When was the last time Argentina was expensive?

[SecretShopper]

I've heard the stories that not so long ago... relatively... it was really expensive here, like Paris levels. Don't know how true that is but I'd like to ask when was the last time Argentina was expensive for foreigners?

 

[Rich One]

It was in 201x when the dollar was steady and didn't keep pace with inflation, supermarket prices were higher than Paris, finding the exact date..!

 

[antipodean]

Paris... during the 90s when the peso was 1:1.

Last time it was “more” expensive was between 2015-2018/19 when there was no real difference between the blue and official - a $20 meal was a $20 meal. You could just use your foreign credit or debit card as if it were a local one and the only thing to worry about was the fees charged by your home bank. Obviously on the whole it was still cheaper than major cities in the US or EU but there were many things that were much more expensive than in Europe (eg food, clothes and consumer items etc)

If memory serves me right, there was also a strange few months around 2013-2014ish when suddenly a cup of coffee in BA was more expensive than in London.

 

[Cordoba]

Paris... during the 90s when the peso was 1:1.

Last time it was “more” expensive was between 2015-2018/19 when there was no real difference between the blue and official - a $20 meal was a $20 meal. You could just use your foreign credit or debit card as if it were a local one and the only thing to worry about was the fees charged by your home bank. Obviously on the whole it was still cheaper than major cities in the US or EU but there were many things that were much more expensive than in Europe (eg food, clothes and consumer items etc)

If memory serves me right, there was also a strange few months around 2013-2014ish when suddenly a cup of coffee in BA was more expensive than in London.

Yes. I did some unskilled but hard labor in the black for around $5 usd/hr in 2015. The cost of things at the blue were probably equaivalent as if you used the official now.

 

[donnay]

The first time I went in 1999 it was 1:1, and things were fairly expensive, I learned to use the bus rather than a taxi, a habit that I have maintained even through the ensuing years when taxis are relatively cheap.

 

[SecretShopper]

So it appears that it was on par with the average "smaller big city" in the US or Europe. Any indication that the value of the peso will return? If it did, a lot of people would all of a sudden have good money in the bank. I feel like I should keep around a million pesos in the bank that I don't spend just in case the tide turns one day.

 

[Cordoba]

It might go 1:1 but they will retire the current currency. Like mil pesos will buy 1 of the new 1 to 1 peso. And the process will begin again.

 

[jblaze5779]

When I arrived in 2018 I considered argentina expensive for anything other than the basic living necessities. Beef and wine were cheap of course but setting up a house and buying all the major appliances and electronics was incredibly expensive. I remember dropping 200 usd at the grocery store multiple times for not that much food imo. I still refuse to buy clothes in country because for the most part the quality sucks compared to the price.

Now Arg is much more affordable but there are much more limited options for imported stuff (and "stuff in general") and I find myself not fighting it that hard. I just buy the locally available stuff and go without snacks and things like that. Any hobby and project items that I would normally buy in a heartbeat on Amazon I figure I can just do without for now. Not worth the price and work to track things down and wait for them. I envy folks in BA that can get anything delivered from Mercado Libre within a day or have access to so much selection of goods.

 

[jblaze5779]

So it appears that it was on par with the average "smaller big city" in the US or Europe. Any indication that the value of the peso will return? If it did, a lot of people would all of a sudden have good money in the bank. I feel like I should keep around a million pesos in the bank that I don't spend just in case the tide turns one day.

The peso ain't coming back.... Are you kidding? As stated above they'll just scrap it and create a new currency like they've done several times before.

 

[Rich One]

. It was in 2016 when Argentina was the most expensive country in LATAM. As described by El Pais..!

¿Por qué Argentina es el país más caro de América Latina?

Un comparativo de precios con Brasil, Colombia y México muestra las consecuencias de una inflación desbocada en pesos y un dólar bajo.

elpais.com

" Practically everything is expensive in Buenos Aires. But prices are skyrocketing for consumer goods such as clothing, cars or technology. Direct consequences of runaway inflation, a peso that is revaluing, and a country with trade borders almost closed abroad. In Buenos Aires there is no Apple or Ikea store or almost any of the usual ones in the big cities of the world, the entry of imported cars is highly controlled and many of the big cheap clothing brands found throughout Latin America have not been able to enter. . This benefits the local industry, almost without competition, helps employment and guarantees huge benefits to Argentine businessmen, but it also drives up prices. The immediate consequence is that the middle and lower class buy everything in eternal installments, with consumption plans subsidized by the Government, while the upper-middle class takes advantage of their trips abroad to buy cheaper."