A coffee for $3.50: Argentina is the most expensive country in Latin America

[FrankPintor]

I’ve been back and forth for almost half a century and I never saw a good customer service! You may bump into a nice person who serves you (that happens quite a lot) but there isn’t a customer service culture in Argentina. And why not upscale? BTW; by upscale I was referring to not getting back what you pay for quoting the poster’s experience at Don Julio. You may think it’s good customer service but since I don’t know your methodology assessing good customer service hence no comment.

I don't really know what you mean by "good customer service", then. You "bump into a nice person who serves you", you tip them nicely (not excessively), you go back, next time they offer you a nice table, overfill your wine glass, offer your pet a bowl of water unasked, bring you a free starter, and you keep going back. I don't need anything more than that, really.

And as for the day-old bread, I'd avoid the upscale places (except maybe Le Pain Quotidien or some place like that where you can see the bread being baked). Go to some place that sells out of bread by lunchtime, then they will never have any of the previous day's to offer you. All the bread business is done in the morning, people getting theirs for breakfast, and office workers getting their sandwiches. If the bread isn't gone by then, it's no good.

If I may, I think part of the problem might be that you're only here at intervals? And for relatively short times. So you get to start over each time to find places that have good service, good bread, and obviously fall victim to the worse places. While those of us who have been here for longer (7.5 years in my case) got all that over and done with in our first months, and know the places we can depend on.

 

[Silvie]

I don’t know what you mean by exquisite food but there’s none of that in Buenos Aires. Or very rare! I think you’re in the wrong neighbourhood in Argentina as well! . London is full of restaurants cheaper than BsAs and of better quality. Are you sure you were in London, UK? Food is cheap, croissants are cheap, coffee is cheap, baby diapers are cheap, cheese is cheap, any clothing you can imagine is cheaper, medicine, strepsils for example, it’s available in Argentina, check the price on Boots website and see. Furniture. Anything you see in sainsburys is cheaper than jumbo or coto. Any electronics. Were you really in London? Btw; I’m an Argentine born and bred abroad. I feel great about being an AR but can’t stand the current situation. BTW; grapes and cherries are cheaper as well.

Of course I was in London, UK, recently but I didn't need diapers or medicines and I buy my electronics in the US. The coffee I drank there in general wasn't good and I didn't find the food cheap at all; may be that was pure luck.
P.S.: I live in a nice neighbourhood here; I assume cheaper than yours, which doesn't make it the wrong place but more convenient for me.

 

[Lanick]

Of course I was in London, UK, recently but I didn't need diapers or medicines and I buy my electronics in the US. The coffee I drank there in general wasn't good and I didn't find the food cheap at all; may be that was pure luck.
P.S.: I live in a nice neighbourhood here; I assume cheaper than yours, which doesn't make it the wrong place but more convenient for me.

Coffee good or bad. It’s irrelevant. One may like it the other one not. But it’s cheaper in London. Food may not be cheap, after all London is an expensive city but definitely cheaper in London. I can give examples if you like.

 

[Lanick]

I don't really know what you mean by "good customer service", then. You "bump into a nice person who serves you", you tip them nicely (not excessively), you go back, next time they offer you a nice table, overfill your wine glass, offer your pet a bowl of water unasked, bring you a free starter, and you keep going back. I don't need anything more than that, really.

And as for the day-old bread, I'd avoid the upscale places (except maybe Le Pain Quotidien or some place like that where you can see the bread being baked). Go to some place that sells out of bread by lunchtime, then they will never have any of the previous day's to offer you. All the bread business is done in the morning, people getting theirs for breakfast, and office workers getting their sandwiches. If the bread isn't gone by then, it's no good.

If I may, I think part of the problem might be that you're only here at intervals? And for relatively short times. So you get to start over each time to find places that have good service, good bread, and obviously fall victim to the worse places. While those of us who have been here for longer (7.5 years in my case) got all that over and done with in our first months, and know the places we can depend on.

Good customer service is an institutional policy. Server may be a bad person but do his/her job good. A server may be a lovely person but you may get a bad service. That happens. What if I want to have a nice bread after the lunchtime? That’s typical Argentine mindset. Love complaining but hate confronting!

 

[Redpossum]

Coffee good or bad. It’s irrelevant. One may like it the other one not. But it’s cheaper in London. Food may not be cheap, after all London is an expensive city but definitely cheaper in London. I can give examples if you like.

No, no, no, no. It's not that subjective. Yes, some like it stronger than others, some prefer dark roasts and others not, but beyond those details good coffee is good and bad coffee is bad.

 

[Lanick]

No, no, no, no. It's not that subjective. Yes, some like it stronger than others, some prefer dark roasts and others not, but beyond those details good coffee is good and bad coffee is bad.

The coffe I like in London is cheaper than the coffee I like in Buenos Aires! Apart from rent and labour, Argentina is crazy expensive. How’s that possible? You will charge more than UK prices but still pay your staff peanuts. I had a bagel at this chain. Paid £14 for a cheese and tomato bagel (no salmon) and lemonade. Told the guy; it’s cheaper anywhere in Europe. He agreed. Asked him if he’s getting paid accordingly. He makes 500.000 por mes plus 100k in tips. Doesn’t sound right to me.

 

[antipodean]

There is really no point in comparing different places this way. While you get cheaper diappers in London, I guess you lose multiple times on child care. But there is no denying Argentina went from dirt cheap to very expensive in very short period. At that point is all about if you can weather it out or not, or maybe if you are willing to do it.

It’s exactly this yet the discussion is always the same, people convincing themselves that if things are less comfortable for them personally then they are suddenly less comfortable for everyone.

We tend to go great lengths to exemplify how much a specific item that is relevant to us costs to paint a picture of a place being the most expensive or cheapest on earth, yet almost always fail to add up our total cost of living as part of the discussion or our own conclusions.

Have been visiting friends and family around the world these past months and everywhere it seems has greener grass to be had, but at least in Argentina people are not paying $4000 a month in child care (just so that they can work and earn an income to support said children…) or $1000 a month just for a bedroom in a shared house or $500 a month just to commute to and from their jobs - even if their grocery or restaurant bill (e.g discretionary spending) is more expensive in Argentina than these countries with astronomical costs of living.

The only gauge in Argentina to measure how bearable the cost of living is or is not to the majority of Argentines, and thus how long the status quo is likely to last, is an election. Argentina didn’t exactly get to where it is today because the majority of Argentines were happy with the cost of living during the years when expats were living it up thanks to “cheaper” prices for those with dollars.

In the meantime, for expats, the solution is clear is and simple depending on how “urgent” your need for change is. Tally up your total cost of living and ask yourself what other country you could access where you could enjoy a comparable standard of living according to your personal criteria for less - then make your decision.

 

[Silvie]

Coffee good or bad. It’s irrelevant. One may like it the other one not. But it’s cheaper in London. Food may not be cheap, after all London is an expensive city but definitely cheaper in London. I can give examples if you like.

You were the one who brought up the "cheap coffee" issue, which doesn't mean anything if it isn't good. You don't need to get all worked up about a comment, unless I hit a nerve.

 

[Lanick]

You were the one who brought up the "cheap coffee" issue, which doesn't mean anything if it isn't good. You don't need to get all worked up about a comment, unless I hit a nerve.

Please try to understand what you read before commenting!

 

[Redpossum]

Come on, guys. Let's keep it light and friendly. We're all in this mess together.