Buenas - I have a question about Credit Cards (2024)

[1031Brah]

I was directed here from Reddit where I posted a similar question. I have probably read several threads here in the forum discussing credits card, but they are mostly from 2023 and before.

I did find one thread that had a bunch of twitter posts, but I just wanted to be more direct. In 2024, do you still recommend bringing USD and exchanging it with the people yelling cambio? Sign up for Western Union? or just use VISA/AMEX here? I haven't seen an official announcement from AMEX yet about them matching the blue dollar rate, just a few blog posts with second hand info.

I am planning to visit BA in April for 2 to 3 weeks. Thank you.

 

[fetch rover]

I was directed here from Reddit where I posted a similar question. I have probably read several threads here in the forum discussing credits card, but they are mostly from 2023 and before.

I did find one thread that had a bunch of twitter posts, but I just wanted to be more direct. In 2024, do you still recommend bringing USD and exchanging it with the people yelling cambio? Sign up for Western Union? or just use VISA/AMEX here? I haven't seen an official announcement from AMEX yet about them matching the blue dollar rate, just a few blog posts with second hand info.

I am planning to visit BA in April for 2 to 3 weeks. Thank you.

You do NOT need to bring tons of Cash now. You can just use your Visa/Amex/Mastercard and as long as it's a foreign credit card outside of Argentina you will get the MEP rate. You should be able to see the MEP rate on many websites like https://www.dolarito.ar/

I just came down to Buenos Aires for 2 weeks and we used all 3 of these credit cards and we got the MEP rate on all 3 credit cards. We were not able to use credit card to leave tips at restaurants so you will need to bring some cash for that. As I understand it, at least 10% is standard tip in Argentina so you should tip at least that. Have a great trip. I found Buenos Aires lovely. It was my first time down but my husband lived here many years ago.

We did not use Western Union but there is a thread on this website where you can see rates. We passed by several Western Union offices in Palermo.

 

[Betsy Ross]

I was directed here from Reddit where I posted a similar question. I have probably read several threads here in the forum discussing credits card, but they are mostly from 2023 and before.

I did find one thread that had a bunch of twitter posts, but I just wanted to be more direct. In 2024, do you still recommend bringing USD and exchanging it with the people yelling cambio? Sign up for Western Union? or just use VISA/AMEX here? I haven't seen an official announcement from AMEX yet about them matching the blue dollar rate, just a few blog posts with second hand info.

I am planning to visit BA in April for 2 to 3 weeks. Thank you.

You don't need to travel with too much cash these days. It is probably a good idea to travel with some cash. Western Union works. American Express also gets the MEP rate and has for several months but just keep in mind not as many stores accept AMEX so you may have issues that way with acceptance rates.

 

[1031Brah]

You do NOT need to bring tons of Cash now. You can just use your Visa/Amex/Mastercard and as long as it's a foreign credit card outside of Argentina you will get the MEP rate. You should be able to see the MEP rate on many websites like https://www.dolarito.ar/

I just came down to Buenos Aires for 2 weeks and we used all 3 of these credit cards and we got the MEP rate on all 3 credit cards. We were not able to use credit card to leave tips at restaurants so you will need to bring some cash for that. As I understand it, at least 10% is standard tip in Argentina so you should tip at least that. Have a great trip. I found Buenos Aires lovely. It was my first time down but my husband lived here many years ago.

We did not use Western Union but there is a thread on this website where you can see rates. We passed by several Western Union offices in Palermo.

Thank you.

 

[1031Brah]

You don't need to travel with too much cash these days. It is probably a good idea to travel with some cash. Western Union works. American Express also gets the MEP rate and has for several months but just keep in mind not as many stores accept AMEX so you may have issues that way with acceptance rates.

Thanks. Ok I will plan to withdraw some cash at an ATM in BA when i arrive

 

[Betsy Ross]

Thanks. Ok I will plan to withdraw some cash at an ATM in BA when i arrive

Just keep in mind you can't withdraw that much and ATM machines charge you high ATM withdrawal fees so unless your bank reimburses you for the withdrawals it generally is not worth it. There is another thread on this forum about that. Unless you have a bank that will reimburse you, just use money exchange houses as that will be much cheaper. You can only withdraw about $35 USD worth of pesos at a time at a cost of almost $9 USD each withdrawal so keep that in mind.

You can see it here

ATM - highest withdraw limit

Hey guys, do you know what is the ATM that allows the highest withdrawals? I am okay with losing a bit on a worse exchange rate compared to WU or other methods, but so far I've been only able to find ATMs with a 30.000 limit and an 8.000 processing fee.

www.expatsba.com

 

[Wally]

You don't need to travel with too much cash these days. It is probably a good idea to travel with some cash. Western Union works. American Express also gets the MEP rate and has for several months but just keep in mind not as many stores accept AMEX so you may have issues that way with acceptance rates.

As Betsy Ross mentions AMEX isn't accepted at many places. Larger restaurants might accept it but many smaller stores don't accept it. But I can confirm that AMEX gets the MEP rate as well. Bank ATMs are horrible with the low withdrawal limit and high fees. Many tourists DO bring a few hundred dollars in cash as you typically always need some cash for tips at restaurants and taxis.

Make sure to bring new $100 USD bills as the exchange houses give you a lower rate for smaller bills and most won't accept older bills. Just go to the bank and get some newer $100 bills. Exchange houses are all over the city.

 

[1031Brah]

Just keep in mind you can't withdraw that much and ATM machines charge you high ATM withdrawal fees so unless your bank reimburses you for the withdrawals it generally is not worth it. There is another thread on this forum about that. Unless you have a bank that will reimburse you, just use money exchange houses as that will be much cheaper. You can only withdraw about $35 USD worth of pesos at a time at a cost of almost $9 USD each withdrawal so keep that in mind.

