm European, so it's very comfortable), and it's something I've found in most other LatAm countries.
The credit card problem has recently been fixed (apparently!). The government wants tourist dollars so is allowing people with foreign registered credit cards to pay for things at the parallel rate.
It's not exactly the same as the parallel rate. It's a better option than the official dollar, but it's still worse than the "blue" one. We have like 5 types of dollars nowadays. We have a page called "dolarhoy" that shows all the exchange rates lol
How about biking around !? Any ebikes ?! Bike friendliness ?!
How about biking around !? Any ebikes ?! Bike friendliness ?!
It was really interesting to see your point of view. I was born here in Buenos Aires and I'm leaving. This country has a lot of good things and I love it but the economy and politics are nightmares.
Thanks for sharing
CAn you explain why everything looks so nice despite what people say about the economy?
You need to put in jail : Cristina Kirchner .. and many of your politicians...
@@MbisonBalrog Yeah Macri endeudo el pais con el FMI en dolares, ahora el problema de convertibilidad, ademas en 2001 le robaron los dolares a los Argentinos de los bancos, es un pais sin confianza economica.
@@MbisonBalrog Because Argentina is not a poor country in general. Yes, we are in the line of the third world, we have enormous inflation and a lot of corrupt politicians, but the country's resources are vast. For example: here is the most fertile area on the planet, we have oil, minerals, good fishing and a large amount of fresh water reserves.
What I am going for is that the country has had its high and low points, it was not always a poor country, even for a year Argentina was literally the best country in the world, being considered a world power (one of the reasons why that entered the G20).
Argentina always had reserves from its golden years and had known how to handle crises very well, unfortunately those reserves are running out and that is why they have had to go to the IMF, but although the country is third world and has a disastrous economy, it is not Haiti, Do you understand what I mean? Xd
Thanks for the explanation of the parallel exchange rates. I'm looking to visit Buenos Aires soon and had heard bits and pieces about this issue but wasn'treally getting it. Your explanation was the clearest I've heard. Another great video...keep up the good work!
Just send the money to yourself via Western Union and use that cash. Do not use your own credit or debit cards because each dollar will be recognized at the official rate, whereas Western Union pays the CCL dollar, the exchange rate of selling shares of Argentina stock companies in the US which is a rate defined by the market.
@@MartinZanichelli yes but he can bring up to 10.000 dollars with him without paying any charge to western union or taxes in the airport, i think its better way
@@fricob.4828 where do you change dollars to Argentinian pesos? Is there money exchange shops? Thanks.
@@mohammedsharif2651 There's houses of "cambio". In there, you basically sell your dollars in what can be consider like the "black market". The official rate of dollars is something like 100 pesos, so if you have 1 dollar you have 100 pesos. But if you exchange it in the black market (which is really common don't worry for that name) you get almost 300 pesos, so if you bring cash and exchange it, you'll triple the amount of money.
@@leandromartin6145 Can I ask why is this difference ? Basically it seems Argentines prefer cash rather than transacting cash through cards. I wonder what are those reasons ? No belief in Banking system or something else like they are used to using cash and cash withdrawals from Banks are charged heavily ? Thanks in advance.
Great summary of Argentina, very accurate in my opinion. Cheers from a porteño living in Ireland!
I really appreciated your video. I always wanted to know more about Buenos Aires and your video answered many of the questions I had
Excellent and informative video. As someone looking at potential retirement destinations, I found your video to be one of the best so far on Argentina. Thank you.
Take a look at Mar del Plata and Bariloche before you decide for Buenos Aires. Maybe you prefer one of those cities.
Keep in mind he said in the video that summers aren't too hot, well they can get above 40°C easily and it's very humid, so not very mild summers in general.
Having just gotten back from there, I would agree it would make a great retirement destination if you had an outside-Argentina source of income. The people were friendly and overall, the cost of living was pretty low. Like the guy below me mentions, do an exploratory visit first and see what different areas are like to see which one suits you best lifestyle and climate wise. Argentine Spanish is different from Mexican or Spain Spanish and takes some getting used to.
