1:1 ratio

[citygirl]

I live in NYC and will be moving to Bs As in September. My experiences in Bs As seem to be that everything costs in pesos about what it costs in dollars here. For example, nice dinner for 2, apps, entrees, dessert, wine = 150 pesos. I would pay about $150 USD here for that. 1 br apt in decent area - 2500 pesos. Again, I pay about $2500 USD here for a 1 bedroom.
Does that hold true across the board? Obviously with a 3-1 exchange rate, it works out great for me I'm trying to do a budget and am usuing that as a basis...

 

[syngirl]

It depends on your standard of living.
The 1-1 numeric does sometimes work and sometimes not...
Internet the 1-1 does not work at all -- I pay $120 pesos a month.
Clothes totally depend on the shop. Groceries depend on what your buying -- international goods cost as much or more as they would in the States. Electronics, forget about it -- who buys a Hewlett Packard laptop for $6000 dollars, lol.
Wines are all over the place -- you can get a decent "take to a party" bottle for 11 pesos, but a lovely "dinner amongst friends bottle" for 45 etc
Health Insurance starts at $200 pesos approx a month.

 

[Granadaiscool]

Imported goods - NO, more expensive
locally produced goods - maybe about 20% cheaper

 

[donquixote]

You mentioned HP laptop computers. I plan to take my HP pavillion dv9500t to Argentina. will I have any problem?
DQ

 

[Elpanada]

You could take two without being bothered as long as you claim one is yours and the other one is the companies that you work for and that you will take them back with you when you leave regardless of that being true or not. I say this assuming that you're not from Spain or Chile or some other place which might make you look native to the custom officials.

 

[Bill]

I wondered about the 1:1 ratio thing and would say it applies to some things but overall, it's more like 2:1 or more. And of course it depends on how you live. I can live really cheap in Argentina but that doesn't include luxuries like taking showers or eating peanut butter.
Regarding computers.... do they have to be or look used for you to carry them in? What if the computer is new and still in a box for instance?

 

[syngirl]

lol, Bill you seem like a nice guy, but if taking a shower is a luxury, I don't know that I'd want to meet face to face ; )
Peanut Butter = luxury is sad, but true, and because of it's difficulty to get it's a much coveted item (sounds like I'm talking about diamonds or oil, eh?)
Computers should look like they are personal, ie used at least a for a bit. Take it out of the box and get some files on there -- otherwise you may fall prey to the occasional customs guy that makes you pay import duty on it. The last time I came through my laptop was 3 days old, but I had transferred all my old work onto it so no one could accuse my of just picking it up.
If you're bringing in bigger items, like monitors, again best if it looks used -- which I guess for a monitor means a bit of goop on the edge and some fingerprints on the screen where you touch it? lol, who knows. You may have to pay duty -- I haven't tried this yet. I need to get a new moni, but I'm going to order one through Dell Argentina -- their widescreen LCDs have very good reviews and the prices are very similar to Canada, and I think their delivery time is 3 days.
By the way if you need to buy any computer related gear while you're down here (ie if you're in a jam and don't want to wait until you get home) go to Galleria Jardin on Florida for the smaller stuff (external HDs / HD USB converters, HDs for laptops are a lot more expensive for the size you get, but you can get quality ones there in a pinch, cables, routers, keyboards etc etc) -- for the bigger stuff (an OS, Monitors, PCs etc) skip Compumundo and go to Baidat on Juramento.
www.baidat.com.ar (there's a Compumundo on cabildo around the corner anyway, so you can comparison shop)

 

[Bill]

if taking a shower is a luxury, I don't know that I'd want to meet face to face

No worries there. I slip down to the river for the occasional bath. I have noticed people and not making the effort to kiss me goodbye and saying "smell you later". I assumed it was a hip new saying with the coolcats on the street. Maybe it's just me??
smell you later

 

[Elpanada]

I wondered about the 1:1 ratio thing and would say it applies to some things but overall, it's more like 2:1 or more. And of course it depends on how you live. I can live really cheap in Argentina but that doesn't include luxuries like taking showers or eating peanut butter.
Regarding computers.... do they have to be or look used for you to carry them in? What if the computer is new and still in a box for instance?

I did that, I took the computer out of its box, put the manuals cd's cardboard and all that in one bag, and the computer in a typical laptop bag, no problems.