PLANNING A TRIP TO ARGENTINA: TRAVEL TIPS + EXPENSES
I almost never went to Argentina.
Part of me was terrified of buying that plane ticket. I pondered a good couple of weeks on whether I would go back to Asia, which felt comfortable and familiar or to take a chance on a continent I knew nothing about.
Thankfully I went for the latter. The best decision I made, which got me to my next stumbling block...
What to do in Argentina and planning my trip to South America.
How to plan your trip to Argentina
My first impressions of Buenos Aires felt a little confused. Inspired by Paris, Madrid, London amongst other cities, I felt like I had flown 14 hours to arrive in... well Europe.
Yet the city has its own distinct charm as it unfolded before me. The large boulevards of 9 de Julio, quaint alleyways of La Boca and hip corners of Palermo have its own vibrant and unique characters.
As I traveled around the country, on some of the longest bus journeys, I fell more and more for a place that I could call home for 3 months. From sharing mate and socializing, embracing the 'shh' pronunciation of 'llamas' in words, devouring the best (and cheapest) avocados, summer night Asados and barbeques, sweaty tango sessions, climbing some insane mountains, Argentina kept me endlessly entertained and engaged.
If you're heading to Argentina, I have a few handy tips and hacks for you. As I pay for my own travels, this guide does include some affiliate links, because who doesn't love to make a little extra on the side 💁🏽.
Summer hikes in El Hoyo
Money-saving tips and hacks in Argentina
You may or may not have heard, but Argentina has some INSANE atm machine withdrawal fees. If you have to do a withdrawal in Argentina, take as much dinero as you can get out of that machine! Otherwise, avoid!
Before you head to Argentina, come prepared. With cash preferably.
I'm not exaggerating when I say withdrawal of $100-$150 can cost around $10-15. There are many factors that can affect this which I cover in this article. The three best methods I found were:
1. Bring cash. USD preferably but Euros and other major currencies are also accepted. They're also quite picky about the crispness of the notes, so try to keep them smooth and away from damage. In other words, don't fold them up in your wallet.
If you're coming in from a neighboring country such as Chile or Bolivia, it'll be cheaper to withdraw cash there and change it in Argentina.
2. If you've run out of cash and you're near a major city, Azimo is your best bet. It works like Western union where you can transfer money to a pick-up location that you pre-select before the transfer.
At around £3 a transfer, it's a cheaper way of getting hold of cash. As a European, I was able to transfer money using my debit card. The only pain in the butt might be waiting in line to pick up the money, which can be quick on some days or reaaallly slow on others.
Get £10 credit for Azimo here.
3. There are times when you'll be able to pay by card. I used my card as much as possible whenever there wasn't a 10% fee slapped onto it.
Throughout South America, I almost always used Revolut. Its easy interface allows you to track your spending and block your card whenever you're not using it. The exchange rate is the mid-market Reuters rate so you don't pay any sneaky/stupid fees.
It's a pre-paid debit card that you can top up as go and you see the transaction go through almost immediately.
Sign up to Revolut here.
Hanging out with a llama :)
How to find cheap flights to Argentina
I have a few go-to's for when I'm looking for cheap flights. Given that I was going to South America in July, peak summer vacation season, getting a ticket as cheap as possible was going to be a challenge.
Secret Flying: I love this site. I have it as one of my favorites so whenever I log into Facebook, the cheapest flights to anywhere show up first on my feed. They cover everything from discounts, promotions, error fares and more.
Skyscanner: Flight comparison made easy. If you're flexible on dates, searching by the month. From the US, flights can start from $350 or less one-way to Buenos Aires.
Momondo: Great for comparing flights too. And I generally find their flight prices pretty accurate when you click through.
Norwegian Air: This is the airline I chose to fly from London to Buenos Aires. They were the cheapest I found if you're willing to forgo a few luxuries. Flights to Buenos Aires from London can be as low as £250/$300 one-way with Norwegian Air on a direct flight.
You can read about my experience flying on Norwegian Air here.
Laguna de los Tres
Flying within Argentina
Getting around Argentina very often results in a uber-long bus journey or a very short flight. The longest bus journey I did was getting from one side of Patagonia to the other in 24 hours. The price difference between taking the bus or plane is usually minimal the more in advance you book.
The easiest way to compare flights is by usingSkyscanner. Some flights were as cheap as $60 (Bariloche to Buenos Aires) whilst others went up to $200+ (El Calafate to Bariloche). Some of the airlines to look out for include:
Getting the bus in Argentina
I found the bus network to be pretty reliable in Argentina. On my 24 hour journey from El Chalten to Bariloche, we boarded on one bus for 12 hours with two drivers, then switched buses and had new drivers for the second half.
Two platforms that were great for booking online:
Busbud: Be sure to print off your bus ticket if it asks you to! Otherwise, you'll be paying to get it printed at the station.
Platform 10: This is specific to Argentina and often has more availability than Busbud.
Buenos Aires
Accommodation in Argentina
Argentina definitely has a range of options from budget-friendly to splashing out. I opted for a mixture of hostels and Airbnbs and couldn't be happier with the choices I made.
To avoid having to exchange a lot of cash, I generally stayed in places which accepted credit card. Hostels and hotels in Argentina are obliged to accept credit card. When you pay by card, the final bill should be the total minus the tax. In reality, the tax is pocketed by the hostel. My hostel in Bariloche claimed their card machine was "out of service", conveniently it's been this way for months.
