Would you move a family to Argentina...?

[arlean]

Maybe I'm a little behind, but can you get $6,000 from here to fly home? Wouldn't it need to be paid from an out-of-country bank or non-Argentine bank card? I have Argentines telling me they can't leave Argentina because they can't get the money, that the most the illustrious la presidenta allows is $150 a day for the time they will be gone. Of course you can never go to the US on $150 a day, I don't know about the UK. Also you all say you can't get the "official rate." According to my desktop monitor, the "official rate" per dollar as of right now is 4.69 pesos. Are you saying you can't get THAT official rate outside?

Also another point. Uruguayan friends (living in Uruguay) had a death of the wife's mother, an Argentina citizen, inherited the house in BA as the only child, sold it, and now tell me they can't get the money out to Argentina. At least so far. Anyone have any comments on any of this?

Iznogud, I'm waiting for Dirtboy's next economic meeting as well!!!! ;D

 

[citygirl]

I too want to know how a family of 4 lives on 4K USD a month - clearly I'm budgeting wrong!

To the poster above - no Arlean, most places outside of Argentina simply won't take pesos at all. Or if they do, they might offer you an exchange rate of 7-1, 8-1, etc.

So if you want to travel outside of Argentina - what are your options? Very few people can get AFIP approval to buy dollars/euros/whatever here. So they can't buy currency before they leave. They can't exchange pesos outside of Argentina. They can't withdraw money at the ATMs in another country if they have a peso account here in Argentina. If they use their credit card/debit card, the gov't assesses a 15% tax on every purchase they make. Plus a 50% tax if you spend more than 300 USD on buying things overseas.

Pesos are in fact fairly worthless outside of Argentina, period.

 

[DavieW]

The Post Office outright lied to you! Argentinian pesos are not trade-able internationally - you can't buy or sell them in the UK (officially). As a test, go back to the PO and ask if you can buy some.....I promise you the answer is "no", in which case, why would they ever buy any?

I'm also a Brit and I've been here for 5+ years. I'm a single father to a 4 year old who was born here. I'm lucky in that I get paid in USD and have found a way of getting it here relatively cheaply, so all this economic chaos actually works in my favour and my salary is therefore pretty much inflation proof. But you really need to listen to what almost everyone is saying regarding your salary. AR$18k really isn't much of a salary for a family of 4. In a really good month, with the current exchange rate, I can earn that much and I get by (admittedly I have to pay my rent out of that (3k) but my kid goes to a free public school).

And more importantly, in 12 months time when you're still earning AR$18k, but everything costs 30% more (my USD income will be worth AR$23k) - then you'll really start to feel the pinch.

So even just considering the economics makes the offer you have seem like a not very attractive one. And don't even get me started on the 'quality of life' aspects!

If El Queso's long and well considered post above hasn't put you off, well.....good luck, it certainly will be an adventure!

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

I too want to know how a family of 4 lives on 4K USD a month - clearly I'm budgeting wrong!

Really? $4,000US is $18,800AR at the official rate and $24,400AR at the blue rate. You cant live comfortably on that?

What am I missing?

 

[steveinbsas]

There has been a lot of chatter here about money, but it isn't clear if the $18,000 pesos per month is before or after taxes. If it's before taxes, your disposable income will be reduced significantly. I also suggest that you learn as much as possible about life in Palomar and the accommodations before you accept the position.

I have never been to Palomar but I have been to Ramos Mijea which is next to it. It is a "working class" area with lots of small industry. I think there is a Peugeot factory in the Palomar area as well. If possible, I suggest you get as much detail about the housing which will be provided for you. Palomar may be "leafy" in the park(s), but not necessarily where your housing is located. Have there been other employees of your company who have lived there? Can you get any information from them? If it's a house it will probably have other house next to it with the walls in contact with each other. Unless you can get some advance information you have no way of knowing if the neighbors are nice or noisy. There could be a business next door that generates a lot of noise (iron or metal workers, auto body or mechanic shop, etc.). If it's a house it will have bars on the windows and anti-robo curtains as well. When the curtains are closed you may feel like you are living a a cave. There won't be much of a selection of restaurants there, either. There will, however, be lots of buses.

