Greetings from a fellow Bostonian (born and raised!) and now living for part of the year in BsAs. I think one of the key issues you and your husband need to think carefully about is which barrio (neighborhood) you want to live in. If you select Recoleta, parts of Barrio Norte or parts of Palermo, you will burn up a good chunk of that 4K in rent. If you go a little further north (but still in the city) to Belgrano, the rents are a little less and the neighborhood is still pretty safe. Same for Caballito. Ten or even 5 years ago, with an income of U$S 48k you could live quite nicely. Unfortunately inflation has, indeed, eaten away at that and as some of the other responses have stated, food now costs close to what we pay at Stop & Shop or Shaws. However, I still find plenty of restaurants where I can have a nice dinner for U$S 15.00 to U$S 20.00 per person and of course much less for the kids. The city is exciting; there is a lot to explore and experience. Regarding schooling: I would not send my 6-year old to a public school. Even middle class Argentines scrimp and save to send their children to a private school. There are some very good private schools or you might want to consider home schooling, which will save you quite a bit. Rent or buy??? If you are only going to be here for a year, I would rent, since the process for buying is complicated. I rented initially, but when I decided that I wanted to live in BsAs for part of the year (I am still working in the US), I bought. Prices for apartments in almost all of the barrios are still MUCH less than what you would pay in Back Bay, the South End, Beacon Hill, or the western or northern suburbs of Boston (Brookline, Newton, Weston, Sherborn or north in Marblehead or Swampscott.) Princes are more akin to what you might find in Medford or Malden or further out on the South Shore or even further out on Route 9, past Framingham. However, it is imperative that you work with an agent you can trust. The rules for buyng an apartment here are very different from what we are used to, and you need to work with a real estate agent who understands the system. There is (believe it or not) no real MLS here, so you have to watch the newspapers as well as visit multiple agencies. It can be time consuming. If you do decide to move here, you will need to readjust some of your thinking...Ordering cable or Internet or getting repairmen to come when they say they will can be frustrating. Appointment times are often missed and meanwhile you have waited all day for the installer to arrive. That varies, somewhat of course, but generally the work ethic isn't going to be the same as it is in the US or Canada. You just have to remember that you aren't in New England and you need to lower your expectations accordingly. Otherwise you'll have an ulcer by Christmas! I would also suggest you get a sitter or a mother's helper. They are not expensive. (Cleaning ladies are also pretty inexpensive.) When you see how long the lines can be at the banks, the post office, the super markets, etc. you will be thankful that you have someone to keep the kids busy while you deal with tellers and cashiers. Living in a foreign country requires a somewhat different mind set, but once you adjust to that, I think you will really enjoy living in BsAs. I know I do!
