I moved from the US to Argentina for the lower cost of living

[Stantucker]

Can’t help but smile while reading this. All the praising and love for Argentina, evaporated and replaced by complains, disdain, plans to leave.. good riddance. It shows how the loyalty obly went as long as it was good times. But now that you feel what an Argentine feels, it’s Chao. And what’s to be expected, these people lived in the capital, as porteños, that we in the real country consider the scummiest part of Argentina. You porteños go on, head out, you never were about this, rootless city dwellers. Me? I’m tying to the land. I didn’t immigrate to be an expat enjoying a temporary strong dollar. I came for a new life.

I wish you well with all that venom you're got inside of you against all those who haven't chosen your particular path.

Sure there are expats that came only because of the cheap COL but there are many others that came because they truly love the country. They are saying only that now they're finding it hard to survive.

 

[Che1990]

I wish you well with all that venom you're got inside of you against all those who haven't chosen your particular path.

Sure there are expats that came only because of the cheap COL but there are many others that came because they truly love the country. They are saying only that now they're finding it hard to survive.

Exactly. Who’s not going to complain about living costs more than doubling? Food is some of the most expensive on the planet even though most of what you eat is produced in the country.

Rent and other services still reasonable compared to other places, but for how much more? The uncertainty plays its part too

I’ve been in Argentina since 2015, have lived through the cycles, and still love the place. Especially that I’m currently in another country now, makes me appreciate it all the more.

 

[chris]

Well we are just visiting here for a few weeks and have to comment about the amazing health care we've received. My son had an allergic reaction yesterday to a brownie he was given that had nuts in it. Despite 2 epi pen shots, he was still covered in hives and his chest and throat hurt so we took him to a private hospital IADT. They suggested he stay overnight for observation. We left this morning and he is all better. Total price, no insurance, was $350. For a night of pediatric intensive care with dinner and breakfast for mother and child. We had a similar experience in the US last year and our CO-PAY was $1500. And this hospital was absolutely beautiful and everyone super friendly. Argentina is incredible.

It's an excellent clinic.

 

[chris]

I wish you well with all that venom you're got inside of you against all those who haven't chosen your particular path.

Sure there are expats that came only because of the cheap COL but there are many others that came because they truly love the country. They are saying only that now they're finding it hard to survive.

My experience is that there are foreigners who come for a few years on contracts from elite schools and then leave, foreigners who came with remote jobs and stayed on as long as it was cheap and foreigners who get involved with locals and marry. The women often don't want to leave because of their families, so the husband has to stay here despite the economic hardships. Those without attachments seem to hang in until it's too tough. A lot of expats have no idea what life is like for locals earning low salaries.

 

[Stantucker]

My experience is that there are foreigners who come for a few years on contracts from elite schools and then leave, foreigners who came with remote jobs and stayed on as long as it was cheap and foreigners who get involved with locals and marry. The women often don't want to leave because of their families, so the husband has to stay here despite the economic hardships. Those without attachments seem to hang in until it's too tough. A lot of expats have no idea what life is like for locals earning low salaries.

I agree with all you said except your last statement. Maybe I'm extrapolating too much from my own experience here, but I don't think so because of other comments I've read on the forum: almost all my friends are locals and many of them are struggling, so I am well aware of what the reality is here for locals earning in pesos, and I suspect most expats are. We also read and watch the local news. And they were struggling before Milei took office.

 

[chris]

I agree with all you said except your last statement. Maybe I'm extrapolating too much from my own experience here, but I don't think so because of other comments I've read on the forum: almost all my friends are locals and many of them are struggling, so I am well aware of what the reality is here for locals earning in pesos, and I suspect most expats are. We also read and watch the local news. And they were struggling before Milei took office.

I was generalizing of course but I do believe that a lot of expats enjoyed a lifestyle that few Argentines could have: dining out all the time, living in expensive parts of town, ability to travel etc. I remember a local friend telling me that if she went to the discounted showing of a movie she had enough money left over for a coffee and a cleaning employee in an office telling me that she could not afford the bus fare to the train so she walked forty minutes to the train. I guess theoretically expats know that life is not easy for most people but few actually experience it, certainly not to the same extent. Unless your friends are high earning executives, few or none are going to have the money for dinner in the upscale restaurants a lot of expats used to talk about on this forum.

