Money - Food & Transferring Dollars, General Costs

[pinklemon]

I am staying in BA for 2 months on an internship, I have set aside a budget of around 120 pesos per day for food so 7600 for the 63 days I am here, firstly considering the amount of inflation is this enough money to be able to eat comfortably? Occasionally dine out?

Secondly, I am a 20 year old girl who is travelling with US $ how safe is it to exchange money in the cuevas? Any tips to avoid trouble/being ripped off? How common is it that they give you fake notes?

Regarding transport, I'll be travelling from Palermo Alto to Virreyes every day, which is the best method of public transport, bus or SUBTE? I've given myself 865 pesos allowance for the 160 journeys I will have to make to the office and back, is this enough?

Many thanks!

 

[Redpossum]

I have never been to an actual cueva.

When I change dollars on Florida, they have a black light on the desktop which I can use to view the safety features on the pesos. With a 100 peso note the area by the silver thread kind of glows and there are some things like the colored sprinkles you see on cupcakes. I'm not describing it well, but you'll know it when you see it.

 

[Davidglen77]

You can certainly eat 3 meals per day for $120 pesos, if you prepare food at home, or stick to those salad bars where you buy food by weight. Dining out however will be severely limited. Just a very basic lunch out of a hamburger and a drink is a minimum of $40 - $50 pesos. A very cheap dinner is at least $80. An average dinner out is now around $200 - $250 pesos per person.

If you are going to Virreyes in Zona Norte, you will have to take the Mitre rail line from Retiro. It's not that close to Alto Palermo, but not that far either.....about 40 blocks walking, or you can take several bus lines or a combination of subway lines to get there. Once you are on the train, if it runs the way it should, it's about 30-40 minutes to Virreyes. A better alternative would be to take the D line subway to Belgrano (Juramento Station), walk about 7 blocks to the Belgrano 'C' rail station and catch the Mitre line from there going north to the Virreyes station. Hopefully your office will be close to the rail station, or you will have to figure out how to get there once you arrive in Virreyes.

 

[LIVE54]

Bring more than you think you will need. You will want to enjoy some of the nicer things in BA, and at some point you will have cravings for things from "home" which normally cost much more since they are imported.

I would suggest $200 Pesos per day for food and if you plan on taking public transit I agree with David, take the subway to Juramento in Belgrano and walk the 10 minutes to the rail station, its a safe area (I live close by) its probably a 10min subway ride, 10 min walk and then 30 min on the train. Assume about 1 HR door to door, depending on how close your office is to the rail station in Virreyes. Also remember that even in 2 months both inflation and the FX rate can change, and it can happen quickly. What you get for $200 Pesos on Day 1 here will not be the same towards the end of your trip. You also need to hope the rate is favorable to the USD. Right now its about 11.5, but it was 10 a short while ago and it can fluctuate day to day. Make sure you bring enough USD for your expenses, as well as some extra just in case. You cannot get USD here and if you take money (Pesos) out of an ATM you will be using the official rate of 8. Its always good to have emergency money, you never know when you will need it.

You wont have any issues exchanging money, just ask people on the forum, we all have different people that we use... some are better than others and not all exchanges happen in cuevas or on the street.

Being a 20 yr old girl... be safe, keep your eyes open, don't wander about late at night especially if you are hammered, and make sure you take taxis after hours... The city is generally safe, I've never had any issues, but I do take precautions. Not walking around with your phone in your hand, no headphones, lock your doors at night, don't follow the exact same routine every day, try and not look like a tourist...

Its a great city and you will have a fantastic experience, just listen to the folks who have travelled this road before, they will give you good advice to stay safe and some rules about how to navigate the curveballs that we see on a daily basis.

 

[Matiasba]

An average dinner out is now around $200 - $250 pesos per person.

Sorry to disagree. 200 pesos per person is in a fancy restaurant. You can eat very well in a local parrilla for less than 100, or even in some restaurants, in Colegiales, Almagro, Villa Crespo and more other barrios, even in Palermo, with 100 pesos/person.

 

[Davidglen77]

Sorry to disagree. 200 pesos per person is in a fancy restaurant. You can eat very well in a local parrilla for less than 100, or even in some restaurants, in Colegiales, Almagro, Villa Crespo and more other barrios, even in Palermo, with 100 pesos/person.

True, dinner out can be had for $100 pesos / person if you order pizza. However I got the idea that she was talking about a real "dinner". I went to a local parrilla in Villa Urquiza 2 weeks ago, (I used to live there and love this place) called "Lo de Charly". It's not fancy at all, it's open 24 hours and it's been there forever. I ordered a regular salad, portion of vacío, 1 provoleta, 1 bottle of water, 1 glass of wine with the tip it came out to $165......besides the tenedor libres, where can you eat for less than this, please tell me.

 

[Matiasba]

I went to a nice, tidy, restaurant last week, in Colegiales, I cant remember the name, something like El Cocilón, but Im not sure, we were 4, we ate very well, we had a very good bife de chorizo, with papas, other ordered matambrito de cerdo, we had wine, I had two coca colas, and desert: 430.

 

[Davidglen77]

I went to a nice, tidy, restaurant last week, in Colegiales, I cant remember the name, something like El Cocilón, but Im not sure, we were 4, we ate very well, we had a very good bife de chorizo, with papas, other ordered matambrito de cerdo, we had wine, I had two coca colas, and desert: 430.

Thanks for the tip! I found it on Guía Oleo: El Cocilón del Clú. If I am in that area I will have to check it out, there aren't many places where you can eat like that for $430 pesos for a party of 4.

 

[pinklemon]

Nothing too fancy, I'm a student! Just would be nice to sample some of the local foods in Argentina or go for a simple pizza, I'm more than happy with that!

 

[Matiasba]

Thanks for the tip! I found it on Guía Oleo: El Cocilón del Clú. If I am in that area I will have to check it out, there aren't many places where you can eat like that for $430 pesos for a party of 4.

Be careful, portions (I think all) are for two!!