Most of the things that we Argentines use are open on Sundays, even in small cities, bank hours are annoying but most of us are not interested in things like Wester Union, the fact that few speak English can be a disadvantage for us tourists, but it is the same thing that happens to us Argentines if we travel to a country that does not speak Spanish.
I was a Mormon missionary in Buenos Aires 1987-1989. I visited again in 1996. Buenos Aires absolutely captivated me, it was so exotic and strange with beautiful women and food and the bustle and scale of the city almost overwhelming. I remember walking the streets and seeing tall, blond or brunette women with European features, green eyes, blue eyes, just stunning. Also in the summer many women wore shorty shorts and with all the walking everyone does, everyone's legs were toned and fit. It was just too much eye candy. When I first arrived, they used the Austral. It had an exchange rate of 1:1 which did not last long. I remember buying full steak meals that cost about $2.00. Another vivid memory was watching a coup unfold on T.V. with tank battles and dead soldiers. As inflation worsened crime intensified and almost daily there were shootouts and robberies on the collectivos (buses). Despite this, as the author notes, the city itself felt very safe, even at night. The people of Argentina were so fantastic, but for the working class, there was a sense of hopelessness as jobs paid very little and inflation ravaged any chance at getting ahead. That sense of hopelessness started to seep into my consciousness and it made me very sad for the Argentine people.
I lived in B.A before the era of household computers, the internet or cell phones. Walking Buenos Aires there were these used book stores everywhere, cinemas and in many areas it felt like a time warp to the 1940s, with old historic and vintage buses and automobiles. One of my favorite pastimes was going to the bootleg cassette music stores (remember cassette tapes) and buying crappy sounding bootleg music for .50 cents to a dollar. Buenos Aires had a lot of English Ska that I loved.
Buenos Aires today is not much like I experienced it, but I thought I would share memories from the past.
At least 3 huge Mormon churches opened in the suburbs surrounding Buenos Aires, one of them even has a basketball court and a complete athletics track field, so I guess the missions where successful.
Least racist mormon
The 90's were our second golden age. Then everything blew up lol.
It was great reading you. I know the Church of Jesus christ since some months ago, amazing people. I'm from Buenos Aires province, hope you come back soon, always welcome to this country, you are an argentine more
Real creepy review... why so fixated on the bodies of the women?
Living in Buenos Aires for those who work and paid in US Dollar is cheap because you can change your money with blue dollars. But because of its high inflation rates, as per October is more than 70%, prices are climbing up, and this is not helping.
Generally in CABA, it is safe although we must always be aware of pick pocketers. I agree with the weather. It's not too cold or too hot, but definitely have strong wind.
Never use your Argentina credit card outside the country. The tax is hilarious. If you like going to cafes, BA has plenty of good ones with awesome interior and ambience, but basically they sale the same stuffs : coffees and medialuna.
Learn Spanish. I agree. Not many people here speaks English. I travel to many countries, but this is the one country where I feel people judge me for not able to speak the local language.
I have been living in BA for 7 months now, one thing that I notice is people here are somewhat in relaxed mood. Generally nice people but slow in responding your request, let say if you have problems with your apartment, heater, and so on.
If you think of buying a car, think again, because the price is getting higher and higher, and the insurance as well. I find the public transport ok though.
All in all, with its ups and downs, BA is a beautiful and culturally diverse city.
Having a car in Buenos Aires city is asking for trouble in my opinion.
“I travel to many countries, but this is the one country where I feel people judge me for not able to speak the local language.”
IME this is particularly true of Buenos Aires itself. I used to live in Rosario. After about 1 year living there I needed to travel to BsAs to retrieve a package that had been held up in customs over some weird misunderstanding. The lady in the customs office made numerous passive aggressive and rude comments about “hating when people come to this country and can’t speak the language.” My Spanish wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough that there was no reason for her to comment. When I got back to Rosario I was talking to my girlfriend and her family about my trip (in Spanish mind you), and when I told them about this lady they all shook their heads and said that’s just how Porteños can be sometimes. Never had a single negative comment about language issues in all of Argentina outside of BsAs.
I think the food is the best I've had...did you have "facturas" at the bakery? sandwiches the miga? BBQ? Italian food?! Even the salads taste amazing there.
yeah, lots of carbohydrates. But try to get some protein for breakfast
Disagree. Food choices limited and expensive. Disappointment!!
