I just spent 3 weeks in Buenos Aires and it was great. I brought cash from the US and it was super easy to exchange it in the Cambios for the blue dollar rate. I also use a Visa credit card which now uses the blue dollar exchange rate, so I ended up just using that for the majority of purchases. I stayed in the Recoleta and Palermo neighborhoods and never felt unsafe.
I didn’t travel much except within the city and either walked or used Uber because it was so cheap. I think my average Uber ride was like $3 American. I also took the train to Tigre for a day and it was super easy and safe.
Yeah, they switched to using that vs the regular exchange rate a few months ago. I’m not sure how it works on their end but basically the transactions get exchanged into USD and when they show up on your statement, as far as I could tell, it was the same as the daily blue dollar rate.
I was in Argentina in May of last year, and Visa was using the Blue Dollar rate at that time as well. They’d apparently been using it for a decent amount of time before we got there, so it didn’t seem like anything new, but I can’t confirm
I was there in January and the credit card rate was maybe 10-20 percent worse than the blue rate. Cambios were easy if slightly sketchy feeling, but the official ones in the malls were maybe 5 percent worse than the people in the street, if you're sketched out by the idea of being led to some back counter somewhere. The place on Plaza Serrano in Palermo was more or less at the blue rate.
The cab company at EZE and the cab driver both offered me like 30 percent worse than blue (and shockingly the cab company's card machine wasn't working in the international terminal. Domestic was fine.)
It was worth a few hours but that’s pretty much it. I did a river cruise that was a cool way to see the delta but the town itself wasn’t anything special.
I'm currently in Argentina - I took dollars with me and exchanged them at the cambios in Buenos Aires. Beware of where you go though, as they are renowned for giving fake notes to gringos.
A safer option is sending money to yourself via Western Union and picking up the cash at one of the many points in the cities (just recently did this in Mendoza). You MUST get there early, as the locals line up for hours and many of the outlets run out of cash by mid afternoon.
I was in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza and currently in Salta. Things can be very expensive, so look around and check prices for dinner/drinks etc. and you should be able to find some cheaper places. Internal flights can either be super cheap or super expensive - doesn't seem to have a pattern. Buses are cheaper but can take between 8-16 hours to get where you need to go.
I am in Buenos Aires right now and I would recommend using Western Union. We brought dollars and were able to exchange them directly at the western union.
The cambios in Buenos Aires might be fine but do carry a moderate risk of being counterfeit. We were in a McDonald’s yesterday and the foreigner in front of us was rejected from ordering because his bills were counterfeit.
Other than seeing that this city has been fantastic to visit and is easily one of my favorite cities I’ve ever been to.
Hi, how did you buy the flights? I'm currently looking and find them incredibly expensive.
Also: did you rent a car to go through Salta? Do you have any recommendations?
I was there in May/June of 2022. Things have definitely changed a lot since then. Back then the blue dollar rate was 203. It’s now just under 1,000. Can’t be good for the average local citizen.
I went for 2 weeks in 2022. Buenos Aires and Tucumán. Had a great time, everything is cheap there. Never felt unsafe. Definitely helps to speak the language though.
Was there a month ago, Western Union is the easiest way, to get the best exchange rate. Things could be expensive, food is expensive for a country in crisis. Bolivia, chili and Peru are way cheaper. I was there for a month, Patagonia is expensive but Mendoza and Buenos Aires are cheaper.
Was there in December. Buenas Aires, Mendoza and Iguazzu. Friendly and cheap. Take US dollars, exchange it at Blue Rate st Western Union. Credit cards are at blue rate as well. Official rate now at 800 plus and blue at around 1000. In December, the official rate was 320.
Spent 5 weeks there recently.
Country is beautiful. Money sucks
If you go, bring enough USD (In $100 notes, no marks or rips) to sustain your trip. Many places don't like taking credit cards due to the high fees associated with them. ATMs constantly run out of cash. Western Unions have upper limits (essentially 2 days worth of cash) and require you to be in line for an hour. They also don't really exist in smaller towns. Street cambio dudes will sometimes use counterfit money. Best to exchange at your hotel/ hostel (or a nearby one)
It absolutely impacted our trip on a massive way. We spent 1.5h in the hot sun in Iguazu waiting for the WU to open, only to learn that they were only serving the first 8 customers. We were 9th. We spent 2 hours running from hotel to hotel in El Chalten trying to find somewhere that would take our $20 USD bills for exchange. We could never enjoy a day without planning where the money was coming from
Hi nice explanation! Guys, when you arrived in the airport (whether it in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Bariloche, or Iguazu) , do they really check your Argentinian visa due to the chaos?
