Is BA the Right Place for Me?

I live in Jomtien Beach, Thailand now and my only experience with BA was staying there for six weeks in a Barrio Norte. I loved BA but did find it a little bit one dimensional. For example, the steaks, wine, ice cream, and pasta, but try finding great Korean food, Indian food, Thai food, etc. etc. I find the expenses very similar Remember the Thai baht is much stronger against the dollar now (from 42 to 34, a big move) plus there is very high inflation in Thailand. If you are over 50 it is pretty easy to get a retirement visa in Thailand without a pension. It sounds quite a lot harder to do that in Argentina and I wouldn't fancy living a marginal visa run existance in BA as I age, taking boat trips every 3 months, always afraid they would decide no more stamps. Joe, if you have any specific questions that you might think I can help you with, comparing Thailand and BA, please ask, but of course I can't claim to have lived in Argentina, but I stayed long enough to get a feel about it.
 
"Fullmettlejaquette" said:
but try finding great Korean food ...

That reminds me. Next baexpats dinner is going to be at Bi Won Korean restaurant on Thursday, 25ths - a week from now. I am posting an announcement.
 
Funny about that. I have been to that place. A funny style of Korean food and nice to have but it doesn't compare to Korean food to be found in the US or Thailand. I think BA people know what I mean about the overall narrow limitations of Argentinian tastes on things like food.
 
"Joe" said:
I can find several studio apartments in BA on the internet for US$500. A short term apartment in San Francisco or LA will cost at least $1500 if you are lucky. In Seattle where I am now, short term studios cost at least US$1200. Even in places off the coast you will pay at least US$1000 for a short term studio. So for my biggest expense - rent - seems like a lot less unless I am missing something.
The something you're missing is that US apartments will generally be roomier and quieter, maybe even safer. A not-too-fancy studio in Barrio Norte should be going for around $500 today, and you can doubtless get better deals if you're willing to mover out even further to places like Belgrano, Caballito, and Flores
If you look at the back of the Economist magazine, in the currency exchange rate table, of all the currencies listed, only one has lost value to the US dollar in the last year - yes only the Argentine peso. With Brazil's currency gaining value along with Argentina's other neighbors then that would partially explain the inflation - everything Argentina imports is getting more expensive.
The peso is "sort of" pegged to the dollar (officially or unofficially?). Imports are getting more expensive but that's probably not the main reason for inflation; probably it's because Argentinian prices are catching up with world prices and partly perhaps because there are local production bottlenecks. In any case, the country periodically goes through bouts of rapid inflation followed by prolonged recessions.
Also regarding crime, are any of you familiar with Montivideo? How does the crime and cost of living there compare to BA?
Quieter, smaller, saner.
 
"WynnsWoods" said:
While I do not think that anyone is being liberal with the truth (or lying), I just cannot figure out how anyone could say it is as expensive living here as in the USA. That has certainly not been my experience here even with inflation running out of control.
I

Perhaps some people don't want to spoil a good thing by over advertising it!Rents in America seem outrageous to me. I had a better/cheaper apartment in Japan (Nagoya) than anything I lived in California or Seattle. And I liked being able to bike or take the subway anywhere as well. In Nagoya I had hundreds of restaurants within a 5 minute bike ride.For me a roomy apartment offers no value - just more to clean.Also I can get rid of the car expenses.Here is my US monthly expenses to what I am guessing for BA: US/BA (in US$)
Rent: $1200(in US)/$500 (my guess in BA)
Car: $200/$0 Dining: $100/$100Groceries: $400/$200Medical Insurance: $300/?Other: $800/$400Total: $3000/$1500 I see my dining expenses to be the same since I would eat out more if it were less expensive.If I can indeed save $1500 a month that would be a big motivator for me.

 
"Fullmettlejaquette" said:
Funny about that. I have been to that place. A funny style of Korean food and nice to have but it doesn't compare to Korean food to be found in the US or Thailand. I think BA people know what I mean about the overall narrow limitations of Argentinian tastes on things like food.
I think that is definitely a draw back for me. My favorite thing about Thailand was being able to eat varied cuisines at reasonable prices. I love Japanese food and you can get excellent quality Japanese food in Thailand for a fraction of the price of Japan or the US. The big problem for me about Thailand is the oppressive heat. I'm sitting here in my apartment in Seattle now with the rain and wind in shorts and teeshirt - haven't even turned on the heat and perfectly comfortable. I just don't have tolerance for heat and humidity. To me the best weather in the world is San Francisco but I would have to spend more there on the property tax alone than rent in Thailand or BA. One nice thing about Argentina is I could imagine myself finding a place in Patagonia for the summers.
 
