cost of travel argentina 2022

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Beautiful, defiant and intense, Argentina seduces with its streetside tango, wafting grills, love of fútbol, gaucho culture and the mighty Andes. It's a formidable cocktail of wanderlust.

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Must-see attractions.

Glaciar Perito Moreno

Inland Patagonia

Among the Earth's most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…

Los Seismiles

Catamarca & La Rioja

West of Fiambalá, the paved road winds through the high desert, past picturesque red rock escarpments known as the Quebrada Angosturas, and into some…

Palacio Barolo

Buenos Aires

One of Buenos Aires' most beautiful monuments, this 22-story building has a unique design inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Its structure is divided into…

Parque Nacional Lanín

Bariloche & the Lake District

Dominating the view in all directions along the Chilean border, the snowcapped cone of 3776m Volcán Lanín is the centerpiece of this national park, which…

Parque Nacional Talampaya

The spectacular rock formations and canyons of this dusty desert national park are evidence of the erosive creativity of water. The sandstone cliffs are…

Parque Nacional Iguazú

Iguazú Falls

On the Argentine side of the marvelous falls, this park has loads to offer, and involves a fair amount of walking. The spread-out entrance complex ends at…

Parque Provincial Aconcagua

Mendoza & the Central Andes

The region's most famous park is Parque Provincial Aconcagua, home of 6962m (22,841ft) Cerro Aconcagua, the highest peak outside the Himalayas and a…

Garganta del Diablo

A 1.1km walkway across the placid Río Iguazú leads to one of the planet’s most spectacular sights, the 'Devil’s Throat.' The lookout platform is perched…

Top picks from our travel experts

The top 16 things to do in argentina.

Milonga La Glorieta

Belgrano, Nuñez & the Costanera Norte

It’s hard to imagine a more romantic setting for an outdoor milonga than the park bandstand at the Barrancas de Belgrano, where on summer evenings dancers…

Villa Malcolm

It's a no-frills community center and gymnasium by day, but after dark – on certain nights of the week – Villa Malcolm transforms into a glamorous milonga…

La Bombonera Stadium

Seeing Boca Juniors play at La Bombonera is one of the world's top spectator sports experiences, especially if you manage to catch the 'superclasico'…

Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi

One of Argentina's most-visited national parks, Nahuel Huapi occupies 7500 sq km in the mountainous southwestern Neuquén and western Río Negro provinces…

Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego

West of Ushuaia some 12km along RN 3, Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego was Argentina’s first coastal national park. Its 630 sq km span from the Beagle…

Reserva Faunística Península Valdés

Coastal Patagonia

Lying on Argentina's barren eastern Patagonian coast, this oddly shaped peninsula is home to some of the country's richest wildlife. Elephant seals,…

Parque Nacional Los Glaciares

Among the Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields, Glaciar Perito Moreno is the stunning centerpiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los…

El Monumental

Known as El Monumental, River Plate fútbol (soccer) club's home ground is the largest stadium in Argentina. The national team plays here, and the stadium…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Best Things to Do

From Andean treks to whale watching off Patagonia, here are the top things to do in Argentina.

Transportation

Distances in Argentina can be huge. Whether you choose to fly, drive or take the bus, here's how to get around.

Visa Requirements

With its vibrant cities, glorious national parks and world-class food and wine, Argentina has it all. Here's how to sort your visa before you visit.

Best Road Trips

With its vast open spaces, dramatic scenery and endless highways, Argentina is an ideal place to hit the road. Here are our top routes for epic drives.

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How much does a trip to Argentina cost?

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• Argentina Travel Costs

If you’re planning on travelling to Argentina, you’re probably wondering how much you need to budget for your trip. While your travel costs will depend on your travel style, generally speaking Argentina can be a surprisingly affordable place to travel.

Accommodation costs are generally affordable and food and drinks are reasonably-priced. Many of Argentina’s best attractions are very affordable or even free and, while some activities could set you back a fair amount, there’s plenty to do at lower price points too.

How much should I budget for a trip to Argentina?

A reasonable budget for two for a week in Argentina is around ARS 118,985 .

The above cost is based on staying in good, mid-range accommodation and having a few meals out per week, while preparing some yourself . It makes allowances for a couple of sightseeing activities, but doesn’t take into account expensive activities like adventure sports or private tours.

Generally speaking, the longer you travel, the cheaper it costs per day, while fly-in, fly-out trips can be more expensive.

How much does accommodation cost?

You can expect to spend between ARS 3,843-ARS 9,610 a night, per couple, on accommodation in Argentina. This will get you a private room with your own bathroom in a 3-4-star hotel or apartment rental.

Hostels are, of course, cheaper, but a private room with a shared bathroom will still cost around ARS 2,400 per night. A bed in a dorm room also averages around ARS 960 per night, per person, although there are definitely cheaper options out there.

How much should I budget for food and drinks in Argentina?

Budget to spend around ARS 64,389 for two for a week in Argentina. This assumes you’re cooking some of the time and drinking some alcohol.

If you enjoy eating out, you can expect to pay around ARS 9,793 for a nice dinner for two, including an alcoholic drink. A meal at a pub is likely to be around ARS 6,348 for two, with cheaper meals available (especially for lunch) for around ARS 707 each.

Assuming that you’ll be eating out some of the time, budget at least ARS 2,127 a week for groceries. If you enjoy a few drinks, you’ll need to increase this amount – beer costs around ARS 90 for a 500ml bottle and good bottle of wine is around ARS 317 , from a shop, although there are cheaper options available. Milk typically costs around ARS 74 for a two-litre bottle and you can expect to pay around ARS 631 for a cappuccino from a local café.

How much does it cost to get around Argentina?

Getting around Argentina is easiest with a bus. Transport costs fluctuate depending how much you travel, but budgeting around ARS 3,200 for two per week is a good starting point. This should allow you to take a couple of longer bus trips. If you’re planning on doing any tours or using hop-on hop-off buses, you’ll need to up your budget a bit.

What should I expect to spend on activities?

A lot of the best things to do in Argentina are free. However, there definitely are some attractions that cost money – entry fees to a museum or an art gallery are usually around ARS 170 - ARS 200 per person. If you want to do organised day trips or join smaller tour groups to learn more about some of the sites, budget around ARS 5,500 per activity per person.

Argentina is a beautiful destination to visit and can be an affordable place to travel. Cooking your own meals, carefully selecting accommodation or limiting meals out will definitely help you to reduce your travel costs. Slow travel is another great way to help your budget to stretch further, while exploring a place in more depth.

Travelling through Argentina is definitely possible on a budget – just pick your priorities and compromise on the rest or consider travelling in the off-season and avoiding school holidays to cut down on costs. And, if you’re on the luxury end of the scale or wanting to treat yourself, the sky’s the limit.

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Last Updated 14 March 2022

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ARGENTINA TRAVEL COSTS (2022)

Written by: undefined undefined

Published: 21-06-2022.

It is always a good idea to know about the cost of living when you visit a new country; Argentina is no exception. The government has had a somewhat unstable economy for some time now, with the devaluation of the Argentinian peso a constant issue. Here are some general as they stand in 2022.  At the time, there were 124 Argentinian Pesos to a US Dollar.

Accommodation 

Hostels are widespread throughout the country. In more touristy destination towns like Mendoza, expect to pay 2,200 ARS. Private rooms in a hostel with a shared bath are generally double the price of dorm rooms, costing around 4,000-5,700 ARS per night. In the off-season, you can often take 1,500 ARS off these prices.

Camping is widespread all around the country, including the world-famous Patagonia region  and especially near the national parks. Expect to pay around 800-1,000 ARS for a basic camping spot.

Camping In The Mountains

Hotels come in all shapes and sizes, from the most basic to the extreme luxury options. Be sure to check out options depending on your budget and travel style. Hotels in Argentina always include free Wi-Fi. Most have complimentary breakfast and private bathrooms as well. Ask us for more information about hotel options for your Argentina trip during the booking process.

Airbnb averages 1,050-1,800 ARS per night for a private room and 2,200-3,800 ARS for an entire apartment.

Buenos Aires Hotels

Meals .

Argentine food is a mix of Mediterranean influences: first from Spanish colonizers and later from European immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, primarily from Italy and Spain. Empanadas, pizza, polenta, and pasta all heavily feature in Argentine cuisine. Argentina  is famous for the Asado (barbeque) and tremendous consumption of beef, especially steak and ribs. Tomatoes, onions, lettuce, eggplants, squashes, and zucchini are the most common vegetables. Dulce de leche, a caramel sauce made from condensed milk, is a popular sweet. Yerba mate is the favorite national drink. It’s a caffeinated herbal drink that is prepared in a traditional gourd. It is consumed socially by passing around the gourd and its accompanying metal straw.

Top-End Dining

Lunch specials vary greatly but are generally around 550-900 ARS. Meals at a cheap cafe begin at around 540-780 ARS for a light lunch of a sandwich or salad.

In terms of street food, empanada, choripán (sausage sandwiches) stands, and local hole-in-the-wall burger and pizza shops are economical and tasty. Empanadas go for around 50 ARS each, choripán for 500 ARS, and fast-food pizza or burgers for about 350-500 ARS.

Argentine Asado

In major cities, a Chinese takeout restaurant is around 500 ARS, while a dish at a sit-down Indian restaurant is about 600-800. Expect to pay 2,875-3,500 ARS at an excellent traditional Argentinian steakhouse for a good steak and wine. At more casual restaurants, steaks cost around 950-1,350 ARS, while vegetable-based pasta dishes cost 580-700 ARS. Regarding drinks, beer is about 300, a glass of wine is 200 ARS, a cocktail is around 450 ARS, and a cappuccino is 175 ARS. If you’re going to a grocery shop, expect to spend about 2,500-3,500 ARS per week for groceries, including bottles of wine . This gets you basic staples like rice, beans, pasta, seasonal produce, and some meat.

Yerba Mate overlooking Nahuel Huapi

Activities .

Activities here are generally more expensive than in other South American countries. Outdoor adventure activities cost between 3,400-5,200 ARS for half-day tours and 12,000-17,500 ARS for full-day tours (which usually include lunch). A full-day Mendoza day wine tour is around 8,300-12,500 ARS. A Patagonia 3-4-day tour starts at 24,000 ARS, but most are around 57,000 ARS and up. Museum admission is often free, though paid tickets range between 400-800 ARS. National Park entrance fees range from 1,200-3,500 ARS per person.

Tigre Art Museum, Buenos Aires

Please remember there are price options for all budgets and travel styles, and you can generally visit Argentina as cheaply or as luxurious as you desire.  The amounts stated are general, mid-range options, so expect to pay slightly less or more depending on your tastes. The wonderful thing about Argentina is that there is something for everyone and all travel budgets!  

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Cost of a Trip to Buenos Aires, AR & the Cheapest Time to Visit Buenos Aires

The average price of a 7-day trip to Buenos Aires is $1,473 for a solo traveler, $2,646 for a couple, and $4,960 for a family of 4 . Buenos Aires hotels range from $24 to $269 per night with an average of $71, while most vacation rentals will cost $110 to $320 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport ( AEP ) are between $1,008 and $1,513 per person for economy flights and $3,163 to $4,748 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $33 to $72 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.

See below for average , budget , and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.

The Cheapest Times to Visit Buenos Aires, AR

On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to AEP and stay in a Buenos Aires hotel:

• January 15th to March 18th (except the week of February 26th)
• August 6th to December 9th

The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Buenos Aires is usually mid to late August .

Average Buenos Aires Trip Costs

Average solo traveler.

The average cost for one person to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $1,003-$2,181 ($143-$312 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $33 to $72 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights : $526 to $1,347 for economy

Lodging : $41 to $55 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $44 to $54 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Couple’s Trip

The average cost for a couple to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $2,724-$4,364 ($389-$623 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $66 to $144 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights : $1,052 to $2,694 for economy

Average Family Vacation

The average cost for 4 people to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $3,424-$8,064 ($489-$1,152 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $132 to $288 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights : $2,104 to $5,388 for economy

Lodging : $82 to $110 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms

or $66 to $81 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Traveling Cheap to Buenos Aires

How cheap can you make a vacation to Buenos Aires? The cheapest trip to Buenos Aires is about $109 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 2% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $21.

Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.

Budget Solo Traveler

The lowest cost for one person to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $764-$1,810 ($109-$259 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $16 to $31 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Lodging : $21 to $24 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $21 to $41 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Couple’s Trip

The lowest cost for a couple to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $1,402-$3,374 ($200-$482 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $32 to $62 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Budget Family Vacation

The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $2,756-$6,652 ($394-$950 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $64 to $124 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Lodging : $42 to $48 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms

or $34 to $66 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Overall it is easy to travel to Buenos Aires cheaply.

The Cost of a Luxury Buenos Aires Trip

There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Buenos Aires.

Luxury Solo Traveler

The high-end price for one person to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $2,547-$8,357 ($364-$1,194 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $63 to $130 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights : $1,452 to $3,799 for first class

Lodging : $109 to $269 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $320 to $608 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Couple’s Trip

The high-end price for a couple to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $4,440-$13,066 ($634-$1,867 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $126 to $260 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights : $2,904 to $7,598 for first class

Luxury Family Vacation

The high-end price for 4 people to visit Buenos Aires for a week is $8,880-$24,674 ($1,269-$3,525 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing : $252 to $520 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights : $5,808 to $15,196 for first class

Lodging : $218 to $538 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms

or $448 to $973 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Buenos Aires Hotel Prices

The cost of staying in Buenos Aires is lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Buenos Aires due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.

Buenos Aires Lodging Cost by Star Status

The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.

Prices are based on Buenos Aires hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.

Vacation Rental Prices

The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.

There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Buenos Aires.

Flight Costs to Buenos Aires

Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,513 average in late December to a low of $1,008 in mid to late August. Median flight price is $1,167. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Buenos Aires our data includes 138 originating airports, and 55 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Buenos Aires from an airport like Shevchenko ( SCO ) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $8,696 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Ambrosio L. V. Taravella ( COR ) in Cordoba (Argentina) at an average of just $43.

Average Flight Cost by Season

Average flight cost by day of week.

The cheapest day to fly in is typically Monday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Monday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Buenos Aires, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $504, so you can easily save about 50% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.

Daily Expenses Budget

Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Buenos Aires can easily cost $230 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $16 per person. Private tours can cost $468 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.

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Buenos Aires Travel Guide

Last Updated: May 4, 2023

Known as the “Paris of South America,” Buenos Aires lives up to its nickname thanks to its popular café culture, grand boulevards, and an incredible food scene that rivals its European counterpart.

Argentina’s capital and largest city is a hotspot for music, food, the arts, and dancing. The city is one of the most diverse cities in Latin America, home to beautiful, warm, and friendly people from all around the globe.

Visiting Buenos Aires is an incredible experience. I loved my time there. The city is filled with rich history, beautiful architecture, verdant parks, quirky bookstores, and a fantastic nightlife — particularly if you like lively clubs that party until dawn.

Because Buenos Aires is a city that sleeps in and stays out late!

The quality of life is very high and during my stay I just floated from cafe to cafe, park to park, and wine bar to wine bar, taking in the amazing cuisine and enjoying the local pace of life. I especially loved the growing international expat community in the Palermo district.

This Buenos Aires travel guide can help you plan your trip, save money, and ensure you make the most of your time in this cosmopolitan city.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Buenos Aires

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Buenos Aires

1. Visit the National History Museum

This palatial building encapsulates Argentina’s history from the 1500s to the early 1900s. Most of the exhibits focus on the May Revolution of 1810 and the ensuing Argentine War of Independence from 1810-1818. It’s open from 11am-7pm and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is free.

2. Meander the San Telmo Market

For the best cultural and shopping experience, make your way to the Sunday antiques fair at Plaza Dorrego. Artisans, musicians, stilt walkers, and other street performers line the streets, and you can buy souvenirs such as silver, paintings, and sculptures for reasonable prices.

3. Tour the Casa Rosada

Dominating the city’s Plaza de Mayo is Casa Rosada is the office of the President of Argentina. Arguably the city’s most notable landmark, the emblematic pink building has played a starring role in the country’s history. Eva Perón (Evita) famously addressed crowds of workers from the building’s balcony.

4. Wander Recoleta Cemetery

It might seem a bit morbid to visit a cemetery for pleasure, but this place is the final resting place of many of the city’s most notable citizens, including Evita and the Paz family. Also worth seeing is the exquisite tomb of Rufina Cambaceres.

5. Learn to tango

Other things to see and do in buenos aires, 1. take in a fútbol game.

Fútbol (soccer) is big business in Argentina, and aside from having a fantastic national team, the country also has plenty of top-class league teams. There are two great stadiums in the city, La Bombonera and El Monumuenta. For the best experience, try to catch a match between the city’s two rival teams, River Plate and Boca. Plan ahead because tickets can be hard to come by but the crowds are lively and the matches entertaining!

2. Visit Museo Evita

Eva Perón (also known as Evita) is perhaps the most famous Argentine, known for her labor rights activism and position as First Lady (a film starring Madonna was made about her life in 1996). This museum explores her life from childhood through her career as an actress, onto her role as the First Lady and ultimately, ending with her early death. You’ll leave with a better appreciation and understanding as to why she is such a significant figure to the Argentine people.

3. Admire Círculo Militar

This is the former home of the Paz family, the wealthy owners of the La Prensa newspaper. Built by a French architect, the building has more than a subtle French influence, but strangely, a few rooms are also in the Tudor style. Today, the building is home to a social club for retired Argentine military officers. Visitors can view the elaborate, gilded interiors via guided tour and visit the National Arms Museum housed in the same building. As one of Argentina’s most beautiful buildings, this is an essential stop on your city tour. Admission is around 200 ARS.

4. Pay your respects at the Monument to the Fallen in the Falkland Islands

Under the military dictator Leopoldo Galtieri, Argentina declared war on Great Britain in 1982 by invading and occupying the Falkland Islands. The ensuing 10-week undeclared war ended in Great Britain retaining sovereignty over the islands, yet many lives were lost in the conflict. The monument is inscribed with the names of the 649 Argentines killed in the four months of conflict over the Falkland Islands (or “Islas Malvinas,” as they’re known in Argentina). To learn even more about the conflict, visit the free Malvinas Museum.

5. Stroll around the La Fería Mataderos

The Mataderos fair is an interesting and less touristy alternative to the other Sunday markets. Located on the southwestern edge of Capital Federal, Mataderos is very popular with locals. Over 15,000 people attend each weekend to enjoy the live music, great food, and handmade crafts. Best of all, the tango dancers here are not doing it for show — they are dancing because it’s their pastime and passion. The fair is open from April to December from 11am-8pm.

6. Tour Palacio Barolo

Tour this landmark building of Argentina, designed by Italian architect Mario Palanti and themed around Dante’s Inferno . When the building opened in 1923, it was the tallest building in South America, remaining so for over a decade. Visit to learn about the fascinating architecture, interesting history, and get the best panoramic views over the city. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-8pm by guided tour only. Tours cost 3,000 ARS.

7. See Temaiken Park

This zoological park spans almost 200 acres and offers a huge variety of animal exhibits, with large, open-air habitats and African, Asian, and South Americas zones as well as an aquarium. The park, which is the only AZA-accredited zoo in the country, focuses on research and conservation, and many animals here are protected endangered species. Just a short (35 minute) drive outside of the city, it is one of the major attractions of the area. Admission is 3,540 ARS.