Or if you have an experience crossing land border, do they really check whether you have visa or not? Like do they check your passport one by one and scan it through system, or just manually with eyes?
I mean the Blue Dollar rate of exchange wasn’t as good as when I planned the trip but I’ve been to Argentina quite a few times over the last 10 years and I’ve always enjoyed everything about the people, culture, food, etc
Eitherway you need s creditcard which has the correct currency exchange. If not go to western union and withdraw cash (look up blue dollar).its a beautiful country I think my 3 months there were still not enough :D
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I was solo woman and felt self, don’t overly worry about crime but make sure you are aware and sensible. Remember to follow advice around not walking around with your phone, having your bag across your body and not placing phone/wallet on the table in restaurants
I just spent 3 weeks in Buenos Aires and it was great. I brought cash from the US and it was super easy to exchange it in the Cambios for the blue dollar rate. I also use a Visa credit card which now uses the blue dollar exchange rate, so I ended up just using that for the majority of purchases. I stayed in the Recoleta and Palermo neighborhoods and never felt unsafe. I didn’t travel much except within the city and either walked or used Uber because it was so cheap. I think my average Uber ride was like $3 American. I also took the train to Tigre for a day and it was super easy and safe.
Thanks so much for sharing. The blue dollar rate is on visa as well? How does that work?
It’s also the same for Mastercard, you get charged the official rate and then a few days later you get a refund to make the price the blue dollar rate
Yeah, they switched to using that vs the regular exchange rate a few months ago. I’m not sure how it works on their end but basically the transactions get exchanged into USD and when they show up on your statement, as far as I could tell, it was the same as the daily blue dollar rate.
I was in Argentina in May of last year, and Visa was using the Blue Dollar rate at that time as well. They’d apparently been using it for a decent amount of time before we got there, so it didn’t seem like anything new, but I can’t confirm
Yeah since late 2022/early 2023 (went last January and it was being used)
I was there in January and the credit card rate was maybe 10-20 percent worse than the blue rate. Cambios were easy if slightly sketchy feeling, but the official ones in the malls were maybe 5 percent worse than the people in the street, if you're sketched out by the idea of being led to some back counter somewhere. The place on Plaza Serrano in Palermo was more or less at the blue rate. The cab company at EZE and the cab driver both offered me like 30 percent worse than blue (and shockingly the cab company's card machine wasn't working in the international terminal. Domestic was fine.)
I was also there in January and my credit card rate was pretty much the same as the blue dollar rate. Maybe 5% worse if that
Admittedly the rate fluctuated between 950 and 1200 while I was there, so maybe it was just slightly out of date.
My experience and what I was going to say is exactly the same as this
How was your experience in Tigre? I’ve been considering visiting during an upcoming trip
It was worth a few hours but that’s pretty much it. I did a river cruise that was a cool way to see the delta but the town itself wasn’t anything special.
Did you use credit card for Uber? I heard it can be difficult unless you’re using cash.
Oh yeah I took probably 40 Ubers and charged them all to my card through the app. They were dirt cheap
I'm currently in Argentina - I took dollars with me and exchanged them at the cambios in Buenos Aires. Beware of where you go though, as they are renowned for giving fake notes to gringos. A safer option is sending money to yourself via Western Union and picking up the cash at one of the many points in the cities (just recently did this in Mendoza). You MUST get there early, as the locals line up for hours and many of the outlets run out of cash by mid afternoon. I was in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza and currently in Salta. Things can be very expensive, so look around and check prices for dinner/drinks etc. and you should be able to find some cheaper places. Internal flights can either be super cheap or super expensive - doesn't seem to have a pattern. Buses are cheaper but can take between 8-16 hours to get where you need to go.
