Bring your passport when exchanging cash
When visiting a bank to exchange cash, be sure to bring your passport and not a photocopy. Banks require your passport. A photocopy of the page with your photo is good enough to use a credit card for shopping by not for changing money at banks.
I like the Russian in Galaria del Sol
It's on Paraguay right before you get to Florida. Go into the Galaria and just inside to the right is a little fur store with one of the fattest guys in BsAs sitting behind a little desk. Friendly folks, never any trucho (sp) and great rates. It's an unofficial place so no ID needed. Don't exchange on Friday as the rates always go down a bit for the weekend, tuesday and wednesday are the best.
Best if you check out the current exchange before any transaction
Here's a great source for checking out current exchange:
[url]http://www.eye4u.com.ar/content/ba.php[/url] (this one for mongers since there is also nice things to see around)
[url]http://www.dolarhoy.com[/url] (this one for serious business people and best rates)
Exchanging from Pesos back to euro / dollar
I ended up at Metropolis casa de cambio on Florida 506 on my last day, and due to time and desperation I ended up getting hosed exchanging to Euro from Peso at 3.72. I walked by other places quoting 3.66 and 3.58, but they were all out of Euro, or Dollar. Oh well.
I couldn't find that Russian guy.
Why bother exchanging currency?
Mongers-
I do not understand why those coming to Buenos Aires bother bringing any more than a negligible amount of USD with them, when there are thousands of ATM's located everywhere that will give you the best, up to the minute exchange rate. For example, I have a Citibank account in the NYC area, I withdraw from any of the dozens of Citibanks located throughout Buenos Aires (and other major Argentine cities) I get the best exchange rate possible (and the citibank machine shows how many dollars are coming out of my account on the screen) and there are ZERO fees involved. This would also work with those holding HSBC account, as there are HSBC branches in Buenos Aires as well.
Suerte,
Dirk Diggler
Airport Currenty Exchange
[blue]Greetings everyone,
Upon returning to BA from the USA, I noted a couple of what were to me new changes in the baggage pickup area.
First, there are now large signs hanging over each of the baggage conveyors, written in Spanish and English, advising anyone who took a second to read them, of the names and locations of three banks just outside the baggage area that would gladly buy your dollars at a freshly posted rate of 3.05.
Second, there are now two currency exchange booths positioned between the baggage conveyors, each posting an exchange rate on that day of 2.70. Incredibly, there were people lining up at these exchange booths to sell their dollars at this ridiculous rate.
I stood there, looking back and forth between the line of tourists at the exchange booth and the signs just 20 feet away in both directions, and just shook my head: You just can't save some people from their own stupidity.
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]
Sarmiento Exchange Houses
[blue]Greetings everyone,
There are a number of currency exchange locations scattered through Recoleta and the Microcenter. However, after utilizing many of them at one point or another, I've come to the conclusion that the "best" place to exchange currency is the [b][red]500 block of Sarmiento, near the intersection of San Martin, one block from Florida Ave[/red][/b].
In this 2 block stretch of Sarmiento there are perhaps 2 dozen banks and cambios, many with signs clearly displaying their current dollar exchange rates. In my own personal experience I have determined that these numerous venues located in such close proximity to each other offer the city's best rates, no doubt spurred on by their mutual competition.
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]