8. Explore Recoleta

This is a high-class, expensive, and fashionable neighborhood, lined with boutiques, cafes, galleries, and fine arts museums. As a central location in the city, it’s a great area to check out and explore while catching your breath. There is also a bohemian street fair every weekend with musicians, performers, and artisans selling traditional Argentine products like leather goods and mate gourds. Located near the Recoleta cemetery, it’s open from 11am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

9. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

This fine art museum is host to many significant works, from European masters to pre-Renaissance days, including Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Goya, among others. Additionally, there is an expansive collection of 19th and 20th-century Argentinian paintings and sculptures that make up one of the most impressive collections in the country. It’s open 11am-7pm daily but closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The museum is in the Recoleta neighborhood and admission is free.

10. Relax in Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays

Inaugurated in the late 19th century, the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden is the perfect place for an enjoyable, relaxing afternoon outside. The 17-acre garden is full of winding paths, statues, creeks, and 5,000 species of plants from all over the world. There’s a French Garden, Roman Garden, Asian Garden, and Argentinean Indigenous Americas Garden, each with distinct landscaping styles and a diverse range of plants from each area. Take a stroll alongside the resident cats or stop by for a quick picnic to get out of the hustle and bustle.

11. Reserva Ecologica

Trash turns into treasure at this former dump-turned-oasis in the middle of the city. This ecological reserve is made up of nearly 865 acres of green area and lagoons. It’s home to over 300 species of birds and is a great spot for birdwatching, jogging, biking, or simply walking. Expect to spend over an hour getting around the reserve on one of the well-trodden paths, but it’s tranquil and a great escape from the noise of the city. Be sure to bring water. Guided tours are available on weekends and the reserve is closed on Mondays. Admission is free.

12. Day trip to Tigre

Dubbed “The Undeveloped Venice” with its plentiful canals, this city is only 45 minutes away from central Buenos Aires. It’s green, lush, and seemingly a world away from the chaos of the city — which is likely the reason why it’s a common retreat for Buenos Aires’ more affluent residents. Tigre makes for a great day trip and has museums, a market, artist workshops, restaurants, and even an amusement park to explore. Getting there is cheap, too: the train is around 12 ARS and the ferry is about 200 ARS.

13. Enjoy La Bomba de Tiempo

This must-see captivating 17-person percussion group provides 3-hours of lively, wild, pulsing musical entertainment each Monday night. Nearly 1,500 people pack into the Konex Cultural Center as the group performs improvisational music with African and South American rhythms. Doors open at 7pm with an opening act playing until 8pm. You don’t need to buy tickets in advance (though you can) but get there early to avoid standing in long lines and possibly missing the beginning of La Bomba’s set.

14. Relax in Jardin Japones

In a city as noisy as Buenos Aires, the Japanese gardens provide a beautiful, calm retreat. Maintained by the Japanese Argentine Cultural Association, the gardens have peaceful lagoons adorned with bright red bridges and a variety of Japanese flora. At 5 acres, the park is one of the largest such gardens outside of Japan , and contains a Japanese Peace Bell, Buddhist temple, traditional stone lanterns and sculptures throughout. For a small fee, you can buy food to feed the koi fish. Admission is 416 ARS.

15. Country-hop to Uruguay

Pop over to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, just one hour from Buenos Aires via ferry. The historic quarter, rife with Portuguese influence, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a big change of pace from Buenos Aires. It’s the perfect town to meander about, with tons of quaint houses, plazas, and cobblestone roads. Make sure to see the lighthouse while you’re here. The ferry cost can seem steep at 9,300-19,000 ARS round-trip (depending on timing and ferry company), but you can save money by taking the slower one that gets you there in three hours.

16. Peruse El Ateneo Grand Splendid Bookstore

El Ateneo Grand Splendid is housed in an old theater from La Belle Epoque period (1871-80) and is one of the biggest bookstores on the continent. It’s impressively grand, there’s a huge English language section, and the old stage is now a cafe. It was named the “most beautiful bookstore in the world” by National Geographic. Don’t miss it.

For more information on other cities in Argentina, check out these guides:

• Mendoza Travel Guide

Buenos Aires Travel Costs

Hostel prices – Hostels start around 900 ARS for a large 10-person dorm room, though dorms with 6-8 beds are much more common, costing 1,350-1,800 ARS per night. Private rooms with a private bathroom start at around 4,000 ARS per night. Pricing stays consistent through the seasons. Free Wi-Fi and lockers are standard, and linens are typically included. Free breakfast is not common, though a couple (like Art Factory) do offer it. Most hostels also have a shared kitchen so you can cook your own meals, an outdoor terrace or bar, and many offer free walking tours as well. Some hostels even have extra amenities, like a hot tub or pool.

For quieter hostels, check out the ones in San Telmo or Palermo.

Budget hotel prices – Centrally-located hotels start around 6,300 ARS for a double room. Most include breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and many include air-conditioning. As with hostels, pricing doesn’t fluctuate much with the seasons.

There’s a good number of Airbnb hosts here and you can get a private room for around 1,050 ARS. Entire homes/apartments start at 2,100 ARS per night.

Food – Argentine food is a mix of Mediterranean influences: first from Spanish colonizers, and later Spanish and Italian immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. Empanadas, pizza, polenta, and pasta all heavily feature in Argentine cuisine. But Argentines are most famous for their asado (barbeque) and consumption of beef, especially steak and ribs. In terms of veggies, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, eggplants, squashes, and zucchini are the most common. Dulce de leche , a caramel spread made from condensed milk, is the favorite national dessert.

For drinks, nothing is as famous as yerba mate, a caffeinated herbal drink that is prepared in a traditional gourd. It is consumed in social settings by passing around the gourd and its accompanying metal straw.

In most of the cafes around the city, you’re looking at 540-780 ARS for a light lunch of a sandwich or salad, though you can find lunch specials at the cafes downtown for 360 ARS. Light breakfast specials including a coffee and toast can be found for 150-400 ARS.

Pizza is popular in the city and costs around 250-400 ARS. Steaks begin at 1,000 ARS but are often more like 2,500 ARS and more. A vegetable-based pasta dish is 500-700 ARS, while pasta with meat or seafood starts at 900 ARS.

At a traditional Argentine steakhouse, expect to pay at least 2,700 ARS for a nice sit-down meal with good steak and wine. Bottles of wine start at 700 ARS and go up from there.

In terms of drinks, beer is around 300 while a glass of wine is 200 ARS, a cocktail is around 450 ARS, and a cappuccino is 175 ARS.

For super cheap food, be sure to eat at the choripan (sausage and bread sandwiches) stalls for 500 ARS. Empanadas , the staple of to-go food in the country, cost around 50-75 ARS for one. A fast-food combo meal (think McDonald’s) is around 730 ARS.

A dish at a Chinese takeout restaurant is around 500 ARS, while a dish at a sit-down Indian restaurant is around 600-800.

Some good restaurants to eat at are Don Julio, The Burger Joint, Origen Cafe, La Cabrera, and Freddo for ice cream.

You can buy a week’s worth of groceries (including bottles of wine) for around 2,515 ARS. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, seasonal produce, and some meat.

Backpacking Buenos Aires Suggested Budgets

On a backpacker’s budget, expect to spend 3,600 ARS per day. On this suggested budget, you’re staying in a hostel dorm bed, limiting your drinking, taking advantage of street food (empanadas!), cooking most of your meals, using the subway to get around, and doing mostly free activities like walking tours and free museum visits.

On a mid-range budget of 7,100 ARS per day, you can afford a private room at a hostel or Airbnb, eat out at cafes or cheap restaurants for most meals (including the occasional steak), take the occasional taxi to get around, and enjoy more paid attractions and activities like day-trips to Uruguay or Tigre.

On a “luxury” budget of 13,700 ARS or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car or take more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in ARS.

Buenos Aires Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Here are a few hacks to cut down your costs — because all those tours, wine, and steak dinners can add up if you aren’t careful!

• Learn to tango for free – Instead of forking over cash for tango lessons, be bold and head to a Milonga where there will be plenty of locals keen to show you the ropes for free. On Sundays, the San Telmo market has free tango lessons at 8pm. Many of the hostels also offer free tango lessons too!
• Get discounts on attractions – Most museums and attractions offer either discounts or free entrance to students, teachers, and seniors. Always ask if there are any discounts available when you arrive just in case.
• Buy discounted fútbol tickets – If you’re going to a fútbol (soccer) match, choose tickets in the standing room lower-level terrace, called “las populares” seating. These are half the price of the standard seats, and the casual fan atmosphere is much better.
• Use specialty discount cards – La Nacion Club and La Nacion Premium Club Cards are associated with the La Nacion Newspaper, one of the biggest newspaper publications in Argentina (written in Spanish). Every week La Nacion Club Card website lists participating establishments that give discounts to cardmembers. Although many of the restaurants offer the deals on Tuesday or Wednesday only, the discounts can range from 5-50% off. It’s definitely worth it, especially considering it only costs 165 ARS to get the card for a month.
• Take a free walking tour – There are a number of companies that offer free walking tours throughout the city. They are comprehensive and the best way to learn about the history of the city. Just remember to tip at the end! Two companies to check out are Buenos Aires Free Tour and Free Walks Buenos Aires.
• Eat at restaurants for lunch – Most of the cafes (especially those downtown) offer a set lunch menu for around 500-700 ARS. If you want to eat at the city’s many restaurants, it’s best to do it during lunch.
• Stay with a local – Couchsurfing connects you with locals who can give you a free place to stay and share their insider tips and advice. It’s the best way to meet locals and save money.
• Pack a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a water bottle with a filter to save money and reduce your single-use plastic usage. My preferred bottle is LifeStraw as it has a built-in filter to ensure your water is always clean and safe.
• Use the free public bikes – Buenos Aires has excellent biking lanes and a free public bike share scheme! With Ecobici, you use a bicycle for up to one hour from Monday to Friday, and up to two hours on the weekends. (This doesn’t limit how often you can use the bicycle throughout the day, though.)
• Stay at a Hola Hostel – Hola Hostels is a network of hostels with locations in South America and Europe. They offer a 10% discount to their members, as well as other discounts for local restaurants, transportation, and activities. Joining is free, and their hostels are also committed to environmentally sustainable practices.

For more tips on budget travel in Buenos Aires, check out these 12 ways to save money in Argentina .

Where to Stay in Argentina

Need a budget-friendly place to rest your head? Here are my suggested places to stay in Buenos Aires:

• Milhouse Hostel
• Sabatico Travelers Hostel
• America del Sur Hostel
• Art Factory Soho

How to Get Around Buenos Aires

Public transportation – Buenos Aires is the only city in Argentina with a subway system (the Subte). The subway runs from 5:30am-11:30pm on weekdays, 6am-midnight on Saturdays, and 8am-10:30pm on Sundays.

To travel by subway, you’ll need to pick up a rechargeable SUBE travel card and load it with credit. You can find SUBE cards at tourist centers and kiosks throughout the city, and then you can load them at subte stations, lottery outlets, and some kiosks with automatic terminals.

Fares are charged according to how many trips you’ve taken, getting cheaper the more often you travel. Your first 20 trips cost 30 ARS per trip, 21-30 trips cost 24 ARS per trip, and 31-40 trips cost 21 ARS per trip.

The bus system in Buenos Aires runs 24-hours and covers the entire city. Like the subway, you can use your SUBE travel card to get around.

Bicycle – Buenos Aires has excellent biking lanes and a free public bike share scheme. With Ecobici, you use a bicycle for up to one hour from Monday to Friday, and up to two hours on the weekends. To register, simply download the app and put in your credit card information.

If you’d rather have a bike for a longer period, you can rent bikes from companies like La Biclecleta Naranja. A rental costs 900 ARS for the full day or 2800 ARS for a week.

Taxi – Taxis around the city are metered and cost 85 ARS to start, going up by 43 ARS per kilometer. Trips within the city are generally around 300-800 ARS. You can hail taxis as you would anywhere else (and the wait is never too long), or you can use the government’s mobile app named BA Taxi.

Ridesharing – Uber and Cabify operate in Buenos Aires and are usually cheaper than taxis. However, since the subway and bus network are both extensive and affordable, there’s little reason to use ridesharing apps.

When to Go to Buenos Aires

The weather in Buenos Aires is most pleasant in the fall (March-May) and spring (September-November). Many people love to visit in October and November when the jacaranda trees are blooming.

The high season is from December to the end of February, while the low season is from June to August. But if you come between April and June, you’ll get the best travel deals and the fewest crowds.

Buenos Aires is the hottest in January and February. It’s humid and temperatures often leap up to 38°C (100°F) which can be a little unbearable. Be prepared for the heat if you visit during this time.

Winter can be chilly and rainy at times, but it rarely snows. Temperatures do not get extreme, but they can drop to 8°C (46°F) so bring a sweater and rain jacket.

How to Stay Safe in Buenos Aires

Argentina is a safe place to backpack and travel — even if you’re traveling solo and even as a solo female traveler. That said, while violent crime is rare, petty crime is very common. Don’t flaunt expensive jewelry or belongings and always keep your valuables secure and out of reach.

Cell phone theft is incredibly common, and thieves sometimes literally snatch the phone right from your hand in broad daylight. If you need to use your phone in public, step inside a store.

Solo female travelers will want to be cautious here at night. Avoid traveling alone and try to join groups when you can. As in any destination, never leave your drink unattended and never accept drinks from strangers.

Be aware of the “mustard scam” while you’re here. This is when someone on public transit points out a stain on your clothes and then tries to wash it out while someone else steals your wallet/belongings.

To learn about other common scams, read this list of common travel scams to avoid .

If you experience an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Buenos Aires Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

Buenos Aires Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Argentina to continue planning your trip:

18 of the Best Spots in Patagonia

Patagonia: Thoughts on Getting Offline and Trying to Camp

12 Ways to Save Money in Argentina

16 Amazing Photos from My Visit to Torres Del Paine

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Travel Budget for Buenos Aires, Argentina Visit Buenos Aires, Argentina on a Budget or Travel in Style

• Buenos Aires, Argentina Costs

• Buenos Aires, Argentina Hotel Prices
• Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Hotels for One Night in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Beach Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Luxury Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Business Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Party Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Hotels for One Week in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Cheap Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Best Adults Only Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Is Buenos Aires, Argentina Expensive?
• How much does a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina cost?
• Argentina Costs
• Puerto Iguazu
• Mar del Plata
• Buenos Aires, Argentina
• San Miguel de Tucuman
• San Carlos de Bariloche
• Puerto Madryn
• El Calafate
• How much does it cost to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina? (Average Daily Cost)
• Buenos Aires, Argentina trip costs: one week, two weeks, one month

Is Buenos Aires, Argentina expensive to visit?

• How much do I need for a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina?
• Accommodation, Food, Entertainment, and Transportation Costs
• Travel Guide

How much does it cost to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina?

You should plan to spend around $10 (AR$8,882) per day on your vacation in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

• $3.25 (AR$2,805) on meals
• $1.58 (AR$1,362) on local transportation
• $8.27 (AR$7,139) on hotels

A one week trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina for two people costs, on average, $144 (AR$124,348) . This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

• Travel Style: All Budget (Cheap) Mid-Range Luxury (High-End)
• Average Daily Cost Per person, per day $ 10 AR$ 8,882
• One Week Per person $ 72 AR$ 62,174
• 2 Weeks Per person $ 144 AR$ 124,348
• One Month Per person $ 309 AR$ 266,459
• One Week For a couple $ 144 AR$ 124,348
• 2 Weeks For a couple $ 288 AR$ 248,695
• One Month For a couple $ 617 AR$ 532,919

How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina cost?

A one week trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina usually costs around $72 (AR$62,174) for one person and $144 (AR$124,348) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina on average costs around $144 (AR$124,348) for one person and $288 (AR$248,695) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Buenos Aires, Argentina will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina on average costs around $309 (AR$266,459) for one person and $617 (AR$532,919) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.

Independent Travel

Traveling Independently to Buenos Aires, Argentina has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Buenos Aires, Argentina is a very affordable place to visit. Located in Argentina, which is a very affordable country, visitors will appreciate the lower prices of this destination. It falls in the average range in the country for its prices. Budget travelers enjoy spending long periods of time exploring Buenos Aires, Argentina in depth.

Within South America, Buenos Aires, Argentina is a very affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 10% of cities in South America for its affordability. Very few cities in the region are as affordable as Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Buenos Aires, Argentina Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina?

The average Buenos Aires, Argentina trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Buenos Aires, Argentina travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

Accommodation Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Average daily costs.

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $4.13 (AR$3,570). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $8.27 (AR$7,139). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.

• Accommodation 1 Hotel or hostel for one person $ 4.13 AR$ 3,570
• Accommodation 1 Typical double-occupancy room $ 8.27 AR$ 7,139

Hotel Prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Looking for a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Actual Hotel Prices The average hotel room price in Buenos Aires, Argentina based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $64. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.

Recommended Properties

• Apart Hotel Shoshana Budget Hotel - Kayak $ 155
• Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires Luxury Hotel - Kayak $ 421

Transportation Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The cost of a taxi ride in Buenos Aires, Argentina is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $1.58 (AR$1,362) per person, per day, on local transportation in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

• Transportation 1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc. $ 1.58 AR$ 1,362

Recommended Services

• Private transfer from or to Ezeiza International Airport Viator $ 68
• Transfers from or to the airport In Argentina Your Best Choice Viator $ 83

Flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rental cars in buenos aires, argentina, what did other people spend on transportation in buenos aires, argentina.

Typical prices for Transportation in Buenos Aires, Argentina are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Taxi from Airport AR$ 115
• Local Bus AR$ 2.50
• Metro Ride AR$ 2.20
• Taxi to airport AR$ 30
• Taxi AR$ 80

Food Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

While meal prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina can vary, the average cost of food in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $3.25 (AR$2,805) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Buenos Aires, Argentina should cost around $1.30 (AR$1,122) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Buenos Aires, Argentina is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.

• Food 2 Meals for one day $ 3.25 AR$ 2,805

Recommended

• Private Argentine Cooking Class and Tango Lesson in Buenos Aires Viator $ 169
• Authentic Asado and Cooking Experience with a Local in her Beautiful Home Viator $ 191

What did other people spend on Food in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

Typical prices for Food in Buenos Aires, Argentina are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Lunch AR$ 22
• Cup of Coffee AR$ 13
• Empandas AR$ 16
• Espresso AR$ 8.00
• Dinner (Pizza) AR$ 13
• Ice Cream AR$ 12
• Breakfast at Airport AR$ 32
• Dinner (Sandwiches) AR$ 9.00

Entertainment Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Entertainment and activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina typically cost an average of $3.34 (AR$2,884) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.

• Entertainment 1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc. $ 3.34 AR$ 2,884

Recommended Activities

• Exclusive Full-Day Private Tour in Buenos Aires Viator $ 140
• City Tour Privado Ciudad de Buenos Aires con Guia local Viator $ 180

What did other people spend on Entertainment in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

Typical prices for Entertainment in Buenos Aires, Argentina are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Entry to Japanese Gardens (for 2) AR$ 32
• Movie Ticket AR$ 15
• Tango Class AR$ 25
• Bar entrance AR$ 500

Tips and Handouts Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The average cost for Tips and Handouts in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $0.40 (AR$343) per day. The usual amount for a tip in Buenos Aires, Argentina is 5% - 15% .

