Is Argentina still a bargain? What about all this daily inflation?
 

I've been many times to Argentina and as recent as last August. Love it, love it, love it. I have been reading lately that prices keep escalating. What is the real story and is it still a bargain or at the very least, is it still reasonable?

"A bargain" is always relative. Many things, certainly food, still cost A FRACTION of what you would pay in London, Paris, or NY.

Anyway, if this goes on much longer, you will see the U.S. dollar and other foreign currencies go UP in peso terms, as local investors flee our currency.

Of course, this would make many things cheaper for foreign tourists.

Trying to answer your question more directly, some things certainly remain a bargain, other things are still reasonable and a few things probably are near international prices.

If, as you said, you love our country, do not hesitate to come back. You'll have a great time, but it MAY cost you a little more.

Thank you Avrooster. Yes, I wouldn't hesitate to return to Argentina. Its just a question of when. I have friends in Palermo that I have know for thirty years. I met them back in high school and we have been friends ever since. I've been traveling regularly to Argentina since 2000. The last two visits we were able to visit other parts of the country which I enjoyed very much but my heart is in Buenos Aires. Thanks again.

We just got back from Argentina a few weeks ago and I would have to say that I thought we got a great "bang for our buck". It was my first time, so I have no comparison, but I thought that our dollars went quite far. Certainly farther than they seem to be going in planning an upcoming trip to Turkey which seems to be going over to the euro. Buenos Aires gets referred to as the Paris of South America. I have been to Paris and I think it is BETTER than Paris. Less congested, safer, friendlier, etc. I don't blame you for going back again and again. If there weren't so many other places on our "to get to" list I would head back again soon.

I like to think of Paris as the Buenos Aires of Europe rather than the other way around. :)

I hereby move that drdawggy be named Secretary of Tourism by the Argentine government!! LOL!!!

I think it is not a "bargain", but At least you will still eat your best steak for much less than anywhere in the world, and what a steak!!!!!
And the NW, the upper left corner of Argentina... is even cheaper than anywhere...
Flintstones

I don't think visitors here will notice the increases that much. Even with a hike in taxi rates, it is still cheaper than any taxi in the US.
If a visitor shops for groceries here, they might notice prices being up since last year, restaurants have raised their prices but it is all still lower than Europe or the US, generally speaking.

Hotels and airfare are where price changes hurt the most, I think :)

Just returned Sunday from BA and I thought the prices were good, especially the meals. I'll try and post a trip report next week and list some specifics. Now I have to figure out how to get back there.

LOL, Larry, I know what you mean :)

Great comment, drdawggy :-)! I would have to agree. I certainly prefer the South American one to the French one. I'll second the vote for you to be Secretary of Tourism. I certainly read a lot of your posts while planning my trip.

Well Jen has seconded my move that the Argentine government name drdawggy as its Secretary of Tourism. That's great!

Anyone else? LOL!!!

Since you are talking about Paris and Buenos Aires... here is a joke my private tour guide told me last year as we were driving around in Argentina.

He said:

" We Argentinians have a big ego."!

An Argetinian went to Paris and the first thing he did was climb the Effiel Tower and look down."

" Why"?... I foolishly asked him !

"Because" he said, "the Argentinian wanted to see what Paris looked like without him." ...

Well I thought it was pretty good.!

Good Night All
Percy

When I was in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico last year, a taxi driver told me a similar story. He said that he drove an Argentine to a mirador and the Argentine said exactly the same thing. He even imitated the Argentine accent. I find the stereotype of an Argentine outside of Argentina and especially while in another hispanic country to be really annoying. I found the people of Argentina to be some of the nicest people that I have met in all my years of traveling.

Well, as a local who is quite proud of his sense of humor, I am happy to share with you a popular Argentine joke just about along the same lines:

"The best trade you can possibly make is to buy an Argentine for what he IS worth and sell him for what he THINKS he is worth!!! LOL!!!!

I don't mind admitting it COULD be true about yours truly. More LOL!!!

<font color="blue">&quot;Porte&ntilde;os are Italians speaking Spanish who think they are English living in France...&quot;</font>

I just read this , this morning..a quote from a Film maker working in Buenos Aires :)

I have to agree with anyone who praises the Argentine people on their good manners and friendliness. At least once a day, every day, something reminds us of how genuinely kind and warm these people are!

Argentina´s prices are rising day by day. It´s not exactly a bargain but if you have us dollars is cheap. (If you have euros, yes it´s a bargain!!).
I lived in Art suites recoleta for 3 weeks. It was not a bargain but definetly a good deal for the money.
Also been in Jujuy and Salta (north of argentina, border with Bolivia) for several days, quiet unique place in the world... a bargain even if you have argentinian pesos.

Inflation is around 20-30 percent per year (nobody knows exactly), and with the dollar exchange rate remaining stable at around 3:1, costs are rising at a similar rate for tourists from the US. In part this should be attributed to the weakness of the dollar (almost all destinations are now more expensive for US tourists).

For Europeans the situation is different, since the Euro was around 4:1 a little more than a year ago, and now it is at 5:1. So this drift in the exchange rate pretty much compensates for inflation in Argentina.

If God isn't Argentinian why did he make the sky Argentine blue?
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(My apologies to the University of North Carolina, from whom I shamelessly stole this joke).

The best trade you can possibly make is to buy an Argentine for what he IS worth and sell him for what he THINKS he is worth!!! LOL!!!!

I don't mind admitting it COULD be true about yours truly. More LOL!!!

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I'm sure Mrs.AV would agree with you :)