Job Offer in Buenos Aires

[MizzMarr]

Maybe I had misheard and it was 10$ US. I would only get a taxi if I was out late at night and trying to get home by myself. Otherwhile I plan on walking and using the subte all the time.

So, with 450 pesos I can eat out around 11 times with that, or about 2 times a week if I stretch it.

Yeah, but remember--the $30 I'm saying I spent on sandwich fixings for two were things I bought in the grocery store, prepared myself and then took to the park. If you're going anywhere for dinner that isn't a neighborhood (and not Palermo, Cañitas, Recoleta, Belgrano) parilla be prepared to pay at least $50 pesos, especially if you're drinking. Most times I'd go out to a nice-ish dinner with girlfriends and split a bottle or two of wine plus food we'd be looking at $80-100 each. If you want to splurge on foreign food--say, a thai curry--be prepared to spend $70 pesos or more just on that one plate (again, buy the ingredients and make your own! you can have a curry dinner party for that amount of money at home). It's important to note that a lot of us foreigners complain about the quality of the food in general and certainly at the average restaurant. The prices just aren't worth what you get, and unless you start going to the nicer restaurants and forking over more money it's almost always better (for price, flavor, health, etc.) to cook at home. Even a standard cheese pizza costs around $40 pesos (yuck).

Also good to remember that the subte closes at 10:30 pm. busses, however, run all night and are a cheap, reliable way to get around town if you're not walking or on a bike.

 

[Xeneizes]

Yeah, but remember--the $30 I'm saying I spent on sandwich fixings were things I bought in the grocery store, prepared myself and then took to the park. If you're going anywhere for dinner that isn't a neighborhood (and not Palermo, Cañitas, Recoleta, Belgrano) parilla be prepared to pay at least $50 pesos, especially if you're drinking. Most times I'd go out to a nice-ish dinner with girlfriends and split a bottle or two of wine plus food we'd be looking at $80-100 each. If you want to splurge on foreign food--say, a thai curry--be prepared to spend $70 pesos or more just on that one plate. It's important to note that a lot of us foreigners complain about the quality of the food in general and certainly at the average restaurant. The prices just aren't worth what you get, unless you start going to the nicer restaurants it's almost always better (price, flavor, etc.) to cook at home.

Also good to remember that the subte closes at 10:30 pm. busses, however, run all night and are a cheap, reliable way to get around town if you're not walking or on a bike.

Are all of these places where expats go, and if so are there are other places where locals (or people living on a budget) could eat for less?

I have the impression from this forum that it is a lot of wealthy retired people or entrepreneurs, so I'm just trying to figure out if we are on the same page.

 

[Xeneizes]

And to clarify that, I have the people who work there (at the level I would be starting) telling me its affordable for food and entertainment etc on my salary if I rent a room in a shared apartment but many here are very skeptical, and it's just hard to know what is exactly true.

 

[MizzMarr]

Are all of these places where expats go, and if so are there are other places where locals (or people living on a budget) could eat for less?

I have the impression from this forum that it is a lot of wealthy retired people or entrepreneurs, so I'm just trying to figure out if we are on the same page.

It really depends on where you're coming from personally. You didn't say where you are from originally, or what kinds of experiences you're out for or places you want to go. The bohemian days of Buenos Aires have come to a close, and you're right that more of the people who are coming here are wealthier business people. It's just the reality. Are the people you're working with locals, or foreigners? You would definitely have to rent a shared apartment, that's for sure.

Personally, I've been living on the cheap here for the last 1.5 years (trying to be an entrepreneur doesn't always pay--after I left my job last January I had to adjust spending dramatically, but I've lived here now 5+ years). You CAN eat cheaply, but as mentioned before usually quality and flavor both suffer in doing so. I've become a really good cook while living here.

