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Living expenses in Buenos Aires
Muzza101 asked:
I know this answer will depend on a lot of other external factors, but I am just after a rough estimate so I can organize a budget.
How much does it cost per month to live comfortable (assuming rental costs are taken care of)? Could I survive on US$200 a week if I had to?
I am talking about expenses after rent. ie would I be able to live comfortable on rent + $US200 a week? (July 20, 2007)
The short answer is yes, you can live comfortably. That was said in the first line of the first post answering the question
Some forum posts:
karmalaw :
yes.. you can live comfortably.. prices continue to go up in Buenos Aires, but that $200 will buy you dinner & lunch out every day and the occasional taxi ride.. and a night out once a week or so.
here's an idea of a weekly budget: (in US dollars)
$15 coffee out daily
$90 dinner out nightly (40 pesos per meal -- middle of the road price)
$50 lunches out (just over 20 pesos per meal -- middle to low priced lunches)
$20 transportation (subte, bus, and an occasional taxi ride)
dr__dawggy : Add about one dollar per hour for internet use at locutorios. Plan for more than Karma has budgeted for transportation if you do much site seeing. Her budget works fine if you are not on the go every day...or by taking the bus if you are... Also, add for laundry/drycleaning...(see fluff and fold discussion in another thread). (July 20, 2007)
ricardoBA : Karmalaw is right on with the prices. If you have your own apartment then you can eat even cheaper with doing some of your cooking at home, thus saving more money for sighseeing or entertainment. All neighborhoods have wonderful supermarkets and other food stores where the prices are extremely reasonable. You can,also find many prepared foods for take home if your cooking skills are lacking. If your aparment has a washing machine then you can save on the laundry. If it doesn't then there are local wash and folds which are very reasonable(7 to 10 pesos for large bag of laundry). Internet prices(Locoturios) run around 2 pesos per hour. The only things which cost alot of money in Argentina are imports. If you stick with locally made products then your $US200 budget per week will be plenty of money to live on....(July 20, 2007)
Inflation:
PuntaLugano : Couple of posts have mentioned inflation. To be more specific . . . Restaurant, cafe and confiteria costs in Recoleta over the last 9 months have gone up at an annual rate of at least 30%, in some places more. Private economists measured inflation in food costs in supermarkets over the first 5 months of 2007 at 15%, an annual rate of more than 30%. The government claims inflation for 2007 will clock in at 10%, but its figures are laughed at by everyone and the government clearly doesn't believe its own figures, because it has looked with approval on major private agreements for salary increases of 22%-25% per year (truckers, security guards, doormen). An issue, or a crisis? (July 20, 2007)
Medical insurance:
saintba : ...-Medical insurance with a good company like OSDE. (that alone you can spend u$s 125 - $150 per month) and I do recommend you have medical insurance if you plan to live here....(July 21, 2007)
GAUCHORETOBADO
Updated: July 2007