Relocating in the next 6 months...

[Ben&Bliss]

$200 month for two!! thats AR$ 12 per person per day, that must be the lower end of the living scale...? I said 400 for food AND beer...

Pardon, U$S 200. If you cook all your meals, AR $25 per day isn't unreasonable. Beer would certianly push that up, but even if you drank every day, AR $3 per day is only another U$S 24

 

[jez]

Do you speak Spanish, can you teach English... I think there are loads of foreigners doing that...

If you come expecting the worst (what's posted on this site) and are prepared for it then you should have no problems...

Argentina is a beautiful country, it would be a shame to only come to Buenos Aires and not see the rest of the country...and that's what costs..

and as for this forum on the front page it says:

About this site This is a community site of of expatriates living in Buenos Aires - a special place where people can get together, share experiences and help each other out. Eventually it will contain a comprehensive guide on moving and living in Argentina.

 

[jez]

Pardon, U$S 200. If you cook all your meals, $25 per day isn't unreasonable. Beer would certianly push that up, but even if you drank every day, AR $3 per day is only another U$S 24

Yes u$s 200 x 3.8) / 2 (people) / 30 (days) = AR12 per person yes AR$24 for two per day

AR$ 3 per day for beer for 2 people = AR$1.5 per person. staying in a hostel not sure you can buy a beer for that?

Anyway I'm a selective eater and like what Argentina has to offer..ice cream and steak so that's probably why my estimation would be higher..

 

[mini]

I dont understand why alot of you are shaming me for my way of thinking, to me it doesn't seem that far-fetched. The only way to accomplish something is by doing it- I can sit here and read books and internet posts all I want but all that equals nothing until I actually do it, right? And maybe a hostel or a cheap hotel isnt exactly the ritz carleton but until I can find a stable place to rent I think something like thaT would be perfect- I'd be able to meet others in similar positions to mine and get advice etc. from other people, whats wrong with that??

I don't think people are trying to "shame" you. They are just trying to give you the realities "on the ground".

1. You wrote: I have been researching and it says finding a job shouldn't be too difficult without a work Visa".
My experience is that this is not true. It is not easy. Not impossible, but be prepared to look high & low. It's difficult to find a job and those that you list are low paying.

2. You wrote: I am thinking I will stay at a hostel for a few months until I find a room I can rent I think if I spend about 100$ USD per month at a hostel or renting a room, or $300 pesos a month does that sound reasonable?
- This may be possible, but it's highly improbable. I've never heard of a hostel for 13 pesos a day. You should also consider your own safety. Where is this place that you can find for such a low price? Who will be living there with you? Plan on spending more money on your accommodation. 3 to 4 times as much.

And what I'm writing has little to do with you "living a wealthy life style". I promise you that!

So you must have money to live on while you are looking for a job. How much should you bring? I'd say you need at least 2-3 months of money to live on before you find a steady job that will pay your living expenses. This is not unreasonable. And your idea of what you need it too low. Again, what date are your books? I have a feeling the costs in your book are old.

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with preparing you to spend more and in the end if you are able to spend less, then that's even better no?

 

[ElQueso]

I am thinking I will stay at a hostel for a few months until I find a room I can rent I think if I spend about 100$ USD per month at a hostel or renting a room, or $300 pesos a month does that sound reasonable?

Were the values quoted a mistake, or an example of how dated some of your informaiton might be?

The current exchange rate is 3.86 to 1. It's been awhile and a lot of inflation since the pesos has been 3 to 1. It's going to get to probably at least 4 to 1 soon (who knows though how long) and many think it will go a bit more. But understand that we have recently seen a number jumps in prices of things, which is topping off about a year or two of 30% inflation over that time at least.

There are tricks to living cheaply. I admit I have no desire to live at that level myself, and I ache for many of the people I know that live like that and have no other opportunities.

I know some people that live in hoteles familiares (someone mentioned them previously) for starting at about $400 pesos a month. But you have to understand what that kind of place entails. If you are ready for it and willing to live like that, you certainly can.

At this end of the scale, the building will be old and broken down in some fashion, most likely dirty. A lot of poor people will live in there. I'm not saying anything bad, but you have to understand that this is where Paraguayan or Bolivian guys live who work in a verduleria for $800 pesos a month or maybe a dish washer for about the same price. Probably some working girls. Possibly some maids. They are probably living at least two to a room like that to keep it as cheap as possible. Enough space for a couple of small beds, just. No kitchen, no bathroom. Bathroom down the hallway, gross and not well cleaned many times, at best ancient stuff. You may or may not be allowed to cook - it depends on the place. Some just let you use a hotplate, some have a small shared kitchen.

