Traveling in Argentina and Changing US Dollars to Argentine Pesos.
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- čas přidán 13. 11. 2023
- Duke and I spent most of October in Argentina. Argentina has rampant inflation and multiple exchange rates. Handling money in Argentina can be complicated and confusing. Figuring out Argentina's money is a challenge but it is worth it. Before we left it was hard to find information about how much things cost in Argentina if you use credit cards, cash or other forms of payment. We pretty much figured out how to exchange money, when to use a credit card and how to figure out the various exchange rates.
We used the app Dolar Blue Hoy apps.apple.com/us/app/dolar-b...
to check the various exchange rates.
In this video we talk about our experiences with money as we travelled through Argentina. We discuss what the various exchange rates get used for, which exchange rates get used when, and where we changed money in Buenos Aires, Salta, Ushuaia, El Calafate and Cafayate. It makes sense to use credit cards to pay for hotels. We explain why. We talk about problems we had with folded $100 bills, how much US cash we carried and where we hid it.
Duke and I took on a seven and a half week trip through Brazil, Argentina and Chile in the Fall of 2023.
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In January 2024 with the new president Milei there are not so many exchange rates anymore There are just 2 different exchange rates that is the official and the blue The difference between them is not so high like before I'd suggest to keep on changing in the streets o taking money via Western Union But if you want to use your credit card is also not so bad The blue is always a better rate but iit's not double anymore like in October 2023
Super helpful! Im going to Argentina tomorrow so im glad i saw this video.
Also yall are too cute, i hope my future relationship look like yours. So iconic
Thank you so much! Have a great trip!
This is very useful, I will be using my Barclays Credit Card, thank you so much.. What a lovely couple you are 💕 please keep on posting..
Thank you so much!!
This was super useful. Im going to argentina in a week. Thank you! You two are super lovely ❤
Thank you so much!! Have a fun trip. We loved Argentina
When I was in Mexico in 1988, they had 200% inflation. Paying in pesos was annoying… prices went up 25% in the one week we were there. But in dollars, it was stable. I had to say “No Soy Richo” and the price would drop from 80,000 to 20,000 quickly ($40 USD to $10 USD).
Excellent information. Most youtubers that talk like they know everthing are clueless. People believe in them because they like thier personallities. many of them are only at a certain location for a coulple of weeks at most and act like their the experts.Thanks for clearing up this topic a little more for people.
Thanks for your comment. We try to share information that would have helped us.
I want to find an uncomplicated country to retire in. Argentina is NOT it. Too complicated and bothersome to go out and find a money-changer to convert my US dollars into a semi-legal, “Blue” peso rate because it’s much better than the “National” bank rate or what you withdraw from an ATM. And then when you’ve used up your dollars, how do you get more without paying Western Union a hefty fee? This all seems so ridiculously complicated.
Best to with Credit Cards . same for Turkiye.. always pay with Credit cards..
Thank you for the information. I’m going on a trip with my family in April and this will be very helpful. I was planning to use Western Union, but it sounds like the best bet is take USD cash with us on the trip, and have WU as a backup?
I think that is right. And probably change your $$ at a bank. I’m glad the video was useful.
Thanks for a great video. Would you recommend exchanging US dollars at home before going to Argentina?
I just checked and Bank of America doesn’t handle Argentina currency. Perhaps you can find a bank that does, but if you find one I bet they will exchange the money at the official rate which today is 813 pesos/dollar. I believe that if you change dollars at an Argentine bank you will get the tourist rate which today is 1395 pesos/dollar. And of course once your money is in pesos it is subject to inflation. Have a fun trip!
I assume this works for debit and credit cards. I heard Visa card get a little under the dollar blue rate. Would you happen to know if Mastercard does to?
I’m sorry but I don’t really know.
Just confirmed, it does
Hello guys! Thanks for the information. I'm an argentinian living in South Florida. My question is when I use my credit card what dollar will my bank deduct? Official or blue?
When we were there it was neither blue nor official. Our credit cards used a rate close to the MEP rate.
Which hotel did you guys specifically use?
We were in Argentina for something like 18 nights. Are there any specific towns that you are interested in?
Do you concern the street guys would give you faked bills when trying to get the blue dollar rate? I suppose it is easy to get the blue dollar exchange in the touristy area; I am traveling to Calafate and el Chalten. Thx.
Since our video the situation has changed. The Dollar Turista rate is better than the Dollar Blue. As I understand it the Dollar Turista rate is what a bank will give you.
Obviously you always worry about bit about counterfeit bills but the money exchangers on the street are not at all shady and we were told multiple times that it is safe. It really isn’t a black market as we think of it. Luckily if the blue dollar rate stays like it is you can change your dollars at a bank.
In El Chaltén we saw people changing money at the grocery store. The grocery store had a sign in their window saying we change dollars. BTW We loved El Chaltén.
In El Calafate we changed $ at our hotel. El Chaltén and the Perito Moreno Glacier were amazing too!
Have fun!
@@BoomersWithoutBorders I'm heading to Argentina in a couple of weeks and I've downloaded the app you recommended. At the moment the the Dolar Turista is showing 1361.82 peso to the US Dollar. Is this the rate you would get at a bank, or will they exchange at the official rate? Thanks in advance.
@BrendanKBuckley The situation has changed since we were there. But my understanding is that a bank will change money at the tourist rate if you have a non Argentine passport.
@BrendanKBuckley Please let me know if you can confirm this!
@@BoomersWithoutBorders I'm starting out my South America adventure in Chile on Jan 17th, I will be in Ushuaia by the end of January and will test the exchange at a local bank. I will keep you posted.
