Is Argentina Still a Good Deal?

[oddDistribution]

I know people who have done so and they are not wealthy.

How did they qualify?

 

[GMan_27]

My wife and I bounce between Argentina and South Africa but things are becoming more and more difficult and we want to settle down somewhere.

What about Argentina's neighbours? Never got the chance to go to Chile so what is life like there?
We always hear about Uruguay being boring and expensive but what about life in Chile or even Paraguay or Bolivia?

 

[Rich One]

Portugal may be somewhat saturated with expats. Prices are probably lower in towns. I think Italy is a better bet. There are underpopulated towns where houses are very cheap. Small cities in Spain are considerations. I'd also consider France but not Paris of course. Europe's excellent rail network makes just about any destination worth considering as you can travel to so many interesting places quickly and easily. My understanding is that once you get residence you qualify for national health insurance. At this point food prices may be similar to Argentina - only better quality, especially dairy products and fresh vegetables.

I suggest other alternatives like.
Turkey: with low cost of living, lower than Argentina, famous for medical/dental care and plastic surgery. Destination for Europeans.

Antalya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[sergio]

How did they qualify?

I believe a certain amount of income (in France I believe close to 2,000 euros), proof of health insurance. You cannot work in France. Ask the consulate. It can be done.

 

[Rich One]

Ojo ..! Are long term dollar rentals in danger? Will owners request adjustment if the Blue dollar doesn't follow the price inflation rate? IPC.

 

[sergio]

Ojo ..! Are long term dollar rentals in danger? Will owners request adjustment if the Blue dollar doesn't follow the price inflation rate? IPC.

Everything is up in the air these days, don't you think?

 

[oddDistribution]

My wife and I bounce between Argentina and South Africa but things are becoming more and more difficult and we want to settle down somewhere.

What about Argentina's neighbours? Never got the chance to go to Chile so what is life like there?
We always hear about Uruguay being boring and expensive but what about life in Chile or even Paraguay or Bolivia?

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 (?)

 

[oddDistribution]

I suggest other alternatives like.
Turkey: with low cost of living, lower than Argentina, famous for medical/dental care and plastic surgery. Destination for Europeans.

Antalya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Turkey is on my list of options as well. Turkey has a very easy visa process as well.

I heard that Istanbul has gotten a fair amount more expensive recently with people moving there from Ukraine. Like, the rent is quite high.

Antalya is supposed to be a cheaper though. It may have gone up as well though, not sure.

 

[FrankPintor]

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 (?)

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.

 

[Blueish]

I live between São Paulo and Buenos Aires, last year it made sense to be here if your aim was to save money for whatever reason.
It was incredibly favourable for someone whose savings was in a foreign currency.

Being here now is even more expensive in terms of everyday shopping than Europe. I think I made a big mistake in returning, but hey I'm enjoying it anyway, I should have stayed in Brazil or gone to Peru.
Yesterday I bought a yoghurt , a pack of handkerchiefs and frozen brocoli in Carefour for 7700 pesos. That's £7. In London that would have been cheaper. Problem is WU exchange rate hasn't barely moved since october, and consumer prices have sometimes tripled.
The pricing issue is kinda complex, for example an avocado 2 weeks ago was 2400 ARS per unit but a taxi drive (8 blocks) was 1800 ARS, so I guess it's just a matter of navigating through these issues with a bit of knowledge.

Buenos Aires is an incredible place, it's impossible to get bored, but to reply to the original question, it's not the deal that it was a few months ago for sure. If you're here to save like I am (I'm studying and have no current income), then it might no te the best option