Considering BA as an early retirement option

[Ceviche]

If what I heard in that interview conducted by Michael Moore (someone posted here) is true, the virus will be around for YEARS. That means that there will be NO social life, no amusements, none of the things that attract people to Argentina, so why would someone volunteer to live in Argentina under such conditions?

The lockdown to stay for years, they will have to send police with guns.

Public will go crazy at some point.

 

[antipodean]

Regarding safety. Assuming you would live in nicer neighborhood in CABA or a nice town in Regional Argentina:

For those coming from "safe" places or bubbles like North America there can indeed be moments of frustration when one realizes they need to think twice about doing something / going somewhere / trusting someone etc. However, I cannot say it is so bad that it creates paranoia, unlike living in the nicer parts of Rio or Bogotá, for example. Perhaps this would be different if one lived in a house in the suburbs outside of a gated community or a "less desirable" area.

Living in nice neighborhoods in CABA you rarely need to go to a less nice neighborhood. You make your bubble where you live. In the nicer neighborhoods, there is good police presence and a lot of movement on the street. You don't really see or feel crime in air, but would you leave your phone sitting on a sidewalk café table, tote a Prada bag around your should or leave said bag sitting on the front seat of your car? No way in hell. To be honest I see and feel less petty crime on the streets of Palermo and Microcentro than in Barcelona where every week (at least) I would see a grab and go robbery and myself having suffered a few lost phones. You can get a better feel for reported crimes in different neighborhoods here:
https://mapa.seguridadciudad.gob.ar/

Fortunately, my only "crime" incident here to date was the robbery of all of my possessions inside my apartment at the time. A blanket. You, see when I got my apartment I spent a few weeks having painting and refurb etc done. I had a blanket in the living room that I would use to sit on while waiting for tradesmen to arrive etc. One day after being away for a week I discovered it had gone. One of those m*******s stole my blanket!

That said crime here does traditionally increase when the economic situation is bad. There is a real fear amongst many locals about people who sneak into buildings or accompany occupants from outside at gunpoint to rob apartments. Apparently it has even happened in my building twice in the past during the bad years around 2002/3 (right next to the US embassy residence..) and there have been a few cases on the news in Recoletta lately of criminals going in through the garage. Given the current deepening crisis, it is likely we will see a few years of relative insecurity again where incidents in nicer areas become more commonplace.

Regarding general peace of mind. Forget it. Things change 20 times in a week usually without anyone telling you. It is incredibly frustrating and time-consuming to get anything done. This includes both getting money and spending it. The quality of work and goods (construction, appliances, furniture, etc.) is generally terrible meaning you are always paying to get things fixed or replaced. Complaining achieves very little here. There are fewer options for anything you want than in the outside world and prices can be crazy expensive for some things that you would not expect, while other things can be far cheaper than you would have ever imagined. You will either accept this inconsistent reality and find a way to deal with things or end up having a nervous breakdown and retreating to wherever you came from with some serious mental trauma.

Aside from the downers above, there is little else likely to ruin your experience down here as a retiree. The rest is actually quite OK (assuming you view local politics as a spectator sport!)

 

[Ceviche]

Apparently it has even happened in my building twice in the past during the bad years around 2002/3 (right next to the US embassy residence..)
.

Great Location.

 

[Rich One]

I have a theory about it. If I am migrating into a country and I have to go and live in slum neighborhoods and poverty stricken / crime ridden neighborhoods, I am better off staying back at my home country where I originally come from, which is full of extreme poverty/ extremely violent crime. No need to jump from dangerous tree and fall in in a dirty pothole.

Its worse to migrate to a country and live a low quality life there or be dependent on the local government of a country which is not yours.

Some are forced to stay here ?, others are free to leave , no one is kept at gunpoint in Argentina?
" Love it or Leave It "

 

[Alpinista]

If what I heard in that interview conducted by Michael Moore (someone posted here) is true, the virus will be around for YEARS. That means that there will be NO social life, no amusements, none of the things that attract people to Argentina, so why would someone volunteer to live in Argentina under such conditions?

If that were the case (i am more optimistic), then the situation would also be very bad anywhere else

 

[Rich One]

If what I heard in that interview conducted by Michael Moore (someone posted here) is true, the virus will be around for YEARS. That means that there will be NO social life, no amusements, none of the things that attract people to Argentina, so why would someone volunteer to live in Argentina under such conditions?

Well Florida is open with restos outside seating jamming with a State record of 10,000 infection in the last 24 hours..? not to worry?

 

[Ceviche]

Well Florida is open with restos outside seating jamming with a State record of 10,000 infection in the last 24 hours..? not to worry?

Calle Florida?

 

[Ceviche]

Some are forced to stay here ?, others are free to leave , no one is kept at gunpoint in Argentina?
" Love it or Leave It "

No one is forced to live in any country except some forced labour from 3rd world countries brought to a first world country and their passports confiscated. Mostly, they can't speak English or language of the country they are brought to.

Other than these people, every makes a choice to live here. Either chasing "love" or chasing "family" or chasing "some lifelong dream".

During my years here, I have come across some really good looking American or British girls aged 24-28 range who fell in love with Some Argentine man back in US or UK, followers him back here to Argentina. And guess where they landed? in Lanus, Lujan, Avalleneda . Living in cockroach infested apartments with a broke boyfriend and bearing his baby and getting abused by him daily. Unable to return back cos they love the "abuse" and they can't take the Argentina baby with them! Will you call it "forced" living in Arg?

 

[sergio]

If that were the case (i am more optimistic), then the situation would also be very bad anywhere else

It's what the doctor interviewed by Michael Moore said, not me. I suspect the virus will come and go in waves - always present but sometimes worse. People will change their habits. Argentines are adaptable and they'll adjust to the new world that is emerging. People will slowly forget how things used to be; children born now will never know the old ways.

 

[Sdiz.usa]

When people say the crime here is bad, then where is it not bad? If the point of comparison is Geneva, Switzerland, then maybe. But among South American cities of comparable size BA has the lowest crime rate with the exception of Santiago, and overall, Argentina is still one of the safest countries in LATAM.

Argentina is not Safer or More Dangerous than other South American countries. However, in Argentina, the justice system is ALMOST non-existent.