It gets better. For about 800 pesos you can have something like that, but in a nicer building with nicer surroundings.

1000 pesos might get you a bathroom and a bit bigger of a room.

You can eat fairly cheaply. Some fruit is not too expensive, although has gone up quite a bit. Meat has gotten expensive. But you can still get 5-7 peso hamburgers or hot dogs at little hole in the wall places, or 2-3 peso empanadas, etc. Not the healthiest food, but if you're young and balance it with enough fruit you'd be ok I reckon.

Related to 3 pesos a day for beer - I thought a liter of Quilmes was between two and three pesos. Is there cheaper beer? I think Quilmes is a reasonable-tasting beer, but not great and leaves a headache often.

There are dance clubs you can go to for as cheap as 5 pesos entrance fee. I know many Paraguayans who go to these every weekend. There are other reasonably nice places here where you can go for 25 pesos, or even eat dinner before the dance floor opens up for 80 pesos including the dancing afterward.

Just make sure you have a return ticket. You don't want to be stuck down here with no resources. You can find yourself without money here quickly under the wrong circumstances. If your plans don't work out, at least you have that escape pod.
It would be quite an adventure, for sure.

 

[ElQueso]

And maybe a hostel or a cheap hotel isnt exactly the ritz carleton but until I can find a stable place to rent I think something like thaT would be perfect

Yeah, no one was trying to shame you, but the way you were talking and the prices you were mentioning made it extremely obvious that you did not ahve the correct information on living in Buenos Aires.

As far as renting something - one thing that you learn pretty quickly when you're down here is that you can't rent an apartment, for the most part, unless you own property, or know someone does who will back you up. You have to provide a guarantee of property to rent an apartment.

There are situations that I know people have managed to come across where they have managed to rent an apartment without a guarantee, but it's the exception.

There are people who find roommates and/or hostels and that is one way you may be able to live in a nicer place without needing a guarantee. I still think $300 US to $400 US is more reasonable for a good level of living. My previous post was intended to show how you could live at the level you first mentioned.

 

[laineypainey]

So let me ask another question, does BA have a really bad economy that there aren't many jobs?? I am asking because I really didnt think it sounded any more difficult than finding a job here in the US; as long as your willing to put up with a few months of unemployment maybe, and put in the effort to find one, a job will pop up, but from reading on here everyone is saying no, jobs are not very easy to come by. A few have mentioned telecommuting jobs, but many US jobs that allow for telecommuting dont allow you to telecommute outside of the US unless they have an established business there or the necessary business lecenses needed to do so, so are there jobs in buenos aires that would offer this?? I have been occasionally browsign craiglis to see the type of things offered and it does look like there are some jobs for english speaking people, phone type jobs etc. but I havent applied for any beccause I'd rather wait until I get there to do so. Are these all scams or actual legitimate jobs? And evn if I could find a hostel job paying 2$ usd per hour that would probably be enough to keep me from delving into my savings too much, cover basic costs like housing, and would probably allow me to meet alot of different people and possibly help me find a more stable, more permanet position

 

[esllou]

If you have the lifestyle which is affordable based on the sums mentioned, it's going to be pretty much as ElQueso described, working long hours in a crappy job, eating empanadas and fruit and living in migrant hostels in dodgy areas (they'll welcome your laptop though!). At which point I have to ask...where's the pleasure in that? Why bother coming? I know because I've travelled like that before - but I was 18, footloose and sleeping in fields across Europe, not trying to live in a major city. If you really want that lifestyle, heck, head for the rougher patches of Queens and fill your boots.

I suspect you never figured on that lifestyle and wanted something at least a few inches clear of the gutter - in which case, you need to add at least $1-2000 more to the amount you were planning on bringing down here.

 

[laineypainey]

esllou, i was kind of thinking that is the way it would start yes, and after i establish myself i could find different things to do, maybe come across a better job, im really not expecting to land a dream job right away. i dont have high expectations because im trying to keep it realistic. besides, working long hours at a crappy job and eating basic foods etc. is pretty muc what i do here in the u.s. anyway , if i could do the same in a different country and maybe learn a new language and a different culture why not? are people from buenos aires typically inviting to expats or is it really that difficult to assimilate?