Just come Joe but don't prepay 6 months rent. You may be cooling off in Patagonia before you know it after you feel the heat and humidity here in January. Stay flexible and go with the flow........
 
"WynnsWoods" said:
I disagree with anyone that says the crime here is overstated. It is in fact under reported by citizens and it is under documented by the authorities (as it typical of any government)

There is a fundamental difference between understated and under reported. Like everywhere else these days the fear of crime is far greater than the actual risk. Nowhere is safe these days, but if you take care and do not advertise your belongings then you will remain reasonably safe.
To illustrate the point; last year I got pick pocketed in Madrid. The first time ever that I had been robbed. It was my first hour in the city and I was looking lost. Do I now think Madrid is unsafe? No, no more than any other city. I have spent many months in Buenos Aires, and I still follow the same rules:
Carry bags away from the road.
Never flaunt what you have.
Carry only what you need.
If lost go to a cafe have a coffe and look at the map inside.
And finally always keep your wits about you.
Enjoy and stay safe, but do not live in fear.
 
Joe -- just a warning -- last year for New Year's it was 40 degrees celsius -- 104 degrees fahrenheit. This year they are predicting worse heat waves... ugh. If you can't stand the humidity I think perhaps you should consider spending December - March elsewhere (even Mendoza and Bariloche can be hot as hell then, but at least they don't have all the humidity). Most portenos that can afford it escape the city if not for the entire 3 months, at least they go every weekend. In January the city is dead quiet -- you can stand on 9 de Julio for about 5mins and not get run down... a lot of the restaurants still even close for the first 15 days of January because it is so dead... everyone just desperate to escape to the coast!
Re: your budget -- I'm not saying it's completely unrealistic but do make sure you have generous wiggle room if your planning on moving permanently and will be on a fixed income.
In this country when prices go up it's not usually by 5% or 10%, it's more like 50-300%. It's little things and big things -- ie my water service started at $1 peso a bottle, 6months later it was already $1.20 per bottle (cheap I know, but it gives you an idea of the quick increases). Peppers when I got here were about 4 pesos a kilo -- this winter they were anywhere from 12-16pesos a kilo. Towels that i got last year for 50pesos are now 100pesos. My gym membership started at 35pesos two years ago and now they want 85pesos.
In the 2 years that I have been here prices on many food items have doubled, or more.
Your rent of $500 is not necessarily going to hold. As a foreigner you can only sign 6 month contracts, every six months they will have the gall to try and raise it by another 100 bucks. Oh and they always want 1.5-2months commission every time you sign a contract, so instead of being 1500 a month (pesos) you have to adjust it to be more like 2000pesos, so you might be looking at $625bucks a month. (Some agencies will only ask for 1month).
Also, ABL services (garbage removal) are set to go up by as much as 300% in some areas of town (those areas where the short term apartments usually are - Belgrano, Palermo, Recoleta, etc).
100 bucks for eating out is not a lot -- if you like foreign food that is! Japanese count on spending anywhere from $16 bucks to $40 or more if you go to the better places and have some wine. A foreign meal can easily be 60 pesos if you have any booze with it. More local fare we usually end up paying around 10-15 dollars a head for the meal with a gaseosa or one glass of booze. If you're like me though and want to go out so you can have some variety of flavours, then you're usually lookng at a pricey meal -- oh and if you know Thai food, don't even bother here. There's one place that's decent, but expensive, and the other one that's supposedly "the best" I believe uses a tonne of MSG -- I don't know, but the one ime I went there I had some sort of allergic reaction where my throat swole up and I nearly passed out...
Ok so enough of the misery guts... I've been here for 2 years and I love it. I am saving more money than I did at home, but I also have the backup of a regular income from Canada, an income that has the potential to grow, and a dollar that's kicking some ass! I think you can esily come down here and live and love it, but I just always think it's important to caution those coming on fixed incomes that the economy is just not stable, so come with a nice cushion... and perhaps a plan to get away to the coast every summer?
Suerte!
 
Joe,

Please also consider that I 100 percent agree Argentina is likely to get alot more expensive for expats!! The Thailand baht has already made a major currency move, while the peso has not. http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9988808
This is because according to this article their next president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner will be raising interest rates and letting the peso strengthen. I would predict when that happens easily a 30 percent weakening of the US dollar over a year. Also, please answer. What would your visa strategy be for Argentina? You do not have a pension. What kind of long term visa do you think you can get?Regarding the heat in Thailand, I have now lived here a year full time and I am not bothered by it at all. I live in a high rise condo with cool ocean breezes. I have used the aircon a total of 5 days over the year and am fully acclimated. That is the locals trick to not be bothered by heat, only use the aircon when you are dying and within some months you will find aircon very cold. I actually think you would be better off in Thailand and should give it another look.
 
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