Need Advise, Looking to Move To BA Or Nearby Countries

[wokaka]

hello, i have been eyeing to live in south america since last year. I'm not looking for a job. Im an internet marketer as well as a forex trader. I can make money from anywhere I want so I think it shouldnt be an issue (about job). However, i still have plenty of questions regarding entrepreneurship visa, business papers, living cost, etc. so lets get started

1. I want to know if I can get good apartment in good areas (not necessarily the rich areas but at least middle class area) with just $700-$1000 US/month?

2. how much the inflation rate here in this country?

3. Average meal. I have read different numbers from numbeo and other sites. WHat's the average meal for just regular ones? (the ones with full meal, not mcdonalds or the likes) I know price varies in different restaurants but still if you can give me an idea i would appreciate it

4. what's the requirement to get entrepreneur visa and business papers there? For example, in Singapore i need to hire local director. How about in Argentina? Do I need to employ local people in order to get my business papers? IF yes, how many people? And is there any agency that can help me with that? (providing local director that also director for other virtual offices. Cheaper cost...)

5. Your subjective opinion - is it better to stay in argentina or in nearby countries like uruguay and the likes? I am asking in terms of safety, living cost, and the best part of it the papers and all that shitty stuffs..

 

[wokaka]

I forgot to add something

with just $2000 US/month can I live a good life here? Considering im not a consumtive person. Eat normally, can cook by myself, just normal random apartment, etc. no need to buy new shirts etc. is it possible?

 

[wokaka]

and btw, im not looking to stay there in long run. i understand the current situation there isnt good. Im just looking to live for a year or so then move somewhere else

 

[citygirl]

1) 700 to 1000 dollars would get you an okay furnished 1 BR, nothing fancy.
2) Inflation rate is approximately 25% +/-
3) Too variable to answer.
4) YOu don't just "get business papers". I assume you are discussing a business visa? You would either need to be hired by an Argentine company or set up a company here which requires a local resident to be director. It is an expensive and time-consuming process. If you are going to be here for a year, just enter on a tourist visa.
5) Always a heated subject. IMO, if you are beyond the college year style of living - 2000 wouldn't allow you to live the "good life" here. Live a decent life, yes. It will be enough to cover rent, groceries, basic evenings out. Not much else and wouldn't leave you enough to travel.

 

[PhilipDT]

1. I want to know if I can get good apartment in good areas (not necessarily the rich areas but at least middle class area) with just $700-$1000 US/month?

If you're looking for a good (not a tiny studio) furnished apartment I'd expect around 1000 plus.

Here's an example in a middle class area. http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/apa/3298236806.html

2. how much the inflation rate here in this country?

~25-28%

3. Average meal. I have read different numbers from numbeo and other sites. WHat's the average meal for just regular ones? (the ones with full meal, not mcdonalds or the likes) I know price varies in different restaurants but still if you can give me an idea i would appreciate it

Depends a lot. You can get a good pizza for 90 pesos that'll feed two, a crappy one for 40. You can get empanadas for 6-8 pesos and have two for lunch. If you want a really good meal in a nice restaurant you can spend 500 before wine.

4. what's the requirement to get entrepreneur visa and business papers there? For example, in Singapore i need to hire local director. How about in Argentina? Do I need to employ local people in order to get my business papers? IF yes, how many people? And is there any agency that can help me with that? (providing local director that also director for other virtual offices. Cheaper cost...)

You need $1.5 million pesos and a business plan that is subject to review.

5. Your subjective opinion - is it better to stay in argentina or in nearby countries like uruguay and the likes? I am asking in terms of safety, living cost, and the best part of it the papers and all that shitty stuffs..

I'd live in Uruguay, but up the rent & eating out budget for a nice place in MVD.

I forgot to add something

with just $2000 US/month can I live a good life here? Considering im not a consumtive person. Eat normally, can cook by myself, just normal random apartment, etc. no need to buy new shirts etc. is it possible?

Depends a lot on your definition of a good life. I'd say if $2000 is without counting rent, probably no problem. If counting rent I'd say It'll be tight.

 

[French jurist]

Since you can work from home, and make a living in USD.
Unknowns are: do you speak Spanish? etc. (asking this because there's a variable for newcomers: expect to pay everything 20/30% higher than what would pay someone who lives here since a few years)

1. Yes, you can get a good apartment with just $700-$1000 US. But it will be small in the city itself. Since you work from home, you can try to rent an apartment in San Isidro or Tigre (lovely place, direct access to the city by train). If you intend to stay for 2 years, better negotiate directly a long term rent (you'll pay 50% less, easily), but that depends on your Spanish and such.

2. Indeed 25/28%. Likely less outside the city. It's possible to counterbalance the effects of inflation if you're here since a long time (knowing where to buy things, etc. = specific to Argentina is the fact that what you pay 10$, you can also pay it 30$ or 5$! Same in any country but this aspect is amplified here).

3. Average meal: I guess that for 60/80 pesos, you can have a decent/balanced meal. If you cook at home, way cheaper obviously.

4. Aside of what has been said, you can stay in Argentina as a "permatourist".

5. Very subjective. Wild times are coming in Argentina (already now). Right now in Argentina, you'll love it or hate it, nothing in between. The depreciation of the peso makes it good to live here on a foreign based income in USDs. Safety : things are also getting quite wild (thieves know there are plenty of USDs in houses now, not in banks...) but it also depends on your personality to some extent (some people will often attract problems while some others rarely have problems).


Summary: if you like a life with a bit of adventure, then Argentina might be for you. If you are allergic to any kind of adventure, "last frontier living", then avoid Argentina at all costs!
With 2.000 USD, you can live well, but without anything fancy (maybe a cheap trip every two months in the country but that's it).

Note for what I said: I'm an optimistic guy regarding Argentina.

 

[Napoleon]

Then there's the whole "OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATE" for US dollars vs "BLUE MARKET" (a.k.a. "Black Market" street value) dollars difference to discuss.

 

[trennod]

Ill give you my opinion on 3 and 5. Napolean makes a good point about the FX rates. If you come down here I would bring as much USD in cash as you can so you can sell them at blue market rates, otherwise you will be stuck withdrawing money out of the ATMs at the offical rate. The difference is like 25% between the two rates.

Question 3
It is subjective but here is my take.
The average meal say for lunch at an Argentine cafe (ie menu ejecutivo) which comes with a basic (often small plate), basic drink (bottle of coke, water) and a small dessert / coffee during the week will probs set you back between 50-65 pesos.

If you want to duck out to a parilla it will range, generally my gf and I spend around 250 pesos for 2 which always includes a bottle of wine and tips. Usually in Palermo region where we live or in Las Cañitas.

Question 5
How old are you? I think Urugay or Chile might be a little safer, but not sure they have the life of Argentina. I think the younger the you are the more suitable Buenos Aires is, particularly if its only for a year (just my opinion). More culture, better nightlife, girls and guys are better looking.