Living in Buenos Aires versus Santiago - pros and cons

[pedroC]

I am single mid thirties no kids. Most likely I would be there for couple years not long term. I have a business in the US that I can operate from overseas. I am looking for adventure. For me adventure means a city where I can walk to lots of great restaurants and shops, beautiful architecture, natural beauty and of course beautiful women. I speak Spanish reasonably well.

So pedroC why do you prefer BA to Santiago? How would you compare the two

I reckon according to your required criteria Buenos Aires beats Santiago hands down in every department apart natural beauty. In Santiago you are never more than two hours from the beach (Vina del Mar) or one hour from the great outdoors (Cajon del Maipo) or the ski resorts 3000 metres up the Andes. As for the rest, restaurants and shops are everywhere in Buenos Aires, whereas Santiago is not a walkable city. Shopping is confined to big malls. The architecture in Santiago in non existent, many of the old colonial buildings and houses have been torn down and in its place nondescript apartment towers and buildings have been put up. As for beautiful women, in Chile I had to look at my wife ;-) or watch television to see one. Here in Buenos Aires they are aplenty (not that I'm looking, mind).
The reason I left Chile is that I found class ism rife, people cold and snobbish. Buenos Aires is alive and Santiago is dead.
Its hard to recognize all the above as I'm Chilean born, but it's the truth.

 

[lovetotravel]

Thank you for the responses. It is interesting to me that people are recommending Vina del Mar and Valparaiso. I used to live on the California coast and I love mountains crashing down into the ocean. Are Vina del Mar and Valparaiso similar to the California coast at all in terms of topography, culture, or lifestyle? Can you get good international food (Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Peruvian) in Vina and Valparaiso? Would you say women in Chile are more into foreign guys than women in Buenos Aires or is it about the same?

 

[realba]

i just sent you a private note-on the left hand side there's a link that says 'my notes' where you'll see it.

for food, you can get very decent peruvian food, ok thai food, pretty decent mexican food, excellent italian food, excellent french food and truly disgusting chinese food in vina and valpo. the seafood here is exceptional. argentina kicks chilean arse in the beef stakes (so to speak)

for the women, chilenas are more, shall we say, 'welcoming' than argentines and due to the classism pedro mentioned, are more than happy to get themselves a foreign boyfriend.

 

[Bill]

Are Vina del Mar and Valparaiso similar to the California coast at all in terms of topography, culture, or lifestyle?

Vina del Mar is more like a beach community in Mexico. Here's a pic that might give you an idea what it looks like.

Valparaiso is the port city 8 km (5 miles) from Vina and is built right on the slopes of the surrounding hills. There are elavator-like carts that make it easier to get into the hills. Also markets where you can buy everything from fruit to used clothing.

Would you say women in Chile are more into foreign guys than women in Buenos Aires or is it about the same?

I would say yes, the Chilean women are more interested in foreign guys, partly because it's easier to pick you out than in BA and the attitude is a bit different.
Something I found amusing in Chile regarding women is the "coffee with legs" shops that are everywhere. Basically, it's women dressed in bikinis serving coffee in bars with darkened windows. It's not prostitution and they don't get naked. I'm not sure why it's so popular but guys hang out there and chat with the girls. I'm told there's a few of these in BA as well but I didn't even know about this until I visited Chile.

 

[danc]

i agree with realba, hands down BA over Santigo.

 

[Marc]

Are the women more attractive in one city or the other or is it about the same? Is there a higher percentage of women that are attractive in BA versus Santiago? I would assume the women are more approachable in BA since I get the sense Santiago is more conservative.

In Chili they love to dance, in Argentina they wait untill a guy picks her up.
I would think it´s easier to meet girls in Santiago then in BA
In BA very few woman are attractive, in SdC as well
Well that's a sweeping statement. Very few women? What planet are you on?
Sometimes I have to shield my eyes when walking the streets of BA. I have seen more beautiful women here than anywhere. Of course it is all in the eye of the beholder. Do you wear blinkers by any chance Mr Cool?

 

[lovetotravel]

Thanks for the pics Bill. That definitely gives me a better feel for Vina and Valpo.

 

[Granadaiscool]

Well that's a sweeping statement. Very few women? What planet are you on?
Sometimes I have to shield my eyes when walking the streets of BA. I have seen more beautiful women here than anywhere. Of course it is all in the eye of the beholder. Do you wear blinkers by any chance Mr Cool?

I am interested if you can tell where those single girls go out.
Because I never see them, maybe you do

 

[tangobob]

This is turning into a previous thread, but anyhow: I think like any city the women here range from stunningly beautiful to plain dog ugly. What I would say though is if you go to the milongas there is more than the average amount of mutton dressed as lamb.

 

[Bill]

Hi Bill.
I am thinking of leaving BA in the summer months to avoid the hot humid weather here. I spent 3 weeks in Vin Del Mar and 2 weeks in Puerto Varas 2005. I would go there but it's now a little pricy. The same hotel I stayed in Vin Del Mar is now 3X the price as it was when I stayed there, What is the weather like in Santiago in January and Febuary? Any sugestions?
DQ

The weather was fine when I was there. Even the air pollution in Santiago wasn't that bad although I couldn't see the mountains from the lookout over the city.
Suggestions? I suppose I'd stay in Valparaiso and commute to Vin Del Mar since it's a quick, cheap trip. Another this is to be very clear that a Bus from Santiago is going to Valparaiso if that's where you want to first arrive. I ended up in Vin Del Mar and since I was the only one going to Valparaiso, the Bus driver gave me enough change to that the local Bus and pointed to where it stopped. A bit stressful but an amusing story now. "take the orange Bus" they said and pointed me to the main street with coins in hand.
Watch your belongings of course. And I mean be careful. Getting robbed is more a question of when, not if, unless you protect yourself.