Very well explained all throughout, from an Argentinian living in NYC.
11:00 y si... los domingos hay que descansar y cortar con la locura de la semana!
los domingos son mas len tos pero lo unico que no esta abierto son algunos negocios , bancos y estado... anda a algunas ciudaddes europeas e incluso norteamericanas donde no encontras nada abierto luego de las 19 ... me paso en 2008 ... menos mal que llevaba unas galletitas en la cartera hahaha
estoy de acuerdo acá con el compatriota. nada más lindo que un asado y sobremesa que ocupe todo el domingo.
ya le va a tomar el gusto, @Tales.
Guys hi, just wanted to clarify a recent change about the credit card exchange. Now, when a tourist uses VISA access to a very similar exchange rate called DOLAR TURISTA, it's very close to DOLAR BLUE. Soon it will be available to MasterCard, but just VISA for now.
Wow, this is very big news!
I love Buenos Aires ❤, the food and wine are amazing
My wife & I spent a few days in Buenos Aires just before the pandemic. It was lovely. And yeah, we felt very safe walking around, including at night.
You mentioned the transportation and it reminded me of how frustrating I found the lack of good inter city and international trains. I know there's political and historic reasons for that (England!), but it's still frustrating. We were there in the middle of the summer, so we didn't ride the subway, which we've heard from multiple people can be beastly hot.
I enjoyed it quite a bit and would love to go back and spend more time. But it's a LONG flight. We can be in Europe in half the time.
A very clear and concise video that gets right to the point.
Great video. Very insightful
Glad you think so!
ARGENTINA I LOVE YOU. GREETING FROM ARGENTINA.
I can't wait to visit this summer.
Great essential points about a great city -particularly in re geographic isolation and economic uncertainty. Aparte de esos factores, me encanta la ciudad. Aprender Español es primordial.
I'm from Argentina and I think overall this vieo is pretty accurate. My only question is why the mexican music? No tango or anything else available? XD Good job!
As an American having lived in Argentina for one year 2023, I agree with most pros and would add public transportation is fantastic and cheap, wifi is cheap, airbnb cheaper than most European countries. Naturally depends on needs. Cons: food expensive and limited choices. Shopping mall clothes/shoes, etc. same as US.. expensive. Real estate expensive and form of payment Only Dollar. Taxis will rob you every chance they get. Gorgeous and safe city though, definitely a must see!! Take advantage of Free City Tours. Buy peso black market while still allowed.
I lived in Buenos Aires Argentina for nearly 10 years and this video had a lot of correct and valuable information but one thing for sure never use the ATM system in Argentina the fees are high and the amount of money you can withdraw is very limited. And also if you travel a little outside of Buenos Aires you will see a totally different side of Argentina take a look at the neighborhood of Once for example.
Se puede retirar hasta 80 mil pesos en los cajeros por dia Pero la el uso del dinero en efectivo es innecesario podes pagar con QR desde el cel o con tarjeta de debito se hace mas comodo. El barrio de once mejoro mucho desde que sacaron a todos los vendedores ambulantes y hay mucho mas control policial
un poco afuera dice que está el barrio Once 😂si ustedes los turistas supieran lo que es irse lejos de la zona centrica de Buenos Aires...
@@AstaReBasado Dijo que vivió casi 10 años en Argentina, ya no es un turista.
@@lifeinyellow vivir durante 10 años en Argentina y pensar que Once está un poco afuera de microcentro es un pensamiento muuuuuuuy de turista o de un boludo total, lejos de microcentro son lugares como Mataderos, Devoto, Nuñez que incluso están dentro de capital federal. Muy típico de elitista no querer poner un pie en provincia de Buenos Aires si no es para ir a la playa o a un country.
Y si el tipo dice que vivió 10 años en el país pero piensa que Once está "viajando un poco afuera de Buenos Aires" es porque fueron 10 años de vivir en su zona de confort en las que no hacía ni 5 cuadras de su departamento, no hay forma de justificar esa barbaridad, Palermo que es un barrio cheto y muy acomodado está más lejos del centro que Once y seguís estando en la zona de turista.
