Just Landed in Argentina? Your First 7 Days

Mobile coverage is strong in cities and along main routes but patchy in rural Patagonia and the north. Prepaid ('prepago') SIMs are cheap and easy; registration with your passport is required. 4G is standard everywhere and 5G is expanding across Buenos Aires and larger cities like Cordoba, Rosario and Mendoza. WhatsApp is effectively the national communication tool, so keep your number active.

Typical cost: Prepaid plans with several gigabytes of data run roughly ARS 8,000-15,000 per month, and postpaid contracts need a DNI. A decent home fibre connection from Telecentro, Fibertel (Flow) or Movistar Fibra costs around ARS 30,000-45,000 per month, with installation usually within a week or two in the city.

Since currency controls were lifted in April 2025, the official, MEP and 'blue' rates sit within a few percent of each other, and the old PAIS surcharge on foreign cards is gone. A no-foreign-fee Visa or Mastercard now gives essentially the market rate, so chasing cuevas matters far less than it used to. Prices still move with inflation, so treat any figure quoted here as a snapshot rather than a fixed number.

Opening an account: Opening a peso account normally needs a DNI (residency card) and a CUIL number; tourists and pre-residency arrivals usually cannot. Galicia, Santander, BBVA, Banco Nacion and the digital-only Brubank and Ualá are common choices. Many locals and newcomers rely on the Mercado Pago wallet for everyday payments, QR transfers and even holding balances before a full account is possible.

Cash: Cash is still king for markets ('ferias'), taxis, small shops and informal rent, and small notes are precious because change is often scarce. Cards and QR payments through Mercado Pago are widely accepted in cities, and paying in physical dollars can sometimes get you a small discount on rent or big-ticket items.

Tipping: Tipping is customary but modest: around 10% in restaurants (often paid in cash even when the bill is on card, since it may not reach staff otherwise), and rounding up for taxis, delivery riders, hairdressers and hotel porters. There is no obligation and no one will chase you, but leaving a little is the norm.

There is no local address-registration requirement like the town-hall registration ('empadronamiento') found in parts of Europe. Instead, foreign nationals staying long term apply for a DNI (national identity document) through Migraciones once they hold a residency category, and obtain a CUIL through ANSES for work and banking. Tourists on the standard 90-day stamp do not register an address, though they must respect their permitted stay and can extend once at a Migraciones office or by leaving and re-entering. Given periodic economic instability, registering with your home embassy is a sensible informal step.

Where: Direccion Nacional de Migraciones for residency and the DNI; ANSES for the CUIL number; your home embassy or consulate for voluntary presence registration.

Buenos Aires has an extensive, very cheap network of colectivos (buses), the six-line Subte metro and commuter trains, all paid with the SUBE card. A single fare is a few hundred pesos, making it one of the cheapest big-city transit systems anywhere. Ride-hailing is reliable and often safer than hailing street taxis. Long-distance travel across the country is dominated by comfortable overnight buses ('micros') and a growing low-cost domestic flight market.

From the airport: From Ezeiza (EZE), the international airport about 35 km out, the official Manuel Tienda Leon shuttle or a booked Cabify/Uber/DiDi reaches the centre in roughly 45-60 minutes depending on traffic; agree fares in advance and ignore unmarked drivers who approach you inside the terminal. Aeroparque (AEP), the domestic hub on the riverfront, is far closer, roughly 15 minutes and a short, cheap ride from downtown.

Foreigners without a local guarantor ('garantia propietaria') usually rent furnished 'temporario' flats or use expat-friendly platforms rather than standard long-term leases, which typically require a property-owning guarantor. Palermo, Recoleta, Belgrano and San Telmo are popular with newcomers, and short-term furnished flats are easy to find but priced at a premium, often quoted in US dollars.

Typical rent: A furnished one-bedroom in a central Buenos Aires barrio runs roughly USD 500-800 per month on short-term platforms; longer unfurnished leases in pesos are considerably cheaper but need a guarantor and a two-year commitment under Argentine tenancy norms.

Deposit norm: Standard leases ask for one month's rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront. Temporary furnished rentals often ask for one to two months upfront plus a security deposit, and may request payment in dollars, so clarify the currency and terms in writing before you pay.

Argentina has a three-tier system: free public hospitals open to everyone including foreigners, union-run 'obras sociales' tied to employment, and private 'prepaga' plans. Public care is genuinely universal and the emergency guardia will treat anyone, but routine appointments can involve long waits. The private sector is well regarded and remains affordable by Western standards, which is why most expats join a prepaga.

How to access it: For emergencies, go to any public hospital guardia or call SAME on 107 (or 911, which also dispatches medical help). For routine care, most newcomers join a prepaga such as OSDE, Swiss Medical, Galeno or Medicus and book appointments through its app or call centre. Pharmacies handle many minor issues without a prescription, and pharmacists are a useful first stop.

Insurance: Private prepaga membership is the norm for expats, with monthly premiums that rise regularly with inflation, so always confirm the current rate and what is covered before committing. Some plans have waiting periods for pre-existing conditions and pregnancy, and premiums increase with age, so read the fine print. Travel or international health insurance is wise for your first weeks before a local plan is active.

• Greet with a single kiss on the right cheek, even between men who know each other well; a handshake is fine in formal or first-meeting settings.
• Life runs late: dinner rarely starts before 21:00, nightlife begins around midnight, and social plans shift easily, so build in flexibility rather than expecting punctuality.
• Learn the ritual of mate; being offered the shared gourd is a sign of welcome, you drink it fully before passing it back, and you never stir it or say 'gracias' unless you have had enough.
• Use 'vos' rather than 'tu' and expect direct, expressive, physically close conversation, especially about football, politics and Argentina's economy.
• Accept an invitation to an asado (barbecue) if offered; it is a cornerstone of social life, and bringing wine, dessert or something to share is appreciated.
• Do not rush queues or transactions at banks and government offices; patience and politeness get you much further than visible frustration.
• Learn a few footballing basics and never disparage someone's club; the Boca-River rivalry and the reverence for Maradona and Messi run deep.

• Never photograph or hand over your card at a cueva or informal exchange; count cash on the spot and check for switched or counterfeit notes.
• Keep phones and bags close and in front of you in crowded areas and on public transport, where snatch-and-grab and pickpocketing are common.
• Avoid flashing valuables or phones in tourist zones like La Boca outside the marked Caminito streets, and stick to busy, well-lit areas after dark.
• Be wary of anyone who creates a sudden distraction, spills something on you, or overly insists on 'helping', as this is a classic setup for theft.
• Do not leave a bag on the back of your chair or on the floor in cafes and restaurants; loop a strap around your leg or keep it on your lap.