• Tips and Handouts 1 For guides or service providers $ 0.40 AR$ 343

Alcohol Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The average person spends about $1.81 (AR$1,560) on alcoholic beverages in Buenos Aires, Argentina per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.

• Alcohol 2 Drinks for one day $ 1.81 AR$ 1,560
• Buenos Aires Private Sailing Tour and Wine Tasting Viator $ 300
• Buenos Aires Premium Wine Tasting Viator $ 58

What did other people spend on Alcohol in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

Typical prices for Alcohol in Buenos Aires, Argentina are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Beer AR$ 10
• Beer (0.66L) AR$ 17
• Cocktail AR$ 26
• Alcohol AR$ 575

Water Budget in Buenos Aires, Argentina

On average, people spend $0.12 (AR$102) on bottled water in Buenos Aires, Argentina per day. The public water in Buenos Aires, Argentina is considered safe to drink.

• Water 2 Bottled water for one day $ 0.12 AR$ 102

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Cost of living and prices in Argentina, prices of food, rent, shopping, etc 🇦🇷 Updated Jul 2023

Argentina, located in South America, shares borders Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Paraguay , and Uruguay . This vast country covers an area of 2,766,890 square kilometres and has a population of 41,343,201. The languages spoken in Argentina are mainly Spanish and Guaraní, and the currency is the Argentine peso. Argentina has a diverse and affordable cost of living, with a low cost of food and public transportation. With many cultural and urban attractions, Argentina offers a great lifestyle for those who want to enjoy the most out of their budget. With its close proximity to neighboring countries like Chile and Brazil, it makes for an excellent base for exploring South America. Whether you are looking for natural beauty, rich history, or vibrant city life, Argentina has it all at an affordable cost. Additionally, Argentina offers modern health care facilities at a surprisingly low cost compared to many other countries. With its top-level domains being .ar, the country has a rapidly growing tech community, making it a hub for technology startups. Whether you are a digital nomad searching for a reliable internet connection or an expat with a family, Argentina, with its welcoming locals and diverse culture, remains an attractive destination with a low cost of living.

Cost of Living Estimate in Argentina

Total cost of living in Argentina for two person with average consumption for one month will be 194.16 USD , no rent price included. Click here to calculate cost-of-living estimate in Argentina

You can calculate cost of living in Argentina by changing quantity using input near each good or service. Resulting total will appear in a floating box in the bottom of your screen.

Restaurants prices

Argentina is a cultural mecca with many options for food and dining. One of the most popular options is the "parrilla," or Argentine barbecue. This type of dining experience is centered around grilled meats, particularly beef, cooked to perfection and often served with chimichurri sauce. Additionally, many restaurants in Argentina offer traditional Argentine dishes such as empanadas, choripán, milanesa, and locro. Visitors should also be sure to try the desserts, including dulce de leche, a sweet caramel-like spread that is a staple in the Argentine diet.

For those seeking a more formal dining experience, Buenos Aires has many acclaimed restaurants offering a fusion of Argentine and international cuisines. In addition, the wine culture in Argentina is a must-experience for foodies visiting the country. Visitors can enjoy a glass of Malbec, Argentina's most famous wine, while dining on a variety of delicious local fare. Lastly, those who enjoy a more informal dining experience may want to try street food, such as choripán sandwiches or Argentine-style hot dogs sold from vendors on the streets or in local fairs.

Markets prices

Market prices in Argentina can fluctuate greatly depending on a variety of factors. For example, changes in government policies or economic instability can have a significant impact on the prices of goods and services. Additionally, local and international market forces can also influence prices. Despite this volatility, Argentina offers many high-quality and affordable products, from meats and wines to fashion and technology.

It's also worth noting that bargaining is a common practice in Argentine markets, particularly in smaller, local establishments. While bargaining may not be as common in larger retail stores, it's always worth asking if there's any flexibility in price. Ultimately, whether you're a local resident or a foreign visitor, understanding the market dynamics and taking advantage of opportunities to negotiate can help you get the most value for your money in Argentina.

Transportation prices

Argentina offers a variety of transportation options that can make traveling throughout the country an enjoyable experience. For those looking for the most convenient option, domestic flights are readily available and can transport you quickly and comfortably to destinations across the country. Alternatively, buses are a popular option for travelers as they are cost-effective and allow for a more immersive experience of the scenery and culture. Additionally, Argentina boasts an extensive railway system that connects major cities and offers a comfortable and scenic mode of travel.

For those looking to explore Argentina's natural wonders, renting a car or hitchhiking can be a great option. Renting a car gives travelers the flexibility to explore at their own pace, while hitchhiking can provide an intimate experience of the local culture. Finally, biking has become increasingly popular in recent years as a sustainable and healthy way to explore the different regions of Argentina. Whatever your preference, Argentina has a transportation option that can cater to your needs and make your travel experience unforgettable.

Utilities Per Month prices

When visiting Argentina, travelers should be aware of the utilities cost as it might differ from their home country. The country has high energy and water prices, meaning that households need to be mindful of their usage. Tourists should be prepared to pay more for their utilities if they plan on staying in hotels or rental properties. However, hostels and homestays might offer lower rates as they are more likely to be conscious of their energy and water consumption.

It's important to note that Argentina experiences high temperatures during the summer months. This means that electricity bills can skyrocket due to the increased usage of air conditioning. So, when booking accommodations, it's essential to look for properties that have energy-efficient features such as solar panels or double-glazed windows. Taking steps to reduce your energy and water consumption, such as turning off lights and unplugging electronics when not in use, can also help to minimize your utilities cost during your trip to Argentina.

Sports And Leisure prices

Argentina is a country where sports and outdoor activities are held in high regard. Football, or soccer, is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the country, and attending a live football match is an exciting experience that any sports enthusiast should not miss. Apart from football, polo is another sport that has deep roots in Argentine culture, and watching a game in the luxurious fields of Buenos Aires is an unforgettable experience.

Aside from team sports, Argentina is also known for its outdoor recreational activities. Trekking and hiking are popular in the country, with many nature trails available for adventure seekers. Patagonia, in particular, is a great destination for hiking and mountaineering with its breathtaking landscapes of glaciers, forests, and mountains. For those who prefer water activities, the beaches of Mar del Plata and Pinamar offer excellent surfing and swimming opportunities. Overall, Argentina has a diverse range of sports and leisure activities that cater to different preferences and fitness levels.

Salaries And Financing prices

Salaries in Argentina can vary greatly depending on the industry and location. It is important to keep in mind that the cost of living in Argentina is lower than in many other Western countries, so salaries may not be as high as one may expect. That being said, there are many job opportunities available for travelers, especially in the tourism and hospitality industries. If you are considering working in Argentina, be sure to research the industry and company you are interested in to get an idea of the typical salary range.

Financing in Argentina can be a bit more complicated for travelers, as many banks and financial institutions require a local address and identification to open an account or apply for a loan. However, there are options available for foreigners, such as international banks and lenders or using online financial services. One important thing to keep in mind is that there may be fees and restrictions when using foreign currency or making international transactions. It is always a good idea to research your options and plan ahead to ensure a smooth financial experience during your travels in Argentina.

Childcare prices

In Argentina, the cost of childcare can vary depending on the type of facility you choose. Schools generally tend to be more expensive than kindergartens. This is because schools offer a full education program, including academics, extracurricular activities, and childcare services. Kindergartens, on the other hand, provide mostly childcare services, with some basic academic and social support.

Parents who are looking for affordable childcare options in Argentina should consider enrolling their child in a public kindergarten. Public kindergartens offer high-quality care and education at little to no cost. However, these facilities can be overcrowded, and there may be a long wait before your child can enroll. Private kindergartens are also an option, but parents should be prepared to pay higher fees for the extra services and amenities they provide. In general, the cost of childcare in Argentina is lower than in many other countries, making it an attractive option for families on a budget.

Clothing And Shoes prices

When it comes to clothing and shoe shopping in Argentina, you won't be disappointed! The country has a variety of options for those who love fashion and want to get their hands on the latest trends. From luxury designer stores to small boutiques, there's something for every budget.

One of the most popular places to shop for clothing and shoes in Argentina are the street markets. You can find unique pieces that aren't sold in mainstream stores and at very reasonable prices. In addition, there are also a number of shopping malls throughout the country, offering a range of local and international brands. Whether you're looking for casual wear, formal attire, or something in between, Argentina has got you covered.

Rent Per Month prices

Short-term rentals are a popular choice for travelers to Argentina who want to stay for a few weeks or months. These rentals are typically fully furnished and provide a comfortable and convenient accommodation option. Whether you're a digital nomad, student, or business traveler, short-term rentals offer easy access to the city's sights and attractions, as well as a great opportunity to experience local culture and cuisine.

In addition to short-term rentals, there are other stay options available in Argentina, such as hostels, hotels, and guesthouses. These options cater to a range of budgets and lifestyles, from budget travelers to luxury seekers. Hostels are ideal for backpackers and solo travelers, offering communal spaces and a social atmosphere. Hotels and guesthouses provide more privacy and luxury, with amenities such as swimming pools, rooftop bars, and spa facilities. With so many stay options available, you're sure to find the perfect accommodation for your trip to Argentina.

Buy Apartment prices

Argentina offers a variety of real estate buying options ranging from buying land to apartments, houses, and even commercial properties. The real estate market in Argentina attracts both locals and foreigners alike because of its affordable prices, low taxes, and a diverse range of options. Most people looking to buy property in Argentina prefer the major cities such as Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and Rosario. However, you can still find good deals in smaller towns and cities all over the country.

As with any real estate market, prices in Argentina vary depending on many factors such as location, type of property, and demand. Generally, you can find affordable options for properties in rural areas or smaller cities while bigger cities like Buenos Aires may have higher property prices. The good news is that the real estate market in Argentina is still considered a buyer's market with plenty of options and negotiating power. So whatever type of property you're looking for, there is bound to be an option that fits your budget and preferences in Argentina.

Cost of living in cities of Argentina

• Buenos Aires
• Mar del Plata
• Resistencia
• San Miguel de Tucumán
• Villa María
• Santiago del Estero
• San Martín de los Andes
• Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña
• San Nicolás de los Arroyos
• Nueve de Julio Partido
• Lomas de Zamora
• Lanús Partido
• Berazategui
• Comodoro Rivadavia
• Bahía Blanca
• San Carlos de Bariloche
• San Fernando
• Libertador San Martn

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in Argentina – statistics & facts

Travel in argentina during covid-19, wine tourism in the country of the gauchos, how competitive is argentina’s tourism sector, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Tourism GDP in Argentina 2019-2021

Inbound tourism volume in Argentina 2021, by place of residence

Most popular domestic holiday destinations in Argentina 2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Most competitive Latin American countries for tourism 2021

Inbound tourism volume in Argentina 2010-2021, by mode of transport

Related topics

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• Travel and tourism in Latin America & Caribbean
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Argentina
• COVID-19: impact on the tourism industry worldwide

Recommended statistics

Latin american overview.

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• Premium Statistic Despegar: revenue 2015-2022, by product type

Leading countries for tourism in Latin America in 2021, based on the Travel and Tourism Development Index

Most visited Latin American countries 2022

Leading travel destination countries in Latin America in 2022, by international tourist arrivals (in millions)

Main Latin American countries for MICE tourism 2020

Leading countries for association meetings in Latin America in 2020, by number of regional events

Despegar: share of transactions 2019-2022, by market

Distribution of transactions completed on Despegar.com platforms from 2019 to 2022, by market

Despegar: revenue 2015-2022, by product type

Revenue of Despegar.com, Corp. from 2015 to 2022, by product type (in million U.S. dollars)

Key figures

• Premium Statistic Argentina's tourism development 2021, by pillar
• Basic Statistic Tourism GDP in Argentina 2019-2021
• Premium Statistic Monthly variation of the hospitality economic activity in Argentina 2019-2021
• Premium Statistic Quarterly accommodation and food service employment in Argentina 2019-2023, by type
• Premium Statistic Remuneration paid for formal jobs in hotels and restaurants in Argentina 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic COVID-19 impact on tourism in Argentina 2020-2021

Argentina's tourism development 2021, by pillar

Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in Argentina in 2021, by pillar

Total contribution of travel and tourism to the gross domestic product of Argentina from 2019 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Monthly variation of the hospitality economic activity in Argentina 2019-2021

Percentage change in economic activity of hotels and restaurants in Argentina from January 2019 to December 2021

Quarterly accommodation and food service employment in Argentina 2019-2023, by type

Number of jobs in hotels and restaurants in Argentina from Q4 2019 and Q1 2023, by type (in 1,000s)

Remuneration paid for formal jobs in hotels and restaurants in Argentina 2019-2023

Salary expenses for registered employees in hotels and restaurants in Argentina from Q1 2019 to Q1 2023 (in billion Argentine pesos)

COVID-19 impact on tourism in Argentina 2020-2021

Key figures on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism in Argentina in 2020 and 2021

International and domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Argentina 2010-2021, by mode of transport
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Argentina 2021, by place of residence
• Premium Statistic Average length of trips of inbound visitors in Argentina 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism volume in Argentina 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Average length of trips of domestic tourists in Argentina 2012-2022

Number of international tourists in Argentina from 2010 to 2021, by mode of transport (in 1,000s)

Number of international tourists in Argentina in 2021, by country or region of residence (in 1,000s)

Average length of trips of inbound visitors in Argentina 2010-2021

Average length of stay of international tourists in Argentina from 2010 to 2021 (in nights)

Domestic tourism volume in Argentina 2012-2022

Number of domestic tourists in Argentina from 2012 to 2022 (in millions)

Average length of trips of domestic tourists in Argentina 2012-2022

Average length of stay of domestic travelers during trips in Argentina from 2012 to 2022 (in nights)

Expenditures

• Premium Statistic Travel spending of inbound visitors in Argentina 2010-2021, by purpose
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism spending per day in Argentina 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Argentina 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending per day in Argentina 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Contribution of tourism spending to Argentine GDP 2010-2021, by type

Travel spending of inbound visitors in Argentina 2010-2021, by purpose

Travel expenditure of international tourists in Argentina from 2010 to 2021, by travel purpose (in million U.S. dollars)

Inbound tourism spending per day in Argentina 2010-2021

Average daily expenditure of international tourists in Argentina from 2010 to 2021 (in U.S. dollars)

Domestic tourism spending in Argentina 2012-2022

Total expenditure by domestic tourists in Argentina from 2012 to 2022 (in billion Argentine pesos)

Domestic tourism spending per day in Argentina 2012-2022

Average daily expenditure of domestic tourists in Argentina from 2012 to 2022 (in Argentine pesos)

Contribution of tourism spending to Argentine GDP 2010-2021, by type

Tourism expenditure as share of gross domestic product in Argentina from 2010 to 2021, by type

Accommodation industry

• Premium Statistic Revenue of the hotels industry in Argentina 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of hotels in Argentina 2018-2022
• Premium Statistic Overnight visitors at lodgings in Argentina 2016-2022
• Premium Statistic Monthly hotel guests in Argentina 2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel room occupancy in Argentina 2018-2022

Revenue of the hotels industry in Argentina 2019-2028

Revenue of the hotels market in Argentina from 2019 to 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of hotels in Argentina 2018-2022

Number of hotel establishments in Argentina from 2018 to 2022

Overnight visitors at lodgings in Argentina 2016-2022

Number of tourists at accommodation establishments in Argentina from 2016 to 2022 (in millions)

Monthly hotel guests in Argentina 2022

Number of tourists at hotels in Argentina from January to December 2022 (in 1,000s)

Hotel room occupancy in Argentina 2018-2022

Room occupancy of hotels in Argentina from 2018 to 2022

Traveler preferences

• Premium Statistic Most popular holiday destination type for Argentinians 2022
• Premium Statistic Favorite type of holidays for Argentinians 2022
• Premium Statistic Most popular domestic holiday destinations in Argentina 2022
• Premium Statistic Favorite travel partners for Argentine vacationers 2022
• Premium Statistic Argentinians' travel motives 2021

Most popular holiday destination type for Argentinians 2022

Preferred type of destination for leisure travelers from Argentina as of June 2022

Favorite type of holidays for Argentinians 2022

Preferred type of vacation trips by tourists from Argentina as of June 2022

Most common domestic travel destinations in Argentina as of June 2022

Favorite travel partners for Argentine vacationers 2022

Distribution of leisure tourists from Argentina as of June 2022, by travel companionship

Argentinians' travel motives 2021

Main reasons to travel for people in Argentina as of April 2021

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

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Travel Advisory August 18, 2023

Argentina - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Reissued with updates to crime information.

Exercise normal precautions in Argentina. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Exercise increased caution in:

• City of Rosario (Santa Fe province) due to crime .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Argentina.

If you decide to travel to Argentina: 

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter .
• Review the Country Security Report for Argentina.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.   

City of Rosario – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Criminal and narcotics trafficking elements are active in Rosario (Santa Fe province) resulting in increased crime and violence.

U.S. Embassy personnel are required to give advance notice before traveling to Rosario.

Embassy Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

Must be valid at time of entry

One page required for entry stamp

Not required for stays of 90 days or less, unless traveling on an emergency passport.

Up to $10,000 USD or equivalent undeclared for those over age 16; up to $5,000 USD or equivalent undeclared for those under 16

Up to US$10,000 or equivalent undeclared for those over age 16; up to US$5,000 or equivalent undeclared for those under 16

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires

Av. Colombia 4300 (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires Argentina Telephone: +(54)(11) 5777-4533 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(54)(11) 5777-4354 Fax: +(54)(11) 5777-4240 [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Entry/Exit Requirements for U.S. Citizens:   U.S. citizens need a valid passport to enter Argentina. U.S. citizens with expired or damaged passports may not be allowed to enter and could be sent back to the United States at their own expense. Private U.S. citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to 90 days for tourism or business, unless traveling on an emergency passport. (Please see below.) Diplomatic or official passport holders must obtain visas prior to arrival. 

The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires cannot help travelers with obtaining Brazilian, Paraguayan, or other visas. U.S. citizens embarking on a cruise ship from Argentina that includes other countries, should verify if they need visas for those countries before boarding the ship. For more information, see the Country Specific Information for the country you plan to visit. 

Visit the Embassy of Argentina’s website for visa information at https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en . For information about customs rules, please read our Customs Information page and the Argentine Customs page. 

Special Entry/Exit Requirements for Citizens traveling with Emergency Passports: U.S. citizens traveling on an emergency passport are required to have a visa for entry or re-entry into Argentina. Emergency passport holders cannot apply for a visa upon arrival to Argentina. You must apply at the nearest Argentine Embassy or Consulate. Find you nearest Argentine Consulate in the U.S. here .

Special Entry/Exit Requirements for Dual Nationals:   Different rules may apply to dual U.S.-Argentine citizens, depending on when they became U.S. citizens. Visit the Argentine Immigration website for the most current information. Generally, Argentine citizens are required to depart Argentina using an Argentine passport, including children of U.S. citizens who may be born in Argentina. 

