The Buenos Aires Digital Nomad Program

[dsp27]

Most people I know do not find Buenos Aires/Argentina attractive from a digital nomad perspective. The new visa designation doesn't solve any of the problems. Chief complaints I hear are: cost of flights, lack of functional banking, expense of technology (it is called "digital nomad" yet technology costs 50% more here than US), and a few others.

Argentina needs to keep in mind that pretty much every other second/third tier country is playing the same game. They all have lost foreigners and are crafting packages to attract them back. I just read how easy Barbados makes it for people to stay one year. More direct competitors like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador are all developing their own packages to win the digital nomad competition.

How often do you buy “technology”? Just get a phone and a MacBook etc in the US and fly down here. Buenos Aires is an incredibly vibrant city with great food and culture for a fraction of the cost you’d pay elsewhere. It’s not perfect and there are issues but it’s a good deal over all. The whole idea is the experience. Otherwise just move to Vermont get the 10k and live a quiet and secure life. Maybe one day when I turn 60, not in my 30s.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

This a good start but too rudimentary in order to attract a significant (and high quality) amount of people. The so-called digital nomads [I am a former one] are usually savvy travelers with a good grasp on travel arrangements, visas, accommodation etc. These people are literally semi-permanent travelers. Giving someone a free SIM and a SUBE card is a joke.
What this program might attack are the pseudo digital nomads, aka recent collage dropouts, or those doing a gap year, or worse those that at age 25 have lost themselves and need to go on a trip to find themselves (always a bad idea).
The biggest issue that this program does not tackle is the visa situation. They need to offer one-year residency options for digital nomads. 90 days ain't gonna cut it. Most "quality" digital nomads stay for at least 6 months at a place. Hopping to a new place every 3 months gets really cumbersome very quickly. Unfortunately, this would require the federal government aka Migraciones to agree to the creation of such a program, which they would not.
So it's a good start. But much more needs to be done. Fingers crossed this would grow into something eventually.

Well said.

 

[Rich One]

The government has officially launched the BA Digital Nomad Program.

The website is called BA Global and it covers the Buenos Aires-related international affairs.
There is also a special section for Digital Nomads.

They are offering a Welcome Kit that includes a SIM card, SUBE Card, discounts on accommodation in participating hostels (like 190 USD/Month) and Airport Transfer by Tienda Leon bus.

Please, check it out! And if you know anyone who may be interested in this information, please let them know.

View attachment 7480

Most of the Hostels offer accommodations for Students that are out most of the day. Some May welcome guests that work from home year round ..?

 

[zombiehorn]

I would definitely consider moving down if I could get a one year visa without a lot of hassle. Vermont is beautiful but boring after a short while. I've done two long trips to BA and it is infinitely more exciting and interesting place to live. As it is, I'm planning on moving down for at least three months once I get vaccinated and BA opens up to foreigners.

 

[aeye]

I would definitely consider moving down if I could get a one year visa without a lot of hassle. Vermont is beautiful but boring after a short while. I've done two long trips to BA and it is infinitely more exciting and interesting place to live. As it is, I'm planning on moving down for at least three months once I get vaccinated and BA opens up to foreigners.

After 2 years as a digital nomad, I feel BA would be a great base to stay 6-9 months/yr. The current situation works pretty well for me. Overstays are so lax, but reentry is technically not guaranteed. Or you can do 9 months a year with tourist visa + 3 month extension + 3 month border run if you wanna be legal, and in theory maybe reduce the risk of being denied on future reentries. But no one seems to be able to produce stats of the actual risk of either.

Best would be multiple-entry, renewable visa for 1 yr at a time, with no tax liability on foreign income. This way I could truly 'base up', sign a longer-term lease and buy some legit nice things to call my place home, while still having the freedom to travel on a whim. As it is I would have to find folks to hand off my nicer things (like piano, custom furniture) to caretake them for a few months a year.

Second, a DNI might be nice, but as I go down the list, why do i really need it? Mostly I just want to stay off the tax grid, and not having a DNI gives me even more peace of mind my assets will not be touched.