If you go to less touristy barrios (I'd recommend Almagro for you to start as a place to live, not Palermo if you're interested in saving money) things are less expensive, but in general everything is more expensive than it used to be. I live in Caballito in a very non-touristy area and can walk down the street and see pasta plates at restaurants going for 40+ pesos/plate. Sometimes you can find a deal for less, sometimes there are also specials, but you have to shop around or know where to go and sometimes that can take awhile to figure out. It also depends how quickly you can get comfortable.

I paid $13 pesos the other night for a skinless chicken breast (raw). Normally I can buy a chicken leg/thigh for around $8-10 pesos each (raw). I spend around $120/week on vegetables and fruit. I cook 98% of the time. You can buy empanadas for around $3 each, but quality definitely varies. Beer was $3 pesos/liter when I arrived, and it's closer to $9 now. This is no longer an inexpensive city to live in.

ETA: it's also a good thing to consider that while many employers promise regular reviews and salary adjustments, sometimes the reality is far from that. I'm not saying your prospective company is trying to just entice you, but promises like that do make good enticement where it's not as easy to walk away once you're already down here if you find that the description doesn't match the reality. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in your decision. I think that you're the perfect age to do it, and it would be an experience that will broaden your horizons and impact you for life (probably for the better).

 

[Xeneizes]

It really depends on where you're coming from personally. You didn't say where you are from originally, or what kinds of experiences you're out for or places you want to go. The bohemian days of Buenos Aires have come to a close, and you're right that more of the people who are coming here are wealthier business people. It's just the reality. Are the people you're working with locals, or foreigners? You would definitely have to rent a shared apartment, that's for sure.

Personally, I've been living on the cheap here for the last 1.5 years (trying to be an entrepreneur doesn't always pay--after I left my job last January I had to adjust spending dramatically, but I've lived here now 5+ years). You CAN eat cheaply, but as mentioned before usually quality and flavor both suffer in doing so. I've become a really good cook while living here.

If you go to less touristy barrios (I'd recommend Almagro for you to start as a place to live, not Palermo if you're interested in saving money) things are less expensive, but in general everything is more expensive than it used to be. I live in Caballito in a very non-touristy area and can walk down the street and see pasta plates at restaurants going for 40+ pesos/plate. Sometimes you can find a deal for less, sometimes there are also specials, but you have to shop around or know where to go and sometimes that can take awhile to figure out. It also depends how quickly you can get comfortable.

I paid $13 pesos the other night for a skinless chicken breast (raw). Normally I can buy a chicken leg/thigh for around $8-10 pesos each (raw). I spend around $120/week on vegetables and fruit. I cook 98% of the time. You can buy empanadas for around $3 each, but quality definitely varies. Beer was $3 pesos/liter when I arrived, and it's closer to $9 now. This is no longer an inexpensive city to live in.

ETA: it's also a good thing to consider that while many employers promise regular reviews and salary adjustments, sometimes the reality is far from that. I'm not saying your prospective company is trying to just entice you, but promises like that do make good enticement where it's not as easy to walk away once you're already down here if you find that the description doesn't match the reality. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in your decision. I think that you're the perfect age to do it, and it would be an experience that will broaden your horizons and impact you for life (probably for the better).

Middle class family, not wealthy but never had to worry about spending what I want, but I don't eat at high end places. My diet is currently poor (burgers, etc) and I would like to change that.

I would buy a lot of vegetables, chicken, steak, and pasta for cooking. Not as big on fruits.

I've done just about as much as I can do without actually coming down and trying it out. I spoke to two people who started the way I would, one European and one from the US, and both said they live okay. The US girl claimed she spent $650 US on rent for her own studio and that was about 2/3 of her net pay, and while making some sacrifices on going out, she is able to live like that.

I appreciate your advice and I think the opportunity, while risky no matter how much I prep, is exciting and hopefully will work out well.

 

[John.St]

Alright, I've got to decide soon so I made a budget.

Just to reiterate, the job pays ARS 5000 gross, and 4150 net after taxes.
I would be making food maybe 70% of the time and eating out 30% of the time.

Total: 4150

Does this sound reasonable?

