New - Wanting to move to BA asap

[Ceviche]

I support the ideaology of "Do something dangerous". Just jump off the plane, and figure out the parachute on the way down!

 

[Ceviche]

The No, No, it can't be done people have resurfaced in this post. Actually, the world is full of the No No people. You find them everywhere, and if you are silly enough to listen to them, you wont' achieve much in life. I have never understood the psychological make up of the no no people, but fear and/ or lack of self confidence might be important components of their psychology.
Jordan, go for it. The worst thing that may happen is you have a great adventure and you return to California having failed. So what? You can later always join the no no people group and be successful at that! All it takes is the ability to say no, no, and no!

Agree 100% with the above. I have lived most of my life basis the above and have achieved lot of success..

 

[camberiu]

Agree 100% with the above. I have lived most of my life basis the above and have achieved lot of success..

Survivorship Bias

 

[sergio]

In the past people used to post here about buying property in BA. The usual response on this website was "Come down for a few months and see if you really like it here". Now it seems almost nobody from abroad is buying property in BA. It's not cheap, it's increasingly expensive, the country is too unstable. There have been some who've come here seeking jobs but from what I've seen few ever find anything beyond maybe teaching English which will simply not pay enough to live on (a job in a bilingual school teaching a subject would pay enough if you get an international contract but those go to only a few people, almost always British citizens and qualified teachers). The long term backpackers seem to have vanished along with most of the more affluent who bought property but found it increasingly difficult to live in Argentina. Ironically they were often the fiercest in defending the system until it became too tough for them, then they fled. Now it seems those who hang on do so largely because they have Argentine partners who can't or don't want to leave. There are still some retired people who can afford to come down a few months a year but the large numbers of people who came after default are not around anymore. Someone who wants to give up his life in the US to work in this country had better think carefully. If he has a decent job in the US he has something to lose because the chances of getting anything similar in Argentina are very slim. If, however, the risks are not too great, by all means take the plunge but bring enough money to live and have a backup plan because it's very likely you'll need it,

 

[UK Man]

Yeah I often wonder what made this forums members come to live in Argentina in the first place?

I fall into the 'Argentine wife' category. Without her I wouldn't be here.

 

[Rich One]

With US $5000 a month ($60k a year) you can live like a college freshman in Seattle. I have 2 sons there now, and that amount will basically get you a room in a shared apartment or house, rides on public transportation, and overpriced ramen and pizza.

I agree with the job advice, though- Argentina is a very tough place for a foreign visitor to find work, and the legal roadblocks are many. If you have no savings, international income, or very desirable skills, you shouldnt think you can just fake it here. I have known expats who are successful in BA by taking risks, finding investors, and creating businesses that conservative argentines shy from- restaurants, microbrewing, fashion, things like that- but it requires vision, lots of hard work, startup money, and creativity.

Thanks for your input I guess one should by all means stay away from Seattle area. Guess most middle class families need incomes of US$120 K and up if $60K can only support one freshmen...

 

[Daniel82]

It’s tough. I moved back to BA in April after having taken 3 trips with my Arg mother who is thinking of retiring here and having lived here a few years previously, took a job I had prior because thankfully I’ve established quite a good clientele and kept in contact with them over the years, however I am really feeling it and starting to regret having moved back.
For one thing, even though my clients are open to paying more, they do so in pesos, and with the inflation and tarifazos it seems like I am living more ‘al dia’ than I ever have before, this is particularly frustrating because at 36, I’ve gotten the crazy urge to save some money and look to the future for new projects, etc.
It’s also frustrating to feel like you are working more (a typical day for me is 8 to 8) and worst off in Argentina than in Europe or US (although the thought of Trump is reason enough to make me ‘tough it out’ somewhere else)
By no means do I mean to sound negative, just giving you my 2 cents, especially since ‘try it, what do you have to lose’ sounds so appealing and sexy, but, as someone who’s done it a few times, moving around can get particularly expensive (airfare, finding a new place, etc) and most of us can’t just do it at the drop of a hat.

I still think Buenos Aires is a great city and if the day to day life would be like what is painted to the tourists it would be heaven on earth.

 

[Ries]

Thanks for your input I guess one should by all means stay away from Seattle area. Guess most middle class families need incomes of US$120 K and up if $60K can only support one freshmen...

The entire West Coast is like this. Average price to build a single new apartment in San Francisco is now $800,000. Thats not the sales price- thats construction costs.
People who live in Argentina have no idea how expensive the USA is becoming. And Health Insurance is expected to go up 20% more this year. My Health Insurance has a nominal monthly cost of $1400. Thankfully I still have Obamacare subsidies, and pay less than a fifth of that.
The OP is living in Los Angeles. Average price of a 1 bedroom apartment in LA is now around $2000 USD a month, but thats usually not including utilities, which are usually at least triple argentine prices. My guess is that it would, indeed, be cheaper to live in Buenos Aires than in Los Angeles, for almost everything except Apple products. But, as mentioned many times- INCOME would be the problem. Without being a citizen, fluent in Rio Platenese, getting a decent paying job is very very hard.

 

[Pensador]

Digital nomad is the best solution as I see it. Of course being when I got here made things allot easier. My who things have changed in the last decade or so.

 

[jantango]

Income is a problem unless you're retired with social security from the USA.

I know a woman from Arizona who followed her dream to live in BsAs after multiple visits over many years. She moved here a month ago after selling her home. Her first order of business was a trip to migraciones to get her pensionista residency started. She's looking for an apartment in San Telmo to buy.

Living on social security in the USA is difficult for some, impossible for most...including me. Glad to be in BsAs.