Is Argentina Still a Good Deal?

[another]

Not saying it's my income, it's the portion of it I'd like to spend on living expenses (accomodation and food, local transport, etc). I can go higher but I'm trying to save a good portion of it so I can buy an apartment later.

The apartment I quoted in palermo was 706 all included, seems totally fine to live there. Or I am missing something?

You might be missing is the fact that Scalabrini Ortiz is one of the busiest Avenidas in the capital, with dozens of buses flying by every minute in both directions. Apartemnt is on the third floor looking on the street, so the noise and pollution are quite heavy. Lots of people on the street during the nights as well...So if you are looking for quiet privacy comfort that one probably won't be the best option.

 

[steveinbsas]

Well ,,,,
If one lives like a monk, $700 is probably good enough.
But for a socially alive human ,,,, $700 probably well not last a week (max 10 days if one tries extremely hard may be) in the big city nowadays. (I have no idea how it's in provincia).

If you want to have an idea "how it is in provincia" at least for one expat geezer who, even to his own great surprise, doesn't live like a monk, just scroll down to the bottom of this page and press "prev" twice. Then read post #91.

I have local friends (all Argentines) with whom I socialize, but we never meet in resturants. We meet at each others' houses, almost always for asado. I confess that I ate in resturants in Punta Alta twice iast year, but only once each time that Patricia came to visit me. We also had dinner and/or asado at the homes of several friends each time she was here

Even though my monthly COL just increased to almost $400USD, that's sill only half of my monthly imcome after payng $ transfer fees, so I still have $400USD to spend each month however I desire. I certainly don't fell like I am living a life of deprivation...or that of a monk...or even a hermit.

For me at least, Argentina is still a very good deal.

 

[Rich One]

Renting in Buenos Aires is very hard. Lots of bullying by Argentina landlords.

Rules to renting in BA

1 Its better to find a foreigner landlord and deal with him directly without an intermediary Argie in between.
2. Try to avoid rental agencies as intermediaries and they try to milk out as much money as possible.
3. Do not give any money to any one for signing a rental lease exceprt in front of of Notary magistrate as a witness.
4. Have a legal lease with notary magistarte involved and write down an official email id, official whatsappp number for communication declared in it. Write down the monthly method of payment to landlord in it. If its cash by hand, declare in it to use as evidence later.
5. Security money is often lost due to the ingrained belief in Argies that security money is their additional income over and above the rent. Always takes photos of all defects of the place in first hour of the possession and send it to official email id of the landlord. declared in the lease.
6. When leaving the apartment, ensure you repair all damages made by you and make a through double cleaning of the apartment and leave it sparkling clean
7. Call the Notary magistarte to hand over the apartment back to landlord. He will be your witness if the landlord does not repay back the security deposit.
8. With the Notary as your witness, you have a strong case to take strong legal action to get your security deposit back. the city of Buenos aires provides various measures for it.
9. With the notarized lease, you have a strong case to report to tax authorities especially if the rent was being paid in cash or not in Argentinian account.
10. If you want to avoid drastic increases in rent. Ask for a three year lease in USD and same amount for three years with no increase.

Most agents/landlords know that the dollar will appreciate way less than inflation. In three years . No savvy landlord will buy that deal. three years no adjustment. Some landlords in my building refused dollar rentals, prefer pesos with quarterly adjustments.

 

[A Antares]

Aside from blaming Milei for Argentina's inflation, for the Americans here, there is the other side of the coin to consider; specifically that part which lies north of the equator. Regarding your dollars, the FY-2025 Social Security COLA is a pittance, a measly 2.5%, which is an absurdly low amount given the deceitful CPI-W calculation contortions that the Biden regime went through to depress the real U.S. rate of inflation in order to further the Democrats' reelection efforts.

Sorry people, but the Biden regime has screwed you over here in Argentina as much as, or more so, than your friend Javier Milei is alleged to have done. Elections have consequences.

 

[argeiCanuck]

If you want to have an idea "how it is in provincia" at least for one expat geezer who, even to his own great surprise, doesn't live like a monk, just scroll down to the bottom of this page and press "prev" twice. Then read post #91.

I have local friends (all Argentines) with whom I socialize, but we never meet in resturants. We meet at each others' houses, almost always for asado. I confess that I ate in resturants in Punta Alta twice iast year, but only once each time that Patricia came to visit me. We also had dinner and/or asado at the homes of several friends each time she was here

Even though my monthly COL just increased to almost $400USD, that's sill only half of my monthly imcome after payng $ transfer fees, so I still have $400USD to spend each month however I desire. I certainly don't fell like I am living a life of deprivation...or that of a monk...or even a hermit.

For me at least, Argentina is still a very good deal.

@steveinbsas Amigazo
Monk does not apply to your tenacity. Superman is more likely. I doubt if any of us would even dare to think of your surreal life style ,,,,, let alone actually living it.

For the rest of us ,,, we still buscando someone with a clipboard to meet for a survey.

 

[argeiCanuck]

Most agents/landlords know that the dollar will appreciate way less than inflation. In three years . No savvy landlord will buy that deal. three years no adjustment. Some landlords in my building refused dollar rentals, prefer pesos with quarterly adjustments.

My landlord refused a Dollar contract.
Now it's been pesos contrato with quarterly IPC adjustment since July.

 

[Ceviche]

Most agents/landlords know that the dollar will appreciate way less than inflation. In three years . No savvy landlord will buy that deal. three years no adjustment. Some landlords in my building refused dollar rentals, prefer pesos with quarterly adjustments.

Nothing is written in stone. It all depends on your negotiation skills.

 

[argeiCanuck]

@steveinbsas
You are a different breed all by yourself.

if
a "Patricia" visits only twice a year instead of once a day
then
you're a superman monk aaaa -- "supermank"
end

 

[NiKo2b]

You might be missing is the fact that Scalabrini Ortiz is one of the busiest Avenidas in the capital, with dozens of buses flying by every minute in both directions. Apartemnt is on the third floor looking on the street, so the noise and pollution are quite heavy. Lots of people on the street during the nights as well...So if you are looking for quiet privacy comfort that one probably won't be the best option.

that's an issue, indeed! Thanks for the heads up. That's a point I'll need to be careful with when I arrive.

Even though my monthly COL just increased to almost $400USD, that's sill only half of my monthly imcome after payng $ transfer fees, so I still have $400USD to spend each month however I desire. I certainly don't fell like I am living a life of deprivation...or that of a monk...or even a hermit.

Sounds too good to be true (but I won't complain, I just don't think I can get that... I assume your own your place?)
That said, it seems to be a very good deal. Thanks for the figures. Do you live in a minor city or in a very rural area?

 

[NiKo2b]

I'm surprised with your fatalism here. While everything is definitely getting more expensive saying a single person will survive in shanty towns for $1500 a month is simply not true. Open airbnb, there are thousands of offers of 1-2 room apartments in Palermo/Belgrano and rest of not-so-famous but still very decent neighborhoods like Caballito or Villa Urquiza for less than $800 a month all inclusive. 4rentArgentina is a very reliable site as well and prices listed there are real. And you absolutely can find alquiler temporal amoblado for cheaper price and just extend it every 3 months forever.

You have $700 left for food, transportation, entertainment and everyday expenses. That's far from surviving in shanty towns.

I'm reading this topic like it's about another country, not Argentina.

Thanks for your input, gives a bit of hope here.

I'm not the party type guy. I work a lot, have less time to spend money outside anyway. I just want life to be confortable at home, and not feel like I have to count any penny...