 

[aeye]

How often do you buy “technology”? Just get a phone and a MacBook etc in the US and fly down here. Buenos Aires is an incredibly vibrant city with great food and culture for a fraction of the cost you’d pay elsewhere. It’s not perfect and there are issues but it’s a good deal over all. The whole idea is the experience. Otherwise just move to Vermont get the 10k and live a quiet and secure life. Maybe one day when I turn 60, not in my 30s.

Big purchases buy in the US if possible, for smaller stuff, factor it in to the overall budget, most likely you're coming out way ahead still

 

[aeye]

Most people I know do not find Buenos Aires/Argentina attractive from a digital nomad perspective. The new visa designation doesn't solve any of the problems. Chief complaints I hear are: cost of flights, lack of functional banking, expense of technology (it is called "digital nomad" yet technology costs 50% more here than US), and a few others.

Argentina needs to keep in mind that pretty much every other second/third tier country is playing the same game. They all have lost foreigners and are crafting packages to attract them back. I just read how easy Barbados makes it for people to stay one year. More direct competitors like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador are all developing their own packages to win the digital nomad competition.

As a digital nomad myself, if you like big city life there are only a few options in latam: cdmx, bogota, Lima, Rio/SP, Santiago. Amongst those I do think BA has the highest overall quality of life on a low budget, esp. if you are making digital usd (tax-free). The air is much cleaner and there's less violent-crime than most on that list; Santiago is much costlier. Also domestic travel is amazing. Food could be better compared to Lima and CDMX. Personally I love all those options for different reasons, but clearly BA is right up there. Banking can be gotten around easily unless you want to buy property or sth really big.

Because of costs of flights/personal tech purchases, as well as the lax overstay policy, makes sense to come here and base up for awhile, bringing your laptop/cell from elsewhere.

If big-city life is not a big draw than there a multitude of options that are probably better for you.

 

[aeye]

How often do you buy “technology”? Just get a phone and a MacBook etc in the US and fly down here. Buenos Aires is an incredibly vibrant city with great food and culture for a fraction of the cost you’d pay elsewhere. It’s not perfect and there are issues but it’s a good deal over all. The whole idea is the experience. Otherwise just move to Vermont get the 10k and live a quiet and secure life. Maybe one day when I turn 60, not in my 30s.

Note also, most software can really be written on an old machine. I am a senior silicon valley engineer and I use my MBP from 2013. I love the way I've become even more minimalist materially speaking since living in latin america. Kind of cool to see people treat their laptops like vintage cars; my spanish teacher has a dell from 2000....absolutely pristine, looked like a museum showpiece

 

[zombiehorn]

As a digital nomad myself, if you like big city life there are only a few options in latam: cdmx, bogota, Lima, Rio/SP, Santiago. Amongst those I do think BA has the highest overall quality of life on a low budget, esp. if you are making digital usd (tax-free). The air is much cleaner and there's less violent-crime than most on that list; Santiago is much costlier. Also domestic travel is amazing. Food could be better compared to Lima and CDMX. Personally I love all those options for different reasons, but clearly BA is right up there. Banking can be gotten around easily unless you want to buy property or sth really big.

Because of costs of flights/personal tech purchases, as well as the lax overstay policy, makes sense to come here and base up for awhile, bringing your laptop/cell from elsewhere.

If big-city life is not a big draw than there a multitude of options that are probably better for you.

Agreed. I've spent a lot of time in CDMX and love the city. As a South Texan, I have a strong cultural affinity for the city and country. But it is more widely dirty, dangerous, and polluted than BA. The food in CDMX is amazing, as it is in BA, so I'd call that a draw more or less. I feel much safer in BA, though CDMX isn't bad if you avoid the wrong neighborhoods. I often get sick in CDMX from the pollutants as it famously sits in a bowl where the pollution just lingers overhead. Never had allergy issues in BA. I have Chilean family and love Chile everywhere but Santiago. It's not a bad city, just boring and uninspiring. I went to most of the top 10 restaurants there, and aside from the great wine, the food was mediocre. I'd be bored to death in Santiago after a week. But I love Valparaiso/Vina del Mar, Chilean Patagonia, the lake region, etc...

 

[jblaze5779]

The best thing BA food has going for it is that you can eat at the most expensive restaurant in town for 100usd.

The value is great but the food is "ok". I preferred CDMX for food.