No me habría reído del tipo si en lugar de Once decía Hurlingham, La Ferrere, Tigre o cualquier otro lugar bien lejos que siga estando en el AMBA. Si no sos capaz de moverte a más de 1 hora de viaje de la plaza de mayo en bondi o auto es porque no sabes lo que es alejarse del centro.
@@AstaReBasado Claro, me hizo reír el loco nombrando Once como las afueras de Bs As, le nombras Tigre y piensa que está en otra provincia masomenos jajsjj
Your videos are so informative and intelligent. Thank you for the intel on this city.
10:30 minutes of the video: Now that we're use to everything being open on Sunday's it's very strange to deal with. I'm old enough to remember when in the west most everything was closed on Sundays and in some ways I don't think it was a bad thing. I remember if something had to be done and you knew the business was closed on Sundays then we would just do it before Sunday. In many way's it's just made us put things off that extra day.
the thing is, honestly i'm surprised he said restaurants and cafes were closed on sundays? because that's 100% not true, specially in BA. smaller comercial stores, convenience stores, green grocers, family owned businesses? sure, can happen. places to eat? there's just no way. i live here, and i've never seen a food establishment closed on a weekend, because that's when they get the most business
also, i'd add that these days it's not related to religion (as argentina, and specially BA, are trending more and more towards secularism), but with the fact we're not obsessed with work like north american culture is
You may be right about that but for people just arriving in the city it can mean having no money or food due to no financial services open.
@@amywalker7515 that people could use his Credit card for at least once and it would still be cheaper than other places. Not a big deal.
I'm from northern Mexico and have a friend who is from Quilmes. Hope soon I could visit him and the beautiful Buenos Aires.
sundays it's not a christian tradition in Argentina but a Legal Right for workers, if they want to put you to work they have to pay double, many people have long hours to go to work every day, after the isolation due to the pandemic has changed but before the regular closing time was 8 pm for everything, shoppings at 10, restaurants around midnight or even 2 am, av corrientes 24 hs open, supermarkets at 10, others at 00:00hs, put 2 extra hours to get home and for sure you need at least one day for you and try to have a life, a family, friends, or get some sleep, it´s a workers right by law, the same law that stablished 8 hs shift per day, 2 weeks paid vacation, 1 month salary per year worked and medical leave paid. Lo digo de onda.
Very good video, clear tips and objective opinions. Buenos Aires is a great place to be.
i think the weather in Argentina appeals to me for a latin american nation. countries like Ecuador or Peru or Costa Rica can have high humidity. i hate humidity, so Argentina sounds great to me. if it has mild winters, then excellent!
Amazing video. Very comprehensive. Thank you!
Excellent vlog! I have spent 5 months in BA and still have some friends there that I stay in touch with. Your pros and cons lists are spot on!!!
I have also been to Medellin for 2 months right before the pandemic. You like BA or Medellin better? Where else would you recommend to take an extended visit?
BA for sure. Go for Bogota, loved that city.
BA for sure. Go for Bogota, loved that city.
@@TalesFromTheRoad never been to bogota but did spend 2 months in Medellin and loved the climate!
I lived for 2 years in Medellin and I live in Argentina. Medellin is fantastic. Depends what you want. Perfect weather year around and very friendly people in Medellin. BA on the other had is a world city with a lot more things to do and to see, but not as safe. If I had to chose I would live in Medellin. Now I live in Mendoza which is also a great city.
I am going to start learning spanish...hoping to visit argentina soon
Argentina is 25th in the world for people that know English, number 1 in all of Latin America.
8:30 una pequeña corrección; la ciudad de Buenos Aires tiene 3 millones de habitantes, la provincia de Buenos Aires tiene 15
saludos buen video!
We are an American family with two young kids and we all know very little Spanish. Do you think Argentina would be a good move for us? Thoughts on moving to BA vs further south/rural given our situation?
Excellent analysis man thank you for this information
My only visit was in august 1980 when the currency was tremendously overvalued versus the dollar. With all its financial crises as long as one has access to the dollar or euro there is some stability.
Buena opinión! Saludos desde Ituzaingó Buenos Aires!
