Argentina “blue dollar”
Discussion
Has anyone been to Argentina recently? I have a trip to Patagonia in a couple of months and am confused by the exchange rates. Accommodation is extremely expensive on booking.com. If the booking is pay at property could it potentially end up costing a lot less due to the blue rate cs official rate difference?
I was in Patagonia in January visiting family and going back next month. If your accommodation wants to be paid locally, you'll probably get a better price if you can pay in dollars cash. They also prefer good condition, high denomination bills. You'll get a better exchange rate for mint hundred dollar bills than for scruffy twenties, for example. The peso is so worthless that the highest denomination note they had in January was the 1000 peso note, worth about 10p at the time. It meant carrying huge wads of cash to pay for anything. I think there's a 10,000 peso note now.
I was in Buenos Aires a year ago. The official rate is 450 pesos to the pound. But on the street, in cambios and even restaurants that advertise money exchange, you'll get around 1000 pesos to the pound. But you'll also get 1000 pesos to the US dollar. So change your pounds into dollars before you go, £100 gets you about $120, which then buys you 120,000 pesos. Whereas £100 changed up officially will get you 45,000 pesos,
Pay for everything by cash. Using a credit card will convert back at 450 pesos to the pound.
It makes a big difference. A nice steak and sides might cost you 10,000 pesos. That's either under £10 if paying in cash when you got 1000 pesos to the dollar and $1.20 to the pound. Or just over £20 on your credit card or if getting 450 pesos to the pound.
But don't overbuy. If at the end of your trip, you've got pesos left over, none of the cambios will buy it back.
Pay for everything by cash. Using a credit card will convert back at 450 pesos to the pound.
It makes a big difference. A nice steak and sides might cost you 10,000 pesos. That's either under £10 if paying in cash when you got 1000 pesos to the dollar and $1.20 to the pound. Or just over £20 on your credit card or if getting 450 pesos to the pound.
But don't overbuy. If at the end of your trip, you've got pesos left over, none of the cambios will buy it back.
Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Sunday 10th November 20:28
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Pay for everything by cash. Using a credit card will convert back at 450 pesos to the pound.
The Mastercard and Visa rates seem to be approx 1,000 now so I guess there’s far less reason to use cash and the “blue dollar” now. Who knows what it will be like when I go in a couple of months!Matt.. said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Pay for everything by cash. Using a credit card will convert back at 450 pesos to the pound.
The Mastercard and Visa rates seem to be approx 1,000 now so I guess there’s far less reason to use cash and the “blue dollar” now. Who knows what it will be like when I go in a couple of months!I've been advised by my brother who lives in Patagonia and a mate who was with him last month to just use a card. The official and unofficial exchange rates are very similar now, and any small saving is offset by the hassle of using and changing dollars. I'll get a card with no foreign exchange fees. We're off there in a few weeks, but he's warned us that everything is far more expensive than it was when I was last there in January so we won't be eating out as much this time!
The exception was my friends who stayed in a couple of AirBNBs which requested payment in dollars cash. But be warned that they had some $100 bills with some pen marks on them (but were otherwise mint) which no one would accept.
The exception was my friends who stayed in a couple of AirBNBs which requested payment in dollars cash. But be warned that they had some $100 bills with some pen marks on them (but were otherwise mint) which no one would accept.
Edited by tog on Monday 9th December 23:49
I got back last week after two weeks in San Martín de los Andes over Christmas. In general I just used a card (a virtual card which I only had on Apple Pay, no physical card) as much as possible, although some cash is essential for tips in restaurants (can't add it to the card payment usually). Most shops and some restaurants will give a discount if you pay in cash.
Smaller shops won't always take a card. Mercado Pago is widely used by locals for paying in smaller shops, takeaways, paying people, etc. although I did not look into setting up an account myself. Getting cash from cashpoints is expensive - about £10 charge for £50-worth of pesos at one bank we used.
Everything is more expensive than was when I was there a year ago. Considering how much one can get through, sun cream is weirdly expensive so make sure you bring from here.
When are you off? It is a fabulous place, and a great time was had!
Smaller shops won't always take a card. Mercado Pago is widely used by locals for paying in smaller shops, takeaways, paying people, etc. although I did not look into setting up an account myself. Getting cash from cashpoints is expensive - about £10 charge for £50-worth of pesos at one bank we used.
Everything is more expensive than was when I was there a year ago. Considering how much one can get through, sun cream is weirdly expensive so make sure you bring from here.
When are you off? It is a fabulous place, and a great time was had!
I'm planning to visit very soon, as the last time was 2 nights passing through BA, on the way back to Santiago back in 2019. I had read that if you use a foreign Mastercard/Visa you get a rebate that brings it up to the unofficial rate?
https://www.mastercard.com.ar/es-ar/consumidores/b...
https://www.visa.com.ar/support/consumer/travel-su...
https://www.mastercard.com.ar/es-ar/consumidores/b...
https://www.visa.com.ar/support/consumer/travel-su...
tog said:
When are you off? It is a fabulous place, and a great time was had!