Special Entry/Exit Requirements for Minors:  A parent or guardian traveling alone with a child under 18 who resides in Argentina must present to Argentine authorities a legalized permission letter in Spanish ( Autorización de Viaje ) from the nonaccompanying parent upon departure from Argentina. Either parent may prepare an authorizing letter for the other parent to travel abroad with the child in case of emergency. (Please see the Argentine immigration website for more information). A local notary public (called an  escribano  in Argentina) may prepare the  autorización de viaje  letter. If this notarized authorization is prepared in the United States, Argentine authorities will require an apostille from the United States in addition to the notarized authorization. Please see this link for more information about an apostille:  Apostille Requirements.  For children born in the United States and are residents in Argentina, Argentine Authorities will require the U.S. birth certificate to be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified translator.

HIV/AIDS Restrictions:   The U.S. Department of State does not know of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for foreign visitors or residents of Argentina. 

More Information:  Find information on dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction and customs regulations on our websites.

Safety and Security

Demonstrations occur frequently in Buenos Aires and take place in other cities as well.  Protesters often block streets and highways.  Demonstrations are usually nonviolent, but always have the potential to turn confrontational.  Avoid demonstrations if possible.

Crime:   Street crime is a problem in most urban areas including Buenos Aires City (San Telmo, La Boca, Retiro, Florida Street), Buenos Aires province, Rosario, and Mendoza. Areas with higher levels of violent crime include Rosario, and the Buenos Aires suburbs of Lomas de Zamora, Quilmes, and Moreno. Look out for muggers, pickpockets, scam artists, cellphone and purse-snatchers who work on the street, in restaurants and hotel lobbies, at bus and train stations, in public transportation, and in cruise ship ports.

Robberies occur often, and violence is more likely to occur when victims resist. Do not leave your personal belongings unattended. Frequent robberies of luggage and handbags occur at Retiro bus station in Buenos Aires and the bus station in Mendoza, and when leaving a handbag in the overhead compartment on the bus.

Robberies involving motorcycles (called “motochorros”) occur frequently in cities. These thieves normally operate in pairs:  one to jump off and take the watches, purses, and backpacks of pedestrians, and another to operate the bike. The motochorros also reach, or break, into cars to snatch valuable items.

Although the La Boca neighborhood is a well-known tourist destination, there have been violent robberies in the daytime as well as nighttime. Stay on the main streets in the tourist zone and use radio taxis to and from the neighborhood.

Avoid “villas” or shanty towns in Buenos Aires, other major cities, and provinces, even if they are in tourist zones.

Scams involving yellow and black taxis have been reported at international airports and around Buenos Aires. Pre-arrange a ride or select one of the flat-rate “remise” services (private car with driver) from the airport service counters. In town, use radio taxis from places like a hotel when possible.  See the  Department of State  and the FBI  Financial Crime I  pages for information on scams.  A few common scenarios follow:

Drivers pretend to help tourists with money while trading good bills for counterfeit ones.

A “handler” at the airport accepts payment for the ride, but then the driver also demands money at the end of the ride.

The taxi “breaks down” on the road, and a second taxi comes to get the passenger.  Both drivers demand payment.

Spraying mustard or another substance on the tourist from a distance.  An accomplice robs the victim while pretending to help clean the stain.

Protestors (‘piqueteros’) sometimes block major roads during large protests and can cause significant traffic delays.

Climbing, Hiking, and Trekking: Do not trek alone.  The U.S. Embassy in Argentina  strongly   discourages  U.S. citizens from hiking alone or even separating from larger traveling parties while on a trail. In recent years, U.S. citizens and other foreigners have disappeared or been seriously injured while solo climbing/hiking and trekking. Sexual assaults have been reported against solo hikers and bikers on trails in regions along the border with Chile.  Hike in groups and remain alert to your surroundings. Follow Park Ranger and Search and Rescue Team advice and instructions.

Update your SOS or GPS emergency locator information. Make sure your device is enabled to function in the park and your provider has the correct information for authorities. Add local rescue teams as your first emergency contact (see recourses below) and add the U.S. Embassy’s emergency contact phone number as an alternative: +54-11 5777-4354.

Before your trip you can check the following resources for reliable information about trail conditions and potential hazards in the most popular climbing, hiking and trekking regions in Argentina:

·         Mendoza: Mendoza, Aconcagua

·         Bariloche: Club Andino

·         El Chalten: El Chaltén

We strongly recommend that before you travel you purchase supplemental travel and evacuation insurance, provide family or friends with a detailed itinerary prior to climbing, trekking, and hiking, and  Register your itinerary  through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Please note: The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the entities on the weblink list above. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. The information on the links is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information

Precautions include: Do not place handbags on the back of your chair or on the floor at a restaurant.  Keep them in your lap.

Do not leave your drink unattended.

Do not leave cellphones on tables at restaurants.

Sexual assaults have been reported against solo hikers and bikers on trails in regions along the border with Chile.  Hike in groups and remain alert to your surroundings.

Robberies also occur where victims are grabbed and forced to take out as much money as possible from ATMs.  Family or co-workers are contacted and told to bring all the cash they have on hand or can gather in a couple of hours.  Once the ransom is paid, the victim is usually released unharmed.  There have been some foreign victims of these robberies. Fake telephone kidnappings are also common. Learning important phone numbers and, if robbed, immediately finding a phone and letting family members know you are alright are important steps in stopping this crime.

Travelers should not pack valuables in checked bags.

The U.S. Embassy receives many reports of stolen passports.  Passports and other valuables should be locked in a hotel safe.  Carry a photocopy of your passport with you.  In addition, U.S. citizen residents and visitors should safeguard personal information such as email addresses, telephone numbers, banking and other information, to protect against identity theft.

Victims of Crime:  Report crimes to the local police at the numbers below and contact the  U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires :

Dial 911 to report emergencies, call the police, an ambulance, or the fire department.

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

We can: help you find appropriate medical care assist you in reporting a crime to the police contact relatives or friends with your written consent explain the local criminal justice process in general terms provide a list of local attorneys provide information on  victim’s compensation programs in the United States  provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution help you find accommodation and arrange flights home replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.  If you are in immediate danger, call the police at 911.

Tourism:   The tourism industry is unevenly regulated and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur.  Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field.  In the event of an injury, hospitals are able to provide urgent medical treatment, though very serious injuries often require medical evacuation.  U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance .  

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some crimes are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website.

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

• Dual Nationals : U.S.-Argentine dual nationals may have to follow special rules that apply to Argentine citizens. In some cases, the U.S. government may have trouble providing protection abroad to dual citizens.
• Foreign Credit Card Usage : On November 3, 2022, the Argentine Central Bank issued a regulation allowing credit card issuers to implement an alternate, more favorable exchange rate for tourists utilizing foreign (i.e., non-Argentine) credit cards. This is a legal, safe method to pay for goods and services in Argentina at a more favorable rate. The regulation does not apply to withdrawals of pesos from ATMs. Please contact your credit card issuer to confirm whether they are implementing this program. For more information on this new regulation, you may read the Argentine Central Bank’s announcement at https://bcra.gob.ar/Pdfs/comytexord/A7630.pdf
• Currency Exchange and Access :  You must show your passport to exchange money. Keep all receipts related to buying pesos.  Be careful if you are offered illegal exchange rates. and do not exchange money on the street. The Embassy does not exchange money.
• Some U.S. citizens report problems using their ATM cards issued by U.S. banks at certain ATMs. There is no set list of ATMs or banks where you can use U.S. cards. If your ATM card does not work at one ATM, try another one or use a reputable bank or exchange house. Daily withdrawal limits may also be lower than in the U.S.
• Hunting and Fishing/Transporting Firearms : If you plan to hunt or fish, follow all gun and game laws. Some U.S. citizens report problems bringing guns into and out of Argentina. More information can be found here .
• Adventure Travel : For local authorities,Local resources are limited for helping visitors lost or injured in remote areas can be hard. Travelers visiting isolated and wilderness areas mustshould learn about local conditions and give their itinerary to park or police officials.
• Argentina has the highest mountain outside ofin the HimalayasAmericas, Mount Aconcagua.  Several U.S. citizens, including expert climbers, have died while climbing the mountain.  Rescue missions are often impossible.
• Antarctica Travel : Many cruises to Antarctica depart from the port of Ushuaia, near the southern tip of Argentina.  The greatest threats to travelers to Antarctica are environmental hazards posed by extreme and unpredictable weather and limited emergency services.  Among the more common threats are frostbite, dehydration, eye damage from reflected glare, overexposure to the sun, and maritime accidents.  There have been accidental deaths on Antarctic cruises due to rough sea conditions, including rogue waves.  For additional information on travel to the Antarctic please see the country Information page for Antarctica: Antarctica International Travel Information (state.gov)

Faith-Based Travelers:  See our following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report   – see country reports
• Human Rights Report   – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Argentina. 

See   our  LGBTI travel information  page and section 6 of the  Department of State's Human Rights report  for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance:  People with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different than in the United States.  The law mandates access to buildings for persons with disabilities, but while the federal government has protective laws, many provinces do not.

Students :  See our Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers:   See our travel tips for  Women Travelers .

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation. Medical evacuation is extremely costly.

Medications:  If traveling with prescription medication, check with the Embassy of Argentina  to ensure the medication is legal in Argentina.  Always, carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.

Health Concerns:  The following diseases are prevelant either throughout Argentina or in certain areas:

• Hepatitis A
• Yellow Fever

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CDC recommendations for travel to Argentina .

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Driving is more dangerous than in the United States. Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations. Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage. Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway. You need an Argentine or international driver’s license to drive, but verify with local authorities for the most current information.

See our Road Safety page  and the website of Argentina's national tourist office for more information. 

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Home » South America » Argentina » Backpacking Guide

EPIC Backpacking Argentina Travel Guide (Updated 2024)

Dreaming about exploring the wilds of Argentina? Me too amigo, me too.

This is a land of contrasts: a place where scorching deserts and lush jungles melt into each other. Fine wine costs a couple of dollars – and fine people sip mate in the streets . It’s home to sacred landscapes of Patagonia, football, meat, empanadas, hikes of every difficulty level, and ridiculous levels of enthusiastic energy. 

There are reasons why backpacking Argentina is so popular amongst us travellers. Adventures are extreme, the diversity of landscapes is incomprehensible, and the people are sexy – I mean – vivacious . 

But, Argentina is ENORMOUS … So if you’re visiting Argentina for a flustered quickie or planning a complete road trip, you gotta be prepared. 

I’ve been lucky enough to backpack around South America with my Argentinian partner too… So I’ve roped in Seba G Vivas: Argentina native and lifelong enthusiast. Together, we’re going to guide you through this magnificent country to show you the must-visits AND off-the-beaten-path highlights we’ve discovered in 25+ years of trips around Argentina. 

This epic backpacking Argentina travel guide has the best budget tips and travel tricks, lovingly gathered over our lifetimes, in the most passionate nation in the world . From our favourite cheap accommodation, the low down on hikes, to the boring stuff like travel insurance and safety, you’re safe with us.

No country has left an impression on me quite like exploring Argentina. So I, LauraMcBlonde, and my beautiful Argentino partner are taking you on a wild road trip from the desert to trekking Patagonia. 

Vamos! We’re going backpacking Argentina…

Why Go Backpacking in Argentina?

If you tried to describe Argentina with a couple of words, it wouldn’t be possible. The 8th largest country in the world hosts some of the most dramatic and distinct landscapes. So whatever type of backpacker you are, Argentina has something for you.

Snowy Patagonian mountains run alongside miniature mountain villages. Humid rainforests and dry deserts crash into each other. Then you’ll find highly developed cities.

The Southern South American country borders friendly neighbours like Brazil, Chile, and Bolivia. So it’s a no-brainer to make Argentina part of your backpacking South America adventure.

And amazingly, Argentina is cheap as shit! So it really is a broke backpacker’s dream destination. You just have to know the tricks.

More than that, Argentina has a special place in my heart. The locals don’t do anything by halves and that passion transcends to everything in their beloved country. They LOVE and they HATE Argentina, in equal measure, passionately .

The energy that the people have is electric. Whether it’s a football game, a music concert or an Argentinian festival , people have a particular way of sharing emotions; those very high and very low vibrations.

Best Travel Itineraries for Backpacking Argentina

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There are top things to do in Argentina all over the country. Even if you just keep your Argentina itinerary within places to stay in Buenos Aires , you’re in for an adventure. But once you get out of the capital, you see the country unfold.

Backpacking Argentina itineraries involve long travel distances ; bear this in mind when planning your trip. Flights are expensive and bus journeys are long .

If you’re only planning on visiting Argentina for 1 or 2 weeks – or even with a one-way ticket – it’s impossible to get around the whole country. Pinning a few must-see destinations may be useful.

14-Day Travel Itinerary for Argentina – The Northern Cities

With 2 weeks in Argentina, you can cover the most culturally significant cities in Northern Argentina: Buenos Aires , Rosário , Córdoba , and Mendoza . This 14-day backpacking Argentina itinerary starts at the iconic Iguazú Falls and ends in Buenos Aires. But it can be done in reverse. 

If you’re flying into and out of Buenos Aires , or you’re short on time, you may want to connect to Puerto Iguazú on a round-trip flight to avoid the long-distance bus.

To see the incredible example of the power of nature, spend 1 or 2 nights at Iguazú Falls . You can also see it from the Brazilian side, but I’m biased, right?

Take a bus ride to Rosário , one of the most progressive South American countries. Delight your senses with outstanding street art, culture, and playtime – I mean nightlife .

You won’t be disappointed by Córdoba : a city with very modern values. Stay in the city of Cordoba for a few days, then – if you can – get out and explore the region of Córdoba.

The Sierras de Córdoba is a mystical place to explore. Camping here is one of the biggest pleasures.

From here, the journey to the wine capital of Argentina, Mendoza , is easy. Go wine-hopping from vineyard to vineyard. The nearby Andes mountains also offer skiing, hiking, and climbing.

Then finally, Buenos Aires awaits you. This chaotic city has no shortage of attractions. Be sure to visit the charming neighbourhoods of Recoleta , San Telmo , and Palermo .

1-Month Travel Itinerary for Argentina – The Culture Route

Now we’re really digging deep into what Argentina has to offer. This 4-week backpacking Argentina itinerary expands further on the previous 2-week itinerary but now you could have time for Salta and Jujuy . End your trip on the beach at Mar del Plata .

On your way North from Córdoba or Mendoza , you can make a stop in San Miguel de Tucumán to break up a long bus journey. Dive into some of the nation’s history at the Casa Histórica and the Casa de Gobierno .

You’ll notice the landscape become arider and desert-like until the scenery crescendos into surreal formations and colours. From here on out, simply looking out the window at the alien-like views is entertainment enough.

As well as being one hell of a wine region, Salta has an extraordinary landscape of rock formations. Set a few days aside for getting lost within it.

Then, you’re the most North West as Argentina goes in the state of Jujuy . Tred through raw Argentina. Enjoy the traditional life with a backdrop of natural wonders: Quebrada de Humahuaca and the Pucará de Tilcara .

If you’re heading out of Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata is the best place to wind down or party on down. Whatever kind of beach vibe you crave, you’ll find it here.

3-Month Travel Itinerary for Argentina – The Whole Cow

Now, this is my kinda trip! With a 3-month backpacking Argentina itinerary, you can delve deep into the heart of this special nation.

You’ll be able to experience nearly every shade of its coloured and marvellous geography: mountains, deserts, coastlines, vineyards… well, as much as 3 months allows. As well as having the previous destinations on your hit list, now you have plenty of time to explore Patagonia too!

Don’t miss some of the best places to see in Argentina: El Bolsón , Bariloche , El Chaltén , and El Calafate . You may well find that you just don’t want to leave!

It wouldn’t be a justified backpacking Argentina travel guide if I didn’t recommend that you take at least one trek. You have plenty of the best hikes in the world to choose from: the mighty Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre , climbing atop the Perito Moreno Glacier , or at the ends of the Earth in Tierra del Fuego in Ushuaia.

On this trip through Argentina, You’ll also have plenty of time to simply soak in the energy that the country gives off. Take the days (and nights) to enjoy fine food, wine, and fine company. By travelling slowly , that’s when you get the full Argentina experience. 

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Of course, this massive country is jam-packed with incredible sights. You can make a list as long as your arm of the best places to visit in Argentina. But let’s go over some highlights.

Backpacking Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a city unique in itself. You could spend weeks, months, YEARS here and still feel like a newbie.

It’s a marvel. The city’s full of energy, wonderfully designed, and there is rarely a dull moment. To start backpacking Argentina, Buenos Aires is an exciting place to springboard in.

The city is huge, and most people question safety in Buenos Aires from terrible rumours. But staying in the Microcentro (where most of the attractions are anyway) proves safe enough for thousands of tourists a year.

You’ll find Obelisco rising in the middle of the bustling Avenida 9 de Julio to remind you where you are. Several cultural landmarks, like the Casa Rosada and Palacio Barolo , are around this area.

Living the hostel life in Buenos Aires, you’ll meet great people. It’s the place for tip-offs about THE local snack shops too.

Recoleta is class but attracts mostly affluent travellers – the cemetery is weirdly amazing. Palermo SoHo is the hipster part of town and features some of the coolest street art I have ever seen.

La Boca is admittedly cool but overhyped and a bit shady after dark. I recommend staying in San Telmo instead, and just peaking in as a better option.

Backpacking Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls is probably the most engrossing waterfall on the planet (and I’ve seen a few stunning waterfalls). The sheer power of this waterfall makes it an intimidating and awe-inspiring sight. Around 275 cascades orchestrate this majestic power.

As you walk along the crest of the falls, witnessing tons of water spilling over the precipitous edge, you’re gonna get wet. (You dirty-minded bastard – not that kind.)

Iguazú Falls is split between Brazil and Argentina and both sides will give you a different taste. The Argentinian side traverses the top of the falls and gives a more up-close and personal experience. The Brazilian side is closer to the bottom of the falls but makes a fuller panoramic view.

The most magnificent sight is the Garganta del Diablo – The Devil’s Throat . Many people (*cough, cough* the Argentinians) claim it is the best part of the park.

There’s an argument over which side is better: Brazil or Argentina? But this is a backpacking Argentina guide… Of course, I’m going to say Argentina!

Accommodation wise: stay in the Argentinian city of Puerto Iguazú . The city pretty much exists solely as a means to visit the falls. Staying in one of the hostels in Iguazu Falls is where you’ll find the best vibes.

Backpacking Rosário

Rosário doesn’t have the sheer amount of landmarks that Buenos Aires does. What Rosário does have is heaps of culture. Here is one of the most liberally minded and socialist populations in all of South America.

The city is evolving and transforming. Artists, activists, rebels, and youngsters are all drawn to this place to pay homage to idols – like Che Guevara, Lionel Messi – or to become their own (in a sense).

The most important landmarks are the Monumento a la Bandera and the house of El Che Guevara . Both are nationalistic in nature and iconic stops in the city.

Rosário is also the city with the most green spaces in the whole of South America! Check out the Parque Independencia , which is also one of the largest city parks in the whole country. If you’re visiting during warmer seasons, there’s even a stretch of sandy beach along the Paraná River called Balneario La Florida to take your icy beer.