We are going to be in Buenos Aires next month. What was the name of the Hotel you mentioned in 7:20 ? Think you in advance!
We stayed at the Pestana Buenos Aires. Enjoy your trip!
@@BoomersWithoutBorders And this was also the Hotel where you exchanged your Money?
We exchanged money in El Calafate at our hotel. In Buenos Aires I think you can only change money on Florida Street.
@@BoomersWithoutBorders Thank you!
Hello, I'm going to Buenos Aires in three weeks. The hostel we are booking asked that we pay using a credit card and they charge us 48 hours before arrival. Do you know if we would get that discount that you mentioned because of the exchange rate difference and no taxes for foreigners? Thank you
As I understand it, if they enter your passport number into their system you will not get charged the tax. We had situations similar to yours and never paid the tax. Have a nice trip.
@@BoomersWithoutBorders Thank you. Did you provide your passports at the booking time or when you arrived at the hostel?
We usually gave them our passports when we arrived.
Thanks for convincing me NOT to consider Argentina as a retirement destination.
Can you provide any additional information on exchanging at the dolar turista rate? If I heard correctly, you said you could take USD to a local bank and exchange at the dolar turista rate. Correct?
As far as we know, that is correct. You have to have a foreign passport, fill out a form and change the money.
How about Gasoline pay cash or credit card?
The rates have all changed since we were there. But it looks like the best deal is to change your dollars at the bank at the tourist exchange rate and then pay for your gas with cash.
thank you!@@BoomersWithoutBorders
If we’re moving out there, I understand purchasing a home or apartment is now listed in USD rates, still better than the pesos, but how can we possibly take that kind of money with us? Or even try to get like $150k through Western Union?
Good question. I don’t know the answer although I imagine foreigners can have $$ wire transferred from their foreign bank account.
There are 4 ways to pay for real estate there. 1) Bring cash, 10k each time to put in a safe deposit box. 2) Electronic bank transfer if the seller has a foreign account. 3) use a financial holding company in Argentina. Not exactly legal, but the most common route. 4) Transfer it through official government centralized bank channels. You will be charged a fee to change it into ARP, then pay again to transfer it back to USD. The banks do not offer mortgages, you will also have to pay a broker, escribano, accountant, and for a home inspection if desired. You will also need a DNI number to buy real estate.
@@user-jl7hs7us9ithank you!! That is very interesting!
How did you reserved the hotels? online? If I'm booking today a hotel for $150/night when I pay in Argentina will I be billed in ARD and the MEP rate apply?
We booked all our hotels online a few weeks ahead of time, mostly with Booking.com. We always for hotels paid with credit cards. We were charged the quoted rate by the hotel. Our credit card converted our charge to dollars. The exchange rate was a little less than the MEP rate. Also since we have a foreign passport we didn’t have to pay the 21% tax. Let me know if you have other questions.
Do people use USD cash on the streets?
We didn’t see people using dollars on the street.
@@BoomersWithoutBorders , maybe that will change with the new president.
@@aequitas8749Doubtful. The reason that so many estsblishments trade for USD is to save/hoard them, not to spend them. Milei has already backed down on dollarization, maybe years from now he says.
How do you find apartments to rent in Argentina?
Zonaprop sur internet ou une agence immobilière sur place
What if those people give you counterfeit Argentinian money? Was that not a possibility?
That’s something I wondered about too. I guess it’s always a possibility. But then there is always a possibility of pickpockets too and it’s just a risk you take.
Also each bill is worth so little and each day is worth less so I wonder if counterfeiting is worth it.
The rates have changed so much since we were there that a bank is probably a better money changing solution now.
Today the blue dollar rate is 1000 and the tourist rate is 1461.
Why you say tourist crypto rate forget it? You need residency visa or something?
As I understand it you have to have a non Argentina passport to get the tourist rate at a bank. I don’t know where you can get the crypto rate. The tourist rate is better than the crypto rate. When we were there the dollar blue rate was better than the tourist rate. But now that has changed.
Just use cc and dollars; been saying this for a decade
What about debit card that are Mastercard?
Thanks… looked up January 9th, 2024 and blue rate 1,060…. Tourist 890… so just a bit worse since your story. Thanks for credit card info. Did not know about the VAT.
Today, Jan 12, the official rate is 801.39. The tourist rate is 1377.04, and the Dolar blue rate is 1070
Lots of stuttering and emms..and an incredible amount of confusion but also some useful information.
Hi Boomers. So, dollar blue is 865.00 pesos = 1 USD? ty 4 vid
You are very welcome. The day we made the video in early November 2023 the Dólar Blue rate was 864 pesos = $1. I just checked the Dolar Blue Hoy app and today the rate is $960 pesos = $1. It changes almost every day.
Based boomers
yeap, change your money on the street and then get robbed 5 minutes later hahahahaha !!!!!! very stupid ..........
You obviously have never been to Argentina. Nobody exchanges currency in the street. Did you not watch the video explaining the process inside the establishments? In 30 trips totaling 2 years, I have never been robbed coming out of a cueva, exchanging tens of thousands of US dollars. You aren't aware of the street police presence all day, standing on corners. The provincias are less secure than El Centro.
i dont change money on the street , not in Bs As , not in timbuktu hahahaha !!!!! dont give a rat s ass how many cops out there hahahaha !!!!@@user-jl7hs7us9i
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LIST YOU HAD HANDY!
It was just of things we wanted to remember to discuss. I think it fell on the floor🤪