Bs As Getting To Be Very Pricey.

[Sockhopper]

"A steak dinner for two at an average place costs about 50- 100 dollars.":

Here on the French Riviera last night at a resto next to moored, pricey yachts near Cap Ferrat in the French Riviera,we
paid the equivalent of $US87 for dinner for two - a half litre of local wine, 2 seafood starter plates, 2 main courses of fresh fish and grilled scallops, truffled mashed potato, and grilled,fresh vegetables, followed by 2 espressos and a taster plate of 4 homemade desserts off the menu. Water is free always. All (steep) taxes and tips (wait service) are included
in that $US 87 bill. This is a normal price to pay here for what's a good but not luxe dinner in French terms.



Prices here are close to Parisian prices but on a recent stay in Paris, we were surprised to find that meals out in Paris are priced at noticeably less than they are here along the Riviera. That dinner last night was our celebration one of our now having lived here for5 years, although we'd planned to retire on small pensions to BA until all those foreign
currency clampdowns legislated by Arg in 6 months from 2011-2012 swamped our plan overnight.

We can't afford Buenos Aires. Mainly, we could not risk a landlord there demanding more money in rent in any month he
thinks he needs to do that. Here, we are treated as the legal residents and immigrants that we are, not as people who
ought to be well-off just because their income (tiny or large) is sourced abroad.

Spain is way cheaper than France. We often travel an hour by train to Italy whose fabulous cooking, drinks etc cost 2/3 ofFrench prices. We buy all our Italian groceries and plants there too. Saving however one can here and there is the best wecan do.

 

[toongeorges]

How are prices compared to the period of the convertible dollar under Menem?

 

[jeff1234]

"A steak dinner for two at an average place costs about 50- 100 dollars.":

Here on the French Riviera last night at a resto next to moored, pricey yachts near Cap Ferrat in the French Riviera,we
paid the equivalent of $US87 for dinner for two - a half litre of local wine, 2 seafood starter plates, 2 main courses of fresh fish and grilled scallops, truffled mashed potato, and grilled,fresh vegetables, followed by 2 espressos and a taster plate of 4 homemade desserts off the menu. Water is free always. All (steep) taxes and tips (wait service) are included
in that $US 87 bill. This is a normal price to pay here for what's a good but not luxe dinner in French terms.



Prices here are close to Parisian prices but on a recent stay in Paris, we were surprised to find that meals out in Paris are priced at noticeably less than they are here along the Riviera. That dinner last night was our celebration one of our now having lived here for5 years, although we'd planned to retire on small pensions to BA until all those foreign
currency clampdowns legislated by Arg in 6 months from 2011-2012 swamped our plan overnight.

We can't afford Buenos Aires. Mainly, we could not risk a landlord there demanding more money in rent in any month he
thinks he needs to do that. Here, we are treated as the legal residents and immigrants that we are, not as people who
ought to be well-off just because their income (tiny or large) is sourced abroad.

Spain is way cheaper than France. We often travel an hour by train to Italy whose fabulous cooking, drinks etc cost 2/3 ofFrench prices. We buy all our Italian groceries and plants there too. Saving however one can here and there is the best wecan do.

What about health care?

 

[chris]

How are prices compared to the period of the convertible dollar under Menem?

I was there throughout the Menem period. Of course property was far far cheaper. A lot of prices were comparable to the US but salaries were also much closer to US levels. Most cafes charged $1.50 (dollars / pesos the same) for a coffee. Some cheaper places charged $1. Patio Bullrich charged $2.50 which was a lot back then. I distinctly remember a pechuga de pollo in almost every restaurant was $5. The BA Herald, as I recall, was between 60 and 80 centavos.

 

[Sockhopper]

jeff1234,
"[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]What about health care? "[/background]

I can't answer that in a post. It's a massive subject overlapping in effect many areas of public administration and according to a slew of personal factors starting with one's own citizenship status, purpose and age in some cases, and whether he's here for a defined period on a visa or by right as an EU citizen of another EU member state. Basically, a person must prove that he's self-sufficient when he arrives here with the intention of staying.

If you mean what's the quality of French healthcare, it's tops. I see it as similar to what one encounters in Argentina's private healthcare system in terms of seeing physicians, specialists and using hospitals.

