How much to live?

[AlexfromLA]

You made a comment about schooling being cheap for foreigners. I asked you to elaborate. You came up with some half assed answer about an Argentine friend who moved back to Argentina and said school was affordable.

You have no actual knowledge about the topic so I corrected you with some facts that most foreigners, who have children and are planning on moving to Argentina, would greatly appreciate. I am not posting for your benefit.

You grow up.

Oh grow up... I'm trying to give the OP some advice, not win some pissy little argument with you. Education isn't limited to the best 15 schools in argentina, and a comfortable life is just about possible without a gardener, nanny and maid.

OP has two baby boys, priority for him is going to be childcare, and happily there are lots of good, affordable options. Should he decide to settle permanently, there are good, affordable schools as well.

 

[AlexfromLA]

Lol,

You're kidding me right ?

This is your first post in this thread and it's specifically targeted at me.

Funny that he was living in Pilar and paying ABL... Get your facts straight.

Maybe you should actually know what you are talking about before talking out of your ass and trying to attack someone who actually has something worthwhile to contribute. All you did was add misinformation and deliberately try to argue with me for no reason. /

Alex, seriously, why the attitude always?.

 

[jp]

Why are you so aggressive?

I'm expecting my first child towards the end of the year, I work in an office full of people with young kids and have a large circle of expat and porteno friends, many of whom have young kids. The perspective that "schools are cheap" is based on what my friends tell me - people with young kids and babies, who are likely in a similar position to the OP.

I'm sure everyone greatly appreciates your contributions, but there's no need to get quite so upset when someone offers a different perspective to your own.

 

[AlexfromLA]

I think it just depends on what a " nice lifestyle " means to different people. So it's really all subjective. I am personally just trying to give hard cold figures about what specific things cost.

 

[katti]

If schools are expensive or not depends on where you come from. In my home country schools are free. You only pay books/schooltrips in 'private' schools and absolutely nothing in public schools. So yes, for me school here is very expensive.
On the other hand the uniform is very cheap (but bad quality), and everything is included in the price (they even wash the sportsclothes for you!).

I can imagine if you compare the private schools here with the private schools in US or US that the ones here are cheaper.

I am not sure if public schools here are or can be bilingual, so if you are a foreigner...??

 

[AlexfromLA]

Okay JP,

Fair enough. But you aren't really giving a different perspective, you are making a broad general statement. Now let me ask you again, because the OP can't use " schools are cheap " to calculate his cost of living, which was the point of this thread.

And 'm not being aggressive just trying to be specific.

How much, in your opinion, do you think it costs to give one child an internationally accredited bilingual education in Buenos Aires ?

Your answer would be the " different perspective ".

The perspective that "schools are cheap" is based on what my friends tell me - people with young kids and babies, who are likely in a similar position to the OP.

 

[AlexfromLA]

Actually when you are talking about private bilingual schools, prices are a little bit cheaper but not as much as you would think and in many cases prices are comparable or even more expensive.

What I know about public schools is that by law the Argentinian government mandates a full days education in Spanish. So if the public school were bilingual, it would have to be " doble escolaridad " or double schooling from 8 am to 5 pm. I don't personally know of any public schools that offer that. But there might be a few. But the education wouldn't be accredited internationally. Neither would the diploma. Something that might not fly with parents who would like their kids to easily transition to a US or European University later on in life.

But yes, if you send your child to public school and they only learn Spanish,you would completely eliminate that expense.

I can imagine if you compare the private schools here with the private schools in US or US that the ones here are cheaper.

I am not sure if public schools here are or can be bilingual, so if you are a foreigner...??

 

[syngirl]

Just so everyone knows, on TN yesterday they quoted a study that revealed the following about family incomes here:

High class and ultra-high class earn $33000 (pesos) and up per month.

Typical middle class income = $10200 pesos per month

Lower middle class = $4960 per month

"recuperated" middle class -- ie people returning from poverty = $3080

Low class = $920 a month

It also lists monthly expenditures of an average middle class family, with a household income of just under $11000 pesos, 2 kids in a subsidized private school, a rented home, 1 family car, and a family health insurance plan.

If you can't read spanish, run it through Google Translate:

http://marketing.iprofesional.com/n...cesita-un-clase-media-para-vivir-por-mes.html

 

[AlexfromLA]

Great article Syn. Although I think a few of these figures don't apply to most foreigners. This is more Argentinian specific. From my personal experience living here, I would add at least an additional 30% for most foreigners who don't or can't take out preferential car loans, home loans or aren't eligible for government subsidized Spanish only schooling and food subsidies.

If you can take advantage of all the great social programs that are provided to Argentinians, then yes I think these figures would apply.

 

[mini]

Ok, the OP is from Costa Rica, I don't think they will need to limit themselves to bi-lingual schools, which will bring the child schooling costs down.