How many of us are still here?

[on the brink]

I was not referring to you however a person can live in many US cities without a car. I know several people living on very low Social Security in good subsidized housing. If Medicare does not cover all costs, Medicaid steps in. Public transportation is either free or 1/.2 fare for seniors. There are many other benefits depending on the city and state. I am aware that there is a lot of US bashing on this forum but I know personally several people who manage on limited incomes in this way. The US is not without a social umbrella. Finding out what is available and how to get it can be challenging, however. This is all I will say. I am not going to get into a debate about how awful the US is supposed to be.

I quite agree.

I have a friend living in Miami, not in the posh part. She and her husband, both in their late seventies, live on their combined SS payments of $1,100 a month. On that, they have a lovely one bedroom apartment facing a wide canal full of wildlife - it is a safe area, where they can walk their dog at night without fear. They drive a six year old used car, shop at Target and Walmart, and eat out once a week in a modest restaurant. They take advantage of Medicaid, Medicare, and a bunch of special discounts and free benefits available to Florida retirees.

Personally, I greatly enjoyed the years I spent in the US. But that was before 2016 - now, I won't go back, not even to visit. I was in DC a couple of months back, and was taken aback by the change. There's a feeling of animosity and confrontation poisoning the air - people who used to smile while crossing paths in the sidewalk, or waiting in a checkout line at the stores, now snarl and brush past each other without even looking up.

Sadly, it is now a different, hostile place.

 

[LuckyLuke]

What I'm thinking about is BsAs real estate. Even if the cost of living in Argentina is just as high as it is in the U.S., if I can purchase a place to live at a third or less of the cost of a comparable abode in the U.S., it makes sense to do that, right (assuming that it's where I want to settle)? The only thing that makes me hesitant is the economic instability Argentina has had over many years.

Howdy FxF and happy first comment. It's impossible to answer this without knowing your exact situation. I would highly recommend you make a post in the newcomer's section introducing yourself so you can get some tailored responses.

All I can say for now is low real estate prices are a reflection of the ability to purchase them. Cheap homes highlight cheap wages.

 

[Rich One]

Yes, of course, that's a brilliant solution!

The very next time I talk to the President or the Speaker of the House, I'll be sure to mention that.

Keep us posted of your discussions.... ! (lol)

 

[PatriotsFan]

One big issue for me is the cost of Healthcare.
My monthly premium is now 432,000 a month not including medications. (over 65 no major issues)
There have been monthly increases, for over a year now, (no longer qualify for being under 65 discount ... which was 80,000) between 2.5% to 3.5% every month with no stopping in sight.
The pittance of COLA last year covered the monthly increase in food prices but healthcare premiums have
now cast a shadow on my relationship with Argentina.
I foresee an alternative mathematics issue with this administration, as well as the last, in determining what the COLA
will be.
There was mention of other places to move to .... Paraguay has had a favorable move in the monetary exchange, Vietnam has as well.
The Philippines has taken a dip in the wrong direction.
Right now I am on a 90 day pause.

 

[sergio]

I quite agree.

I have a friend living in Miami, not in the posh part. She and her husband, both in their late seventies, live on their combined SS payments of $1,100 a month. On that, they have a lovely one bedroom apartment facing a wide canal full of wildlife - it is a safe area, where they can walk their dog at night without fear. They drive a six year old used car, shop at Target and Walmart, and eat out once a week in a modest restaurant. They take advantage of Medicaid, Medicare, and a bunch of special discounts and free benefits available to Florida retirees.

Personally, I greatly enjoyed the years I spent in the US. But that was before 2016 - now, I won't go back, not even to visit. I was in DC a couple of months back, and was taken aback by the change. There's a feeling of animosity and confrontation poisoning the air - people who used to smile while crossing paths in the sidewalk, or waiting in a checkout line at the stores, now snarl and brush past each other without even looking up.

Sadly, it is now a different, hostile place.

I don't think you can generalize about the whole country. It's true that a lot has changed since the Covid lockdowns. There is less social activity. A lot turned to Zoom and never fully recovered. Life is more relaxed in Florida in my experience (though I don't know Miami where it is probably more intense). I find people in the US south to be more friendly and polite.

