Looking at Argentina for retirement years

[cindyt]

I lived in Buenos Aires during the 70's and am looking at Argentina as a possible place to live during retirement now that I'm 65.

 

[sergio]

This has been talked about in other threads. Health care could be a problem. It may be hard to get into a good plan. If you can enter one of the best - OSDE, OMINT, MEDICUS etc. the rates for people over 65 are extremely high. You would have free quality health care (MEDICARE) in the US + free public transportation and a lot of perks that don't exist in Argentina. Come down and check it out. The place has changed since you were here.

 

[mini]

My only concern about retiring down here is of course the problem with inflation/instability & fixed incomes. You can't really plan for the long term. Things might get cheaper but they could get very much more expensive.

 

[gouchobob]

If you want to retire here to save money I am doubtful. First you would have to pay much higher health care costs versus Medicare assuming you are in the USA. Second you need to factor in return trips home (most people once or twice year at least), airfare to Argentina is not cheap. I don't think the added costs would be offset by savings in other areas. When you add it all up you would spend as much or more than staying in the states. The only exception is if you are living in some high cost of living area in the states. Mini is also correct on inflation and currency instability. If the dollar gets weaker then your cost of living overseas goes up.

 

[lunalili]

My long career was in foreign exchange. I have been in BA for five years, going back and forth, but mostly here. Although prices have gone up exponentially in peso terms, the dollar has risen, therefore, less impact for those of us who are lucky enough to be "dollar based". I have never had problems getting health care, used to have Hospital Italiano, which by the way, is excellent. Just switched to Medicus. Easy as pie. In the history of Argentina, there has only been one time in recent times, where the dollar has actually weakened. It was a one off situation, unlikely to happen again. If you are looking for "cheap", there's no real cheap any more. There is smart, not paying "tourist" or "foreign" prices for apartment rentals, day trips, health insurance, etc.
All in all, if you want to retire in Buenos Aires, it will be more expensive, than, say, Cordoba. Just like New York will be more expensive than Grand Rapids.

 

[nikad]

Just switched to Medicus. Easy as pie.

May I ask how old you are?

 

[TomAtAlki]

I have heard tha hospital italia takes on us older folks. If needed you can get initial treatment here and then fly to Florida (rt $500+\-) for Medicare treatment. I bought my place here abOut 3 years ago and find that the cost of living if you own a place is pretty reasonable. But I've only lived here part time. Hopefully that will change soon.

 

[Johnny]

I have heard tha hospital italia takes on us older folks. If needed you can get initial treatment here and then fly to Florida (rt $500+\-) for Medicare treatment. I bought my place here abOut 3 years ago and find that the cost of living if you own a place is pretty reasonable. But I've only lived here part time. Hopefully that will change soon.

Just FYI on round trips to Florida. I haven't seen a round trip to Miami for under $800US in a long time. Round trips originating in Florida can be much cheaper. I'm flying Aerolineas to Miami in three weeks and paying just short of $1,400US. It's a trip and at a time I couldn't avoid, but that will give you some idea of the fares at the moment. I am sure there are times when they are cheaper, but I think the days of $500US from here to Miami are pretty much gone. Now I'm talking non-stop flights. If you want to endure multiple stops and the hours in the air, then yes, cheaper fares can be found.

 

[gouchobob]

I have heard tha hospital italia takes on us older folks. If needed you can get initial treatment here and then fly to Florida (rt $500+\-) for Medicare treatment. I bought my place here abOut 3 years ago and find that the cost of living if you own a place is pretty reasonable. But I've only lived here part time. Hopefully that will change soon.

That's Ok if you live within a reasonable distance of the hospital. So if you go for this you are going to be limited on where you can live in Argentina. Going to Florida for treatment? What if you are to injured or to sick to fly? I think $500 is low, $1,000 is more like it. If you own the roof over your head outright anyplace you live is reasonable, but that's true of anywhere including home. My point is that the added costs of living here wouldn't be offset by any savings here.

 

[gouchobob]

My long career was in foreign exchange. I have been in BA for five years, going back and forth, but mostly here. Although prices have gone up exponentially in peso terms, the dollar has risen, therefore, less impact for those of us who are lucky enough to be "dollar based". I have never had problems getting health care, used to have Hospital Italiano, which by the way, is excellent. Just switched to Medicus. Easy as pie. In the history of Argentina, there has only been one time in recent times, where the dollar has actually weakened. It was a one off situation, unlikely to happen again. If you are looking for "cheap", there's no real cheap any more. There is smart, not paying "tourist" or "foreign" prices for apartment rentals, day trips, health insurance, etc.
All in all, if you want to retire in Buenos Aires, it will be more expensive, than, say, Cordoba. Just like New York will be more expensive than Grand Rapids.

Sorry but I don't agree with this advice. Somebody over 65 is not going to be accepted by any of the big insurance companies. The only one today is Hospital Italiano (if that continues in the future, no guarantees).

As far as the cost of living inflation is running 25% this year. The dollar versus the peso was 3.86 this time last year and is 3.98 today, so anybody living here over the last year on a fixed income of dollars would have seen their purchasing power decline by close to 25% in the last year. Anybody trying to live on a pension is getting annihilated financially in Argentina today, simple as that.