Buenos Aires has earned the title of the “Paris of South America” due to its many cafes, busy streets and delectable eateries that can be compared to those of the French capital.
Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital and dominant city, is a major hub for music, cuisine, artistic works, and dancing. The metropolis is amongst the most multicultural cities in Latin America, renowned for its stunning beauty, warm climate, and delightful locals from all corners of the world.
Visiting Buenos Aires is an incredible experience. The city is flooded with fascinating stories from the past, stunning architecture, lush green parks, peculiar bookshops, and an amazing nightlife – specially if you dig vibrant clubs that go on for the entirety of the night.
Buenos Aires is a city that wakes up late and stays up late!
Throughout my stay, I savored the excellent way of living, and I just drifted from café to café, park to park, and wine bar to wine bar, tasting the exquisite food and appreciating the local lifestyle. I truly enjoyed the ever-expanding foreign population living in the Palermo area.
This Buenos Aires guide can be of assistance in organizing your journey, cutting down expenses, and ensuring you relish the most out of your stay in this metropolitan area.
Why Buenos Aires?
This city of Buenos Aires has so much to offer, particularly if you are a digital nomad based there. Below are a few reasons I find Buenos Aires a feasible spot to live in as a digital nomad, either for a short period or longer.
Big City Living and Amenities
Buenos Aires is an enormous urban area in South America, home to all necessities and amenities that one could desire. The vibrant city of Buenos Aires is both a cultural and financial hub, offering so much to explore and do that you’ll never be without something to occupy your time.
If you haven’t experienced South America yet, this is the ideal way to begin discovering this continent. This place has a vibe that is distinctly European yet also entirely particular to Latin America, unlike anywhere else in the region.
Great Travel Potential
Living in Buenos Aires offers a plethora of opportunities to travel, including destinations like Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay, which are all close by, as well as the chance to experience the rest of Argentinian culture. Visiting Uruguay is a great option if you need a break from Buenos Aires and are able to only take a few days off. It is a popular destination among tourists and is known for its amazing beaches, making it a perfect choice for a long weekend or a quick day trip.
Low Cost of Living
It is quite inexpensive to live in Buenos Aires, with even digital nomads being able to find a good deal for their money. It is possible to live in Buenos Aires for as low as $500 a month, depending on location, up to around $1000 a month.
Given the numerous advantages available in the city, there are very few metropolitan areas in Latin America where it is possible to stretch your funds so much.
Great Digital Nomad Community
There is a notable gathering of digital nomads and expats staying in Buenos Aires, who are employed in numerous industries. If you’re wanting to meet and mingle with other digital nomads, and have a sense of belonging, then Buenos Aires is a brilliant spot.
Digital Nomad Friendly Visa Policies
Those traveling to Argentina from most countries will be granted a 90-day stay for tourism purposes, which is able to be extended by another 90 days.
Uruguay is frequently visited on visa runs from Buenos Aires, which is easily accessible by ferry across the river.
Awesome Café Culture
If you adore coffee and spending time or working from coffee shops, this city will charm you.
The Cons of Living in Buenos Aires
To ensure everyone is informed, here are a few things I think are important to be aware of regarding life in Buenos Aires and Argentina in general; although not all of them are negative, it is worthwhile to bear them in mind.
Big City Living
If you don’t enjoy large cities, consider visiting Córdoba or Rosario in Argentina instead of Buenos Aires, which is a bustling metropolitan city.
Although it is a huge city, Buenos Aires does a great job of incorporating devoted green areas all over the place. Go visit the Jardin Botánico, Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, and the Bosques de Palermo to experience a bit of nature amid the hustle and bustle of the city.
Far From Other Cities
Maps usually shrink the size of South America, but the continent is actually much larger than it appears on them.
Argentina is much further away from the United States than you would think, with a 9.5-hour flight being the fastest way to get from there to Miami, and almost 12 hours to New York City. It’s even a longer distance from there to locations in Europe. Take into account where you call home when making decisions that may be essential for you.
- Buenos Aires is quite far from even many South American capitals as well – flights are 2.5 hours to Santiago, Chile, and 3 hours to Rio.
- If you’re interested in long-distance bus travel in South America, rides can be very long, sometimes prohibitively so.
Petty Crime Happens
It is vital to recognize your environment and use common sense to stay safe, as anecdotal offenses are commonplace in this area.
Be sure to secure your belongings, keep your bag in front of you in busy areas, and don’t show off costly items without thinking.
Visas for Argentina
Argentina has an advantageous visa policy for digital nomads, making Buenos Aires an especially attractive spot for them.
People who come to Argentina don’t need to pay for a visa to enter it and they will automatically receive a gracious stay of 90 days for sightseeing and other tourism-based activities.
You are able to stay in this country for up to 180 days if you go to an immigration office and show them your passport with the 90-day stamp in it, as well as pay a fee.
Cost of Living in Buenos Aires
The expenses of living in Buenos Aires are relatively low, and would be cheaper than what one would expect for a metropolitan city of this size.
The Argentine peso has very high inflation, making foreign currency valuable and contributing to the low cost of living for digital nomads and expats. Staying within your budget in Buenos Aires is easily achievable with $500-1000 each month. Rent is usually the biggest expense, and it can fluctuate.
Accommodation in the most esteemed areas typically start at around $350 or thereabouts. Alternatively, you can find cheaper housing options if you venture further out of the trendiest areas, or even cheaper, rent out a room.
Surprisingly, you can get high-end condos for 1000 US dollars or above in Buenos Aires, making it an ideal luxe location for those who can afford it.
