Would you like to spend the rest of your life in Argentina?

[zensailor]

Perhaps I should have asked "Where would you like to spend the rest of your life?''

Must admit and I'm probably wrong....most Argentina expats do seem to be dollar earners and only here for the cheap ride.

just to be clear...... I was referring to quality of life and how much I'm enjoying myself

 

[antipodean]

Must admit and I'm probably wrong....most Argentina expats do seem to be dollar earners and only here for the cheap ride.

Think that for a large part you are correct.
Argentina is great, when it is cheap. What you pay is what you get - relatively good quality of life albeit with headaches and significant shortcomings that come with that price and that you can overlook if you live in a dollar bubble.

That said if / when it gets more expensive (as it can do) it is overvalued in terms of quality - why pay European prices for a fraction of the life quality?

 

[QuilmesSlo]

Think that for a large part you are correct.
Argentina is great, when it is cheap. What you pay is what you get - relatively good quality of life albeit with headaches and significant shortcomings that come with that price and that you can overlook if you live in a dollar bubble.

That said if / when it gets more expensive (as it can do) it is overvalued in terms of quality - why pay European prices for a fraction of the life quality?

You speak of European prices as a bad thing; they are! The problem is that there is no way to imagine Argentina re-gaining them in its current economic condition. The biggest risk to expats is not increased costs; it is further erosion of the peso and associated political and security instability.

 

[UK Man]

Think that for a large part you are correct.
Argentina is great, when it is cheap. What you pay is what you get - relatively good quality of life albeit with headaches and significant shortcomings that come with that price and that you can overlook if you live in a dollar bubble.

That said if / when it gets more expensive (as it can do) it is overvalued in terms of quality - why pay European prices for a fraction of the life quality?

Must agree. Despite me being very easily pleased I wouldn't be here if I had to give the rate of the dollar blue one second of my time.

 

[milanesas]

You speak of European prices as a bad thing; they are! The problem is that there is no way to imagine Argentina re-gaining them in its current economic condition. The biggest risk to expats is not increased costs; it is further erosion of the peso and associated political and security instability.

My experience after living in Argentina for years is that prices often don't follow logic related to the country's current macroeconomic conditions besides maybe certain services and conditions change fast and go from dirt cheap to expensive. If you want to buy clothing, electronics, anything imported you usually pay more than Europe/USA. The great thing as an expat earning dollars is the cheap rent (currently), dining out, services, but if you don't travel regularly internationally and bring back other items you end up wanting to cry because of high costs of many items.

 

[UK Man]

My experience after living in Argentina for years is that prices often don't follow logic related to the country's current macroeconomic conditions besides maybe certain services and conditions change fast and go from dirt cheap to expensive. If you want to buy clothing, electronics, anything imported you usually pay more than Europe/USA. The great thing as an expat earning dollars is the cheap rent (currently), dining out, services, but if you don't travel regularly internationally and bring back other items you end up wanting to cry because of high costs of many items.

I've noticed to a large extent competition in the retail trade doesn't exist here. That's why where I live there are about 10 times more shops per head of population than in a similar sized town in the UK.

 

[zensailor]

I do not consider my life as a ROI !

 

[Goata]

I moved her permanently in 2005 and except for one trip back to the US long ago to atttend my High School's
50th, have not been back since. As you can see by the picture, I'm married and my family really is hers since
I have no living relatives (a "cosmic orphan") and I have no "reason" to repatriate. My only wish after nearly
16 years is that my ability to learn Spanisn were better. Whew.

Hello Wryter, learning Spanish is really hard but I have had a breakthrough taking a University Course online, it really broke the ice/cleared the fog etc. I am in Mendoza but as everything is online it does not matter. The next semester starts the end of February. Very thoughtful approach to learning a language as I think most things are in Academia in Argentina. I think the university system here is excellent. My teacher is Gabriella,
[email protected] she can probably answer any questions you might have.

 

[momjade]

I lived and worked there 20 years after graduating, returned back home for what is now another 20 years and plan to retire in Argentina. So Yes, I would live there, again, but with a difference.
You need a dollar income to jump over inflation that eats away any Pesos income, you need to own your own property because rentals are insane (pay not only the rent but also the owner's property taxes and expenses on the property), you need to come with a full long-term wardrobe because shoes and clothes are way more expensive than back home and sales don't exist, you need to shop where you can get away without Spanish (discrimination is active no matter what they say), and finally, be prepared to pay for expensive private health care, which is worth every dollar.
The good stuff is always there: excellent weather, food, wine, friendly people, as is the bad stuff: politics, inflation, thieves and plenty of them.
Put in a balance, if you're of working age, stay away unless you have a dollar income. If you have children, stay away or be prepared to dish out for private schools. (Local free schools now abound with neighbouring country immigrants with very different customs and language). If you're retiring (Covid permitting), like me, come with dollars and stay.

 

[UK Man]

I lived and worked there 20 years after graduating, returned back home for what is now another 20 years and plan to retire in Argentina. So Yes, I would live there, again, but with a difference.
You need a dollar income to jump over inflation that eats away any Pesos income, you need to own your own property because rentals are insane (pay not only the rent but also the owner's property taxes and expenses on the property), you need to come with a full long-term wardrobe because shoes and clothes are way more expensive than back home and sales don't exist, you need to shop where you can get away without Spanish (discrimination is active no matter what they say), and finally, be prepared to pay for expensive private health care, which is worth every dollar.
The good stuff is always there: excellent weather, food, wine, friendly people, as is the bad stuff: politics, inflation, thieves and plenty of them.
Put in a balance, if you're of working age, stay away unless you have a dollar income. If you have children, stay away or be prepared to dish out for private schools. (Local free schools now abound with neighbouring country immigrants with very different customs and language). If you're retiring (Covid permitting), like me, come with dollars and stay.

All sensible advice although as a small town resident I'd disagree about the food and crime. The food variety available here is very poor however fortunately the crime rate is very low. Thankfully I don't have to bother about counting the pesos or forever be wondering about the dollar blue. I certainly wouldn't be here if I had to.