 

[Quilombo]

Just to remind everyone that Argentina doesn't begin and end with CABA. There are lots of other places to live quite inexpensively: Cordoba, Mendoza, Salta, Posadas, to name a few big ones. I live in Mendoza, and we have been receiving a slew of financial refugees from the States, Europe and Canada, mainly retirees and young professionals working remotely. We own an apartment complex in the city, and we keep our prices reasonable for the demographics we're hosting. Meanwhile, there are pages and pages of Airbnb listings with empty calendars, going for three times what they should go for, and I'm turning people away because we're out of apartments. The cost of food has gone up, but to ride a bus is under $1, a gas bill is around $10 and electricity is about $20 in the winter. My cell phone plan is $8/month, doctors' appointments are $20-25 and dental cleanings are $40. There is no way in hell you can find any of these prices in the US, Canada or the UK, so maybe whoever is complaining about CABA's prices should fly out and take a peek at the rest of the country? Just saying ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

PS: Oh yeah, and Mendoza is considered one of the most expensive provinces. Cordoba and Salta are a lot cheaper.

But can most people Argentine people afford this, especially if you rent/don't live in a family owned home/apartment? Again, as always, I think many of us are analyze things using US/EU purchasing power (or that of remote workers) and simultaneously forgot just how many people have to rent. Also, let's keep in mind that most Argentines, 52% of the country to be exact, have a household income of LESS than $1,372 USD/month per the Argentine Social Pyramid for Q1 2025, or about $1,000 USD on average for the two lowest portions (D1 and D2/E).

Now, for those renting, the situation is even worse; MDZ Capital has an average rental cost of ~$500 USD for a 1 Bedroom (which is cheaper than CABA which is around ~$500 USD for a studio) so there basically half of your income gone to rent alone (again $1,372 is the upper limit; $1,000 the average). Now add the basic food-only basket which is around $300 USD for 2 people, and you can begin to see why so many people are suffering; you pay your rent, you buy your groceries, and you have $200 left for the month to cover everything from gas/electricity/transportation to unexpected expenses, forget leisure or fun, you literally can't afford it, and not to beat a dead horse, but this is how 52% of Argentines live, almost 23 million people.

So while Argentina doesn't begin and end at General Paz/Rio La Matanza, neither does the economic suffering; the country is not in a good place even if it has lower cost of living compared to the US or EU, it only does if you have a US/EU salary.

Argentina will never ever change until people realise that, in a capitalist society where businesses have to compete, you earn money with VOLUME and not MARGIN.

Here, the culture is to set the price high and they then scratch they’re head when they don’t sell. Until that “chip” changes, the economy will never pick up.

Your anectode about empty Airbnbs is exactly what I’m talking about

This is something that will never change I'm afraid, I have complained about this endlessly to anyone who will listen (and even those who won't) because Milei and Caputo don't seem to understand that Argentine businessmen and companies are garcas through and through, it's like they both lived abroad their entire lives and have never saw how businesses operate here, and that's why they foolishly believe liberal economic practices will just be adopted in a country where both the petit bourgeoisie kiosk owner and the CEO of Toyota would rather sell 1 item for 100% margin than 2 for 75% margin each.

I know it's a trite observation, but Simon Kuznets wasn't just talking about inflation with Argentina being one of the 4 kinds of economies there are, hell, even today we're a standalone market with basically all of the negatives of market capitalism and none of the perks.

Well we are just visiting here for a few weeks and have to comment about the amazing health care we've received. My son had an allergic reaction yesterday to a brownie he was given that had nuts in it. Despite 2 epi pen shots, he was still covered in hives and his chest and throat hurt so we took him to a private hospital IADT. They suggested he stay overnight for observation. We left this morning and he is all better. Total price, no insurance, was $350. For a night of pediatric intensive care with dinner and breakfast for mother and child. We had a similar experience in the US last year and our CO-PAY was $1500. And this hospital was absolutely beautiful and everyone super friendly. Argentina is incredible.

I had a similar experience in Brazil, had to go to the ER at a private hospital, had tons of meds, ultrasound, observation for 8 hours, 8 blood tests, etc. everything came to be $200 USD which is very affordable for those of us who are used to developed country prices, but this would be an expensive trip for half of Argentines or Brazilians as I was talking about with 52% of the country so I think it's important to also keep that in mind too.

 

[cherepaxa]

But can most people Argentine people afford this, especially if you rent/don't live in a family owned home/apartment? Again, as always, I think many of us are analyze things using US/EU purchasing power (or that of remote workers) and simultaneously forgot just how many people have to rent. Also, let's keep in mind that most Argentines, 52% of the country to be exact, have a household income of LESS than $1,372 USD/month per the Argentine Social Pyramid for Q1 2025, or about $1,000 USD on average for the two lowest portions (D1 and D2/E).

