Prices

[sergio]

I just found a receipt from Subito restaurant which used to be in Patio Bullrich. It was a very nice parilla tucked away in a corner of the food court. I always thought it expensive. Anyway, here are the prices for a meal I had on November 8, 2000.

Servicio Mesa: $2
1/ bide de lomo $6
1 Papas fritas $3.50
1 salad palmitos/anana $6.50
1 agua $2.50
1 arroz con leche $3.00

 

[French jurist]

I just found a receipt from Subito restaurant which used to be in Patio Bullrich. It was a very nice parilla tucked away in a corner of the food court. I always thought it expensive. Anyway, here are the prices for a meal I had on November 8, 2000.

Servicio Mesa: $2
1/ bide de lomo $6
1 Papas fritas $3.50
1 salad palmitos/anana $6.50
1 agua $2.50
1 arroz con leche $3.00

For people who don't know, this was the time of the "uno a uno" (1 dollar = 1 peso). Therefore today one shall multiply by 4 the prices.
We went back to the 1 a 1 in fact, more or less.

I remember back in late 2003, a parrilla (de barrio, good quality) was costing about 17 pesos por two people with a bottle of Chateau Vieux. Good ol'times !

 

[SaraSara]

Back in 2004 a lunch for two at a Palermo Hollywood restaurant was twelve dollars. Last week the same lunch at the same restaurant was forty-five dollars.

The restaurant is under the same owner - same decor, same tables and chairs, same menu choices. The only thing that changed is the price.

Buenos Aires is now more expensive than it was during the uno a uno. I was recently in the States and meals at trendy Washington restaurants were cheaper than they are here.

 

[AlexfromLA]

Thats truly fascinating. Congrats

 

[SaraSara]

Thats truly fascinating. Congrats

Thank you. I'm flattered beyond words....

 

[darmanad]

Back in 2004 a lunch for two at a Palermo Hollywood restaurant was twelve dollars. Last week the same lunch at the same restaurant was forty-five dollars.

The restaurant is under the same owner - same decor, same tables and chairs, same menu choices. The only thing that changed is the price.

Buenos Aires is now more expensive than it was during the uno a uno. I was recently in the States and meals at trendy Washington restaurants were cheaper than they are here.

Mercer June 2010 survey. Cost of living based upon an income in US$. http://www.citymayors.com/features/c...chor-The-49575
Please note that New York is ranked 27, Rio is 29 , Los Angeles is 55, Washington 111, and Buenos Aires is 161 on list of most expensive.

Mercer's 2010 Cost of Living Survey
The survey covers 214 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. It is the world’s most comprehensive cost of living survey and is used to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowance for their expatriate employees. New York is used as the base city for the index and all cities are compared against New York. Currency movements are measured against the US dollar. The cost of housing – often the biggest expense for expats - plays an important part in determining where cities are ranked.

 

[sergio]

Mercer's 2010 Cost of Living Survey
The survey covers 214 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including

housing: If New York (Manhattan) is the standard, BA is inexpensive. There are cheaper cities in the US.

transport: Bus and subway fares are cheaper in BA. I suspect that the study took the base fare in New York rather than factoring in unlimited ride passes which reduce real costs. Also Seniors travel FREE in most (if not all) metropolitan areas of the US and this has probably been left out of the equation. If cars are part of the transport category, the price of a car in BA is way over what you would pay in the US.

, food, clothing, household goods : Food in the supermarket is pretty close to US prices, sometimes more with less variety and generally lower quality. Clothes are cheaper in the US. Ask Argentines who travel. Household goods (furniture etc) is far cheaper in the US with better quality and far more variety.

and entertainment: I don't see a big gap. I paid US $170 recently for the Teatro Colon. Is a movie a lot cheaper in BA than in the US?

 

[Eternalnewbie]

I wish people would name specifically these places with gigantic leaps in prices, or where dinner is comparable to an equivalent restaurant in, say, DC. I just can't find them.

Yes, I have noticed some price increases. For example, at my usual cafe, I always order the same thing -- bottle of agua con gas, cortado chico, and one medialuna. Six months ago I paid 15 pesos for that. About three weeks ago the price went up to 18 pesos; yes, a rather large jump percentage-wise, but in the great scheme of things, it is still $4.50. Last summer at my favorite cafe in DC, for a smaller bottle of sparkling water, an espresso, and a croissant, the price was $7.95.

Last week at Kansas, dinner for two (I had ribs, she had filet mignon) with a salad and a bottle of Borsa malbec, and two coffees, the bill was 180 pesos, not including tip. What is that? $45 US. If you can name any decent restaurant in DC where you can have an equivalent dinner, with an equivalent wine, for that price, I will buy the place and you can eat there free for the rest of your life.

If one lives here on a peso income, I can imagine the prices cause some gulping. I am fortunate to live on a dollar income, and I think eating out is a bargain. Maybe it was more of a bargain X years ago, regardless, it is still a bargain.

I agree with the Mercer survey posted above. I have spent time in the cities named in the rank in the post, and yes, seems to me it's about right -- NY way, way more expensive than Buenos Aires. Although the DC (I assume that's the Washington mentioned) must have excluded all of Georgetown and most of Cleveland Park.

So name these places that are charging more for equivalent meals than in places like NY and DC so I can avoid them.

 

[polostar88]

The debate sort of misses the point, for an expat the #1 cost is HOUSING, and it's still quite cheap to get a good apt. in a good area that is furnished and you have everything provided for you. BA beats Rio and many other cities in this regard, not to speak of NY. Another cost for expats is easy transportation, and taxis are much cheaper here. You can get across town for $4.

It's true that BA is more expensive than it used to be but you can get a steak here for $10-13 that would cost about $50 or so in NY (and still wouldn't be as good).

If you go out a lot at night or drink, that's also much cheaper.

 

[ssr]

...It's true that BA is more expensive than it used to be but you can get a steak here for $10-13 that would cost about $50 or so in NY (and still wouldn't be as good)...

Since I am currently in NYC, let me clear something up quickly: New York is FAR more expensive than Buenos Aires. Those of you who think that prices in BA have jumped to NY levels are being ridiculous. Sure, BA isn't as cheap as it was right after Argentina's economic collapse, but one would have to be a serious douche to hope that Argentina's economy would stay that way forever just so they could continue to eat super-cheap steaks.

@polostar88: You're being ridiculous, my friend. Yes, a good steakhouse in NYC is going to cost you a bit, but there are some damn good steakhouses here. I ate at every damn parilla in Buenos Aires, and went to lots of asados, and nothing in Argentina was ever as memorable as my first visit to Peter Luger's (which I'll be heading to at some point this week for lunch, actually). It's got a Michelin star for a reason. Mmm, Peter Luger's...

Here, read and be jealous:

http://www.peterluger.com/ourstory.cfm