Tourist attractions aside, Rosário really shines when it comes to the people. People are very open-minded and receptive to foreigners. If you happen to make friends with a Rosárino (a person from Rosário), then you’ll be treated very well – first to an Asado , then to a long night of socials in the Pichincha neighbourhood.

If you’re lucky, you may even get a chance to find a lover for the night. It’s common knowledge that Rosárinos are gorgeous.

Backpacking Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata is every Porteño’s (a person from Buenos Aires) favourite summer getaway. This large city boasts some of the best beaches in Argentina and gets rammed in the peak seasons around November to March.

Most people, obviously, journey to Mar del Plata to relax on the beach. The most popular ones are Playa Varese , Playa de los Ingleses , and Playa Grande .

In the summer, these sandy stretches become absolutely bonkers as locals play and pass around drinks and joints. At night, many people go to the bars around Alem Street and stay up all night long only to repeat the process the following day.

If you want a slightly calmer experience then head north or south to the small coastal towns of Pinamar and Miramar , respectively. Both are way more chilled and attract more families. You’ll find much cheaper accommodation in these areas too.

If you visit Mar del Plata during the rainy off-season, then there is still plenty to do. There are several ecological museums and zoological facilities around the city to visit. Most of these offer predominantly maritime exhibits.

Backpacking Córdoba

Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina and is most known for its colonial architecture, scholastic history, and surrounding mountainous landscape. The city is an eclectic mix of the old and the modern. Young travellers and students rain on this city.

Jesuits “founded” the modern city of Córdoba and they established several places of learning. Because of this, Córdoba’s nickname is  La Docta or “the learned one.” Scattered throughout are some of Argentina’s prominent historical sites: the Manzana de los Juristas , the Cathedral of Córdoba , and the Capuchin Church .

Go museum crazy in Córdoba. The Evita Fine Arts Museum , which was formerly a palace, is loved by many. Ultra-modern Caraffa Fine Arts Museum is also worth visiting. Backpacker hostels in Cordoba and cool budget accommodation are in abundance.

Outside of the city of Córdoba is my favourite place in Argentina – Las Sierras de Córdoba (sorry Paraná, I still love you). I’m just a sucker for camping and road trips.

Charming villages around the mountains, like La Falda , La Cumbrecita , and Villa General Belgrano , are beautiful and have very European sensibilities. The Quebrada del Condorito and Traslasierra Valley areas make incredible hikes.

Argentinians from all over the country flock here with their Asado equipment to retreat from everyday life. Large inland lakes and rivers capture the hearts of many. Picturesque Mar Chiquita serves as a nice retreat for Córdobians.

Nearby Salinas Grande couldn’t be more different. This is a huge salt flat at the base of the mountains.

Backpacking Salta

Salta is a thriving commune and backpacker hangout smack bang in the middle of the desert. This desert also doubles as one of Argentina’s premier wine regions (woohoo!).

I’m not going to beat around the bush here; it’s a journey to get here. You can make a stop in San Miguel de Tucumán – for some history – and Cafayate . Cafayate is the initial gateway to one of the most gorgeous landscapes in Northern Argentina: the Valles Calchaquí .

If you have your own car, you’re laughing. This region – running north all the way to Jujuy – makes the best road trip with its blood-red stone formations canyons that snake throughout it. Cuesta del Obispo is a road I won’t forget in a hurry.

In the Valles Calchaquí, adventure opportunities are plentiful. Who knew backpacking Argentina in Salta can involve paragliding, mountain biking, climbing, rafting, rappelling? Pump some adrenaline, then warm your soul with some winey goodness.

There are numerous wineries around Salta offering different styles and vintages. The harsh climate in this region has a noticeable effect on the grapes, producing bold and hearty tastes.

Inside the city – if religious sights interest you – there are plenty. The gorgeous Iglesia San Francisco and Catedral de Salta , as well as museums of colonialism and archaeology, are prominent features. You can summit several of the surrounding hills via train or cable car as well; each one offers astounding panoramas of the city.

Salta definitely still has a soul and heartbeat that could rival any larger city too. Streets are busier with people more so than cars. Bars are abundant and full of life.

Backpacking Jujuy

North of Salta is San Salvador de Jujuy in the province of Jujuy. Though the regions of Salta and Jujuy appear very similar, they are, in fact, quite different.

Tourism in the region of Jujuy focuses less on winemaking and more on the surrounding landscape. The Quebrada de Humahuaca is one of the most beautiful places in Argentina and hiking through its Seven-Coloured Hills is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

This region isn’t totally desolate either: just over the mountains, you’ll actually find a cloud rainforest. Verdant Calilegua National Park will grant visitors the opportunity to spot jungle wildlife – especially those of the feline variety like jaguar, puma, and ocelot.

The main towns of the Jujuy province are San Salvador de Jujuy, Purmamarca , and Tilcara . All of them are quite similar and any one of these would make a fine base for exploring the region.

Of the three, Tilcara is the northernmost town and offers great archaeological attractions. The most popular site is the Pucara , which is a mighty pre-Inca fortification built upon a hill.

In addition, there are several other museums around Tilcara that do a great job of representing the local indigenous culture. The town itself has its own unique charm with mud and stone buildings, which give the entire town a very mystical desert feel.

Backpacking Mendoza

The mighty Andes! Here, you’ll find some of the superlatives of South America including the highest mountain on the continent. Home to the Malbec wine grape – “the best in the world”. (According to the Argentinos, obviously).

The city of Mendoza isn’t much to speak of. It’s a bit lacklustre. There are a couple of interesting attractions like the Cerro de la Gloria , Plaza España , and the Parque San Martín .

Most of the action is found outside of the city. This is why you want to make sure to know where to stay in Mendoza .

Being so close to the Andes, Mendoza has a myriad of alpine activities to participate in. In the winter, you can take to the mountains with your skis in resorts like Las Leñas .

In the summer, hardy adventurers can climb the gargantuan Aconcagua . This mountain is not for beginners though; attempting it shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are a couple of nice hostels in Mendoza as well.

The Wine Region is Mendoza’s real claim to fame. Don’t forget the name, Malbec : adored by many worldwide, this beauty of a grape is cultivated and celebrated here. A tour around the many wineries is essential in Mendoza.

Mendoza does act as a bit of a crossroads. Many who have been backpacking around Chile enter Argentina via Mendoza. The city is the meeting point for many important backpacking routes in Argentina as well.

If you’re travelling from the east, be sure and drop by the Argentinian national parks of Talampaya and/or Sierra de las Quijadas . Both offer spectacular desert scenery that rivals the beauty found in the Valles Calchaquí region.

Backpacking Río Negro

Okay, this is a biggie! So let’s break it down into two of the hottest destinations to visit while travelling in Argentina.

On the doorstep of Patagonia and the Andes are the beloved destinations of Bariloche and El Bolsón . I’m not messing, these are surreal fairytale places. There’s no wonder why people flock here.

Bariloche is Argentina’s idea of an Alpine retreat. This magical village nestles within the Nahuel Huapi National Park and has mountain splendour aplenty. With so much on offer, choosing the right place to stay in Bariloche can totally change your experience.

And within this magic-looking land, there is an abundance of outdoorsy adventures. There’s no shortage of world-class mountain activities to slap on your Argentina Itinerary: 

• Paragliding
• Snowshoeing
• And more…

Here is South America’s largest ski resort – Cerro Catedral . The younger folk arrive by the busload and spend the nights partying hard too. Staying in a good hostel in Bariloche is where you’ll find the best vibes – and the best routes to the bars. 

In the summer, after the snow melts, trekking is super popular. Take advantage of the mountain refuges for the most mind-boggling views. Climbing to Refugio Frey was my favourite!

Nahuel Huapi National Park is insane year-round. Don’t miss the opportunity to venture to the lakes and islands and absorb the flora and fauna.

6 hours south of Bariloche is El Bolsón. Tucked away in the secluded Piltriquitron Mountains, people come to escape the stresses of modern living. 

El Bolsón boasts some of the highest quality food in Argentina. You could spend your entire trip exploring the organic farmer’s markets and it wouldn’t be a minute wasted. Go ahead and double your body weight in ice cream. 

The idyllic conditions mean breweries are overflowing in El Bolsón and brewmasters are getting damn creative. Honestly, I had the most delicious beer here, it made Germany look weak. (Sorry scary Germans, please don’t fight me.)

And, of course, take a day or more to hike around Cerro Piltriquitrón, El Cajón Azul , or Rio Azul .

Backpacking Patagonia

Finally, backpacking Patagonia! Let me tell you about some of my favourite stops: Perito Moreno, El Chaltén, and El Calafate . 

Perito Moreno (not to be confused with the Perito Moreno Glacier which is 400 miles south) is not the most adrenaline-pumping place. It’s the location that really sells it. 

Positioned halfway between El Bolsón and El Chaltén, it’s perfect to break up a bloody long bus journey. It’s also ideal to cross the border with Chile.

Check out the Cueva de las Manos : a UNESCO site of prehistoric painted hands and depictions of local wildlife, upwards of 13,000 years old! Personally, I thought it was super cool.

El Chaltén is the heart of Patagonia! Its close proximity to Los Glaciares National Park makes it an unmissable stop. 

The region’s most notable peaks – Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre – tower in the distance and attract hikers and climbers year-round seeking to brave the malicious conditions. You have a plethora of world-class trails in El Chaltén to hike.

Traversing the epic Patagonian Ice Field is something you won’t forget for the rest of your life. Though this is NOT for novices; those who embark on this trek must be ultra-prepared. There’s no doubt you will feel on top of the world if you make it, though.

A few hours drive from El Chaltén is El Calafate : the jumping-off point to see the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier . It’s actually 50 miles away from El Calafate but – in Argentina terms – this is “close”. 

If you’re kitted out you can walk across the glacier. It’s easily one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The Perito Moreno Glacier strikes an indescribable cobalt blue that gives you the chills – inside and out. End your expedition with the most satisfying beer you’ve ever drank.

If you’re a museum nerd (like me) the Glaciarium is the place to learn about the big-ass ice block. Inside the ice bar, you can grab a fernet and coke (a love or hate it kinda alcoholic drink).

A little more off the beaten track are the periphery Glaciares, Upsala and Speazzini .

Getting Off the Beaten Path Travel in Argentina

Even within the most heavily touristed regions, like Buenos Aires or Patagonia, there are areas that visitors rarely see. So  travelling off the beaten path while backpacking Argentina is easy . There are endless places to stop and watch the world go by.

There are plenty of places to see incredible wildlife, flora, and fauna in Argentina. Though this is the part where I’m going to tell you to be very mindful if you’re taking part in animal tourism .

Puerto Madryn will satisfy your beach cravings. It’s also a place to spot whales, dolphins, sea lions, and penguins.

In the northeast, the swampy region of Iberá Wetlands is Argentina’s most ecologically diverse location. It’s overflowing with phenomenal natural sights. 

Peninsula Valdes is a place of extreme marine diversity. Scientists compare it to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. Capybara, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, anacondas, marsh deer, caimans, and more, all call this place home.

Not many people make it to Ushuaia – Tierra del Fuego. Mostly because it’s damn far and expensive to get to. But if you make it to the Land of Fire , get ready for some of the best hikes in the world . Explore Tierra del Fuego National Park and scale the Martial Glacier .

Ushuaia is the best launching point to take a trip to Antarctica too. Though be warned: they are ridiculously expensive.

I had some of the best nights of my life just bouncing around the hometowns of the locals in places like Paraná and Santa Fe ; share mate , indulge in empanadas, and try every kind of beer. 

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

Of course, you’re going to find great things to do in Buenos Aires . But backpacking Argentina is much more than the capital city.

So get out there and create your unique Argentina itinerary!

1. Go to an Asado

The most cultural Argentino experience is the Asado . The gathering is centred around slabs of meat, cooked to perfection, on a type of grill called a parrilla .

But Asado is not just about the food: it’s more about the company. It’s a very social experience and definitive of who Argentinians are.

Plus, dessert usually involves dulce de leche. That alone is worth selling your soul for.

2. Join the insanity of a football match

I’m from the UK – and I thought we were football crazy – until I went to Argentina. If you love football, this is basically a pilgrimage. If you don’t like football, you’re still in for a hell of an experience.

Players are idolized, deified even – as is the case with Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi – by the masses. Get yourself to a match and prepare for the most energy you’ve ever seen in your life.

3. Bike the wineries in Mendoza

Mendoza is one of the premier wine productions in the world! What a pleasure it is to say that some of the tastiest (and best priced!) wine is right here!

Take a wine-tasting tour to learn the real value of the honoured Malbec grape. Enjoy a glass or 2, or 3… in this fantastical wine region is a guaranteed good time.

4. Experience Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls is one of the mightiest scenes on this planet. Grab a rain jacket and walk amongst the towering falls as they plummet 250 feet into the void.

5. Get your walking shoes on!

Who can talk about travelling in Argentina without recommending hiking in Patagonia ? The treks attract walkers from all corners of the world for a reason!

There is really no shortage of trekking opportunities. Grab your boots and take to Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy, and incredible national parks to marvel at their awesomeness.

6. See the life of the Gauchos

Gauchos are Argentina’s version of the cowboy and their relationship with the nation is a long and dramatic one. Visit an estancia and hear about the history that they have of roaming and protecting the nation.

7. Take your mate everywhere

There’s nothing like finding a beautiful spot to just sit and watch the world go by. Then you can do that the Argentinian way too: with your mate (pronounced ma-tey). Mate is usually shared, so it’s a great way to get to know people and share your experience. But even alone, your mate is your friend.

There are stunning parks, mountains, and rivers aplenty in Argentina that become perfect places to take your mate and watch the world go by.

8. Take a road trip

No backpacking route in Argentina would be complete without a road trip. One of the best places to do this is through its finest desert landscapes; some of the biggest deserts in the world in fact!

The Quebrada de Humahuaca road and the Seven Coloured Hills that run through Valles Calchaquí region are both a wild ride. If you have your own transport, you can stop as you please and soak in the splendour.

9. Watch wildlife in Iberá Wetlands or Peninsula Valdes

These are some of the least visited tourist attractions in Argentina due in part to their remoteness. Neither should be missed though as they contain some of Argentina’s most spectacular wildlife!

10. An Argentinian

Hey, listen, most backpackers are gonna tell you love and sex while travelling is always something good to partake in. But when I talk about the passion that the Argentinians have, just imagine how that transcends to love …

And the sex? No way… Go find out for yourself.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

There are a ton of budget backpacker lodges in Argentina! You’ll have no problem finding a place to stay while backpacking Argentina. Of course, there’s an abundance of hostels in Buenos Aires and budget accommodation is ample all over the country.

Many hostels can fill up quite quickly during their respective peak seasons. For example, lodging in Bariloche may be harder to find during the winter when the ski lodges are open.

Conversely, the hostels in Patagonia are busier in the summer when conditions are prime for trekking. In these cases, booking in advance could be beneficial.

For the best budget accommodation and the best vibes while staying in Argentina, look no further than Couchsurfing . The Argentinians definitely know how to host a guest.

When I’m not Couchsurfing, Airbnb is always my next choice. Having the option to cook your own food saves loads of money. Plus, I’m an introvert: I need my own space from time to time.

Estancias , which are like farm stays or ranches, are another popular form of accommodation in Argentina. This is a great way to experience life in rural Argentina. They can be a bit pricier than a hostel but you can’t get the kind of Argentina experience you can by staying with gauchos from a hostel.

Best Places to Stay in Argentina

Look, you’re going to find great places to stay in Argentina, no matter where you go. But these are some of the absolute best.

Argentina is a paradise for outdoors lovers. There are so many different types of landscape in this country: mountains, tundra, desert, forest, swamp, and more are all represented here. The possibilities for unique adventures are endless.

Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Be prepared for what life throws at you.

Buy an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure – don’t be daft!

Trekking in Argentina

Hikers have probably had a big heart over Argentina ever since they thought about planning a trek abroad . From multi-day treks to little day hikes, the explorer within us will not be disappointed.

If you’re going to one of Argentina’s many wildernesses or outdoor parks, then I suggest buying all of the necessary camping gear. You’ll save some money that way and avoid paying for rentals via tour operators.

Consider buying a tent and a sleeping mat, or ditch both by investing in a hammock. A good backpacking stove is also a good idea for saving money and creating the best views for your meals.

The Best Treks in Argentina

• Los Gigantes (1-2 days, 14 miles) – Big hike into one of the most beautiful portions of the Sierras de Córdoba. Accomplishable via a single (long) day or a multi-day trek.
• Cerro Champaquí from Villa Alpina (12-14 hours, 12 miles) – Reach the summit of the highest peak in the Sierras de Córdoba. May involved overnight camps depending on fitness and itineraries.
• Quebrada de las Conchas (4-5 hours, 6 miles ) – Amazing trek into the Quebrada de las Conchas region of Cafayate. Some of the most stunning desert scenery in Argentina.
• Hut-to-Hut in Bariloche (4 days) – This Spectacular hike affords some of the best views of Nahuel Huapi National Park and its lakes. Tents are optional since you can stay exclusively in the refugios.
• Villa O’Higgins to El Chaltén (2-3 days, 21 miles ) – One of the greatest ways to experience Patagonia. Walk from Villa O’Higgins in Chile to El Chaltén in Argentina. You’ll see some superlative mountain, forest, and lake scenery along the way.
• Laguna de los Tres (8-10 hours, 16 miles) – Hike to one of the most recognized places in all of Patagonia, the Laguna de los Tres at the base of the infamous Monte Fitz Roy.
• Laguna Torre (7-9 hours, 15 miles) – Another must-do hike in El Chaltén, this time to Laguna Torre at the base of the diabolical-looking Cerro Torre.

Hitchhiking in Argentina

Travelling by hitchhiking in Argentina is a pretty common form of transport. There are few roads and lots of drivers heading in the same direction as you, so you can find a good spot easily enough. Just note that hitching in the north of Argentina and hitching in the south are two very different experiences.

The north hosts the larger cities and criminal activity is a little higher here. I hate to say it, but there have been a number of hitchhiking-related crimes – so drivers can be a little cautious. But when you find a ride, drivers are friendly and chatty.

Hitching in the south of Argentina is a matter of finding a ride in the first place. Roads in this part of the country are sparse and there are fewer drivers around.

Drivers are usually more concerned about dealing with treacherous roads and not about picking up hippies. Trying to find a ride in Patagonia in any season outside of summer can be a bleak and very uncomfortable experience.

I would also say to not expect a free ride. Discuss with the driver beforehand about what you’re doing and maybe, at the very least, offer to buy some lunch.

To put it frankly, Argentina is cheap as holy shit right now. In some areas, it even compares to the likes of Southeast Asia. What is a shit situation for local people is shouting us broke backpackers from the rooftops.

I can write a whole essay about the cost of backpacking Argentina. It’s constantly in financial crisis . On top of this, with the effects of the pandemic, the economy has taken its biggest hit.

The Argentinian Peso is constantly suffering inflation. This has led to the black market money exchange in Argentina.

As always, Couchsurfing and camping are the best ways to save on lodging. You can find a camping pitch for less than $5 USD per tent.

