cost of living... advice needed!

[cbphoto]

I am Cuckoo for Coco Puffs...thats why I moved to BsAs...they cost 1.25$ a box there!!! 5$ a box in the USA....crazy

 

[smith]

Ordinary Argentinians, as well as ex-pats who depend on earning a local income in pesos, suffer from considerable inflation. Understandably, they are in a cynical state of mind. Foreigners with dollars, as well as those wealthy Argentinians who can keep most of their assets off-shore, experience, by world standards, bargain cab fares, bargain restaurants, and bargain wines. But not bargain everything. An American staying for just a few months will be able to stretch her dollar much farther than in most other places--certainly anywhere in Europe. The only fly in the buttermilk is finding a place to stay, but short-term rentals are available and, to many Americans, will seem to be very affordable. Good luck.

 

[tangobob]

Oft quoted here is the cost of white goods and electronics. This is of course irrelevant to anybody staying short term.
It is a real pain to anyone staying long term or setting up a home, but there are few places worldwide where normal day to day things like food and transport are as cheap.
" Restaurants In nice areas are around 30 dollars minimum these days per person. I would hardly call this cheap. Sure lunch specials are around 7 to 10 dollars but when you put this into perspective compared to the wages here its expensive."
The only place where I have paid these sort of prices is Recoleta, very touristy and appalling service. If you go to Almagro Abasto or even Palermo expect to pay much less. Even the more touristy parts of Micro Centre and San Telmo do not reach these prices.

 

[rmartinbuenosaires]

Why is everyone attacking Ramon for giving ACCURATE information? He wasn't complaining, merely sharing requested information. On a related topic, ACTUAL inflation as figured by the Wall Street Journal among others I have read for 2007 was really between 33-39%, not the official Argentine version of 8.5%.Its not just the inflation but the tireless ways in which you are cheated on a daily basis. Within five minutes of my return at Newberry on Tuesday, I was "overcharged" for a Cortado and then the taxi driver tried to "implement" his own tarifa de aeropuerto and quoted me a price of 8-10 pesos higher than reality. It just never stops. When are Argentines going to wake up and realize that not all foreigners here are tourists and some of us actually know what prices really are?

 

[ramon]

I have seen prices go up 200 percent in 5 years and my wage went up only 75 percent. How is that cheap to live?
Yes sure the property owners who have two apartments and more have gotten rich with their killer rents and resale values to the clouds now.
This is a expats forum where we talk about the realities of living here not a tourist channel highlighting the jet set life.
All I know is that for Argentinians of the lower to middle classes and people who have a fixed wage ie pension or savings from overseas they are stretched to their limit.
I beleive that 5000 pesos a month and even more seems to be the expat budget these days. If you count medical insurance, a decent apartment in a safe area, decent food, clothes and a myriad of other products this is the case.

 

[angiec]

thanks everyone for your help. I've been living in London for the last ten years and one good thing is everything seems cheap when abroad - however as i'll be in BA with some savings and not earning £/$ i'll have to keep a tight hand on my purse. I think from what you've all said i'll be able to live for a few months fine. Then i may look for a teaching job to see if i can string out my stay a bit. If not, i guess i'll be back home!

 

[bigbadwolf]

I have seen prices go up 200 percent in 5 years and my wage went up only 75 percent. How is that cheap to live?
All I know is that for Argentinians of the lower to middle classes and people who have a fixed wage ie pension or savings from overseas they are stretched to their limit.
I believe that 5000 pesos a month and even more seems to be the expat budget these days. If you count medical insurance, a decent apartment in a safe area, decent food, clothes and a myriad of other products this is the case.

I believe you. And if the upper limit (39%) of the Wall Street Journal's estimate of inflation is correct for Argentina, that means prices will double in two years' time. For most wage earners and pensioners in Buenos Aires, living within their means must be quite some task. And expats who might have found Buenos Aires eminently affordable four years back probably have a different take on it today.

 

[ReemsterCARP]

Ramon: "Tell me where that a nice one bedroom apartment only costs between 500 and 800 dollars.""
Well, actually just around the corner from Plaza Vicente Lopez (one of the best neighbourhoods in town), fully furnished...
The cost of living will depend greatly on where you live. Try to steer clear from expensive neighbourhoods such as Retiro, Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano etcetera. Buenos Aires is a big city with a lot of nice middle class neighbourhoods at just 20 minutes from the city centre! Another option would be to live just outside of the city, in the "Conurbano". Not only will your rent be lower there, but also services and the prices in your local supermarket will be lower!

Oh, and Ramon, you're probably eating out in the wrong kind of place if your dinner sets you back 30USD...

 

[perry]

I also find Buenos Aires quite expensive and getting expensive. I do live in a bubble I admit in Palermo Soho but I travel to most barrios and also eat out very often.
Prices in restaurants have doubled in two years, prices for nightlife in many cases have tripled since 2002 .
I beleive though that many are living very well here especially in Palermo and Barrio Norte. Even with all this inflation the restaurants are bursting at the seams the hotels are at record capacity and the shops are selling more merchandise than ever.
To live well here it will cost you much more than you imagined . I beleive that around 2000 dollars a month per household is about right.