Cost of living calculation

[mafalda]

Hola a todos,
I will move to Buenos Aires in November and start working in January next year. Now I was looking around what I probably have to pay for a room in a shared apartment (for the start I think it's the best option).
I'm wondering what percentage of the income I can spend for the rent. I mean if I earn e.g. AR$ 3000 (what I don't unfortunately , what % can I "give" away for paying the rent to still have enough money for the rest of the month for other activities...? Thanks for any advice!

 

[Granadaiscool]

About half the Argentines live on less then 1000 peso a month but that does not mean it´s enough.
I would say you should calculate atleast 600 peso for the rent and about 40 peso a day to live if you want to be able to do some fun stuff.
I would say 2000 peso to spend(so without insurrance, plane ticket or cost you might have) is the minimum

 

[mafalda]

Muchas gracias Granadaiscool for your reply, this helps me a lot!
About renting an apartment/room - what barrios could you recommend to live in besides the known (and expensive) ones like palermo, recoleta...? I think for 600 pesos I will need to look for something more outside of BA, right?

*mafalda

 

[Granadaiscool]

The south site of BA is cheaper, but also more dangerous.
If you take the map of BA and you pick the barrios of the centre. That are places that in general are cheaper and 'safe'

 

[rachelsigner]

Mafalda,Check out places on the outskirts of Palermo. Just go to an agency that arranges apartments, you can find some if you look around on Craig's List, and tell them what you have in mind.Suerte! Rachel

 

[syngirl]

For that price if you are willing to share, you will have no problems finding something.
To live by yourself, have a look in Abasto, Almagro, Boedo. Not the "hot" neighbourhoods but central for the subte so it's super quick into town. These neighbourhoods are very high density and don't have the cafes / boutiques that most foreigners want to be surrounded by, but there are decent areas and they're close to shopping / cines / tango (it's the Gardel area) etc.
Also Collegiales you may be able to find something -- it's a fair walk to the subte, but at the same time you're near Palermo). But with any of these barrios there are good and bad areas. Look at an apartment during the day and at night so you have more of a feel for the neighbourhood.
Villa Urquiza does have some nice areas and you could possibly find something close to the subte (the last station stops at the edge of the barrio). A lot of friends live in Villa del Parque, which has very nice areas and is very tranquil, but there's no subte so you have to bus everywhere. One of my friends complained that to get to Recoleta it easily takes her an hour on the bus.
Some rental agencies will rent to tourists without making them pay it all up front. Others will want 6 months rent paid up.
Check out the classifieds in Clarin to start. Take something for 1-3 months for when you first arrive and use that time to look around. If you're lucky you'll meet someone who's grandmother has a place etc

 

[julian]

as i read the cost of living comments, it seems to me that 1000.00 u.s. per month after housing expenses would go a loooong way.
For that price if you are willing to share, you will have no problems finding something.
To live by yourself, have a look in Abasto, Almagro, Boedo. Not the "hot" neighbourhoods but central for the subte so it's super quick into town. These neighbourhoods are very high density and don't have the cafes / boutiques that most foreigners want to be surrounded by, but there are decent areas and they're close to shopping / cines / tango (it's the Gardel area) etc.
Also Collegiales you may be able to find something -- it's a fair walk to the subte, but at the same time you're near Palermo). But with any of these barrios there are good and bad areas. Look at an apartment during the day and at night so you have more of a feel for the neighbourhood.
Villa Urquiza does have some nice areas and you could possibly find something close to the subte (the last station stops at the edge of the barrio). A lot of friends live in Villa del Parque, which has very nice areas and is very tranquil, but there's no subte so you have to bus everywhere. One of my friends complained that to get to Recoleta it easily takes her an hour on the bus.
Some rental agencies will rent to tourists without making them pay it all up front. Others will want 6 months rent paid up.
Check out the classifieds in Clarin to start. Take something for 1-3 months for when you first arrive and use that time to look around. If you're lucky you'll meet someone who's grandmother has a place etc