Boston Newbie saying Hola!

[McDonoughofBoston]

Hello group!

I want to give a quick introduction and maybe even get some honest feedback. I am still residing in Massachusetts with my husband and 2 children ages 6 and 3. We are dedicating this year to research and detail hashing for a move next August!!!

Big question is...is it possible to live on $4000.00 a month U.S. or are we living in dream land.

We want to be able to live with 1 car or maybe NO car; public transportation is okay for us. We want to be able to walk to eateries, cafes, parks general places of interest and places safe for chidlren.

Again, are we living in a dream world? Is this possible in Buenos Aires or is the rat race a widespead epidemic.

My husband can work globally and only needs a reliable internet connection.

Thanks for reading and I hope to get some honest feedback!
Jennifer

 

[LoveLifeBA]

Yoiu can easily live in Buenos Aires for less than $4000. Most Argentines do. Check out some great newbie info on this website: http://spotlightbuenosaires.com/

 

[Sleuth]

There is not an easy answer to this question. It all depends on your standard of living, what neighborhood you want to live in, what schools you want to send your children too, what you eat, how often you go out, do you want a car, travel back to the US, shopping, etc. etc.

Expect to pay at least U$S 1800-2000/month for housing in a good neighborhood, private schools will be U$S 4000+/year, groceries U$S 200+/week, and keep adding on.

 

[jb5]

The reliable Internet connection can be iffy by US standards. Power outages are common and occur often.

You can certainly live on $4K/ mo. But not well by US standards for a family of 4 in my opinion. You're 2 or 3 years late for that.

With out working locally and having a guarantia, I would say at least half of that will go for rent, more if you want something nice and spacious. Food will cost you about the same as it does in the US though restaurants can be a bit cheaper, especially the wine. 2 bowls of pasta, a bottle of water and a mid range bottle of wine cost us $45 last night at a mid range restaurant. A half kilo of ice cream for desert was $8. Both US dollars.

You'll save on things like house cleaning, childcare and other services.

You'll need to bring all electronics and household appliances or pay much more than you would in the US for inferior products.

Also keep in mind all prices are going up quickly right now. Inflation is 25-30%!

I think that having a comfortable amount of money is a big plus here because it can ease the inherent headaches of this culture. Taking taxis everywhere will make the city much safer for you. Having maids to wait on the very long lines you'll encounter everywhere will make your life easier. Average housing is relatively cheap but really nice housing isn't. Average restaurants are no big bargain but high end ones are. And you'll want to get out of the city often so money to travel and pay the high local airfares if you don't have a DNI should be considered.

All of that said, this is a great city. Good luck with your decision.

 

[gouchobob]

You can actually live in most places in the U.S. for the same or less than B.A. If you actually live in Boston there are less expensive options even there. If you move to B.A. the only big plus will be lower health care costs, but this would be offset at least in part by the cost of private schools for your kids, forget the public schools. The fact you are considering moving someplace with +25% inflation says you really haven't really thought this out.

 

[gouchobob]

Yoiu can easily live in Buenos Aires for less than $4000. Most Argentines do. Check out some great newbie info on this website: http://spotlightbuenosaires.com/

Yeah, but not a couple with 2 kids, get real.

 

[Ashley]

I agree that it really depends what standard of living you are hoping to achieve...It certainly wouldn't be anything amazing. But generally, US$4,000 would be absolutely fine for a decent (Argentine middle class) standard of living for a family of 4.
I think that rent would probably be your main expenditure (you should probably check out some foreign rental agencies for ideas of price...byt Argentina is one but I think 1,500 us$ is reasonable for a 1/2 bedroomed, furnished, long-term rental without a guarantee). If you live in Capital Federal, you'd be absolutely fine without a car (which are also pretty expensive to buy here).
However, I think that some of the prices you were quoted for food were a little steep... Inflation is running high but if you cook from scratch, I think you could save money there. And you can get a perfectly decent bottle of wine here for 50 pesos (much less if, like me, you have wholly unsophisticated tastes).
I think that once you'd paid for a school or something like that and health insurance, there wouldn't be a stack of money left over to travel or dine out at expensive restaurants but for a 1 year experience or so, I think you'd probably have a great time

 

[McDonoughofBoston]

THank you both for the reply. Its is so challening to find a place where you can sustain on $4000. US and not be in high security zone!

We will continue our reseach on Buenos Aires and hope to hear from some more expats.

I do most of our cooking from scratch and a modest bottle of red or white is fine for us. We really do not want a car. We live pretty simply here in the U.S. and want the kids to see another way of life.

How have you found Buenos Aires so far? I know you have been there 1 year. DO you find it friendly? It is such a beautiful place!!!

-Hope to hear from you soon,
Jennifer

 

[starlucia]

What is the main reason you want to live in BA? Because you want an adventure/your kids to learn a different lifestyle, or because you're searching for urban living on the cheap? If it's the former, I say go for it. $4000 may or may not be feasible (personally, for a family of 4, I think it'll be very tight to impossible), but it's worth a shot if you are able to go over. Worst-case scenario, you spend a little more than desired, but the experience makes it worth it.

However, if $4000 a month is the maximum, and you really can't go over budget, you may want to look elsewhere. You might be leaving yourself too little wiggle room -- what happens when the kids want new clothes, toys, excursions with friends, or you want nice nights out alone with the hubby. Adds up quickly, and you don't want to end up feeling deprived because you underestimated the cost of living.

 

[Ries]

Historically, Buenos Aires has been one of, if not THE, most expensive city in South America.

There was a cataclysmic financial meltdown in 2000-2001, much worse than anything that has happened in the USA since the 30's- and that resulted in a huge devaluation in everything, and very tough times.

For a few years, IF you had foreign currency, Buenos Aires was very cheap.

But that has been changing rapidly for the last ten years, and, although the internet rumors still say its cheap, its heading back towards its former status as one of the most expensive cities in South America.

So, if you are looking for cheap, I would suggest you look elsewhere.
Indonesia is still very cheap, Cambodia, too. Costa Rica and Belize.
Buenos Aires is a wonderful city, full of amazing cultural activities, museums, concerts, and smart people. Its fun, and exciting.
But its not cheap.

IF you have a big wad of cash- say, several hundred thousand dollars- that you dont mind tying up in Real Estate for 5 to 10 years, then you can buy an amazing apartment or house in BsAs for a fraction of what a similar place would cost in Boston or NYC or Paris or London or Vancouver.
But the vagaries of real estate here are slow and complicated. And extracting your money is too.
Buying a house or apartment would change the monthly cost of living equation quite a bit- its much cheaper than renting, for most situations.

However, just dropping in, and renting, means you pay the most for the least, and are the least legally protected and functionally free from hassles.

What about Montevideo?
I hear its much cheaper.