Nearest Customs Free Border

[jeff1234]

We've got a list of things we'd like to buy outside of Argentina, like a large screen tv, clothes, shoes, vitamins, etc.
I've heard that if we drive to Brazil or Chile we'd be able to have a good selection of reasonably priced products that we could bring back, in our car, without paying customs.
What would be the nearest places with good shopping?
What about Montevideo?

 

[ElQueso]

Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, at the Iguazu Falls, is a good place to get a lot of stuff at reasonable prices. Argentina, Uruguay and Brasil all share the border and it's a concentration of commerce.

However, I don't think you can bet on passing any border crossing (anywhere, really) without paying customs. You might get lucky and they don't look through your stuff when you cross, but I certainly wouldn't count on it. Last time I crossed (not at Iguazu, rather Clorinda), I was lucky and they just looked in the back of my car without even having me take things out. Most of the time, I have to take the luggage out and sometimes open it up.

Electronics, clothes, shoes for sure in Ciudad del Este. Don't know about vitamins, but I doubt it.

 

[dennisr]

You could run into problems if it does not fit into a suitcase. It is always something...

http://negocios.iprofesional.com/notas/143308-De-shopping-a-la-frontera-las-nuevas-uruguayanas-seducen-a-ms-argentinos-pese-a-los-controles-y-recargo-por-tarjetas

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnegocios.iprofesional.com%2Fnotas%2F143308-De-shopping-a-la-frontera-las-nuevas-uruguayanas-seducen-a-ms-argentinos-pese-a-los-controles-y-recargo-por-tarjetas

 

[Nicole_Ramirez]

If you buy in Chile they have normal American prices. We are going there to buy a few things soon. When you cross over they give you a paper telling you what you can bring back and how much the taxes will be. You are given a certain amount of money you don't pay taxes on, for each person in your car.

 

[citygirl]

Any official border crossing with have aduana. (And I doubt you're going to be interested in going off road through some unmarked border crossing). You can bring in 300 USD worth of goods per person in the car duty free Even if you have to pay duty, it still typically works out to be much cheaper than buying in Argentina.

Also, duty free has prices in dollars. You can pay in pesos at the official rate which winds up being a substantial savings. IE - $500 tv, $2400 pesos (maso). $2400 pesos at blue rate = $380 USD.

 

[jeff1234]

Any recommendations on the closest/best place to shop?

 

[Nicole_Ramirez]

If you go to Chile you can shop at the Jumbo, Lider(Walmart), Easy & Paris are decent stores. Good prices.

 

[jez]

If you drive across the boarder your limit will only be US$ 150. It's US$ 300 if you arrive by air

Franquicia Franquicia para el ingreso de otros objetos dentro del concepto de equipaje (que no son ropas, objetos de uso personal, libros, folletos y periódicos) la misma varía según la vía de ingreso del viajero:

• Si el viajero ingresa por vía aérea o marítima: la exención para otros objetos, dentro del concepto de equipaje, hasta el límite de U$S 300* o su equivalente en otra moneda. El exceso descripto, siempre que los objetos se encuadren dentro del concepto de equipaje, será sujeto al pago de un tributo del 50% sobre dicho excedente.
• Si el viajero ingresa por vía terrestre (incluye ingreso por fluvial o a través de puentes): La exención para otros objetos, dentro del concepto de equipaje, hasta el límite de U$S 150* o su equivalente en otra moneda. El exceso descripto, siempre que los objetos se encuadren dentro del concepto de equipaje, estará sujeto al pago de un tributo del 50% sobre dicho excedente.

http://www.afip.gob.ar/turismo/

 

[ddarm]

If you drive across the boarder your limit will only be US$ 150. It's US$ 300 if you arrive by air

Franquicia Franquicia para el ingreso de otros objetos dentro del concepto de equipaje (que no son ropas, objetos de uso personal, libros, folletos y periódicos) la misma varía según la vía de ingreso del viajero:

• Si el viajero ingresa por vía aérea o marítima: la exención para otros objetos, dentro del concepto de equipaje, hasta el límite de U$S 300* o su equivalente en otra moneda. El exceso descripto, siempre que los objetos se encuadren dentro del concepto de equipaje, será sujeto al pago de un tributo del 50% sobre dicho excedente.
• Si el viajero ingresa por vía terrestre (incluye ingreso por fluvial o a través de puentes): La exención para otros objetos, dentro del concepto de equipaje, hasta el límite de U$S 150* o su equivalente en otra moneda. El exceso descripto, siempre que los objetos se encuadren dentro del concepto de equipaje, estará sujeto al pago de un tributo del 50% sobre dicho excedente.

http://www.afip.gob.ar/turismo/

Does the 300 USD limit at EZE apply to liquor and wine?

 

[brandon]

Went to Santiago about 2 months ago. I was surprised how expensive things were there. It seemed restaurants were more expensive than BsA along with shopping malls. I was looking for a digital camera and found they were a little cheaper than BsA but not close to prices in the US. Check out local websites there, falabella, walmart, paris, and make sure they have the products and deals you are looking for.
I didn't see Aduana checking very hard anyone's back at EZE on the way back, nothing like a plane from MIA.
BTW, found the cheapest flight on Air Canada, as it stops over on the way to Toronto in a 777.