Argentina “blue dollar”

[Matt..]

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?

[tog]

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.

[RC1807]

Quite astonishing how the arse has literally dropped out of the ARS!

When I first went to BsAs on business, the $ was pegged at 10: 1 ARS. Street rate was then ARS 15 to $1.
Now it’s USD 1 : ARS 1,000!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

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.

Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Sunday 10th November 20:28

[Matt..]

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!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

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 would suggest if the cards are converting at 1000 pesos to the £, you can probably get 2000 to the $ on the street. As you say, I went a year ago, and it's a basket case economy.

[tog]

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.

Edited by tog on Monday 9th December 23:49

[Exiled Imp]

https://bluedollar.net/

Good info here

[tog]

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!

[smack]

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...

[Matt..]

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!