Complete novice to B.A - need advice and knowledge please! :)

[lucymay]

Thanks everyone for your help!!

I have heard people also head over to uruguay to get dollars- is this a viable option at all?

 

[lucymay]

sorry- i saw you said this lauren- but how long is the journey there and back etc?

 

[expatinowncountry]

Thanks everyone for your help!!

I have heard people also head over to uruguay to get dollars- is this a viable option at all?

Some ATMs in Uruguay provide US dollars but of course there is the transaction cost of going to Uruguay every time you need them (minimum you need the boat ticket to go there). There are daily maximum so if you need to withdraw more you need to stay and there you start adding hotels and so on and I am not sure is the best way to get US dollars. Some people will give you more detailed information.

All the best on your move! As you can see, it is fun from the really beginning.

 

[Ashley]

Thanks everyone for your help!!

I have heard people also head over to uruguay to get dollars- is this a viable option at all?

This is a viable option if you can find an atm in Uruguay that operates with US$...I'm sure there is one. But you will have to pay 200/300 pesos for the trip over each month + whatever you end up spending over there. I agree with the posters that your priority should be to find an apartment rental with a fixed price in pesos (there are landlords that accept the peso equivalent of a dollar rental, but this is usually only the "unofficial, "blue" exchange rate...and it'll mean that you'll probably end up paying more and more rent each month as the peso value falls). Perhaps you might also want to go onto Craigslist and look for rooms to rent/pre-existing flatshare with other foreign students or Argentines (rather than an apartment for just you and your friend). It'll be a lot cheaper and more likely to charge you a fixed rent in pesos.
SIM cards you can get at any mobile provider (they are everywhere). Just make sure that your phone is unlocked.
Don't bother about a bank account. You need a DNI to open one. You will be charged a monthly "administration" fee and will incur extra charges for withdrawing money at other banks' atms. You can't transfer money to and from the UK either (without a massive headache) so you'd have to keep withdrawing money from your UK account and then depositing it in your Arg account...not worth the hassle...

 

[el_expatriado]

Even the suggestion about finding a peso rental won't help you if you have the funds abroad. You are in the same situation. It helps to look at an example. Let's say you rent a place that is priced at $2000 pesos per month.

When you go to an ATM in Argentina and you pull out, say $500 USD, you will get $2250 pesos. So you pay your rent and you have $250 left over for a nice night at the theatre. If you had those actual dollar bills here, you could sell those same $500 USD to pretty much anyone here and get $3000 pesos. So you pay your $2000 peso rent and you have $1000 left over for a nice weekend trip to Tigre.

Even if you have expenses in pesos, unless those pesos are coming from WITHIN Argentina (i.e. a job you are working here), every expat who has funds abroad should still be finding a way to get a good exchange rate when bringing in their funds.

 

[PhilinBSAS]

Hi there!

Am moving to BA 26th July for 5 months from uk. Will be studying in university here.

Q1) My flatmate and I are looking for an apartment at the moment and vast majority want payment in US dollars, however according to all the estate agents it is very difficult to get hold of dollars. Why? [ we can only afford to pay monthly- otherwise we would just bring the dollars with us!]

Q2) Should I open a bank account here? If so where is the best place/ simplest option?

Q3) Where do I go to get a new sim for my phone so i can make cheap calls within the country instead of using my british sim phone?


I hope there is someone who can help us =]
GRACIAS

Hi Lucy

Firstly what made you choose Bs As to study when you seem to have so little prior knowledge? - not challenging you just curious.

Renting is totally unregulated and you will do well to read up here on all the pitfalls. Why is the University not helping you ?

At the moment this country is US$ hungry as you have found from the replies on here there a plenty of "friends" all too willing to strip you of your "dollers"

Problem is being a Brit like me you have to take a double hit. Actually I've found £ Sterling gets a reasonable return without having to go via changing through the US$ route - avoid taking a double whammy for service charges and getting increasingly better rates now too.

Security is an issue in Buenos Aires. Its a trade off between bringing in your baggage a large wad of £ versus paying extra to extract from the ATM. Make sure your are up to the limit with your travel insurance nearly everyone here has some sort of "incident". Best advice to start before you get up to speed is trust no one especially the friendly ones.

Dont even bother about trying to get a local bank account sorted it aint that easy girl!

Sims are easy - go to a Locatoria (they are everywhere) and they will sort you out with one. Maybe your phone wont accept but ask them to try it out for you mostly they will be happy to try before you buy. Better to pay to get it unlocked in UK if necessary beforehand. Of course if its a case of phoning back to UK then use the internet.

Any more questions then dont hesitate to ask and then measure the replies!

How's your castillano?

Once you get out here then real Buenos Aires is a truly life enhancing marvellous enjoyable place full of life in every aspect so don't hang back enjoy!