You can eat out in Buenos Aires quite reasonably, although the price of dining out will add up if you frequently do so or if you don’t look at the total cost of the meal. The plethora of tasty and vibrant restaurants and bars, coupled with the powerful coffee house ambiance, makes spending a bit more money quite tempting in this city.
Digital Nomads in Buenos Aires
The digital nomad community in Buenos Aires is very active and energetic, with plenty of amusement to stay occupied but not too much to be overburdened like what happens in Chiang Mai or Bali.
You don’t even have to rent working space in a coworking environment to benefit, exploring your new city’s coworking options can help you get settled.
Top 5 Things to See and Do in Buenos Aires
- Visit the National History Museum
This majestic structure contains Argentina’s whole history from the mid-sixteenth century to the start of the twentieth century. A majority of the displays portray the May Revolution of 1810 and the following conflict of the Argentine War of Independence which occurred between 1810 and 1818. It’s open from 11am-7pm and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is free.
- Meander the San Telmo Market
A great way to shop and get a taste of the local culture is to attend the weekly antiques fair at Plaza Dorrego. The roads are filled with craftsmen, musicians, people walking on stilts, and other street entertainers, and you can purchase trinkets like silver plating, pictures, and statues at affordable costs.
- Tour the Casa Rosada
The Casa Rosada, the workplace of the President of Argentina, presides over the Plaza de Mayo in the city. It can be said that the celebrated pink building, the city’s most prominent marker, has held a significant spot in the nation’s story. Evita, more famously known as Eva Perón, made speeches from the balcony of a building to crowds of workers.
- Wander Recoleta Cemetery
It might appear distasteful to go to a burial ground for enjoyment, yet this spot is the last accommodation of numerous individuals from the city’s most renowned citizens, Evita and the Paz family included. It is also recommended to view the beautiful tomb of Rufina Cambaceres.
- Learn to tango
You absolutely must try the tango, which is Argentina’s national dance, when you are in Buenos Aires. There is a plethora of spots available where you can take lessons, or you can look for a milonga, a causal tango gathering that usually starts in the afternoon and goes on till late in the night.
Other Things to See and Do in Buenos Aires
- Take in a fútbol game
Football (soccer) is a major industry in Argentina and the nation is not only home to an outstanding national group, but also to a great selection of top tier league teams. The city contains two impressive stadiums, La Bombonera and El Monumuenta. For the optimum experience, make an effort to attend a game between the city’s two competing sides, River Plate and Boca. Be sure to make arrangements ahead of time as tickets may be difficult to obtain; however, the atmosphere is energized and the contests are enjoyable!
- Visit Museo Evita
Evita (also known as Eva Perón) is a renowned Argentine, known for her fervent defense of workers’ rights and her role as First Lady. In 1996, a movie starring Madonna was made to recount her life. This museum takes a look at her life starting from when she was a young girl, along with her achievements as an actress, her role as the First Lady, and unfortunately finishing at her premature passing. You will have gained a greater understanding and appreciation of why she is so revered by those from Argentina.
- Admire Círculo Militar
This was once the abode of the affluent Paz family, proprietors of the newspaper La Prensa. This structure, which was constructed by an architect from France, exudes a distinctly French feeling, however, strangely, certain chambers are designed in the Tudor fashion. This present day, the structure serves as a meeting area for elderly Argentine military personnel who have retired. Guests will be able to behold the ornate decorated inside of the building through organized tours and explore the National Guns Museum located in the same building. Making a stop to witness one of Argentina’s most attractive structures is a must if you’re planning a city tour. Admission is around 200 ARS.
- Pay your respects at the Monument to the Fallen in the Falkland Islands
The 1982 Falkland Islands invasion and occupation, orchestrated by Leopoldo Galtieri during his time as military dictator in Argentina, sparked a war between Argentina and Great Britain. The following 10-week war that was not officially declared concluded with Great Britain keeping power over the islands, though a large number of lives were lost throughout the struggle. A monument bears the names of the 649 Argentines who perished in the four-month struggle for the Falklands (also known in Argentina as the “Islas Malvinas”). Check out the Malvinas Museum, an entirely free option, to gain even further insight into the dispute.
- Stroll around the La Fería Mataderos
The Mataderos fair provides a unique experience that is less crowded than the other Sunday markets. Mataderos is situated toward the south western side of Capital Federal, and is favored greatly by those who live there. Around 15,000 people visit every weekend in order to take pleasure in the live music, delicious dishes, and homemade items. The tango dancers here are not just performing for onlookers – they are dancing because it brings them joy and fulfills their interests. The fair is available from April through to December, from 11 in the morning to 8 at night.
- Tour Palacio Barolo
Explore Argentina’s historic edifice, created by the renowned Italian designer Mario Palanti, with a concept inspired by Dante’s Inferno. When the construction was finished in 1923, it was the highest structure in South America and held that record for more than 10 years. Drop by to study the awe-inspiring structure, captivating accounts, and enjoy the breathtaking panoramic sights of the town. This facility is accessible with a guided tour from Tuesday to Saturday between 12 in the afternoon and 8 at night. Tours cost 3,000 ARS.
- See Temaiken Park
This wildlife park covers about 200 acres and provides access to numerous animal displays, ranging from spacious outdoor areas to African, Asian, and South America enclosures, along with an aquarium. The only animal facility in the nation to be awarded the AZA accreditation is the park, which carries out research and safeguards the endangered species that inhabit it. It’s a brief voyage of only 35 minutes outside the city, and it is one of the prime sights in the region. Admission is 3,540 ARS.
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