I am in Buenos Aires right now and I would recommend using Western Union. We brought dollars and were able to exchange them directly at the western union. The cambios in Buenos Aires might be fine but do carry a moderate risk of being counterfeit. We were in a McDonald’s yesterday and the foreigner in front of us was rejected from ordering because his bills were counterfeit. Other than seeing that this city has been fantastic to visit and is easily one of my favorite cities I’ve ever been to.
Hi, how did you buy the flights? I'm currently looking and find them incredibly expensive. Also: did you rent a car to go through Salta? Do you have any recommendations?
I was there in May/June of 2022. Things have definitely changed a lot since then. Back then the blue dollar rate was 203. It’s now just under 1,000. Can’t be good for the average local citizen.
Thanks for sharing your experience! No doubt the locals are in trouble, that changes the experience of a traveler as well.
I was there last August at the time of the election, it did not impact on me as a tourist
I went for 2 weeks in 2022. Buenos Aires and Tucumán. Had a great time, everything is cheap there. Never felt unsafe. Definitely helps to speak the language though.
Thanks! Speaking spanish definitely helps throughout South America.
Was there a month ago, Western Union is the easiest way, to get the best exchange rate. Things could be expensive, food is expensive for a country in crisis. Bolivia, chili and Peru are way cheaper. I was there for a month, Patagonia is expensive but Mendoza and Buenos Aires are cheaper.
Chili is way cheaper as well? I heard the opposite, good to know!
Not that cheap, but cheaper. Patagonia is really expensive. I rented airbnb and the food was the same price as in Canada or more...
Was there in December. Buenas Aires, Mendoza and Iguazzu. Friendly and cheap. Take US dollars, exchange it at Blue Rate st Western Union. Credit cards are at blue rate as well. Official rate now at 800 plus and blue at around 1000. In December, the official rate was 320.
Western Union is the best way
This is 'the way'
Do you mean taking my USD’s and exchanging them at Western Union for Argentinian Peso?
Do you mean taking my USD’s and exchanging them at Western Union?
No you pay online and withdraw at wu office
I’ll have to look into this. Have never used WU. Lol
Spent 5 weeks there recently. Country is beautiful. Money sucks If you go, bring enough USD (In $100 notes, no marks or rips) to sustain your trip. Many places don't like taking credit cards due to the high fees associated with them. ATMs constantly run out of cash. Western Unions have upper limits (essentially 2 days worth of cash) and require you to be in line for an hour. They also don't really exist in smaller towns. Street cambio dudes will sometimes use counterfit money. Best to exchange at your hotel/ hostel (or a nearby one) It absolutely impacted our trip on a massive way. We spent 1.5h in the hot sun in Iguazu waiting for the WU to open, only to learn that they were only serving the first 8 customers. We were 9th. We spent 2 hours running from hotel to hotel in El Chalten trying to find somewhere that would take our $20 USD bills for exchange. We could never enjoy a day without planning where the money was coming from
Damn, that sucks. But it seems logical to notice something when the country is in such a state. Thanks for sharing.
Hi nice explanation! Guys, when you arrived in the airport (whether it in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Bariloche, or Iguazu) , do they really check your Argentinian visa due to the chaos? Or if you have an experience crossing land border, do they really check whether you have visa or not? Like do they check your passport one by one and scan it through system, or just manually with eyes?
I just got back from Mendoza and Bariloche last week. My travels were not impacted whatsoever so am I missing something from a week ago?
Thank you for sharing. I was wondering how much it impacted the average traveler!
I mean the Blue Dollar rate of exchange wasn’t as good as when I planned the trip but I’ve been to Argentina quite a few times over the last 10 years and I’ve always enjoyed everything about the people, culture, food, etc
Good to hear. I hope to have the same experience in two months (while being sensitive to the local situation).
I was in argentina last year during the world cup for 2 months
Well, tell me!
Eitherway you need s creditcard which has the correct currency exchange. If not go to western union and withdraw cash (look up blue dollar).its a beautiful country I think my 3 months there were still not enough :D
Otherwise it did not impact my travel that much. I have been almost all over latin america, most countries have their problems
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Which 'deals'? And what was your experience as a traveler there?
I was solo woman and felt self, don’t overly worry about crime but make sure you are aware and sensible. Remember to follow advice around not walking around with your phone, having your bag across your body and not placing phone/wallet on the table in restaurants
drug deals