Very intelligent and sensitive assessment - thanks!
I just got back a few days ago. The blue exchange rate was $1:$295. It was crazy.
Thank you for these practical and well thought out pros and cons. It was comprehensive and thorough.
How to send money to myself via Western Union was super helpful. Thanks!
Great content man! Very good assessment. Keep it up ❤🇦🇷
US and Canada are North, not West from Argentina.
They are northwest of Argentina
Just to clarify, No part of the US is directly north of Argentina.
Western is a culture not a direction.
West Civilization not west America.
Try move to Asia/Africa for a few years and u will get it.
le dicen west a occidente
Great talk mate, happy Christmas ⛄🎄, you opened my eyes 👁️ on the country this country at large.
Interesting how they regulate their public transportation. Taxi drivers not ripping off people. If you go to Las Vegas even New Orleans those taxi's are just short of robbing you at gun point with their fares.
Use Uber and know in advance how much you are being charged. While one guy dumped us off far from our actual destination, all the other drivers were courteous and respectful, even with language issues.
Great video, thanks for the info. Planning to spend few months there :-)
You are not "exploiting" the economy in any way by spending your money there, how could you think that?
The exchange rate is super favorable because the economy lacks dollars, by spending yours there you are actually helping, never mind supporting local businesses. Tourism is a huge win win.
Actually, they are trying to institute a virtual nomad type of visa for folks who like to stay longer in Argentina while working online. Foreigners are bringing their dollars, Euros and other currency which actually gives a boost to their economy. Making it easier to stay longer will insure the dollars continue to flow.
Yeah, the government looooooves people who earn dollars.
@@amywalker7515 Where could I read more on this?
Indeed, and all the foreigners coming with their tourism dollars boosts their economy. Seems like just about everyone works in some aspects of tourism.
Thank you very much for sharing, your observations are very interesting and useful
Beautiful country Argentina
Thanks for this video very helpful.
Thanks for visiting our country. I will suscribe
Hi
Ok but if you use a debit card at an ATM? Do you get the "bad" rate or the good one?
Thanks for the great insight. I always wanted to spend some time in Argentina to experience life in the south & western hemisphere. Not sure about the investment though -- Argentina seems financially unstable for the last half-century, it is good that the people's life seems to be quite normal.
Yeah, we are hungry for investments but have no guarantees.
We are a lovely tourist place though. The south has snowy mountains, the north has colorful deserts and mountains and great rivers and lakes and our biggest cities are beautiful. Try not to look under the rocks though, it can be dangerous.
Thanks, that's interesting, and BA is on my bucket list. One minor point: early in the video I think you refer to the parallel rate as the same as the official (bad) rate. In my experience (eg in the Dominican Republic), normally the parallel rate refers to the unofficial and 'good' rate. Referring to visitors' perspective of course!
Back when I traveled and stayed in the city I could agree wirh everything you said except for it being safe and sleepy on Sundays. In tourism season it wasn't so safe at nights for tourists and pickpocketing was very common. As for Sundays I recall major restaurants and cafes were open plus some attractions like San Telmo market. Overall the city is cool interesting and has some beautiful spots
I like all the pros, they make me appreciate living in Bs As.
Regarding the first con, the rate for using the credit card now is almost the same you get with cash.
Really?? That would be amazing.I'm going back next week
En cuanto a gastronomía, tendrías que mencionar que la parrilla Don Julio fue premiada como uno de los 15 mejores restaurantes del mundo, otra parrilla, La Cabrera también es excelente.
Visitar Buenos Aires y no ir a una buena parrilla, es perder una interesante experiencia culinaria ...
Que estás bien!, saludos 🙂
I had a great time in Buenos Aires. I'm Mexican American and I always had a negative perception of Argentineans. In Latin American culture, Argentineans have a reputation of being arrogant and insufferable. As a kid watching Hispanic Tv, I was inundated with these fake stereotypes of Argentinean people. But what I experienced there in Buenos, was the complete opposite. When I spoke Spanish, they always asked me if I was from Mexico, but they would do it with a surprising curiosity. So I would answer that my parents are Mexican, but I never lived in Mexico, however I'm ethnically Mexican. They made me feel like my accent was sort of cool. So everywhere I went, people were so kind and tell me how much they love my culture. Anyhow, go to Argentina and have a great time. Great food, great people, cheap prices and get treated very well.
it's not too hot in the summer?? where have you been hiding? in summer Buenos Aires is a living hell 🥵
We were there just a few days ago (around November 15th), It was 93 degrees F already, but most days before that were in the mid 70's.
