Is Argentina Still a Good Deal?

[sergio]

Paraguay is on my list of options that I'm researching.

It has drawbacks versus Argentina: It's land locked, less developed and hot, but the cost should be less and the visa process is very straight forward. Like you just deposit a small amount of money in a bank and you get a long term visa. Also, no taxes on income from outside of Paraguay as I recall. So, that's a plus as well.

I've never actually been there though. I'm sure it's not as nice, but maybe nice enough (?)

What is in Paraguay that could attract a retiree from the 1st world? Maybe if you're an exiled dictator.
As for COL, yes probably very low

 

[Alby]

Nice country. Lovely people. Asunción is a pleasant city on the river. But unbearably hot in November.

 

[DarrenKK]

I think there are people whose initial interest in Argentina is stimulated because it's cheap. But you have to love the country first and foremost and have other reasons to live there beyond cost. The country throws up its own unique challenges that I suspect some people aren't really ready for. Sometimes it feels like people browse a selection of countries to consider living in like a holiday brochure. Best wishes all.

 

[oddDistribution]

We've been there several times, mostly flying in, but last summer we drove there and stayed for a few weeks. We went mostly for shopping, electronics and clothes. There are nice residential areas in Asuncion, like Recoleta and Villa Morra, but the city centre appears very sketchy, particularly from the evening on, though there is now a nice riverside walk and even a beach. It does get very hot, summer temperatures can be around 40 degrees for extended periods. There's a lot of building activity, I've read that the ROI is comparable to Uruguay.

The country is landlocked, but it does have beaches, we also stayed in Encarnacion, which gets very busy in summer.

I suspect there's quite a lot to see, but much of it is practically inaccessible because of bad roads.

Personal safety would be an important topic, a friend of mine was killed some years back by robbers in his home.

Yikes, sorry to hear about your loss. Was that like in the 80s or somewhat recently?

 

[FrankPintor]

Yikes, sorry to hear about your loss. Was that like in the 80s or somewhat recently?

It was a while back, early 2000s, if I remember correctly. But generally, as Alby said, the people are very nice. Extreme poverty is visible, and street touts (window washers, people selling stuff) can be quite aggressive. There's quite a lot to see in the country: rivers, waterfalls, Jesuit reductions, etc, but they're not very accessible.
The food is pretty good there too, much more variety than in Argentina, and there's lots of river and lake fish available (surubi and pacu, for example).

 

[Caribbean Cool]

How much did it change from your expectation?

 

[Caribbean Cool]

I think of my decision process about moving here last year, in regards to the cost of living, and the comparisons have been blown out of the water. Giving other countries more consideration is 100% smart. I am not saying to rule out Argentina....but it has turned upside

Some of the price increases can only be characterized as violent. Best selling yogurt up 300 to 350%. A bag of Starbucks beans used to be about $4....now some places $18....and Nestles instant coffee...out of sight. I will pay the price....but for a lot of people deal breakers will affect decisions to live in this country. And now the unheard-of is happening.....the peso is moving up in terms of dollar conversion by a significant percentage. Dollar down?? The unthinkable is now a new reality.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Unless you have a very good reason to come here look elsewhere for the time being.

Good reason might be family, love, an enduring fascination with Argentine culture etc etc.

If it’s purely based on purchasing power then at the moment it’s on a par with parts of Europe these days except for Energy costs.

 

[oddDistribution]

Some of the price increases can only be characterized as violent. Best selling yogurt up 300 to 350%. A bag of Starbucks beans used to be about $4....now some places $18....and Nestles instant coffee...out of sight. I will pay the price....but for a lot of people deal breakers will affect decisions to live in this country. And now the unheard-of is happening.....the peso is moving up in terms of dollar conversion by a significant percentage. Dollar down?? The unthinkable is now a new reality.

Yea, that's scary stuff man. I don't understand how typical Argentinians are dealing with this stuff. They make way less than the typical expat.

 

[oddDistribution]

Unless you have a very good reason to come here look elsewhere for the time being.

Good reason might be family, love, an enduring fascination with Argentine culture etc etc.

If it’s purely based on purchasing power then at the moment it’s on a par with parts of Europe these days except for Energy costs.

Yea, Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia are starting to look better on a relative basis based on what I'm hearing here honestly. I've never been to Paraguay, but Brazil and Colombia have their good points for sure.