Next week. I’m planning to get no cash and see how I go. I may take some small bills USD as I’ve heard that’s accepted in El Chalten restaurants. I’m unlikely to spend money on much more than accom/restaurants/supermarkets/fuel/uber. I’m hoping to have a lazy relaxing couple of weeks in El Chalten, Torres del Paine, Puerto Madeyn and BA. I suspect the weather could be like Wales but we shall see!
Was in Buenos Aires this weekend. The latest on the currency.
Official (red) rate is around AR$1250 to the £. The blue rate on the street is around AR$1400 to the £. However, the street rate for the US$ is around AS$1250. So as you get $1.25 to the £ in the UK, change up into US$ before you leave. Then swap them for AR$ on the street.
This info was correct this weekend, but what with it being Argentina, probably miles out of date today. Don't even know why I'm telling you to be honest
The important thing is that Buenos Aires remains as fabulous as ever. This was my 3rd visit and I love it more each time. It must be one of my favourite cities in the world. Whenever I'm sent out there, I'm always excited to go. Even though it's a long way to go for 3 days. (and only 2 to myself).
Official (red) rate is around AR$1250 to the £. The blue rate on the street is around AR$1400 to the £. However, the street rate for the US$ is around AS$1250. So as you get $1.25 to the £ in the UK, change up into US$ before you leave. Then swap them for AR$ on the street.
This info was correct this weekend, but what with it being Argentina, probably miles out of date today. Don't even know why I'm telling you to be honest
The important thing is that Buenos Aires remains as fabulous as ever. This was my 3rd visit and I love it more each time. It must be one of my favourite cities in the world. Whenever I'm sent out there, I'm always excited to go. Even though it's a long way to go for 3 days. (and only 2 to myself).
It’s also worth checking the current rules for payment by foreign credit cards - it used to be that everything bought on them got you a VAT refund; I think this then was reduced to hotel accommodation only. Things change very quickly though and the cash exchange rates may in any case trump the non payment of 21% VAT.
Matt.. said:
I’ve finished the trip now. I used Apple Pay with a credit card everywhere. I used USD cash a couple of times but mostly only for the novelty of a stack of pesos as change. Getting cash for Argentina now seems like a big waste of time unless on a very budget trip.
Interesting to hear. I was all ready to go to BA Sunday week ago, was in the US the week before, so stopped by my US bank to use their ATM to get USD's from my account I have with them back from when I worked for a US company, but haven't accessed in 4 years - had the fun game of guess what pin/password I reset it to when I last was in the US and had to visit a branch during business hours to reset it all.Was booked on a flight, which are very busy, but the travel gods were against me, and I didn't make the flight as I had a busy busy day, and what could go wrong did, and the Sunday night traffic was too busy to make up enough time to make it. The next morning looking on how busy the Monday flight was, which wasn't looking good, along with hotels that where rather expensive for the week, I decided f
k it, I'm taking the lunchtime flight to Mexico City instead.So ended up eating Taco's instead of Steak, but I'll finally get back to Argentina soon, just the travel gods didn't want me to get there this time.
Matt.. said:
I’ve finished the trip now. I used Apple Pay with a credit card everywhere. I used USD cash a couple of times but mostly only for the novelty of a stack of pesos as change. Getting cash for Argentina now seems like a big waste of time unless on a very budget trip.
If you can get ARS1250 to the USD, and USD1.25 to the GBP, you're getting ARS1560 per GBP. What did your card exchange at? I agree, the difference between cash and card is no longer what it was, but I still think it's enough to make it worth bothering.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
If you can get ARS1250 to the USD, and USD1.25 to the GBP, you're getting ARS1560 per GBP. What did your card exchange at?
I agree, the difference between cash and card is no longer what it was, but I still think it's enough to make it worth bothering.
It depends how you value your time for the hassle of getting cash at good rates and then handling it all. Personally I don’t see the big benefits anymore unless it’s a very budget trip. I agree, the difference between cash and card is no longer what it was, but I still think it's enough to make it worth bothering.
Matt.. said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
If you can get ARS1250 to the USD, and USD1.25 to the GBP, you're getting ARS1560 per GBP. What did your card exchange at?
I agree, the difference between cash and card is no longer what it was, but I still think it's enough to make it worth bothering.
It depends how you value your time for the hassle of getting cash at good rates and then handling it all. Personally I don’t see the big benefits anymore unless it’s a very budget trip. I agree, the difference between cash and card is no longer what it was, but I still think it's enough to make it worth bothering.
When I got home, I gave a friend's granddaughter a 20 peso note. She thinks she's rich, beyond her wildest dreams
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