Moving to BA in November

[Cor]

Hey guys, nice to meet you all! I've decided to quit my job and move to BA. I've put the type A part of my aside, but I do worry about looking for a job once I've moved down there. Do you guys have any tips for job hunting for someone without a DNI or visa (not sure how long I plan to stay)? Is it easy to teach english without going through TEFL? Or does anyone happen to have any leads to any freelance, writing, marketing, telecommuting jobs they know about? I know November's a little far away. Is it realistic to survive humbly and take little trips here and there on 2000 pesos a month? that's excluding rent. thanks for your advice in advance!

 

[noarmadillos]

I really have to disagree with Lee...2000 pesos a month is definitely enough food and recreation money to live as an average argentine (buying groceries, only buying what's necessary, going out for drinks once or twice a week and out for dinner once a week as well).

My boyfriend (Argentine) and I (American) have pretty tight budgets currently...we spend about 1200 pesos a month for groceries (800 pesos), laundry, (60 pesos) and the occasional group dinner or night out (whatever's left over). And I'd have to say I've never been happier...guess Lee's definition of "any sort of quality of life" is not very close to mine.

 

[Cor]

i've been to BA and have been intoxicated with it ever since. yeah i'm planning to live just a simple quality of life, a few pesos a day for the buses or trains. i'm really big on cooking and love the occasional meal or two a week out or for going out. thanks for breakdown noarmadillos, it's good to have some numbers in my head. Can I also ask what your opinions are on the Constitucion neighborhood, safe to live in? thanks!!

 

[MizzMarr]

Constitucion is most definitely not a "safe" area to live in, most in fact avoid it completely or at least definitely at night.

You didn't mention how much money you'll have for rent and other expenses. I'd assume that if you have all that covered (rent, healthcare if you want it, bills, etc.) that you as a single person can survive humbly on 2k pesos a month. Eating out has become pretty expensive, so unless you're just going to a local parilla or getting a burrito/sandwich/pancho out at a walk-up place, expect to pay around $100 pesos for yourself for a decent meal. Buying food item budget also depends a lot on how you eat. For two of us living on a budget but with regular trips to barrio chino we easily spend 2k a month on food and almost never eat out. How much traveling that'll enable depends hugely on where you want to go. Travel in country is pretty expensive, so while Mendoza, Salta, or other far flung destinations might be something you have to save up for, you can take plenty of trips to Tigre.

best of luck!

 

[noarmadillos]

Sadly, I have to agree with MizzMarr - Constitucion is not the safest place to live...so you'll have to have your wits about ya!

That being said, I spent some time living in Los Polvorines, which is a lower class localidad north of Buenos Aires, and by all accounts more dangerous than just about anywhere in the city proper. While I had to exercise far more caution than I do now living in Palermo (which I appreciate on a whole new level) my stay was uneventful...living in such a location may require that you are constantly alert during the daytime, and at night you are probably better getting a remis or taxi home if you live far from the bus or subte stop...is your place on a busy avenue?

 

[PhilipDT]

Depends on where you are in consitucion.. The plaza itself is nasty looking but I'd assume relatively safe due to the constant police presence, I've come in on the train several times pretty late at night and taken a bus from there with out any problems.

To answer your other question, I eat in most of the time and can EASILY spend 2000+ a month on groceries. A kilo of salmon (2 meals) is 120 pesos now!!!! RT plane tickets in country are usually around $1000 pesos so, you'd have to save a large chuck of your 2000 peso budget to save up for just the tickets not to mention hotels, restaurants etc etc etc.

I've no doubt you could live here on $2000 pesos a month but it will be real shoestring living.

 

[Cor]

woof! thanks so much for all the info guys. i found a room in Constitucion for $300 pesos a month in a big house with 5 university kids so i was just wondering. they're local Argentines so the price was rather cheap but I did of course have my doubts so i had to ask. how does healthcare work in BA anyway? I heard from my argentine friends who now live in the US that healthcare is free? can an expat even get healthcare not having a DNI? Same with a cell phone plan, is the only option to get a plan with a DNI (otherwise i did the usual pay as you go last time I was there). i think i'll keep apartment hunting more in the Palermo / San Telmo area then!!

 

[MizzMarr]

Almagro, Villa Crespo and Chacaritas are all barrios that you could find maybe a less expensive room in that are great neighborhoods. Even Congresso is alright and safer than Constitucion.

Healthcare being free is sort of a misnomer. There are free hospitals where you can go to get care for free if you need it. But a decent insurance plan, visits to the dentist and good doctors, etc., all require payment via your pocketbook or a healthplan. Depending on how young and healthy you are it might make more sense to save on your monthly insurance payments and just pay out of pocket, but there's always the chance that something bigger might happen that could screw you. Good luck.

 

[Barney]

Public hospitals aren't really that bad, especially for small things. À pasport to your home country still vives you à ticket to better health care there

There are way more countries with worse public health care then Argentina