Moving to Buenos Aires...

[JuanPremoli]

Sad but true, I heard your number 4 many times PhilipDT. Sometimes they tend to include Paraguay in that group too

1. Up your rental budget a tad.
2. Live in cañitas, its as hip as you can get.
3. Take the train to the centro to go to work (~13min travel time).

4. Like everyone else said, Argentina is racist, but usually not against black people, just amerindians. On one of my first days in Argentina,I had a well-educated, US-raised, diplomatic passport-holding Argie explain a protest to me by saying "Don't worry its just the niggers here for their free sausage sandwich", when he realized that I was completely gobsmacked and just staring at him in complete shock he clarified, "Oh no, don't get confused, I wasn't talking about black people, just the peruvians and bolivians," as if that was supposed to make what he said ok.

 

[JuanPremoli]

Very funny. I heard many racist comments from taxi drivers

This reminds me of a taxi ride I had years ago. The cab driver was talking about how bad Bolivians and Peruvians were, how they were the cause of all crime, etc. Ironically, I had been in Spain the week before and listened to a taxi driver say the exact same thing about Argentinians. I made sure to tell him that before I got out of the taxi.

 

[citygirl]

Palermo tends to be the most common barrio for expats but it is central, biggest concentration of restaurants/bars/shopping/etc.

I lived in Canitas for years and loved it but it's small.

2K for a 2 br is indeed doable. I'm not sure if my old apt in Canitas is still available but it was a huge 2 br/2 bathroom apt, furnished, on the 21st floor with amazing views of the city and 24 hour doorman and was under 2K a month.

 

[mjohnstone]

Right now we have a 2 bdr 2 bth apt with a nice garden for rent in Palermo.
Info & photos: https://plus.google.com/u/2/100955025330922200193/posts/AiTGNtFHqcu

 

[mmoon]

I would second Las Canitas as well. It's close to everything without being in Palermo, which is inundated with tourists!

 

[Beachcouple2011]

Thanks! I am totally zoning in on Palermo Soho, based on your PMs, insightful advice and Internet searches. Canitas looks nice as well but I am afraid it may be out of budget.

Either way, my husband's company will likely supply us with a reputable realtor. I will likely be apartment searching on my own while he is working and will prowl some of the neighborhoods you suggested when I am on my own. I am sure the realtor may give us some insight, but it is always good to hear from other expats -- especially with my subpar Spanish communication skills.

 

[Dipoots]

Thanks! I am totally zoning in on Palermo Soho, based on your PMs, insightful advice and Internet searches. Canitas looks nice as well but I am afraid it may be out of budget.

Do not be too quick to zone in.... I was looking through the internet for houses and neighborhood before I came and they all look good on photos... when I arrive, had a bit of a shock. My first impression of Palermo and Belgrano... was that it's dilapidated and run down..... Now I am used to it.