Exchanging Currency

[Gringo Verde]

I haven't been to BA in a few years, but am returning in a few weeks. For the best exchange rate, is it still best to bring USD cash (new $100s) and exchange on Calle Florida or are the banks (via ATM) better these days? What kind of rates are you seeing? Can you recommend any specific locations? Thank you in advance.

When I was in BA a month ago the ATM exchange rate was about the same as the rate exchange houses pay for cash. I received 39, 38, and 37 pesos per dollar for $100 bills in September and October. As others have written, the advantage of exchanging cash over using ATMs is that Argentine ATM machines charge excessive fees that your debit card may not refund, and ATMs severely limit the amount you can withdraw per transaction (less than $200 worth of pesos last time I used one).

There are several new professional exchange houses along Calle Florida. Most show their exchange rates in the window, and they are probably all honest. Walk a couple blocks up Florida from the Plaza San Martin end and the rates get better. If you use one make sure they don't charge a commission on the exchange.

I have patronized an old shop in Galaria Colon on the 300 block of Florida for the past 10 years. His rates are competitive and I've never been shortchanged or received a bad bill there. The shop is on the right at the end of a long hallway that has a cafe with a lighted sign reading "BAR" at the very end. There is a sign above the entrance that reads "Local 92", I think.

There is a new exchange shop with a lighted sign in the window across the hallway from the guy I use. They offered about half a peso more than my shop last time I was there, but they require an original passport to make the exchange, and I don't carry my passport with me when I'm walking around the city.

[Tres3]

If you don't have fees from the ATM, I would do ATM. Otherwise the ATM fees seem very high to me. I don't see a big difference in the rate unless you're changing thousands of dollars

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If you have a Schwab ATM card you avoid both the ATM fees and the foreign currency conversion fee. The foreign currency conversion fee varies by currency, and from bank to bank, and is usually buried (hidden) on the bank statement. Schwab rebates the ATM fee, and does not charge a foreign currency conversion fee.

Tres3.

[Jim Bob]

If you don't have fees from the ATM, I would do ATM. Otherwise the ATM fees seem very high to me. I don't see a big difference in the rate unless you're changing thousands of dollars

I haven't been to BA in a few years, but am returning in a few weeks. For the best exchange rate, is it still best to bring USD cash (new $100s) and exchange on Calle Florida or are the banks (via ATM) better these days? What kind of rates are you seeing? Can you recommend any specific locations? Thank you in advance.

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[Vegas Vic]

I haven't been to BA in a few years, but am returning in a few weeks. For the best exchange rate, is it still best to bring USD cash (new $100s) and exchange on Calle Florida or are the banks (via ATM) better these days? What kind of rates are you seeing? Can you recommend any specific locations? Thank you in advance.

[Jim Bob]

I am paying 1000 pesos to bang nice looking chicas. And I can eat a regular meal with a beer in a café for 200 pesos. I was paying roughly the same a year ago, or there has been a moderate increase maybe 20%. So from what I can see, dollar prices are often about half what they were a year ago. The peso prices increase due to inflation, for food and pussy at least, not the change in the dollar exchange rate. Or possibly at some point inflation will catch up with the drop in the pesos versus the dollar, however so far they are not and I find myself paying 50% less.

[Gandolf50]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

I see many things here have increased by as much as %50 in the past six months. Cheaper??? Not really.

[Tres3]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

My sources tell me that Argentines dollarize their pesos very quickly, such that most prices stay about the same in dollar terms. There are too many government employees, and the Macri administration is having a difficult letting them go.

Tres3.

[BayBoy]

I see the exchange rate is now 30 pesos to the dollar. Do things seem cheaper??

[BayBoy]

Whats the exchange rate now, dollar to Argentine Peso. I'm seeing and hearing stories of hyper inflation there in Argentina. And also the Blue Note where is that now?

[Pishqa]

BTW Platinum AMEX gets you into Delta airport lounges as long as you are flying on Delta, even in peon class, and you don't have to use the AMEX to pay for the ticket.

Amex Platinum also gets you into the Amex Centurion Lounge at Ezeiza. Also Gold status with Hilton, Starwood, Marriott, free Global Entry and other travel benefits.

[Dickhead]

Well, yesterday I transferred money from E-Trade to Schwab and it showed up in Schwab this morning. First time that has happened. So maybe technology has advanced.

[Dickhead]

What's a 'branch'? Like an olive branch? Oh, you mean a BANK branch. I sort of vaguely remember those. Last time I went to Argentina I went to the AMEX office in Panamá City and they charged me $30 to hand me $10,000, and I ended up paying two days' interest as well before the E-Trade payment hit the AMEX account. One thing I don't like about AMEX is they will not allow you to create a credit balance. Maybe all credit cards are that way. I guess they have to make money somehow. I ran out of the AMEX office back to my hotel to pay off the $10k but I could not pay it off until the next morning, and then it took another day to hit. It was about seven dollars of interest.

BTW Platinum AMEX gets you into Delta airport lounges as long as you are flying on Delta, even in peon class, and you don't have to use the AMEX to pay for the ticket.

[Tres3]

I transfer money among E-Trade, Schwab, Vanguard, and a conventional bank and all the transfers take three days, normally. Sometimes two days, but that is rare. Even if I sell a security and have the funds go into another institution besides the selling institution, it's three days. Not sure if that can be improved on.

The only way I have found to speed up the transfer process is to go personally to a branch (a pain in the ass). I get same day funds if I deposit a Schwab Bank check (less than $10,000) into my JP Morgan Chase savings account at the branch that is walking distance from my house. Most of the time I just use an ATM for cash, but when I need a large amount of dollars (like a trip to Argentina) I go the deposit route.

Tres3.

[Dickhead]

I transfer money among E-Trade, Schwab, Vanguard, and a conventional bank and all the transfers take three days, normally. Sometimes two days, but that is rare. Even if I sell a security and have the funds go into another institution besides the selling institution, it's three days. Not sure if that can be improved on.

[Slipknot]

I got a Schwab account to take advantage of the no foreign transaction fees and no ATM fees. It was easy to set up on line while stateside and I seem to recall the card came within a week. You also have a brokerage account if you want to do trades, etc. The only slight drawback is that they sit on your money for three business days if you transfer from another bank account. In my case my Chase account. Not a big deal, as long as you plan ahead, but worth knowing about.