Now, for those renting, the situation is even worse; MDZ Capital has an average rental cost of ~$500 USD for a 1 Bedroom (which is cheaper than CABA which is around ~$500 USD for a studio) so there basically half of your income gone to rent alone (again $1,372 is the upper limit; $1,000 the average). Now add the basic food-only basket which is around $300 USD for 2 people, and you can begin to see why so many people are suffering; you pay your rent, you buy your groceries, and you have $200 left for the month to cover everything from gas/electricity/transportation to unexpected expenses, forget leisure or fun, you literally can't afford it, and not to beat a dead horse, but this is how 52% of Argentines live, almost 23 million people.

So while Argentina doesn't begin and end at General Paz/Rio La Matanza, neither does the economic suffering; the country is not in a good place even if it has lower cost of living compared to the US or EU, it only does if you have a US/EU salary.


This is something that will never change I'm afraid, I have complained about this endlessly to anyone who will listen (and even those who won't) because Milei and Caputo don't seem to understand that Argentine businessmen and companies are garcas through and through, it's like they both lived abroad their entire lives and have never saw how businesses operate here, and that's why they foolishly believe liberal economic practices will just be adopted in a country where both the petit bourgeoisie kiosk owner and the CEO of Toyota would rather sell 1 item for 100% margin than 2 for 75% margin each.

I know it's a trite observation, but Simon Kuznets wasn't just talking about inflation with Argentina being one of the 4 kinds of economies there are, hell, even today we're a standalone market with basically all of the negatives of market capitalism and none of the perks.


I had a similar experience in Brazil, had to go to the ER at a private hospital, had tons of meds, ultrasound, observation for 8 hours, 8 blood tests, etc. everything came to be $200 USD which is very affordable for those of us who are used to developed country prices, but this would be an expensive trip for half of Argentines or Brazilians as I was talking about with 52% of the country so I think it's important to also keep that in mind too.

Subject of the thread was. "I moved to Arg to lower cost of living", not "How Argentines are surviving whatever". The panic spread intended by the OP is bogus, because for people from the US/Canada/EU/Australia, it's still cheaper. My archery club membership is ten bucks a month in Mendoza, my Pilates private class is twelve and a group class is five. My kinesiologist charges seventeen bucks for an hour-long session (my LA one charges $160) and a kilo of cocoa costs twenty bucks. So please. Don't. Yes, it's hard for the peso-earning populus, but it's their own fault, so no pity is warranted. Post-Soviet countries are still recuperating, and it's been over 30 years, so Argentina is in for a long haul if they don't screw it up. Their benefit is a small population, easier to manage, easier to reeducate, easier to feed in case of emergency. Get some wisdom and patience, roll up your sleeves and help out.

Re: your next statement "this will never change", nothing is "always" and nothing is "never", everything flows and changes, so again, missed the target.

 

[antipodean]

Can the majority of Brazilians afford to live in Zona-Sul of Rio de Janeiro or in nicer areas of Sao Paulo or other major cities on their local wages? No, but like Argentina, plenty can still afford to get by even if some of them also feel that familiar working-class squeeze also felt in many places of Europe, US, Australia, Canada etc. Or do some overly entitled expats honestly think it is their dollars holding up the real-estate market, restaurants, airlines, grotesquely overpriced supermarkets, hotels, private healthcare, concerts etc etc which continue to cater for millions of paying customers who are still somehow capable of coughing up the cash to pay despite earning the cash from local employment or economic activities?

Welcome to South America, a continent of inequality where the majority of people don't earn enough to live well.

 

[chris]

Subject of the thread was. "I moved to Arg to lower cost of living", not "How Argentines are surviving whatever". The panic spread intended by the OP is bogus, because for people from the US/Canada/EU/Australia, it's still cheaper. My archery club membership is ten bucks a month in Mendoza, my Pilates private class is twelve and a group class is five. My kinesiologist charges seventeen bucks for an hour-long session (my LA one charges $160) and a kilo of cocoa costs twenty bucks. So please. Don't. Yes, it's hard for the peso-earning populus, but it's their own fault, so no pity is warranted. Post-Soviet countries are still recuperating, and it's been over 30 years, so Argentina is in for a long haul if they don't screw it up. Their benefit is a small population, easier to manage, easier to reeducate, easier to feed in case of emergency. Get some wisdom and patience, roll up your sleeves and help out.

Re: your next statement "this will never change", nothing is "always" and nothing is "never", everything flows and changes, so again, missed the target.

Are industrial goods cheaper? Are electronics cheaper? Are cars cheaper? Is it cheaper to furnish a home with decent furniture?