12 methods TO save money IN ARGENTINA
Updated: 02/04/20 | February 4th, 2020
Argentina is a notoriously costly country. Years of economic mismanagement as well as economic anxiety has led to rampant inflation, a black market for currency, as well as high costs for just about everything. In a country that utilized to be a bargain, I had low expectations for “doing Argentina on a budget.”
However, I was pleasantly amazed as well as discovered that, while expensive, Argentina still had lots of chances to save money.
Yes, the country is not as affordable as close-by Chile, Peru, or Bolivia, however Argentina doesn’t requirement to break the bank either.
On my last visit, I discovered lots of chances to balance my budget plan without breaking the bank — you just requirement to get creative. To assist you save money on your next trip to Argentia, right here are a few destination-specific travel tips that will assist you keep your budget plan intact as you check out this amazing country:
(Note: The country’s economic fortunes modification quickly as well as the currency as well as costs are continuously in flux. We keep this publish as updated as possible but, when you land, there will likely be a difference in prices.)
12 methods to save money in Argentina
1. Hitchhike – While not typical in the north of the country, if you’re in Patagonia, you’ll see numerous locals as well as tourists alike hitchhiking, as long-distance buses in that part of the country can be extremely costly as well as infrequent. It’s just much more practical to hitchhike.
This typical method to get around is extremely recommended. In fact, our solo female travel guru Kristin has hitchhiked all the method from Bariloche down to Torres del Paine!
2. discover the affordable eats – wanting to eat cheap? Empanada, choripán (sausage on bread) stands, as well as regional hole-in-the-wall burger as well as pizza shops are your finest options. It’s not the healthiest food, however it’s cost-effective as well as tasty! Empanadas opt for around 100 ARS (less than $2 USD), as well as pizza as well as burgers lunch specials for around 250-290 ARS ($4-5 USD).
3. eat out at elegant meals – Argentina was a strange paradox. What is affordable somewhere else is costly here, as well as vice versa. At 250-400 ARS for a sandwich as well as drink at a cafe, lunch is not cheap. That’s not going to break the bank, but you can dine on costly steaks, wine, as well as sides for around 1,500 ARS! A full, delicious, filling meal vs. a sandwich? Ανετα. You get much more value on the higher end! Splurge on steaks as well as elegant dinners in this budget plan suggestion turned upside-down.
For whatever else, opt for the affordable eats or make your own sandwiches (and provided the lack of veggies in restaurants around the country, it’s a great deal healthier to make your food!).
4. purchase your red wine – You can discover bottles of red wine in the supermarket for around 230 ARS. It’s a phenomenal offer — as well as it’s excellent red wine too! Additionally, stay with red wine while you’re here. Liquor as well as beer are much much more costly here!
5. lease a bike – You can lease bicycles from hostels as well as rental shops for around 700 ARS a day in many major cities. It’s an low-cost method to get around as well as likewise out of the cities. This is particularly helpful when you’re in Mendoza’s red wine country as well as you’re trying to get from winery to winery. many hostels lease bikes or can direct you to the most affordable bike rental shop.
6. Camp – As you begin to travel south to Patagonia, lodging costs get higher as well as higher. Hostels are commonly 1,100 ARS or much more per night right here (as opposed to as affordable as 450 ARS per night in Buenos Aires). look for camping chances as commonly as possible. When you aren’t in the national parks (where you can certainly camp), numerous hostels will let you pitch your camping tent for a little fee.
7. try out Airbnb – If hostels or camping aren’t your thing, I discovered a ton of Airbnb choices throughout the country starting at just 1,100 ARS a night for your own apartment.
8. check out the outdoors – Hiking is free, as well as throughout the country you’ll discover lots of chances to delight in this as well as other outside activities since Argentina is blessed with numerous city parks and nature reserves where you can spend the day wandering around as well as relaxing. (And, of course, there are a plethora of national parks where you can do multi-day treks!).
9. dance for totally free – If you discover yourself in Buenos Aries on a Sunday, you can discover totally free tango events in San Telmo at 8pm on Sundays. (On Monday, there’s the well-known La Bomba de Tiempo, a music as well as dance event. It’s 258 ARS however totally worth every penny! It was an unreal dance as well as music show!)
10. stay at a Hola Hostel – Hola Hostels is a network of hostels predominantly inSouth as well as central America. They offer 10% off to their members in addition to other regional discount rates for food as well as activities. joining the network is totally free as well as their hostels are likewise dedicated to environmentally sustainable methods so be sure to inspect them out to save money as well as the environment!
11. travel off-season – March-June as well as September-November are the low seasons in Argentina. That implies you can commonly discover less expensive accommodations as well as delight in fewer crowds at attractions. if you have a versatile schedule, think about going to during the low season to save money as well as beat the crowd.
12. utilize discount rate cards – If you’re a trainee or teacher, you’ll be able to delight in tons of discount rates in Argentina. Be sure to keep an eye out for these discount rates when you’re going to traveler attractions. as well as if you’re an expat here, you can likewise utilize the La Nacion Club as well as La Nacion premium Club Cards, connected with La Nacion Newspaper, for discounts. Every week, the La Nacion Club Card site listings participating establishments who provide discount rates to card members. This is great for travelers costs a long time in the country as you have to indication up for the newspaper.
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Argentina was remarkable as well as I was unfortunate I didn’t get to see much more of the country however with direct as well as relatively affordable flights from the United States, I suspect I’ll be back. I gorged on steaks, ended up being a small wino, as well as unstressed myself in the mountains!
This isn’t the most affordable country in South America, however with wise spending, there’s no requirement to strike your budget plan in the land of steak, wine, as well as tango.
Note: All Pesos to USD conversions were rounded to the nearest whole number. as well as as people explained in the comments, there’s a great deal of inflation in Argentina so be sure to double-check present costs before you!
Book Your trip to Argentina: Logistical suggestions as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to discover a affordable flight. They are my two preferred browse engines since they browse sites as well as airlines around the globe so you always understand no stone is left unturned. begin with Skyscanner very first though since they have the most significant reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most significant stock as well as finest deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, utilize Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses as well as affordable hotels. My preferred locations to stay are:
Milhouse Hostel (Buenos Aires)
Gorilla Hostel (Mendoza)
Antarctica Hostel (Ushuaia)
Don’t fail to remember travel Insurance
Travel insurance coverage will safeguard you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s extensive security in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to utilize it numerous times in the past. My preferred business that offer the very best service as well as value are:
Safety Wing (for everybody below 70)
Insure My trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for extra repatriation coverage)
Looking for the very best business to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the very best business to utilize when you travel. I listing all the ones I utilize to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want much more info on Argentina?
Be sure to see our robust destination guide on Argentina for even much more planning tips!