First of all, if your budget sums up to your income, you have a deficit.

85-90 percent is max. as you must allow for unexpected expenses.

Second. Think about an ordinary day. You wake up and do what?

Brush teeth, wash hair and body, shave?
Toothpaste, shampoo, soap, aftershave, etc.

How is the floor, your bedlinen, your clothes to be kept?
Detergent etc. and don't forget toilet paper, etc.

When you cook your food, what do you need?
Continue in detail through an ordinary day.

I spend some AR$ 50 a day on quite ordinary, daily things. Now take caviar, blinis and Russian sour cream ...

Next look at week, month, year.

How do you get things like towels, bedlinen, clothes, pots, pans, newspapers, internet, etc. etc. ?

Go on.

You can live reasonably well on AR$ 4,150/month but you have to keep a tight budget on everything else to be able to afford to eat 30% of your meals in restaurants.

Argentine families with two kids live on half or two thirds of the amount, but their expectations to standard of living is probably very different from yours.

 

[Xeneizes]

First of all, if your budget sums up to your income, you have a deficit. 85-90 percent is max. as you must allow for unexpected expenses.

Second. Think about an ordinary day. You wake up and do what?

Brushing teeth, washing hair and body, shave?
Tooth paste, shampoo, soap, etc.

How is the floor, your bedlinen, your clothes to be kept?
Detergent etc. and don't forget toilet paper, etc.

When you cook your food, what do you need?
Continue in detail through an ordinary day.

I spend some AR$ 50 a day on quite ordinary, daily things.

Now look at week, month, year.

How do you get things like towels, bedlinen, clothes, pots, pans, newspapers, internet, etc. etc. ?

Go on.

You can live reasonably well on AR$ 4,150/month but yo have to keep a tight budget on everything else to be able to afford to eat at restaurants 30% of your meals.

Argentine families with two kids live on half the amount, but their expectations to standard of living is probably very different from yours.

I budgeted 250 a month for miscellaneous, but your point remains valid.

Buying the clothes/pots/pans etc would come out of my current savings as an initial investment. Those things would not be replaced each month.

You make a point about hygene products but I think I can fit them into the 250 misc. section and still have a good portion of that left.

For internet, I would try to find a place that has included in the monthly rent.

The only thing I really need to make me happy is food, internet, and a little spending money for the weekends.

 

[PhilipDT]

I just had a great conversation about money with one of my roommates, he earns 4000 a month and he thinks that it's "sick", that is plenty for him and even though he has reasonable savings and could he never needs to spend more. That's great for him. He goes out at night more than I do, buys more clothes than I do, eats out/in more than I do, but some how, I spend 2x what he does every month.

Its all about what you are used to. If you can eat processed cheese and meat and drink beer etc. Then you are great, you can live here for nothing. If you have a passion, I mean a real burning passion, for food which you are unwilling to compromise for money, you're going to pay like there is no tomorrow.

 

[John.St]

I budgeted 250 a month for miscellaneous, but your point remains valid.

I have no intension of arguing about it - every person has his own priorities.

I just want you to use your engineering skills to get into all the details, so you don't go hungry the last 4 or 5 days of the month.

 

[Xeneizes]

I just had a great conversation about money with one of my roommates, he earns 4000 a month and he thinks that it's "sick", that is plenty for him and even though he has reasonable savings and could he never needs to spend more. That's great for him. He goes out at night more than I do, buys more clothes than I do, eats out/in more than I do, but some how, I spend 2x what he does every month.

Its all about what you are used to. If you can eat processed cheese and meat and drink beer etc. Then you are great, you can live here for nothing. If you have a passion, I mean a real burning passion, for food which you are unwilling to compromise for money, you're going to pay like there is no tomorrow.

Is he a local or a foreigner?

Even if he is a local, I think I'd enjoy living like they do, or at least in between.

I was also thinking that if I rent a room like a homestay or in an apartment with Argentines I will have a lot easier time practicing and improving Spanish, and I think that is really important.