Buenos Aires: $21 - $40 US per night
Let's just say, I moved around a lot in this city. When I first arrived in Argentina, I stayed at ChillHouse in Buenos Aires and opted for a private room in the area near metro Carlos Gardel. I found the location central and hopping onto the bus or the metro, I could get anywhere.
When I came back to Buenos Aires for the summer, I decided I wanted some privacy after staying in dorm rooms for much of Patagonia, so I hopped around the city trying out Airbnbs. Get a juicy discount here!
My fave Airbnb has to be this apartment! As the first guest, I got a pretty good discount on a top floor private apartment, with an Asado grill and terrace in Villa Crespo for $21 a night (fees included).
Iguazu Falls: $8.50 US a night
I stayed at a chilled-out hostel whilst visiting the Iguazu Falls. It was the first and last time I'll stay in a 14-bed dorm room. The 4-bed dorm was decent though, I just wish I had booked it for an extra couple of nights.
Salta: $9 - $33 US a night
After a couple of nights in a private, I spent the most part of a month in a dorm room in a family home. It was cozy and comfortable and the host family was wonderful. Check out the Accueillant hostel here.
I also stayed at All Norte Hostel for a couple of nights which was close to the center and really clean. I'd recommend both.
El Chalten: $9.60 US per night
If there's ever a place I make it back to on my travels, I hope it's El Chalten. I stayed a week but could happily spend a month disconnected from the world, hiking the surrounding mountains.
Given that Patagonia is incredibly expensive, my home for the week was a decent 4-bed dorm room in Rancho Grande. It was clean. In fact, the bathrooms were cleaned so often, I had to find a time when they weren't occupied by cleaners!
This hostel is also pretty good at letting you know when a massive storm is coming!
Hiking in Bariloche
El Calafate: $18 US per night
Stopping by for a couple of nights, my hostel in El Calafate had a gorgeous view of the lake. A great vibe and a delicious barbeque, I met a lot of people here!
El Hoyo: $11 US per night
This is one of the cleanest, nicest, calmest and homely hostels during my South America trip. Nestled on the outskirts of El Bolson, surrounded by mountains and gorgeous scenery, it's the perfect place to chill in a hammock on a summer's days. The hosts were lovely and picked me up from the bus station. They did regular trips to the supermarket for groceries for guests. And have the cutest cats!
Learn more about Hostel Luz Clara here.
Bariloche: $17 US a night
Hospedaje Penthouse gets booked out quickly. It has gorgeous views from the balcony over Bariloche. Christmas dinner here is a lot of fun too!
Mar del Plata: $15 US a night
Probably the only nice hostel in Mar del Plata (I spent forever looking!), the owners were warm and friendly when I showed up without a reservation. A little hard to find, but worth it!
Rooftop views in Buenos Aires!
Food in Argentina
Eating out at a restaurant can get a little expensive over time so I opt-ed to cook a lot of my meals. In Salta, I found a grocery store with some of the freshest fruit and veg, that I was washing the dirt off for 15 minutes before I started to cook.
If you're eating out, expect to pay $10-30 US at a decent restaurant. For local food, it's cheaper with empanadas ranging from 10 pesos in Salta to 40 pesos in Buenos Aires.
Saying that I spent $20 US at a peña in Salta, and it was the best meal I had in Argentina. Not to mention the entertainment was divine!
Salta had some of the best avocados and at 60 pesos for 2kg (that's around $1.50 US!), a total bargain!
On average I spent around 100-200 pesos on groceries a day, which is around $3-6 US. Groceries are cheap. Especially the further north you go. You'll find basics in Patagonia a bit more expensive.
In fact, handy tip, before heading to El Chalten, do some groceries in El Calafate. El Chalten is definitely pricier and the fruit and veg are not always the freshest.
Drinks start at around 100 pesos for a cocktail in Buenos Aires and if you go during happy hour in some places, you'll get 2 for 1.
Mmmm... empanadas
Excursions + activities in Argentina
I found Argentina to be reasonably priced compared to some neighboring countries. It wasn't cheap, nor was it excruciating.
Tango class DNI (Buenos Aires): 180 pesos
Tango class La Catedral (Buenos Aires): 150 pesos
Bike rental Bariloche: 600 pesos
Ice Trekking - Perito Moreno Glacier: 4500 pesos
Iguazu entry Argentina: 600 pesos
Cerro de Los Siete colores tour: 850 pesos
When I was there, the exchange rate was around $1 US: $35-40 pesos
*Please note the prices are true to what I paid, however, given Argentina's inflation rate, they're likely to change.
Laguna Torre | Los Glaciares
Hiking in El Chalten... Insane!
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is a must for not just Argentina but where ever you go in the world. Whether it's for delayed flights, lost baggage or an unforeseen medical emergency, unless you want to pay for every penny out of your pocket, travel insurance is a necessary purchase before you travel.
There are many providers and policies depend on your country of residence. I normally go with World Nomads as they're easy to extend.
Handy tip: Always read the policy before buying so you know what you're covered for and what's excluded!
How to stay safe in Argentina
I found Argentina relatively safe, even in big cities like Buenos Aires. But, I did hear of muggings and robberies (like anywhere else). So always stay vigilant and alert.
Uber's and taxis are relatively cheap if you're coming home late.
Random expenses
If you ever want to use the post office in Argentina, be prepared to wait!
I sent home a package (relatively light IMO) for $60. Thankfully it arrived around a month later!
Planning a trip or fancy a freebie? These are some websites and services I love:
Booking.com: For the best hotel deals! 🏝
World Nomads: Travel insurance on the go 🌎
Airbnb: For the best apartment deals!🏡
Affiliate links above!