Job Offer in Buenos Aires

[Xeneizes]

Hello everyone,

I'm a senior college student at a well respected university in the United States. I majored in engineering but I have always had a passion for the Spanish language. My father speaks it and though I did not learn it growing up, I took classes in high school and minored in college and spent last summer in Spain.

I applied for a job in Buenos Aires and have received an offer. The opportunity is tremendously exciting to me for a variety of reasons. My father grew up in the city and even went to high school a few blocks from where the company is, so it would be a great experience to go and live there. The firm is in consulting and would allow me to explore the business and consulting world more since I'm not really sure what I'd like to do after finishing my undergraduate degree in engineering but feel I could enjoy myself in this industry. Their daily operations are in English and deal with many English speaking clients but most if not all of the employees are fluent in Spanish. I would be comfortable in the work environment while being immersed in a city that speaks a different language. The opportunity to possibly master a second language (I would call myself proficient now, but far from fluent) is really once in a lifetime.

I'm not too worried about the lifestyle or transitioning to a new country as I loved my time in Spain (2 months), but I do have concerns about the compensation. Their offer is AR$5000 gross plus aguinaldo, with a possible annual performance bonus, 2 weeks paid vacation, and private health insurance.

With the current exchange rate that is roughly 16,000 USD per year, and after I tried to adjust for Purchasing Power Parity I came up with 28,000 USD.

My main concern with the money is just to be able to live comfortably near the center of the city in a single apartment, and be financially flexible enough to enjoy the city's numerous cultural opportunities. Does anyone have any insight on if this is fair compensation for an entry level expat coming from a well respected university, and how I would be able to live?

My plans would be to return to the US after a few years after I have gained working experience and developed my Spanish skills. This might be to another consulting or business firm or to business school. I understand that paying for business school could be a concern if I am not able to save much money while living in BA.

If anyone here has any other advice for a recent college graduate coming to work in BA for a few years that would be fantastic. I am really looking forward to the experience but I would like to do my due diligence on the opportunity before I commit to an exciting adventure oversees.

 

[jayjane]

I think you'd be fine on 5,000 pesos a month. That is a great salary for a local that is just starting out. As far as what you'd be able to afford here, it would probably feel like you are living on less than 28,000 USD in my opinion. Everyone that comes here makes a lot of lifestyle adjustments or, ends up broke. Let me just give you an example with food. A regular dinner out, nothing fancy costs around 50-80 pesos and I am talking about cheap, normal food. In the U.S. I could get a great Thai dinner for around 10. Also, when I was making around 30 after college I had a car and could afford to drive everywhere. You don't need a car here but, just saying that even with a great starting salary for a local you would be coming to a country where you may need to adjust your lifestyle a little. There is benefit to that too. I feel I care much less about having the type of stuff I did in the U.S. I am not a person totally caught up in consumption here.

You may have difficulty finding your own place to rent at a reasonable price without a garantia. (Something that without being a local might be hard to get.) Finding a shared place shouldn't be too difficult. Shorter-term rentals go for much higher prices.

I would reccomend proceding with caution with the job. There are a lot of cases where
someone has received a job offer that wasn't legit. Make sure the company is getting the
proper working papers for you or, that you are going through the process yourself. It sounds like you would need to be working in the white to receive the benefits like health insurance.

 

[Lala]

$5,000 GROSS is not enough to live on, especially considering that you would likely rent a furnished apartment. Even if you got a cheaper long-term lease, you would have to consider the HIGH cost of furnishing it, and consider that they don't come with basics like light fixtures or a fridge like they do in the US.

I would check back with them and confirm what you will have NET (in hand) each month and make your decision from there.

If you can make enough to live on, it can be an amazing experience.

Good Luck!

 

[jayjane]

5,000 gross is enough to live on but, not living like one may be accustomed to. Many graduating college students here with great degrees start at less than that. I know this for a fact as I have watched my husband's group of friends go through their first jobs. Now that they have a little more exeperence, some are still not even making 5,000 gross. (Yet). All of these people are well- educated and some have studied in the U.S. at great schools from Boston to California. The advantage the ones making less have is that they still live at home.

I don't think people on this board always realize that many, many people here in normal professions make between 3,000 & 6,000 pesos a month especially when they are young. (20s to 30s) (Engineering, marketing, etc) This is considered good here. Great at the higher end of that range.

 

[nikad]

To live comfortably, renting a furnished apt. I think you will need around 1750usd net monthly.

 

[MorganF]

This is an excellent starting salary for a recent college graduate *for a local*. You definitely can live, enjoy living and going out on that salary. However, you won't be going out to the expensive luxury places foreigners go to, you won't be saving any money either.

There are two universes in BA: the expat world and the local world. You can not afford to live the awesome expat life to its fullest on that; but you can live a very comfortable, good, Argie life on that.

I hope this helps.

 

[nikad]

This is an excellent starting salary for a recent college graduate *for a local*. You definitely can live, enjoy living and going out on that salary. However, you won't be going out to the expensive luxury places foreigners go to, you won't be saving any money either.

There are two universes in BA: the expat world and the local world. You can not afford to live the awesome expat life to its fullest on that; but you can live a very comfortable, good, Argie life on that.

I hope this helps.

The only inconvenience is that he is not an Argentine, and when he tries to rent he will be treated as an expat, when he takes a cab same thing, etc. If he is willing to rent a room and live frugally, take buses and subways, travel as a backpacker, basically live like a college student, he should be ok. I guess it depends on his expectations and lifestyle.

 

[BAFinance]

While this is a great starting wage for a college graduate here, I think you will find yourself stretched on that budget. ESPECIALLY if you want your own place. I highly doubt you'll find a place for less then $500USD per month in the capital. After that, you'll have a budget of about $100 pesos a day. I think you should ATLEAST have a budget of $150 pesos per day or you really won't enjoy yourself at all. At $150 pesos a day plus $500USD rent, you need to make $6,500 pesos a month.

 

[French jurist]

All those figures are to be considered as a minimum :

Rent (smallish furnished apartment) 2.000/2.500
Food (groceries,...) : 40 pesos/day 1.200
1 restaurant x 2 per week : 150$x4 600
Mobile phone 60
Internet 100
Going out (bar, night-clubs,...) 600
Cultural activities (can be free) 200
Transportation (taxi, subway, ...) 300
electricity + gas (if not included) 150

Total : 5/5.500 pesos a month for an "average" life.

Consider also the fact that being a newcomer here, you'll likely overpay for many things during your 6 first months.

Conclusion --> you can live with 5K (and many live with less than that) but expect to be limited, especially compared to what you might consider as a standard in your country.

 

[jayjane]

Making a budget like the one above is advisable. Make it either before you come or, when you get here and realize what you'll need. We made a budget like this to keep ourselves on track. It is easy to over-spend in this city.