You indicated you wife might work. If she can work for the same company that would be great, but if she has to try to find a job in the area it will be difficult, especially of she doesn't speak the language. Others have posted about the wonderful kindergartens in BA, but I think they all lived in "nicer" areas of Capital Federal. You may not find one with anyone who speaks English. That would really mean total immersion for your older child, but how much will they remember after you return to England and the child has no reason to continue speaking a foreign language? It is also doubtful that you could find an English speaking nanny willing to commute from areas like Palermo or Belgrano (which are areas you cold easily find one).

Images of Palomar:

https://www.google.com.ar/search?q=...H49gTr4YG4BQ&ved=0CDkQsAQ4Cg&biw=1303&bih=677

History of Palomar:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Palomar,_Buenos_Aires

From the wikipedia page: "El Palomar is served by Ferrocarril General San Martín commuter rail service at El Palomar station with easy access to Retiro Station in downtown Buenos Aires, as well as by National Route 7."

The San Martin line is described as overused and underfunded. there were plans for new tracks and new coaches, but I don't think it ever happened. I was advised to stay away from the line when I first arrived in Argentina. The train runs from Retiro to Pilar. If you do use it you may have difficulty being able to sit, even though you have small children. Some might offer their seats, but I wouldn't count on it. I would never ride on this line at night.

 

[Iznogud]

bugsbunny,

You haven't posted much since the initial post, hope you're seriously thinking this over.

Let me simplify things for you. For $18k a month I (just myself) woudn't move to Palomar. And I live just an hour away.

Methinks most people here would agree with me.

 

[earlyretirement]

Really? $4,000US is $18,800AR at the official rate and $24,400AR at the blue rate. You cant live comfortably on that?

What am I missing?

No way I could do it either with 2 kids.

-Even taking out the rental payment (we owned our flat in BA) we had monthly condo dues that were quite high.

- ABL taxes
- Home phone line
- My wife and I had cellphone plans with Blackberry service
- Electricity, gas, water, cable, 2 internet plans
- Housekeeper salary
- Groceries each month
- Car Insurance, fuel, license plate fees each year
- Life insurance
- Health insurance with OSDE for the family
- Home insurance for our apartment
- Dining out at restaurants
- School stuff and classes (swimming classes, ballet classes, horse riding lessons, etc)
- Kids clothes (they grow like weeds!)
- Haircuts, etc. for the family
- Salon stuff for my wife (hair, nails, etc)
- Clothes for my wife and I (mostly work clothes)
- Drycleaning
- Gym dues
- Entertaining and sporting events (movies, concerts,etc)
- Subscriptions to newspaper and magazines including on ipad


This isn't even accounting for saving up for our kids college, charity donations we made, retirement savings contributions or any work related stuff.

We EASILY spent more than that. It's not difficult. $4,000 US a month with 2 kids isn't too much money in any country that you're in. Argentina included.

 

[earlyretirement]

Edit: I forgot annual asset taxes on our place we owned. Just that each month was over $500 US dollars per month when you took what was due each year.

 

[earlyretirement]

Edit: (I really wish they had an edit feature on this board). I forgot about our biggest expense which was traveling. It's VERY expensive to travel around within South America. Not fun getting airline tickets for 4 people and very expensive. That was one of our biggest expenses.

Trips back to the USA for holidays/Christmas each year were typically $6,200 or more as it was always expensive during that time of year to go back to the USA. I'd imagine most expats would also be taking at least a trip or two back to their home country to visit grandparents, etc.

 

[Ceviche]

I travel all over South America for work ( i dont pay for the tickets) 2-3 times a month. But the prices are high!!!