Buenos Airesculture & etiquette

For years the official and parallel ('blue') rates diverged sharply and working the gap was the first thing anyone told you. The cepo was lifted for individuals in April 2025 and the peso moved to a floating band; the rates have sat within a few percent of each other since, so a foreign Visa or Mastercard now gets you a fair rate automatically — just always choose to be charged in ARS, never in USD, at the terminal. Crisp, unmarked US$100 bills are still useful for rent and private deals, and Western Union still works, but neither is the arbitrage it was. Argentina's monetary settings change fast, so check today's spread rather than trusting any figure you read, this one included.

Prices change fast and are often quoted in USD for big-ticket items (rent, electronics). Don't hold large peso balances — spend or convert. Always carry cash; many small places prefer it, and exact change ('¿tenés cambio?') is perpetually scarce.

Almost everything formal — a job, a bank account, a phone contract, a lease — needs a CUIL (if you work) or CDI (if you don't yet). It's issued by ANSES and is the Argentine equivalent of a tax/social-security number. Sort it in your first weeks.

One rechargeable SUBE card covers the Subte (metro), colectivos (buses) and trains. Buy it at kiosks or stations and load it with cash. Buses are dense and cheap but you must know the route; the Subte is fastest for central trips.

Buenos Aires is a big city: watch for phone-snatching and distraction thefts in crowded spots (Subte, San Telmo fair, Retiro, La Boca beyond the tourist street). Keep your phone off the table at cafés, use a money belt for cash, and take Cabify/registered taxis at night.

Dinner starts at 9-10pm, bars fill after midnight, clubs after 2am. Shops may shut midday. Embrace the rhythm: a late merienda (afternoon coffee + medialunas) bridges lunch and a very late dinner.