UK graduate moving to BsAs 2012

[Boluda]

Hello everybody!!

I'm a 23 year old English girl who has just finished university and is planning to fulfil her dream of living and working in Buenos Aires next year; the current plan would be to stay there at least a couple of years. I have been thinking and researching this idea for a few years now, but obviously I'm aware the economical situation is pretty volatile in Argentina and things change quickly.

I'm fluent in French and Spanish having completed a degree in modern languages and having spent time living in both countries. I don't plan to take up a career in english teaching however I'm CELTA certified to support myself in the unfortunate case that I can't find a better paid job when I arrive.

I'm currently working for a multinational company to save money to set myself for the first few difficult months I'll face when I arrive; my boyfriend is porteno and will be able to advise me with finding a room in a shared apartment etc.

However I'd still like to have an idea of the amount of money I need to save to support me through the first few months or longer? I'm not an extravagant person and have spent four years at university living on a very limited budget. Can anyone who's been in a similar situation give me any advice?

Saludos

 

[PhilipDT]

Bare bones? I'd budget for 1200USD a month. It'll be pretty sparse though.

 

[MizzMarr]

I'd agree with Philip that if you budget for $1200USD (or ~732 pounds) a month will be the minimum that you need to prepare for (that might provide a little cushion should you need it).

Since you said you want to rent a shared apartment that will likely cost around $400-500 dollars (for a decent, furnished room in a decent neighborhood i.e. Almagro). There was a recent conversation amongst expats who eat "in" (ie cook at home) nearly all the time and on a budget saying they spend roughly $1000 pesos (~146 pounds or $240 dollars) per adult in their household on groceries per month. You can probably eat a bit cheaper than that, but consider this is all eating at home! Factor in whether you want to buy health insurance [for your age and a decent plan probably around $350-400 pesos], how frequently you might like to go out to eat (roughly $100 pesos/average restaurant with a drink), go to the movies, see music or theater (anywhere from $30-50 pesos for local music/play or much higher-exhorbitant fees for better known international bands/"broadway" big budget productions).

It does sound like you'll have some local resources which will help you out a lot, but $1000 would be the absolute minimum I'd budget for with very bare bones living and spending nearly every centavo (not saving anything for travel home or otherwise).

 

[cityofforkingpaths]

Hi boluda! (haha)
I'm in a VERY similar situation to you -- 23, about to graduate, planning on moving to BA in january or february 2012 to stay at least two years, and with a porteno boyfriend So we should meet up when we get there, if either of us remembers this conversation 5 months from now...

I don't agree with the above poster. I think most foreigners end up paying WAY too much for almost everything in BA. I studied abroad there for a year, and lived in a room in a shared apartment for 250 USD a month, and spent at the most 100/month on food, maybe a little more but definitely not more than 200. Buses and trains are very cheap, 1-2 pesos a ride. Going out to eat, taking taxis, traveling, going dancing, all the things that expats and foreign students and tourists do often, are obviously more expensive. But if you really are used to living cheaply, I would say you can survive on about 500 USD a month. Your boyfriend and his contacts will definitely be indispensable to find the real local prices and not crazy foreigner ones.

Good luck, and don't let the negativity on this site get you down!!!!!

 

[MizzMarr]

cityofforkingpaths, when did you live here last?

I've been in Buenos Aires for over five years now, and living on a very strict budget for the last year and a half. Most recently I rented an unfurnished apartment at local prices on a 2yr contract with a garantia. I spend a bit more than "necessary" on food because eating well and a varied diet is important to me, but I don't go crazy buying expensive food or anything else. I'm certainly not living an expensive or otherwise "luxurious" lifestyle by any stretch.

I can say that things were very different when I arrived in 2006 than they are now. Back then you could probably get away with $500 a month, but not now. It's not negativity, it's just realism. But this is also why I tried to give her a breakdown of what some things cost so she can research and evaluate for herself. I'd be very interested to see any listing that you can find of a decent room for rent in a shared apartment for $250 now. She might be able to find a homestay room for around $300 minimum, but I'd imagine she'd probably want to live with people her own age.

I think it's kind of dangerous for you to recommend someone move here on just $500 a month when you yourself don't even live here at the moment, as that might put them in a really bad position should things not work out as rosily as painted.

 

[Godiva.]

Things have certainly changed in the last couple of years. I've been coming to Argentina for the past 7 years and prices have increased drastically on just about everything, especially in the last year or two.

I suggest you bring everything you might need in the way of clothes or electronics since those are expensive here and not of the best quality. Socks and jump drives come to mind! I should have brought more of those myself.

 

[andrewjps]

I agree with MizzMarr on this one. Suggesting someone can live on 500 a week (less than 20 a day!) is really stretching it.

Plus, you are 23 and in Buenos Aires. You want to enjoy yourself not sit at home in your shitty apartment and eat rice and tomato sauce.

The 1200 mark seems to be the consensus as a decent minimum, and I would tend to agree. I would suggest budget higher. Nothing wrong with having some cash left over. Nor a few extra fernet con cocas.

 

[Boluda]

Awww that's amazing! thanks for all the advice! I'm a bit of a worrier anyway so had been budgeting for $1300/1400 a month (as andrewjps says, I do want some kind of life!!) and who knows how things may stand in 6/7 months.

I plan to book a flexible return flight in case of any emergencies and it seems to be cheaper anyway.

That's an interesting point Godiva about bringing clothes etc.! My boyfriend bought mountains of socks for his family when he came to visit me here! Haha

Thanks again to you all! Much appreciated

saludos

 

[cityofforkingpaths]

MizzMarr, I was living in Argentina last year, 2010. I know there has been some inflation since then, but I was in Argentina this past January where I paid 300 for a month for a great room in a private house in Nunez, and again in June where I rented a studio apartment in Villa Devoto for 1000 pesos. My point was just that if you find places through family and friends you will find much better prices than most of what's listed on craigslist or other sites that cater to foreigners. That said, I found my 250/month apartment, shared with two young argentinas and a german guy, in a lovely street in Almagro, on craigslist.

Anyway, boluda, it looks like you are planning to be safe rather than sorry, so I'm sure that you'll be fine with money.

 

[syngirl]

Hi boluda! (haha)
I'm in a VERY similar situation to you -- 23, about to graduate, planning on moving to BA in january or february 2012 to stay at least two years, and with a porteno boyfriend So we should meet up when we get there, if either of us remembers this conversation 5 months from now...

I don't agree with the above poster. I think most foreigners end up paying WAY too much for almost everything in BA. I studied abroad there for a year, and lived in a room in a shared apartment for 250 USD a month, and spent at the most 100/month on food, maybe a little more but definitely not more than 200. Buses and trains are very cheap, 1-2 pesos a ride. Going out to eat, taking taxis, traveling, going dancing, all the things that expats and foreign students and tourists do often, are obviously more expensive. But if you really are used to living cheaply, I would say you can survive on about 500 USD a month. Your boyfriend and his contacts will definitely be indispensable to find the real local prices and not crazy foreigner ones.

Good luck, and don't let the negativity on this site get you down!!!!!

considering even the govt now lists the canasta basica at 2718 pesos a month there's no way you can think 2000 pesos a month (500 bucks) is going o cut it. that's just out of date information.