Whats the humidity level like there ?
I just came back from Argentina. The exchange rate from the bank at that time is $1 USD to $255 AR and the Black Market Rate is $485. Unbelievable how bad the value of the pesos has dropped.
In December 2022. It was 300 on the underground rate
Very nice wrap-up of what is going on here! Just my 2 cents…I know ARG 18 years and have lived here 12. Unles you are a MONSTER IN CASTELLANO you are going to have troubles if you stay longer and if you do not have Family here.
Bank accounts, renting, buying a house, buying a car, obtaining cash etc.etc. is just not easy in my experience. As soon as I open my mouth they know I am a foreigner of course and so the hunt for US Dollars is on. My wife does all the business chores here. She is a local. We are way out in the country which is much easier than BS AS. So for all those wanting to move here, be sure you know what you are getting into. Not as easy as it seems on the surface.
I don't think there is a place in the world that is easy to move to. There are always pros and cons to every destination and one often trades one set of problems for another.
It is safe? If you walk around talking on your cell phone, they will snatch from you, especially an iphone. The weather doesn’t get too hot or too cold? Summers are humid and get up to 85 to 90 degrees, the winters gets down to 20 and sometimes 10 degrees Fahrenheit.That is not very hot and cold? As an American you will pay extra for everything especially rent because they know you come from a rich country. That is true for anywhere in Latin America.
1:44 That's because Argentina is a western country, a culture shaped by european inmigrants like the USA
Really informative video😊
Wrong MUSIC 🎵🎶🎵
Maybe there isn't enough Argentine music to choose from online.
@@amywalker7515 wha? Argentina has a very rich musical culture and tradition, online and in real life
Any foreign money spent in Argentina is not exploitation but extremely helpful to a struggling economy.
wow that was huge tip on the airbnb i was wondering why so expensive
it's very cheap here, but also just so you know, Mendoza is even cheaper if you want to move temporarily and enjoy the mountains and even visit chile which is also beautiful.
Nice review of my hometown, however Sats and Sundays you will find LOTS of restaurants opened in Palermo and many other neighborhoods! :)
Right on report. For the most part. The segment on transportation was not very clear. Is traffic in the city the problem? Not so much. Compared to let's say American cities or Bogota or Sao Paulo, traffic is BA is a breeze. Was the complain about the lack of day trips from BA? Or the distance to Cordoba or Mendoza? Or the air fares? Well, Argentina is a large country. But major and not so major cities are very well connected by air, if not with each other, at least with BA. And fares, if paid in cash (which I agree, is a pain) are OK. Roads are fine too. Of course it's not the US freeway system. BTW, car rentals are expensive and a subject of another video perhaps? Anyways, good report. As the first video I checked on this channel, I wanted to see one about a place I know well, just to see how good this guy is, and he passed the test :)
we have been three times, going back to 2008. I don't think the statement about domestic us credit cards is accurate in all cases. I observed this once, but when I got a zero fee international card i never got effected that way.
Argentina is beautiful!!! Greetings from Palermo, best neighbourhood in Latin America!!!!
The cons of places being closed on Sundays/weekends would probably only matter to Americans as most other regions are used to slow weekends
Can you find cheap or inexpensive Hostel’s In Buenos Aires. If I contacted my Airbnb host, couldn’t I just meet them in person and pay them in cash for a whole month?. 👍🏻😊
I tried to contact them and none wanted to meet I person because they can charge you so much more via credit card
you can find cheap hostels in BA but I don't think you can book in advance without paying a lot more than it should be, so you must come here and talk to the owner in-person to pay for the whole month (if you are staying for a month for example) and they could even gave you a discount if you stay for a long time.... but this may be a risky move as you can find the hostel you were expecting to live in fully booked and should search for another one on the moment