Finding cheap food is the least of your concerns. It’s everywhere. Tell me empanadas are $0.35 cents each and I’m rolling out the joint.

Eating out is definitely affordable. A meal for 2 at restaurant, bottle of wine, AND a tip for the staff for less $10 USD is easy. (Tipping isn’t necessary – and I’m not usually a tipper either – but I had to leave a tip for this price.)

Long-distance buses are generally pretty cheap. Overnight buses are super comfy saving your accommodation. 😉 Avoid internal flights if you are on a tight budget while backpacking Argentina.

Obviously in the more remote areas, like Patagonia, prices are higher than in the rest of the country. If you’re going there, you can expect a higher budget. It’s beautiful though so totally worth it.

With some consciousness, a broke backpacker’s budget of $10 USD is easily doable here. If you feel like letting go a bit, a $40 USD daily budget will see you to a very good time. 

So budget travel in Argentina is alive and well! Your money will go far here and you can help out a lot of people with your tourism.

A Daily Budget in Argentina

So let’s put it simply. Here’s a quick breakdown of the daily costs of travel in Argentina.

Money in Argentina

The currency in Argentina is the Argentine Peso. With constant inflation in Argentina, you’re going to be seeing a lot of it. Knowing the tricks with this is one of the hottest travel tips for South America right now.

As of writing this (December 2023) here are the current exchange rates for the Argentinian Peso:

The official rate is roughly 800 Argentinian Pesos = $1 USD

The “Dólar Blue” rate is 960 Argentinian Pesos = $1 USD

This brings us to the black market in Argentina . You will notice a drastic difference between exchanging money “officially” and exchanging money on the black market – also known as the “Dólar Blue” .

The best way to exchange money on the black market is to bring money in USD and exchange money when you arrive. You’ll find people selling, and you can always ask for advice when you arrive. The locals are using USD to save money from inflation so they’re more than happy to help you out.

Of course, there is a risk in arriving with loads of dollars: Argentina, is not the place to be prancing around with a fat stack – unless you feel like losing it. So hide your cash well while travelling. 

You can retrieve money through Western Union at the black market rate. Beyond this, as far as I know, any other way to exchange money means you’re going to get ripped off.

There are ATMs in most places. But I wouldn’t recommend using them. If you’ve no other option – they’re there.

For all matters of finance and accounting on the road, The Broke Backpacker strongly recommends Wise – The Artist Formerly Known as Transferwise! Our favourite online platform for holding funds, transferring money, and even paying for goods, Wise is a 100% FREE platform with considerably lower fees than Paypal or traditional banks.

But the real question is… is it better than Western Union?

Yes, it most certainly is.

Travel Tips – Argentina on a Budget

• Camp : Argentina is one gorgeous country to camp, especially in the rural areas. It has been known to even pitch tents in people’s yards (and maybe get invited to an asado). Having a good backpacking tent is your first step to outdoorsy goodness.
• Cook your own food:  If you are on a tight budget, you can save money by cooking your own food. Having a  portable backpacking stove is a badass trick too.
• Book your transportation early:  Both plane and train tickets are much cheaper if you purchase them in advance. This rule doesn’t apply to buses, you can book them the same day or even hour.
• Couchsurf:  Argentinians are awesome but I wouldn’t stay anywhere without solid positive reviews. You know this shitty world means that travelling as a woman means we have more personal safety to consider. That being said, Couchsurfing makes real friendships and you see this country from the local perspective.

Why You Should Travel to Argentina with a Water Bottle

We’re globally aware of the plastic problem now, and it can seem overwhelming sometimes to change your habits. But little by little, we can make a difference.

One of the easiest ways to reduce single-use plastic in your life is by carrying a filtered water bottle. You don’t have to worry about the safety of the water, nor do you have to lean on buying plastic bottles every day. It’s one simple step to continue on the road of being a responsible traveller .

Plus, now you don’t have to PAY for water either! Because that really is absurd… Travel with a filtered water bottle and never waste a cent nor some poor fish’s life again.

Drink water from ANYWHERE. The Grayl Geopress is the worlds leading filtered water bottle protecting you from all manner of waterborne nasties.

Single-use plastic bottles are a MASSIVE threat to marine life. Be a part of the solution and travel with a filter water bottle. Save money and the environment!

We’ve tested the Geopress  rigorously  from the icy heights of Pakistan to the tropical jungles of Bali, and can confirm: it’s the best water bottle you’ll ever buy!

If you haven’t realised by now – Argentina is a massive country and spreads across multiple latitudes. Climate is extremely varied in Argentina; it has regions of excessive heat and humidity, bone dry deserts, highly unpredictable sub-arctic, and everything in between.

But generally, Argentinian weather is generally warm and wet in the summer (December – February) and cold and dry in the winter (June – August). Patagonia is the exception to this rule as it is warm(ish) and dry(ish) in the summer.

Summers are hot in the northeastern corner of Argentina . It can be almost unbearable at times actually. Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Rosario, Iguazú Falls, and Córdoba all fall under this category. Winter in these locations will be pleasingly mild and relatively dry.

Northwestern Argentina is predominantly a desert climate so summers here will be very hot while the winters can be quite cold. They are treated to nice summer thunderstorms from time to time. But as it’s the mountains, it can vary a lot.

Finally, the climate in Patagonia is just nutty and very location dependent. Some parts of the region have predictable weather and others are a complete wild card. Summers are generally drier but not exempt from thunderstorms. Winters are almost always cold and snowy.

Honestly, backpackers can visit Argentina at any time of the year; when you go is really dependent on what you want to do. Argentinian winters are great for skiing, and Buenos Aires will be nice and cool. Summer can be super hot and wet, but everyone is in very high spirits.

What to Pack for Argentina

A backpacking South America packing list can look a little different from packing lists for other continents. My mosquito net is my prized possession.

But on every adventure, there are 6 things I never go travelling without:

Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.

Hanging Laundry Bag

Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.

Sea To Summit Micro Towel

Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.

Monopoly Deal

Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.

Grayl Geopress Water Bottle

Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!

So you’ve heard the rumours. But let’s get it straight: it IS safe to travel Argentina .

Of course, crime is an issue in South America. But crime is an issue everywhere in the world. The vast majority of travellers in Argentina will tell you they had no problems at all by following common-sense travel safety practices .

There are certain areas that hold higher risk than others. Large urban cities have the highest crime rate – obviously. But most crime is petty in nature involving pickpockets, scams, and theft of unattended items; violent muggings are not frequent occurrences.

It’s worth asking locals about neighbourhoods you should avoid. Here is a map outlining the safer and more unsafe areas of Buenos Aires . There’s nothing of interest to a traveller outside of the “safe zones” anyway, so you won’t miss a thing.

It should be noted too that drunk driving is a problem in South America. Road accidents are common – please take extra care around the roads. I would go out on a whim and say this is the most dangerous part of travelling in Argentina.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll in Argentina

You know I said the Argentinians are passionate people? Well, that goes for partying too! 

First off: the party doesn’t start until well after the sun goes down. Most bars and clubs won’t open until midnight and will only close after the sun has risen. Their partying gusto puts Europe to shame – if you can avoid the shitty cachenge music.

Obviously, this is South America, so cocaine is rife and cheap. This is not like cocaine at home – you’re not snorting as much soap powder here – so be very cautious with your limits. 

You’ll also find plenty of other pills and powders around if you keep your eyes and ears open. Just be careful when you are buying drugs on the road. Speak with someone you trust and if it feels weird, it probably is. 

One of my (many) favourite things about Argentina is LEGAL WEED! Yes, you heard me right.

The law regarding marijuana has been relaxing for years and most stoners have taken to growing their own plants. It even goes so far as some people being legally permitted to grow and distribute now. Fuck yeah, Argentina!

And now for the sex part: Argentinians are famous for that one. It seems like people are falling in love with Argentinians left, right, and centre! They’re just intensely beautiful and passionate people. 

Loving and being loved by them is an experience like no other. So if you’re ready to jump into the dating pool, Argentina could well be the place to do it.

Travelling to Argentina is fairly simple. If you’re travelling from outside of South America by air, chances are you’re landing in Buenos Aires. If you’re arriving from inside South America by air, chances are, it’s still Buenos Aires .

There are plenty of land crossings from neighbouring countries to Argentina. All of these are very easy to conduct. The bus companies are so used to doing these routes so it’s usually a very smooth process.

There is an entry port by boat from Uruguay too. Though this isn’t that common a route.

Entry Requirements for Argentina

Most Western nations can travel to Argentina visa-free for 90 days , depending on your country of origin. For many, the fees have also been waivered! One more reason to visit Argentina.

Some nationalities will need to apply for an Argentinian visa prior to arriving. Referring to the map below: those from the nations that are not blue or green will need to contact their local embassy before visiting Argentina.

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Travelling between destinations in Argentina is not a quick affair. So no matter which forms of transport you choose, get comfy and enjoy the ride.

Buses are your new best friend for getting around Argentina! Locally known as the colectivo , they’re comfortable, reliable, and really reasonably priced. Depending on how you like to travel, there are multiple ways to get between major Argentinian destinations.

The best option for travelling in Argentina is undoubtedly driving.  Having your own car opens up all kinds of possibilities to enjoy the road less travelled.

Car sharing is very common. One of the best travel apps for Argentina is Carpoolear , which works exactly like BlaBlaCar in Europe. It’s usually a bit cheaper and faster than the bus and, if you’re lucky, sometimes they’ll drop you exactly to where you want to go.

Long-distance buses usually have food and a toilet available – though you’d be wise to bring extra snacks and toilet paper with you.

There are 3 different classes: cama , semi-cama , and servicio común . Cama (meaning bed ) is sleeping class with seats that recline to a completely horizontal position. Semi-cama has semi-reclining seats and servicio común has little reclining, if any at all.

You can purchase bus tickets online but it’s usually cheaper to buy them at the bus terminal. Just use the websites to get an idea of which companies are running to where and the time schedules.

There are a limited amount of long-distance train routes available to those backpacking in Argentina. Most trains connect the larger eastern cities like Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Mar del Plata.

Flying within Argentina can be expensive, but sometimes it’s a mandatory affair. If you want to visit far-flung places like Patagonia or the Valdes Peninsula and have limited time, you’re going to have to fly.

Buy plane tickets ahead of time to save money. Local airlines like Aerolíneas Argentinas are your go-tos.

Take note that Argentinian nationals pay less for flights than foreigners. Remember this when you think a plane is unusually cheap or falsely advertised.

Onwards Travel from Argentina

Argentina shares friendly borders with all its neighbours. Whether you’re heading to backpack Bolivia , Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, or Paraguay, it should never be a hassle.

If you’re heading overland to continue on the South America journey, you have plenty of border crossings to choose from:

You can catch a ferry in Buenos Aires to the lovely Uruguayan town of Colonia, which is just across the Rio de la Plata. There is a slow ferry (3 hours) and a quicker speedboat (1 hour) available.

Both Argentina and Chile share Patagonia, so you can continue your mountain exploration at one of the many crossings here! Many people hop back and forth across the border easily when backpacking in Patagonia and never experience a single problem.

There aren’t many international airports in Argentina. If you’re leaving South America, you’ll probably be heading to Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires .

Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting Argentina

It’s no joke: travelling without insurance in Argentina is risky. Even with all the best intentions, you simply can’t prepare for everything.

In a worst-case scenario situation, the last thing you want to think about is how you’re going to pay for healthcare. So having good travel insurance before you set off on your adventure can literally be a life-saver.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Argentinians are very confident and engaging people, so much so that they can even seem intense or intimidating. Really, they’re just very social people. You’ll find everyone, of all genders, greets with a kiss on the cheek – and you won’t be exempt from their kisses. 

Argentinians can be boisterous – their personalities fill the room. They waste no time in expressing their mind or feelings. But it’s not to be coarse or arrogant; that’s just their way. Truthfully, they’re some of the most admirable people that I’ve met.

They have little regard for poking fun at you, their friends, or themselves. It’s nothing personal. Actually, it’s their way of showing they like you.

Mate (pronounced ma-tey) is a big part of the culture, especially in the Northern regions. The drink is usually shared between groups and they take it everywhere they go. Being from the UK, my tea culture blended perfectly well with this.

The country is a melting pot of ethnicities and races and its people have taken the best features from their European, Latin, and Indigenous ancestors. Seriously, Argentinians are absolutely beautiful people.

If you want to jump into the dating pool, then be ready to jump into the deep end . They are passionate beyond measure and they will speak from the heart. 

G auchos are South American “cowboys” and a national symbol of Argentinian heritage. Before they were forced to fight wars for independence, they were peaceful landkeepers.

Today, football is almost a religion in Argentina. You won’t go a day without seeing shrines to Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona and you literally can’t turn a TV on without a football match appearing. Now imagine all that boisterous energy in their thousands at a football match…

Useful Travel Phrases for Argentina

Argentinians speak a very distinct form of Spanish called Castellano Rioplatense . This dialect is different from conventional Spanish. For example, the pronoun tú is replaced with vós .

Argentinians also use slang or Lunfardo – in excess. Lunfardo has no official recognition and is used only in casual conversation. They speak fast and rhythmically, so even if you’re a Spanish speaker, expect a little adjustment phase.

It’s one of the best countries to learn a new language . If you can master communicating in Spanish in Argentina, you’re ready for the rest of South America.

Most Argentinians study English in high school thanks in part to its usefulness and also to the substantial British population. Many locals can communicate with you via English but they love it when you speak whatever Spanish you can muster.

At the very least, learning a few local expressions is useful. So to make your life easier, here are a few helpful Argentinian phrases with English translations.

• Hola – Hello
• Gracias/de nada – Thanks/you’re welcome
• Dónde está…?  – Where is…?
• Como te llamas?  – What’s your name?
• Buenos dias/buenas tardes/buenas noches  – Good morning/afternoon/night
• Cómo andás?  – How’s it going?
• Por favor – Please
• Que hora es? – What time is it?
• Cuanto cuesta? – How much does it cost?
• Claro! – Sure/of course!
• Dale!  – Let’s go!
• Buenas ondas – Good stuff
• Que es esto? – What is this?

What to Eat in Argentina

There is no way I can open ‘what to eat in Argentina’ without addressing Asado. It’s basically the common friend of the whole nation. The social gathering all centres around MEAT.

The Asado involves excessive quantities of cow, cooked slowly, tenderly , with love, on a parrilla (a grill). It’s more than a barbecue: it’s an art form.

You know it’s the weekend when that hearty smell hits your nose wherever you are in the country. The parrilla is literally part of the house and they get their use out of it.

It may or may not be served with salad. But the best Asados are served with chimichurri – a kind of homemade condiment. 

Yerba mate is a type of drink. But really, mate is the name of the cup; the yerba is the herb they put inside and drink with hot water, kind of like tea. It’s packed with caffeine and they share the same mate with everyone. Consider it an honour when they pass the mate your way.

If you’ve never tried dulce de leche before, get ready to gain a few kilos. This caramelised condensed milky goodness is everywhere in Argentina: ice cream, alfajores, on bananas, damn even straight off the spoon.

Empanadas are a staple of the diet. These stunning, stuffed pastry pockets come in all flavours. They cost next to nothing so bounce street to street sampling everyone’s soul food. 

As a flexitarian, I was kind of revolted by the quantity of meat I saw (and ate) when I arrived in Argentina. But honestly, when I actually looked I was surprised: veggie options are definitely on the rise. I found it easier to avoid meat here than in other countries. It’s the cheese that’s almost impossible to avoid.

For your pleasure, I’ve created a list of 10 of the must-try foods in Argentina.

Must-Try Dishes in Argentina

• Empanadas  – Pastries you’ll find everywhere
• Choripan  – chorizo sausage sandwich
• Milanesa  – fried breaded meat, like schnitzel
• Chipa – cheesy bread balls
• Dulce de leche – caramelised condensed milk
• Asado  – meaty Argentinian goodness
• Provoleta  – cheese perfect for grilling
• Chimichurri – homemade sauce
• Alfajores – dulce de leche, biscuit, chocolate…say no more
• Yerba Mate – hot infusion drink that’s shared

A Brief History of Argentina

Argentina is a young nation with a brief and turbulent history. Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, the land was sparsely populated by native tribes.

The natives repel Spanish conquistadors somewhat successfully until the early 16th century. But this is the beginning of a long and sad story.

Sadly, as we know, European colonization was only a matter of time. The indigenous people were almost completely wiped out by the Spanish invaders.

By the 18th century, a stable settlement of the Spanish Empire is established in the area around the Rio de la Plata . Though brief in existence, this “viceroyalty” soon morphs into the first iterations of the Argentinian Republic.

In the early 19th century, Argentina was marked by internal conflicts between federalists and unitarians. Juan Manuel de Rosas was one of the leading figures of this time and was supremely polarizing.

In Buenos Aires, a series of successions and coups opposed him. An official democratic constitution declaring nationhood would finally be ratified in 1853.

Over the next few generations, Argentina is juggled between liberal and conservative parties. Having lost the territories of Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia to the Wars of Independence, Argentina began to expand southward into the desert and Patagonia. By the turn of the 19th century, Argentina resembles its current form.

In the first half of the 20th century, the economy boomed and people emigrated in droves. But key events of this era – World Wars and the Wall Street Crash – leave Argentina in tatters. During WWII, Juan Peron would stage a coup and set Argentina down the path of internal strife yet again.

Since the 1950s, Argentina has suffered brutal dictators and great political upheavals. Although much more stable and safe, the economy and population still suffer the effects. Though, democratic rule has been restored.

Due to the consequences of war, slavery, and colonisation, Argentina is a multi-national country. Today, it is a mixing pot of cultures.

Argentina is a diamond in the rough for the digital nomad lifestyle : reasonable costs of living, cafe culture, widely available, good internet connection; all features that should make remote workers raise their eyebrows. But for some reason, Argentina has not become a digital nomad hub… yet .

Finding regular work in Argentina will be difficult. Unemployment is high and work visas are hard to come by. If you do somehow manage this, don’t expect spectacular wages.

Most people that do work in Argentina are English teachers. Most work 20-30 hours each week with an institute, though some people manage to do just fine with private lessons. To increase your odds of scoring a gig teaching English abroad , it’s always a good idea to get a TEFL certificate.

Broke Backpacker readers also get a 50% discount on TEFL courses with  MyTEFL .

Alternatively, Global Work and Travel have a TEFL course in Buenos Aires where you are almost guaranteed a job afterwards. If you haven’t found a job within two weeks, you’ll be assisted in finding one until you do!

Volunteer in Argentina

Volunteering abroad is an amazing way to experience a culture whilst giving something back. Most nationalities can volunteer on a tourist visa for up to 90 days, but long-term stays will have more specific requirements. 

Argentina offers a variety of opportunities for backpackers to volunteer. Projects in Argentina range from teaching to agriculture to pretty much everything!. In my personal opinion, the province of Cordoba, in the mountain area, is a very good option combining great weather and people who are cool and receptive to volunteering.

Volunteer programs run through reputable work exchange programs are usually very well-managed and trustworthy. However, whenever you are volunteering, do stay vigilant, especially when working with animals or children.

If you want to find volunteering opportunities in Argentina, I recommend platforms like Worldpackers and Workaway . Although they have their flaws, they are the best way to get your foot in the door of the volunteering community.