France's system is a hybrid public/private one in terms of who pays or reimburses expenses paid by the patient (or not) or by the Health Service (‘Sante’) or by his private 'top-up' French medical insurance policy (his 'mutuelle). My mutuelle costs 112 euro/month based on my age. A young person pays 15-25/month for that. In addition, at tax time about 6% of income is due as social taxes. That covers the public contribution to the part of your medical expenses that was paid by taxpayers. [background=rgb(252, 252, 252)] [/background]

 

[Rich One]

"A steak dinner for two at an average place costs about 50- 100 dollars.":

Here on the French Riviera last night at a resto next to moored, pricey yachts near Cap Ferrat in the French Riviera,we
paid the equivalent of $US87 for dinner for two - a half litre of local wine, 2 seafood starter plates, 2 main courses of fresh fish and grilled scallops, truffled mashed potato, and grilled,fresh vegetables, followed by 2 espressos and a taster plate of 4 homemade desserts off the menu. Water is free always. All (steep) taxes and tips (wait service) are included
in that $US 87 bill. This is a normal price to pay here for what's a good but not luxe dinner in French terms.



Prices here are close to Parisian prices but on a recent stay in Paris, we were surprised to find that meals out in Paris are priced at noticeably less than they are here along the Riviera. That dinner last night was our celebration one of our now having lived here for5 years, although we'd planned to retire on small pensions to BA until all those foreign
currency clampdowns legislated by Arg in 6 months from 2011-2012 swamped our plan overnight.

We can't afford Buenos Aires. Mainly, we could not risk a landlord there demanding more money in rent in any month he
thinks he needs to do that. Here, we are treated as the legal residents and immigrants that we are, not as people who
ought to be well-off just because their income (tiny or large) is sourced abroad.

Spain is way cheaper than France. We often travel an hour by train to Italy whose fabulous cooking, drinks etc cost 2/3 ofFrench prices. We buy all our Italian groceries and plants there too. Saving however one can here and there is the best wecan do.

Great posting... although very depressing... disgusting.. full dinner at Cap Ferrat for $800 pesos per person.

 

[Sockhopper]

jeff1234,
"[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]What about health care? "[/background]


[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]That's a massive subject whose answer depends on many things about an individual's status and his intention to reside in France with its hybrid public/private system. What about healthcare do you want to know in particular? [/background]

 

[jeff1234]

jeff1234,
"[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]What about health care? "[/background]


[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]That's a massive subject whose answer depends on many things about an individual's status and his intention to reside in France with its hybrid public/private system. What about healthcare do you want to know in particular? [/background]

Are there health insurance plans available to expats? Are they expensive? What is the quality of health care in France ie: are the doctors well trained, do you have to wait long or an appointment?

I'm 75 years old and one of the key reasons I'm staying in Argentina is that I like the doctors. I like the results of the care they give and I like the prices. We have a good insurance plan but there is also good free health care for those who need it.

 

[Ries]

I have had a home in BsAs since 2007. There is no question it has gotten more expensive every year.
But "steak dinners for 100 dollars"? donde?
I just went out for dinner in scenic La Conner Wa.- my wife and I split one steak, which was smallish by BsAs standards. I had one beer. tab was $70. If we both had ordered our own steak, and had a bottle of wine, it would easily have been $120- $150.
Thats not a fancy steak house in Seattle, where you pay double that.

Meanwhile, earlier this spring we went to Doble AA, a small neighborhood parilla a short walk from our Buenos Aires apartment. A similar meal to the $70 US one was about 250 pesos, although I got a whole liter of beer there. At that time, the peso was right around 15/1 USD.

Sure, you can spend $100 in Buenos Aires. And I can easily spend 3 times that in the US, in pretty much any major city.

But for my lifestyle, for my own, admittedly particular and unusual life, Buenos Aires is still cheaper than the US.
Your mileage, of course, may vary.

I ride the collectivos- at about 10% of the US cost.
I go see live music in argentina, often 3 nights a week- at, again, a fraction of the US cost.
I go to museums, many of which are free.
I buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats in my neighborhood shops, cheaper than chain grocery stores in the US.
I go to Once and buy t shirts, shorts, socks, and work clothes in bulk, at half US prices.
I dont buy imported goods in Argentina- instead, I shop local.
It works for me.

Are there cheaper cities on earth?
Absolutely.

 

[Gringoboy]

$US87 for dinner for two - a half litre of local wine,

I'd have gone for the full litre mate.