 

[Gringo80]

One big issue for me is the cost of Healthcare.
My monthly premium is now 432,000 a month not including medications. (over 65 no major issues)
There have been monthly increases, for over a year now, (no longer qualify for being under 65 discount ... which was 80,000) between 2.5% to 3.5% every month with no stopping in sight.
The pittance of COLA last year covered the monthly increase in food prices but healthcare premiums have
now cast a shadow on my relationship with Argentina.
I foresee an alternative mathematics issue with this administration, as well as the last, in determining what the COLA
will be.
There was mention of other places to move to .... Paraguay has had a favorable move in the monetary exchange, Vietnam has as well.
The Philippines has taken a dip in the wrong direction.
Right now I am on a 90 day pause.

I have a friend that is very happily living in Chaing Mai.

 

[sergio]

Exactly the same for me. Rent now consumes half of what I get from Social Security each month, for a one bedroom apartment in Villa Urquiza.

...and it will go up again at the end of May.

I don't understand the talk about how well off people are, taking vacations in Brazil, Miami etc. Just how large a group is this? Talking to several middle class retired people (Argentine) recently I get a different picture. One couple live in a flat of about 50 meters in a middle class suburban area. Between the two of them they have around 1,600,000 pesos a month in pensions. Last month their income did not cover health insurance, building expensas, medications (over 300,000 pesos a month), food and other essentials. When I asked: are you better off, the same or worse than you were before the political changes their answer was a clear "much worse". This doesn't seem to be a minority view from what I can tell.

 

[desde_Holanda]

What I'm thinking about is BsAs real estate. Even if the cost of living in Argentina is just as high as it is in the U.S., if I can purchase a place to live at a third or less of the cost of a comparable abode in the U.S., it makes sense to do that, right (assuming that it's where I want to settle)? The only thing that makes me hesitant is the economic instability Argentina has had over many years.

Your reasoning sounds too simple in my opinion, there's a lot more to it.

It seems to me that your starting point is that you aim to settle in BA. And that you are deliberating your financial ability to do so, comparing this scenario with the alternative of staying in the US. Is that right?

Now I don't know your situation. Age? Means of income? Personal wealth? Plans for the next 10 years or so? Visa possibilities? These variables will all impact the outcome.

Ignoring those very relevant factors, a couple of points.

• Buying in Argentina. If you want to buy in Argentina, you will need to be able to pay the price you agree on in full. Add to that at least 10%. Forget about mortgages. So first of all, you need to have the money to do so. And that money will be 'locked in stones', as long as you don't sell. You can't use it for other things in life, and you can't use it to invest and make a possibly nice return. Housing prices (in Buenos Aires) have gone down quite a lot in the last couple of years, and the outlook is quite positive. But there's no certainty on the long run of course. So if you buy, in my opinion you should buy not for return but for to live how you want to live.
• Renting in Argentina. There's always the alternative of renting of course. Rents are still much lower than in the US (cities), but rental prices rise. If you buy an apartment, you will also end up with monthly payments (service costs plus insurance, not rent). Payments that - in some cases, depending the type of apartment building - have become quite high as well in the last 16 months. Maintenance costs for houses (or PH's) can come unexpectedly, as I have seen and experienced. It's another climate here, another quality of building often also.
• Buying versus renting. As mentioned before, buying can only be an option if you have the cash. Suppose you have, is buying the better choice? From a viewpoint of choice of objects and the possibility of finding a place that you like and/or can adjust to your liking, buying is always more attractive than renting. And yes, buying in Argentina can seem attractive if you have the money: compared to (cities in) the US you will get a lot of house for your bucks. But if buying after all will be the financially better choice - instead of renting - you will only be able to conclude after 5, 10, 20 years.

Finally, all the above is theory/rational/reasoning. There's one basic line: if you aren't 200% sure about the prospect of living in Argentina (for whatever reason, e.g. you haven't been here long enough to be able to know for sure), nobody should give you a positive advise to immediately buy, irrespective of the attractive pricing of the real estate here.