Psst… Broke Backpacker readers get a $10 discount when you sign up for Worldpackers. Use the discount code BROKEBACKPACKER .

Is it expensive to travel in Argentina?

No! Argentina is super cheap. If you get a little bit familiar with the black market, you’ll find your money goes far here. Patagonia is the most expensive region in the country. You might see your daily spending creeping up faster if you visit here.

How much time do you need to backpack Argentina?

I would recommend at least 2 weeks for backpacking Argentina. In this time, you could see a few highlights. But it’s a huge country that could be explored for a lifetime. So taking as long as possible to really dive into this country is my real recommendation!

What is the best way to travel around Argentina?

Buses! Or the Colectivo as it’s known in Argentina. Whether you’re travelling long-distance, intercity, overnight, or just to the end of town, buses are going to be your trusty buddy through it all.

Is football popular in Argentina?

Is the pope Catholic? Yes… he is. Football is basically a religion in Argentina. You couldn’t avoid it if you wanted to. I’ve never seen a nation more obsessed with the game.

Argentina is one of those countries that leaves a big, fat print on a traveller’s heart. It is extreme; from the shores of the Atlantic to the tallest tips of Patagonia, this immense country has so much to teach you. 

There is one summary I can make after backpacking Argentina. All the things that the Argentinians are most passionate about – Asado, football, mate, wine – they’re all things that are not done alone: they are shared experiences. I think that’s why the energy of this place is so special. 

The country is one big melting pot. And you quickly feel like part of the mix. 

Your money as a tourist can go far here. But remember, we have a duty, as people of the world, to travel responsibly. You can make a difference to people’s lives with the way you travel through Argentina. 

Argentina is a bloody big country. There’s no way you can get round to all of it. But I would love to hear about your experiences and your best travel tips in the comments. 

Travelling Argentina is screaming out to the adventurers. So book that ticket! Help out some good people and eat all the empanadas possible. 

Now, prepared with your backpacking Argentina travel guide in hand, you’re about to take on the meatiest, most enthusiastic, highly PASSIONATE experience of a lifetime! You’ll find me there. Let’s share a mate.

• We’ve also got where to stay in Buenos Aires covered with our epic guide. 
• You’ll also wanna stay in the best hostels in Buenos Aires too!
• Our ultimate South America packing list as all the info you’ll ever need.
• Sort out your backpacker travel insurance before your trip.
• Get your international SIM card organised to avoid hassle.
• Argentina is just the start of your awesome backpacking trip around South America .

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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Just got perfect Guide to keep the important things in mind before travelling to Argentina Thanks.

Very comprehensive guide! However the peso is worth 0.026 dollars now (January 2019), which means travelling in Argentina is even cheaper than it was last year.

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2024 Federal Budget analysis

On April 16, 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, presented the government’s budget. The budget:

• increases the capital gains inclusion rate from 1/2 to 2/3, effective June 25, 2024 (up to $250,000 of annual gains for individuals will continue to benefit from the 1/2 inclusion rate)
• raises the lifetime capital gains exemption to $1.25 million and introduces a new 1/3 inclusion rate for up to $2 million of certain capital gains realized by entrepreneurs
• confirms previously announced alternative minimum tax proposals effective January 1, 2024, but softens the impact of these proposals on charitable donations
• provides design and implementation details for the clean electricity investment tax credit
• introduces accelerated capital cost allowance (CCA) for, and relief from interest deductibility limitations for debt incurred to fund the construction of, certain purpose-built rental housing
• provides immediate expensing for the cost of certain patents and computer equipment and software
• gives the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) additional information gathering powers

This Tax Insights discusses these and other tax initiatives proposed in the budget.

Tax measures

Capital gains inclusion rate.

• Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption

Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive

• Alternative Minimum Tax

Employee Ownership Trust Tax Exemption

Volunteer firefighters tax credit and search and rescue volunteers tax credit, mineral exploration tax credit for flow-through share investors.

• Canada Child Benefit

Disability Supports Deduction

Charities and qualified donees.

• Home Buyers’ Plan

Qualified Investments for Registered Plans

Deduction for tradespeople’s travel expenses, indigenous child and family services settlement, clean electricity investment tax credit, ev supply chain investment tax credit, clean technology manufacturing investment tax credit.

• Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance

Interest Deductions and Purpose-Built Rental Housing

Taxing vacant lands to incentivize construction, confronting the financialization of housing, halal mortgages, non-compliance with information requests, synthetic equity arrangements, mutual fund corporations, canada carbon rebate for small business, avoidance of tax debts, reportable and notifiable transactions penalty, manipulation of bankrupt status.

• Scientific Research and Experimental Development

International

Crypto-asset reporting, withholding for non-resident service providers, international tax reform.

• Extending GST Relief to Student Residences

GST/HST on Face Masks and Face Shields

Previously announced, personal tax measures.

The budget proposes to increase the capital gains inclusion rate from 1/2 to:

• 2/3 for dispositions after June 24, 2024 for corporations and trusts, and
• 2/3 for the portion of capital gains realized after June 24, 2024 in excess of an annual $250,000 threshold for individuals

The $250,000 annual threshold would apply to capital gains realized by an individual, either directly or indirectly via a partnership or trust, net of:

• current year capital losses
• capital losses of other years applied to reduce current year capital gains, and
• capital gains in respect of which the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE), the proposed Employee Ownership Trust Exemption or the proposed Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive is claimed

As a result, the following rates will apply to capital gains earned by individuals in excess of the $250,000 threshold who are subject to the top marginal income tax rate (i.e. on taxable income exceeding: $355,845 in Alberta, $252,752 in British Columbia, $1,103,478 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $500,000 in the Yukon and $246,752 in all other jurisdictions).

The budget also proposes to decrease the stock option deduction to 1/3 to align with the new capital gains inclusion rate.  Individuals would continue to benefit from a deduction of 1/2 of the taxable benefit up to a combined $250,000 for both employee stock options and capital gains.

The inclusion rate for net capital losses carried forward and applied against capital gains will be adjusted to reflect the inclusion rate of the capital gains being offset.   

Transitional rules will apply to taxation years that begin before June 25, 2024 and end after June 24, 2024 such that capital gains realized before June 25, 2024 would be subject to the 1/2 inclusion rate and capital gains realized after June 24, 2024 (net of any losses) would be subject to a 2/3 inclusion rate. The $250,000 threshold will not be prorated for individuals in 2024 and will apply only against capital gains incurred after June 24, 2024.

Additional details will be provided in the coming months.   

Earning capital gains through a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC)

In most jurisdictions, the increase in the capital gains inclusion rate makes it less attractive for individuals to earn capital gains in excess of $250,000 through a CCPC instead of directly. The  Appendix shows the resulting income tax deferral (prepayment) and the tax cost for an individual who realizes capital gains in excess of $250,000 and pays tax at the top tax rate.

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Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE)

The budget proposes to increase the LCGE on eligible capital gains from $1,016,836 to $1,250,000 for dispositions that occur after June 24, 2024. The indexing of the LCGE to inflation will resume in 2026.

The budget introduces the Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive, which will reduce the taxes on capital gains from the disposition of shares by eligible individuals which meet the following conditions:

• at the time of the sale the share was a share of a small business corporation owned directly by an individual
• used principally in an active business carried on primarily in Canada by the CCPC or a related corporation
• certain shares or debts of connected corporations, or
• a combination of these assets
• the individual was a founding investor and the individual held the share for a period of five years prior to the disposition
• at all times since the share subscription until the time immediately before the sale, the individual directly owned shares with a fair market value (FMV) of more than 10% of the FMV of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the corporation and shares entitling the individual to more than 10% of the votes
• throughout the five year period before the disposition the individual was actively engaged in a regular, continuous and substantial basis in the activities of the business
• the share does not represent a direct or indirect interest in a professional corporation, a corporation whose principal asset is the reputation or skill of one or more employees, or a corporation that carries on certain types of businesses including a business operating in the financial, insurance, real estate, food and accommodation, arts, recreation, or entertainment sector, or providing consulting or personal care services
• the share must have been obtained for fair market value consideration

The incentive would provide a capital gains inclusion rate of one half of the prevailing inclusion rate on up to $2 million in capital gains per individual during their lifetime. The $2 million limit will be phased in over 10 years by increments of $200,000 per year reaching $2 million by January 1, 2034.  

Applying the proposed 2/3 inclusion rate would result in an inclusion rate of 1/3 for qualifying dispositions.  This will apply in addition to the LCGE.

This measure would apply to dispositions that occur after December 31, 2024.

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

The 2023 budget announced amendments to change the calculation of the AMT. Draft legislative proposals were released for consultation in the summer of 2023. (For more information, see our Tax Insights “ Proposed changes to the alternative minimum tax: How will it affect individuals and trusts ”.)

The budget proposes to revise the proposed charitable donation tax credit claim to allow individuals to claim 80% when calculating AMT (as opposed to the previously proposed 50%).

The budget also proposes additional amendments to the AMT proposals including:

• allowing deductions for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, social assistance and workers compensation payments
• fully exempting employee ownership trusts (EOTs) from the AMT, and
• allowing certain disallowed credits under the AMT to be eligible for the AMT carry-forward (i.e. the federal political contribution tax credit, investment tax credits (ITCs), and labour-sponsored funds tax credit)

The amendments would apply to taxation years that begin after December 31, 2023.

The budget also proposes certain technical amendments to the AMT legislative proposals to exempt certain trusts for the benefit of Indigenous groups.

The 2023 budget proposed tax rules to create EOTs. The 2023 Fall Economic Statement proposed to exempt $10 million of capital gains on the sale of a business to an EOT subject to certain conditions.

The budget introduces the conditions for this exemption. The exemption will be available to an individual (other than a trust) on the sale of a business to an EOT where the following conditions are met:

• the individual, a personal trust of which the individual is a beneficiary, or a partnership in which the individual is a member, disposes of shares of a corporation that is not a professional corporation
• the transaction is a qualifying business transfer (as defined in the proposed rules for EOTs) in which the trust acquiring the shares is not already an EOT or a similar trust with employee beneficiaries
• throughout the 24 months immediately prior to the qualifying business transfer, the transferred shares were exclusively owned by the individual claiming the exemption, a related person, or a partnership in which the individual is a member; and over 50% of the FMV of the corporation’s assets were used principally in an active business
• at any time prior to the qualifying business transfer, the individual (or their spouse or common-law partner) has been actively engaged in the qualifying business on a regular and continuous basis for a minimum period of 24 months
• immediately after the qualifying business transfer, at least 90% of the beneficiaries of the EOT are resident in Canada

Where multiple individuals dispose of shares to an EOT as part of a qualifying transfer and meet the conditions above, they may each claim an exemption, however the total exemption in respect of the sale cannot exceed $10 million. The individuals would have to agree on the allocation of the exemption.

If an EOT has a disqualifying event within 36 months of the transfer, the exemption claim will be retroactively denied. If this occurs more than 36 months after a transfer the EOT will be deemed to realize a capital gain equal to the total exempt capital gains. A disqualifying event would result where an EOT loses its status as an EOT or if less than 50% of the FMV of the qualifying business shares is attributable to assets used principally in an active business at the beginning of two consecutive years of the corporation.

The EOT, any corporation owned by the EOT that acquired the transferred shares, and the individual will need to elect to be jointly and severally, or solitarily liable for any tax payable by the individual as a result of an exemption being denied due to a disqualifying event occurring during the first 36 months.  

For the purposes of the AMT calculation the capital gain on the transfer would be subject to an inclusion rate of 30% (consistent with the inclusion rate for capital gains eligible for the LCGE).            

An individual’s normal reassessment period as it relates to this exemption is proposed to be extended by an additional three years.

The budget also proposes to expand qualifying business transfers to include the sale of shares to a workers cooperative corporation, provided it meets certain conditions.

These measures will apply to qualifying dispositions of shares that occur between January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.

The budget proposes to double the volunteer firefighters tax credit and the search and rescue volunteers tax credit to $6,000 for the 2024 and subsequent taxation years; this increases the maximum annual tax savings to $900.

The budget proposes to extend the eligibility for this credit for an additional year, so that it will apply to flow-through share agreements entered into before April 1, 2025.

Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

A CCB recipient is no longer eligible to claim the CCB in respect of a child in the month following the child’s death. The budget proposes to extend eligibility for the CCB to six months after the child’s death, provided the individual continued to be eligible for the CCB.

The budget proposes to extend the list of expenses recognized for the disability supports deduction.

It also provides that expenses for service animals, as defined under the medical expense tax credit (METC) rules, will be recognized under the disability supports deduction. The individual will choose whether to claim under the METC or the disability supports deduction.

A foreign charity may register as a qualified donee for a 24-month period where it received a gift from His Majesty in right of Canada and it is pursuing certain activities in the national interest of Canada.  The budget proposes to extend the eligibility of a foreign charity to be considered a qualified donee from 24 months to 36 months.  The foreign charity would also be required to submit an annual information return to the CRA that would be made publicly available. The extension will apply to foreign charities registered after April 16, 2024. The reporting requirements will apply to taxation years beginning after April 16, 2024.        

The budget also proposes to simplify the issuance of official donation receipts by removing certain requirements.

Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

To help first-time home buyers, the budget proposes to:

• increase, from $35,000 to $60,000, the amount that an eligible home buyer can withdraw from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) under the HBP, without subjecting the withdrawal to tax, to buy or build a qualifying home (i.e. a first home or a home for a specified disabled individual), effective for the 2024 and subsequent calendar years, for withdrawals made after April 16, 2024
• temporarily extend the repayment grace period by three years, to five years, under the HBP, so that eligible home buyers who withdraw from their RRSP between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2025 will have up to five years before they need to start repayments to their RRSP

Registered plans (RRSPs, Registered Retirement Income Funds, Tax-Free Savings Accounts, Registered Education Savings Plans, Registered Disability Savings Plans, First Home Savings Accounts, and Deferred Profit Sharing Plans) can invest only in qualified investments for those plans. Qualified investments include mutual funds, publicly traded securities, government and corporate bonds and guaranteed investment certificates. Over the years the qualified investment rules have been expanded to include additional investments for certain plans and to reflect the introduction of new types of plans, but there are inconsistencies and the qualified investment rules are difficult to understand in some cases.

Specific issues are currently under consideration. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by July 15, 2024 as to how the qualified investment rules can be modernized on a prospective basis to improve the clarity and coherence of the registered plans regime.

Eligible tradespeople and apprentices in the construction industry are currently able to deduct up to $4,000 in eligible travel and relocation expenses per year by claiming the labour mobility deduction for tradespeople. A private member’s bill (Bill C-241) was introduced to enact an alternative deduction for certain travel expenses of tradespeople in the construction industry, with no cap on expenses, retroactive to the 2022 taxation year.

The budget announces that the government will consider bringing forward amendments to the Income Tax Act (ITA) to provide a single, harmonized deduction for tradespeople’s travel that respects the intent of Bill C-241.

The budget proposes to amend the ITA to exclude from taxation the income of the trusts established under the First Nations Child and Family Services, Jordan’s Principle, and Trout Class Settlement Agreement. This will also ensure that payments received by class members as beneficiaries of the trusts will not be included when computing income for federal income tax purposes.

This measure will apply to the 2024 and subsequent taxation years.

Business tax measures

The 2023 budget proposed a refundable ITC for clean electricity, equal to 15% of the capital cost of eligible property. The 2024 budget provides the design and implementation details of the ITC, including the eligibility criteria. It also includes special rules for property that generates electricity from natural gas with carbon capture and property used to transmit electrical energy between provinces or territories, as well as details of the compliance and recovery process.

The ITC will be available only to eligible Canadian corporations, which are defined as:

• taxable Canadian corporations and pension investment corporations
• provincial and territorial Crown corporations (subject to additional requirements)
• corporations owned by municipalities or Indigenous communities

Property eligible for the ITC includes equipment used to generate electricity from:

• solar, wind or water energy (certain class 43.1 property, but hydroelectric installations would not be subject to a capacity limit)
• concentrated solar energy (as defined for the purposes of the proposed clean technology ITC)
• nuclear fission, including heat generating equipment (as defined for the purposes of the proposed clean technology ITC, without the generating capacity limits and other certain requirements of that credit)
• geothermal energy, including heat generating equipment, if it is used exclusively for that purpose (excluding equipment that is part of a system that extracts fossil fuel for sale)
• specified waste materials, as part of a system

Eligible property also includes equipment that is:

• stationary electricity storage equipment and equipment used for pumped hydroelectric energy storage (excluding any that uses a fossil fuel in operation)
• part of an eligible natural gas energy system (special rules apply)
• used for transmission of electricity between provinces and territories (special rules apply)

Previously proposed labour requirements must be met to qualify for the 15% ITC, otherwise a 5% ITC is available. The ITC will be subject to potential repayment obligations, repayable in proportion to the FMV of the particular property when it has been converted to an ineligible use, exported from Canada, or disposed of.

The ITC will be available for new eligible property (i.e. has not been used for any purposes before its acquisition) that is acquired and becomes available for use after April 15, 2024 and before 2035 in respect of projects that did not begin construction before March 28, 2023.

The budget introduces the EV supply chain ITC, equal to 10% of the cost of buildings used in Canada in the following electric vehicle supply chain segments:

• electric vehicle assembly
• electric vehicle battery production
• cathode active material production

To qualify for the ITC, the taxpayer (or member of a group of related taxpayers) must claim the clean technology manufacturing ITC (CTMITC) in all three of the segments (or must claim the CTMITC in two of the three segments and hold at least a qualifying minority interest in an unrelated corporation that claims the CTMITC in the third segment – the building costs of the unrelated corporation would also qualify for the new ITC).

The ITC is effective for property that is acquired and becomes available for use after December 31, 2023. The ITC will be reduced to 5% for 2033 and 2034 and 0% after 2034. Design and implementation details of the ITC will be provided in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.

The 2023 budget proposed a clean technology manufacturing ITC, and draft legislative proposals were released in December 2023. The 2024 budget proposes to update the clean technology manufacturing ITC for production of qualifying minerals (such as copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, graphite and rate earth elements) that occur at polymetallic projects (i.e. projects engaged in the production of multiple minerals) by:

• clarifying that the value of qualifying materials will be used as the appropriate output metric when assessing the extent to which property is used (or expected to be used) for qualifying mineral activities producing qualifying materials
• modifying eligible expenditures to include investments in eligible property used in qualifying mineral activities that are expected to produce primarily qualifying materials at mine or well sites, including tailing ponds and mills located at these sites (50% or more of the financial value of the output comes from qualifying materials)

A safe harbour rule will apply to the recapture rule for all qualifying mineral activities, to mitigate against the effects of mineral price volatility on the potential recapture of the ITC, the details of which will be provided at a later date.

Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance (CCA)

Purpose-built rental housing.

The budget provides an accelerated CCA of 10% for new eligible purpose-built rental projects that begin construction after April 15, 2024 and before January 1, 2031, and are available for use before January 1, 2036.

Eligible property will be new purpose-built rental housing that is a residential complex:

• with at least four private apartment units, or 10 private rooms or suites, and
• in which at least 90% of residential units are held for long-term rental

The Accelerated Investment Incentive (AII), which suspends the half-year rule, will continue to apply to eligible property put in use before 2028. The accelerated CCA will not apply to renovations of existing residential complexes, but new additions to an existing structure will be eligible. Projects that convert existing non-residential real estate into a residential complex will be eligible.

