17 Essential Argentina Travel Tips For Your Vacation

Hi all! Thinking of visiting the beautiful country of Argentina? Wondering what to expect when you arrive? Keep reading for your 17 essential Argentina travel tips.

I love traveling in Argentina and exploring all of the amazing things the country has to offer. After spending many weeks in Argentina, and talking with tons locals, I’ve complied a list of my best tips and pieces of advice.

Let’s get right into your essential Argentina travel tips for your vacation!

17 Argentina Travel Tips

Money + Exchange Rate

1: Bring cash

Although most American credit/debit cards will work in Argentina, you will get the best exchange rate with cash. Bring dollars, pounds or euros and exchange them upon arrival.

2: Don’t rely on credit cards

Many larger shops and restaurants will accept credit cards, but it’s not guaranteed. Additionally, in the artisan markets it is less likely that you will be able to use a credit card – although occasionally it is possible.

That being said, you likely won’t get as favorable an exchange rate with a credit card as it will be the “official” bank exchange rate and not one of the “unofficial” rates (see below).

Also, it is likely that your credit cards won’t always work, even if you’ve notified your credit card company about your travel plans. Sometimes my Discover Card worked, more than often it didn’t. My Mastercard Debit card would only run as a credit card, never debit, and I could almost never use American Express. Luckily, I anticipated this and brought cash.

Visa and Mastercard are the safest bets for credit cards, as they will be more widely accepted than Discover and American Express.

3: There is more than one exchange rate

This is another major reason why you need to bring cash. If you take money out of an ATM you will get the “official” exchange rate – currently 1USD to 102ARS.

This is a good exchange rate, however, the unofficial exchange rate is much better, around 200ARS for 1USD.

4: Be strategic about exchanging money

If you exchange your money at a bank, tourism center, or other official change bureau, you’ll get the official exchange rate – currently around 102ARS to 1USD. However, if you exchange your money at some hotels or through other unofficial exchange locations, you’ll get a much better rate.

I recommend asking locals where they recommend exchanging money, as they will know the unofficial exchange locations.

5: Be careful exchanging money

Okay, this is obvious, just because you’ll get a better exchange rate by exchanging your money through non-official channels doesn’t always mean you should.

For example, while walking down Calle Florida in Buenos Aires, a major tourist shopping street, tons of people will yell out to you “Change/Cambio.” It is definitely risky to follow these random people on the street and let them exchange your money – and I don’t recommend it.

Instead, look for a local business that exchanges money, or ask your AirBnb/hotel concierge where you should go.

6: You can often pay in dollars

In Buenos Aires, especially, you can very often pay in dollars. Often, stores will have signs saying that they accept dollars, and they will list their own exchange rate. This rate will almost always be better than the official exchange rate.

Additionally, in the artisan markets across the city it will likely be possible to pay in dollars, and some vendors even request USD as they know that they can get a high, unofficial exchange rate for it.

7: ATM fees are high – and often don’t work

This is just another reason why you should bring cash. I tried to take money out of multiple bank ATMS and was denied every single time – probably fifteen times total.

I had alerted by bank that I was traveling and there was no problem with my card, the ATMS just wouldn’t accept it. Additionally, the lines at ATMs, especially in Buenos Aires, are often super, super long.

Finally, if I had taken money out from ATMs, there was almost always a $7ish fee per transaction – which is in addition to any bank fees from your bank.

8: Argentina is cheap and expensive

Argentina, in general, is not an expensive location for tourists. Food, especially, it pretty cheap and you can buy beers at a bar for way under a dollar. Taxis and Ubers also will be inexpensive.

However, that being said, clothing and electronics are definitely on the expensive side – even by U.S. standards.

Don’t go to Argentina expecting to find clothes at a good price – it’s possible, but not common. Shop for local goods and artisan items, as these will be relatively inexpensive, but I definitely don’t recommend buying anything that’s imported.

Safety

9: Pickpocketing is common

This is especially true in Buenos Aires. Use common sense and don’t walk around with your wallet in your back pocket, looking at your phone, or with expensive jewelry on your wrist.

Common U.S. items, like iPhones, are expensive and difficult to get in Argentina – so robberies of these items are common. Don’t ever leave your phone or wallet sitting on a table while you’re in a restaurant or bar, especially in major touristy areas.

10: Don’t skip Buenos Aires

There are so many blogs and writers who post about how dangerous Buenos Aires is. This is a massive overgeneralization.

All cities have less-safe areas, but Buenos Aires as a whole is not unsafe. Use common sense to avoid petty robberies and pickpocketing – but don’t skip the whole city due to unnecessary fear.

In order to avoid getting yourself in dangerous situations, always keep your valuables out of sight, pay attention to where you’re walking, and don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself.

11: Use Uber

Uber is generally the safer option within Buenos Aires, rather than taxis. This is due to the fact that all Uber rides and transactions are tracked on the app and there won’t be disputes about fare.

This being said, Uber drivers will probably make you sit in the front seat so that they are not easily identified as Ubers. Taxi drivers have been known to act aggressively with Uber drivers, as they are affecting their business. Because of this, often Ubers will try to act like “regular” cars who are just driving around friends or family.

Travel Within Argentina

12: Public transportation is reliable in Buenos Aires

The public transportation system in Buenos Aires is really good! You can take subways, buses and trains to get around the city and to the suburbs.

I found the whole public transportation system easy to navigate, and very reliable.

13: Download the moovit app

This map app will give you public transportation directions to your destinations around Argentina. It’s very helpful and will tell you how long you’ll need to wait for the next bus/train to your location.

14: Get a SUBE card

This card is for taking public transportation, and it will allow you to pay a lower fare. You can buy the cards at the Subte (subway) stations, at Tourist Assistance Centers and at many small, local kioskos (corner stores).

SUBE cards can be used for buses and subways as well as for trains to Buenos Aires suburbs and other areas in the province of Buenos Aires. The cards are refillable and cost about 75 cents each.

• Buses come regularly and fares are around 20 cents. A crazy good deal.
• A subway fare is about 25 cents.
• A train fare, to the suburbs of Buenos Aires, is less than 50 cents.

Food and Restaurants

15: It’s possible to find vegetarian food

Argentina is famous for its steak, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any vegetarians.

In Buenos Aires, especially, you’ll be able to find tons of vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Additionally, at almost every empanada shop there will be veggie options (caprese, cheese, corn, etc.)

In Patagonia it was a little harder to find vegetarian food, but it really wan’t difficult at all – don’t worry.

16: Tip at least 10% in restaurants

10% is considered normal for tipping in restaurants.

17: Tap water is generally safe in Buenos Aires

If you’re worried about this, it’s always safer when traveling to drink bottled water, but I really hate using plastic bottles. When in doubt ask your AirBnb host or your hotel concierge if the tap water is safe to drink!

---

I hope you found my Argentina travel tips and advice to be helpful! I highly recommend planning a trip to Argentina. It is such an interesting country with so many amazing sights to see, food to try and experiences to take part in.

If you have any questions, or anything you would like to add in this post, be sure to let me know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to check out my other Argentina posts, filled with itineraries and guides for Buenos Aires, Patagonia and day trips to Uruguay.

Lastly, I appreciate you sharing this post with someone you know who is planning a trip (or should plan a trip!) to Argentina!

pin me!

♡Kate