You can see it here

ATM - highest withdraw limit

Hey guys, do you know what is the ATM that allows the highest withdrawals? I am okay with losing a bit on a worse exchange rate compared to WU or other methods, but so far I've been only able to find ATMs with a 30.000 limit and an 8.000 processing fee.

www.expatsba.com

Wow I didn't realize the withdrawal limit was so low. yes I bank with Schwab and Fidelity, which both reimburse. Ok maybe I will just bring some money to exchange just in case.

 

[Avocado]

Wow I didn't realize the withdrawal limit was so low. yes I bank with Schwab and Fidelity, which both reimburse. Ok maybe I will just bring some money to exchange just in case.

If you have a Charles Schwab you should be ok. I have read many posts that say they get reimbursed but still good to note the low amount of money you can withdraw. It never hurts to have some cash in Argentina. Have a good trip.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

In 2024, do you still recommend bringing USD

nah, see @Betsy Ross's good info here: https://www.expatsba.com/threads/western-union.34/post-12661

AMEX

i brought Visa and MasterCard only, based on the risk that AmEx may be delayed with refunding the difference in MEP, or use an inconsistent rate. plus, i don't see a lot of American Express signs. maybe 1% of the time?

https://www.reddit.com/r/amex/comments/195uvn7/_/khqqu0c

I am planning to visit BA in April for 2 to 3 weeks

ask any specific questions here, and you'll be set! i over-planned for Argentina, but that's my style. depending on what you're doing, you can relax just like you're going to any big city around the world

American Express also gets the MEP rate and has for several months but just keep in mind not as many stores accept AMEX so you may have issues that way with acceptance rates.

yeah, this. i can't confirm AmEx myself, but everything BetsyRoss posts has been factual on this forum for several months. and earlyretirement can steer you right, too, but he's a busy guy and can't check this as often as me

Ok I will plan to withdraw some cash at an ATM in BA when i arrive

just know that you cannot get USD in Argentina that i've ever found. all of your withdrawals will be in Pesos, and there are usually $8-9 USD fees each one, only able to take out about $35 USD worth, FYI.

You can only withdraw about $35 USD worth of pesos at a time at a cost of almost $9 USD each withdrawal so keep that in mind.

like she said, 100% accurate. you need a Charles Schwab debit/ATM card, or a USAA debit card if you're military family or a veteran of the USA.

new $100 USD bills

ones with the big face...cara chica isn't worth as much, weirdly. it's a Buenos Aires quirk. translate this and see you'll lose a lot of value if you don't bring un-folded, crisp, big-face bills: https://www.cronista.com/finanzas-m...-billetes-de-pesos-se-pagan-menos-en-el-blue/

your ATM fees will be reimbursed the next month/billing statement. USAA has a max of $10 now, but Schwab is still unlimited. not sure about Fidelity, but i'm sure many digital nomad groups have commented on that. you're doing good research! don't stress, it's nice here @1031Brah

 

[Digital Nomad]

nah, see @Betsy Ross's good info here: https://www.expatsba.com/threads/western-union.34/post-12661


i brought Visa and MasterCard only, based on the risk that AmEx may be delayed with refunding the difference in MEP, or use an inconsistent rate. plus, i don't see a lot of American Express signs. maybe 1% of the time?

https://www.reddit.com/r/amex/comments/195uvn7/_/khqqu0c

ask any specific questions here, and you'll be set! i over-planned for Argentina, but that's my style. depending on what you're doing, you can relax just like you're going to any big city around the world


yeah, this. i can't confirm AmEx myself, but everything BetsyRoss posts has been factual on this forum for several months. and earlyretirement can steer you right, too, but he's a busy guy and can't check this as often as me


just know that you cannot get USD in Argentina that i've ever found. all of your withdrawals will be in Pesos, and there are usually $8-9 USD fees each one, only able to take out about $35 USD worth, FYI.


like she said, 100% accurate. you need a Charles Schwab debit/ATM card, or a USAA debit card if you're military family or a veteran of the USA.


ones with the big face...cara chica isn't worth as much, weirdly. it's a Buenos Aires quirk. translate this and see you'll lose a lot of value if you don't bring un-folded, crisp, big-face bills: https://www.cronista.com/finanzas-m...-billetes-de-pesos-se-pagan-menos-en-el-blue/

your ATM fees will be reimbursed the next month/billing statement. USAA has a max of $10 now, but Schwab is still unlimited. not sure about Fidelity, but i'm sure many digital nomad groups have commented on that. you're doing good research! don't stress, it's nice here @1031Brah

Good info. Also I thought I would add in that most places you can exchange smaller bills like $20 and $50 USD but they will give you a lower exchange rate. I am told they want the newer $100 bills as they are harder to counterfeit so many cuevas (exchange houses) don't even allow you to exchange older US $100 bills. AMEX is accepted at some stores in the mall and some larger restaurants. Some grocery stores also take AMEX. I had to use my AMEX one day when there was a fraud alert on my Visa and I had to clear it up calling in so I used my AMEX card. It isn't accepted by many places. But you do get the MEP rate.

 

[BuySellBA]

All great responses that are spot on target. Gone are the days when you mostly have to carry around tons of cash. Most tourists and digital nomads simply charge on their foreign credit cards as the difference between the blue rate and the MEP rate are so close.

Dólar hoy, cotización del dólar, precio del dólar, dólar blue, precio histórico del dólar, valor del UVA | Dolarito.ar

Seguí la cotización del dólar minuto a minuto, compara cotizaciones, visualiza los valores históricos, conocé el precio del dólar, evolución del valor UVA

www.dolarito.ar