Productivity-enhancing assets

The budget provides immediate expensing (i.e. a 100% first-year CCA deduction) for property that is acquired after April 15, 2024 and becomes available for use before January 1, 2027, for the following CCA classes of assets:

• class 44 (patents or rights to use patented information for a limited or unlimited period)
• class 46 (data network infrastructure equipment and related systems software)
• class 50 (general-purpose electronic data-processing equipment and systems software)

The accelerated CCA will be available only for the year in which the property becomes available for use. For a short taxation year, the accelerated CCA must be prorated and will not be available in the following taxation year. Property that becomes available for use after 2026 and before 2028 will continue to benefit from the AII.

Property that has been used (or acquired for use) for any purpose before it is acquired by the taxpayer will be eligible for the accelerated CCA only if both of the following conditions are met:

• neither the taxpayer nor a non-arm’s length person previously owned the property, and
• the property has not been transferred to the taxpayer on a tax-deferred “rollover” basis

The excessive interest and financing expenses limitation (EIFEL) rules restrict a Canadian taxpayer’s deductions for interest and financing expenses, based upon a percentage of its “tax-EBITDA” (i.e. its taxable income, adjusted for items such as interest expenses, depreciation and amortization). For a discussion of the EIFEL rules, see our  Tax Insights “ Bill C-59 ─ Excessive interest and financing expenses limitation (EIFEL) regime .” The EIFEL rules currently include a single sector-specific exemption, for certain interest and financing expenses relating to public-private partnership (P3) infrastructure projects. The budget proposes to extend this election, on an elective basis, for certain interest and financing expenses relating to arm’s length financing that is used to build or acquire certain purpose-built rental housing located in Canada. This exemption will be effective for taxation years beginning after September 30, 2023, consistent with the EIFEL rules more generally. However, this exemption will be available only for expenses incurred before January 1, 2036.

The government is concerned that some landowners are holding residentially zoned vacant land as a speculative investment. The budget announces that the government will consider introducing a new tax on residentially zoned vacant land to spur development. The government will launch consultations later this year.

In March 2024, the government began consultations on how federal policies can better support the needs of all Canadians seeking to become homeowners. The government will provide an update in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.

The budget announces the government’s intention to restrict the acquisition of existing single-family homes by very large corporate investors. The government will consult in the coming months and provide further details in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.

The budget announces that the government is exploring new measures to expand access to alternative financing products for home purchasers, such as halal mortgages. These measures could include changes in the tax treatment of these products or a new regulatory regime for financial service providers, while ensuring adequate consumer protections are in place.

The budget proposes several amendments to the CRA’s information gathering provisions in the ITA, with the intent of enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of tax audits and facilitating the collection of tax revenues on a timelier basis. These changes include:

• allowing the CRA to issue a new type of notice, referred to as a “notice of non-compliance” and to levy a monetary penalty
• permitting the CRA to specify that any required information (oral or written) or documents be provided under oath or affirmation
• imposing a penalty when the CRA obtains a compliance order against a taxpayer, and
• extending the stop the clock rules (which suspend the counting of days in the assessment limitation period), so that these rules apply when a taxpayer seeks judicial review of any requirement or notice issued to the taxpayer by the CRA in relation to the audit and enforcement process, and during any period that a notice of non-compliance is outstanding

Analogous amendments are also proposed to other federal tax statutes administered by the CRA. The budget also proposes certain technical amendments to ensure the rules meet their policy objectives.

These amendments would come into force upon royal assent of the enacting legislation.

The ITA allows a corporation to deduct the amount of any dividends received on a share of a corporation resident in Canada, subject to certain limitations.

One of these limitations is an anti-avoidance rule that denies the dividend received deduction in connection with synthetic equity arrangements. Synthetic equity arrangements include arrangements in which a person receives a dividend on a share, but all or substantially all of the risk of loss and opportunity for gain or profit (the “economic exposure”) in respect of the share are provided to another person.

Where a taxpayer enters into a synthetic equity arrangement in respect of a share, the taxpayer is generally obligated to compensate the other person for the amount of any dividends paid on the share. This compensation payment may result in a tax deduction for the taxpayer in addition to the dividend received deduction. Unless the anti-avoidance rule applies to deny the dividend received deduction, a tax loss would generally arise as a result of the two deductions.

The anti-avoidance rule incorporates certain exceptions, including where the taxpayer establishes that no tax-indifferent investor has all or substantially all of the economic exposure in respect of the share. An associated exception is also available for synthetic equity arrangements traded on a derivatives exchange.

The budget proposes to remove the tax-indifferent investor exception (including the exchange traded exception) to the anti-avoidance rule. This measure would prevent taxpayers from claiming the dividend received deduction for dividends received on a share in respect of which there is a synthetic equity arrangement.

This measure would apply to dividends received after December 31, 2024.

A mutual fund is a type of investment vehicle that allows investors to pool their money and invest in a portfolio of investments without purchasing the investments directly. A mutual fund corporation is a mutual fund organized as a corporation that meets certain conditions set out in the ITA.

The ITA includes special rules for mutual fund corporations that facilitate conduit treatment for investors (shareholders). For example, these rules generally allow capital gains realized by a mutual fund corporation to be treated as capital gains realized by its investors. In addition, a mutual fund corporation is not subject to mark-to-market taxation and can elect capital gains treatment on the disposition of Canadian securities.

To qualify as a mutual fund corporation under the ITA, a corporation must satisfy several conditions, including that it must be a “public corporation”. A corporation can meet this condition if a class of its shares is listed on a designated stock exchange in Canada. A corporation that is controlled by a corporate group may satisfy this condition, and qualify as a mutual fund corporation, even though it is not widely held. The government is concerned that this could allow a corporate group to use a mutual fund corporation to benefit from the special rules available to these corporations in an unintended manner.

Although the government believes this planning can be challenged based on existing rules in the ITA, the budget proposes specific amendments to the ITA to preclude a corporation from qualifying as a mutual fund corporation where it is controlled by or for the benefit of a corporate group (including a corporate group that consists of any combination of corporations, individuals, trusts, and partnerships that do not deal with each other at arm’s length). Exceptions would be provided to ensure that the measure does not adversely affect mutual fund corporations that are widely held pooled investment vehicles.

This measure would apply to taxation years that begin after 2024.

The budget introduces the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Business, to return a portion of the federal backstop pollution pricing fuel charge proceeds collected from a province. This will be an automatic refundable tax credit for CCPCs with less than 500 employees in Canada in the calendar year in which the fuel charge begins. The tax credit in respect of the 2019-20 to 2023-24 fuel charge years will be available to a CCPC that files a tax return for its 2023 taxation year by July 15, 2024 (with similar timelines for future fuel charge years).

The tax credit amount:

• is determined for each applicable province in which the eligible corporation had employees in the calendar year in which the fuel charge year begins; and
• is equal to the number of persons employed by the eligible corporation in the province in that calendar year multiplied by a payment rate specified by the Minister of Finance for the province for the corresponding fuel charge year

The ITA includes an anti-avoidance rule that is intended to prevent taxpayers from avoiding payment of their tax liabilities by transferring their assets to non-arm’s length persons. The effect of this tax debt avoidance rule is to make the transferee jointly and severally, or solidarily, liable with the transferor for the transferor’s tax debts, to the extent that the value of the property transferred exceeds the amount of consideration given by the transferee for the property.

The ITA contains a number of rules that address various planning techniques employed by taxpayers attempting to circumvent the tax debt avoidance rule, as well as a penalty for those who engage in, participate in, assent to, or acquiesce in planning activity that they know, or would reasonably be expected to know, is tax debt avoidance planning.

The budget includes a new specific measure to address tax debt avoidance planning (although the government believes this planning can also be challenged based on existing rules in the ITA). The measure would apply in the following circumstances:

• there has been a transfer of property from a tax debtor to another person
• as part of the same transaction or series of transactions, there has been a separate transfer of property from a person other than the tax debtor to a transferee that does not deal at arm’s length with the tax debtor, and
• one of the purposes of the transaction or series is to avoid joint and several, or solidary, liability

Where these conditions are met, the property transferred by the tax debtor would be deemed to have been transferred to the transferee for the purposes of the tax debt avoidance rule. This would ensure that the tax debt avoidance rule applies in situations where property has been transferred from a tax debtor to a person and, as part of the same transaction or series, property has been received by a non-arm’s length person. The penalty applicable to those who participate in tax debt avoidance planning would also be extended to this proposed new rule.

In many cases, tax debt avoidance planning is facilitated by a planner who receives a significant fee, which is effectively funded by a portion of the avoided tax debt. The courts have held that a taxpayer who engages in tax debt avoidance planning is normally not jointly and severally, or solidarily, liable for the portion of the tax debt that has effectively been retained by the planner as a fee. The budget proposes that taxpayers who participate in tax debt avoidance planning be jointly and severally, or solidarily, liable for the full amount of the avoided tax debt, including any portion that has effectively been retained by the planner.

Similar amendments would be made to comparable provisions in other federal statutes.

These measures would apply to transactions or series of transactions that occur after April 15, 2024.

The ITA includes a general rule providing that a person who fails to file or make a return or comply with certain specified rules is guilty of an offence, and liable to penalties of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for up to a year. The mandatory disclosure rules in the ITA also include specific penalties that apply in these circumstances, making the application of this general penalty provision unnecessary.

The budget therefore proposes to remove from the scope of the general penalty provision the failure to file an information return in respect of a reportable or notifiable transaction under the mandatory disclosure rules.

This amendment would be deemed to have come into force on June 22, 2023, which is the day the enhanced mandatory disclosure rules received royal assent.

Under the ITA, losses and other tax attributes that arise from expenditures for which a taxpayer did not ultimately bear the cost are generally not recognized. The ITA contains a set of debt forgiveness rules that apply where a commercial debt is settled for less than its principal amount. These rules generally reduce tax attributes by the amount of debt that is forgiven and, where tax attributes have been fully reduced, the rules cause an income inclusion equal to half of the remaining forgiven amount. The ITA also contains a rule that entitles an insolvent corporation to a corresponding deduction to offset all or part of an income inclusion from the debt forgiveness rules.

Bankrupt taxpayers are generally excluded from these debt forgiveness rules. Instead, a separate loss restriction rule applies to extinguish the losses of bankrupt corporations that have received an absolute order of discharge.

The government is concerned that some taxpayers have sought to manipulate the bankrupt status of an insolvent corporation, with a view to benefiting from the exception in the debt forgiveness rules while also avoiding the loss restriction rule applicable to bankrupt corporations. This planning seeks to preserve the losses and other tax attributes of the insolvent corporation (which would otherwise be eliminated upon the forgiveness of its debts), so that these attributes can be acquired and used by a profitable corporation. This planning is the subject of a designated transaction under the notifiable transactions element of the mandatory disclosure rules.

Although the government believes that manipulation of bankrupt status can be challenged based on existing rules in the ITA, the budget proposes a specific legislative measure to address this issue: repealing the exception to the debt forgiveness rules for bankrupt corporations and the loss restriction rule applicable to bankrupt corporations. This change would subject bankrupt corporations to the general rules that apply to other corporations whose commercial debts are forgiven. The bankruptcy exception to the debt forgiveness rules would remain in place for individuals. While bankrupt corporations would be subject to the reduction of their loss carryforward balances and other tax attributes upon debt forgiveness, as insolvent corporations they could qualify for relief from the debt forgiveness income inclusion rule provided under the existing deduction for insolvent corporations.

These proposals would apply to bankruptcy proceedings that are commenced on or after April 16, 2024.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED)

The government launched a consultation on the existing SR&ED tax incentives on January 31, 2024, which closed on April 15, 2024. The budget announces a second phase of consultations, to focus on specific policy parameters, explore how Canadian public companies could become eligible for the enhanced SR&ED ITC and inform how additional funding announced by the budget can support future enhancements to the SR&ED program. Further details of the consultation will be released on the Department of Finance Canada website at a later date.

International tax measures

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has developed a framework for the automatic exchange of tax information relating to transactions in crypto-assets, the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). The budget proposes to implement the CARF in Canada. The new reporting rules will apply to crypto-asset service providers that are resident in Canada, or carry on business in Canada, and that provide services effectuating exchange transactions in crypto-assets. These service providers will need to report certain information regarding their customers and crypto-asset transactions. The budget also includes proposed amendments to the Canadian rules implementing the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard, including changes relating to electronic money products and central bank digital currencies. These measures will apply to 2026 and subsequent calendar years.

A person who makes a payment to a non-resident for services rendered in Canada is currently required to withhold 15% of the payment and remit that amount to the CRA. This is intended to serve as a prepayment of tax that the non-resident may ultimately owe in Canada. Certain non-residents do not owe Canadian tax for these services, e.g. due to exemptions in tax treaties, or exemptions for specific activities like international shipping. In these circumstances, the CRA may provide an advance waiver from the withholding obligation for specific transactions, or the non-residents may apply for refunds of amounts that have already been withheld. The budget proposes to give the CRA legislative authority to grant single waivers that cover multiple transactions occurring over a specific time period, where certain conditions are satisfied. This measure will take effect upon royal assent of the enacting legislation.

The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting has developed a two-pillar plan to reform the international tax system, as part of the “BEPS 2.0” initiative. On October 8, 2021, Canada and 135 other countries in the Inclusive Framework committed to adopt this plan (for a discussion on that commitment, see our  Tax Insights  “ The new international tax framework and Canada’s digital services tax ”). The budget provides an update on the two pillars of this international tax reform initiative.

Pillar One will introduce new rules for allocating taxing rights between countries to address challenges raised by the digital economy. These rules will generally apply to multinational enterprises (MNEs) with annual revenue above €20 billion and profit margins above 10%. The right to tax a portion of these MNEs’ profits will be reallocated to market countries (i.e. the countries where the MNEs’ users and customers are located).

The budget reaffirms Canada’s commitment to bringing Pillar One into effect as soon as a critical mass of countries is willing to participate. In the meantime, Canada is moving ahead with its plan to enact the Digital Services Tax (DST). Implementing legislation for the DST is currently before Parliament in Bill C-59. The DST will take effect beginning in calendar year 2024, with the first year covering taxable revenues earned since January 1, 2022. (For a discussion of the DST, see our  Tax Insights  “ Digital Services Tax: One step closer to becoming a reality .”)

Pillar Two will introduce a 15% global minimum tax. This tax will generally apply to MNEs with global revenues of at least €750 million. These MNEs will be required to compute their effective tax rate (ETR) in each country where they operate. If the ETR for a particular country is below 15%, a top-up tax will be imposed, to raise that ETR to 15% (this top-up tax may be reduced by a substance-based income exclusion, which is computed based on the payroll costs and net book value of tangible assets located in the jurisdiction). Draft legislative proposals for a Global Minimum Tax Act to implement the Pillar Two regime in Canada were released for public comment in August 2023 (for a discussion of those proposals, see our  Tax Insights  “ Canada releases draft Global Minimum Tax Act ”). The budget states that Canada is moving forward with this implementing legislation and intends to introduce it in Parliament soon.

Sales tax measures

Extending goods and services tax (gst) relief to student residences.

On September 14, 2023, the government announced that it would temporarily remove the GST from new purpose-built rental housing projects (i.e. apartment buildings, student housing and senior residences built specifically for long-term rental accommodation) by implementing an Enhanced (100%) GST Rental Rebate for new qualifying purpose-built rental housing projects (for more information, see our  Tax Insights  “ Enhanced GST rental rebate for rental apartments that begin construction after September 13, 2023 ").

To ensure that universities, public colleges and school authorities can also claim the Enhanced (100%) GST Rental Rebate for student residences that are built for short-term use, the budget proposes to amend the  Excise Tax Act  to allow them to apply the normal GST/Harmonized sales tax (HST) rules that apply to other builders (i.e. paying GST/HST on the final value of the building) in respect of new student housing projects.

The budget also proposes to relax the rebate conditions so that universities, public colleges and school authorities that operate on a not-for-profit basis (i.e. those that would currently qualify for the Public Service Body rebates under the GST/HST) can claim the 100% rebate in respect of any new student residence that they acquire or construct provided it is primarily for the purpose of providing a place of residence for their students.

The proposed measures would apply to student residences that begin construction after September 13, 2023 and before 2031, and that complete construction before 2036.

The budget proposes to repeal the temporary zero rating of certain face masks or respirators and certain face shields under the GST/HST for supplies made after April 30, 2024.

Previously Announced Measures

The budget confirms that the government will proceed with the following previously announced measures, as modified to take into account consultations, deliberations and legislative developments since their announcement or release:

• legislative proposals released on December 20, 2023, which include measures relating to the clean hydrogen ITC, the clean technology manufacturing ITC, concessional loans and short-term rentals
• legislative and regulatory proposals announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, which include measures relating to the Canadian journalism labour tax credit, the expansion of eligibility for the clean technology and clean electricity ITC, the GST/HST joint venture election rules and the Underused Housing Tax
• legislative and regulatory amendments to implement the Enhanced (100%) GST Rental Rebate for purpose-built rental housing announced on September 14, 2023
• the carbon capture, utilization and storage and the clean technology ITCs and labour requirements related to certain “clean economy” ITCs
• enhancing the reduced tax rates for zero-emission technology manufacturers
• flow-through shares and the critical mineral exploration tax credit – lithium from brines
• Retirement Compensation Arrangements
• strengthening the Intergenerational Business Transfer framework
• the income tax and GST/HST treatment of credit unions
• a tax on repurchases of equity
• modernizing the General Anti-Avoidance Rule
• global minimum tax and DST
• technical amendments to GST/HST rules for financial institutions
• providing relief in relation to the GST/HST treatment of payment card clearing services
• extending the quarterly duty remittance option to all licensed cannabis producers
• revised Luxury Tax draft regulations to provide greater clarity on the tax treatment of luxury items
• technical tax amendments to the ITA and the Income Tax Regulations
• legislative amendments to implement changes discussed in the transfer pricing consultation paper released on June 6, 2023
• tax measures announced in the 2023 budget, including the dividend received deduction by financial institutions
• substantive CCPCs
• technical amendments to the ITA and Income Tax Regulations
• legislative amendments to implement the hybrid mismatch arrangements rules announced in the 2021 budget

The budget also reaffirms the government’s commitment to move forward, as required, with technical amendments to improve the certainty and integrity of the tax system.

Integration – Capital gains ($)

(taxation year ended December 31, 2024, and $10,000 of capital gains earned after June 24, 2024)

This table shows:

• the income tax deferral (prepayment) if capital gains in excess of $250,000 are earned and retained in a corporation as opposed to being earned directly by an individual
• the tax (cost) if the after-tax corporate income is paid out as a dividend to the shareholder in 2024

The table assumes:

• the individual is in the top marginal tax rate
• no capital gains deductions are available
• the non-taxable portion of the capital gain is distributed as a tax-free capital dividend
• the taxable dividend paid is sufficient to generate a full refund of refundable tax 

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Tax Insights: 2024 Federal budget ─ Supporting housing, raising taxes

Dean Landry

National Tax Leader, PwC Canada

Tel: +1 416 815 5090

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