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Banking Credit Card real-world rate "MEP" transaction repo (Dec2023)

Vince said:
My folks live in New York and I spent a few weeks there and dining out is just crazy there. Same with groceries.
Click to expand...
even in Midwest 'big' cities it's been bad all last year, too...bot just NY! it seems like you can get a cancerous fast food item for $4-7 USD and get somewhat full, but if you want to buy fruit or veggies or something somewhat healthy, it's $10-20 USD per person minimum in the USA, and sit-down restaurants are $15-20 USD per meal plus tax and tip. at least in the States, if you don't mind a big chain, usually the franchise pricing is somewhat stable and lower.

here's a Denny's breakfast for $7.99 USD ($9.83 USD with tax and 15% tip) https://www.dennys.com/menu/signature-breakfasts/scrambled-eggs-cheddar-breakfast

so, about $10 USD per person for a breakfast meal, at the cheapest in the USA, with nothing else added.

compare that to an elegant cafe in Palermo Chico, 6900 Pesos ($7 USD) for an English Breakfast, coffee w/ milk, and orange juice: https://menu.pconnect.ar/menu/88

(and the Tostado on the menu is delicious, i can vouch!)
 
much belated, here's the MEP data! i'm posting now that i'm in Cordoba Province and settled (it's a little cheaper here, and almost no mosquitoes!!!! i can see the mountains, too)

i won't post all the days 20Feb - 08Mar, but they're on the twitter/X page for those who are interested. for today, so you guys know the weekend number, Western Union is the way to go for Sat/Sun until we know the MEP on Monday. i just got a very low number with my MasterCard on a Disco grocery order, so i'm hoping Visa is a bit higher. if anyone wants to share a Visa receipt/info, message me or post here, and i'll add it. i've been bad at spending now that i'm in a smaller town of Cordoba. full write-up and grocery list prices to come, if anyone wants them. but i started a couple college classes online so i haven't been doing this forum at all, or doing MEP data, sorry!

WU 1020, MEP MasterCard 927 - get cash out tomorrow if you need to spend big!! i expect to see Peso prices going down this month, with the MEP dropping so much.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1766245457531985928
 
StatusNomadicus said:
much belated, here's the MEP data! i'm posting now that i'm in Cordoba Province and settled (it's a little cheaper here, and almost no mosquitoes!!!! i can see the mountains, too)

i won't post all the days 20Feb - 08Mar, but they're on the twitter/X page for those who are interested. for today, so you guys know the weekend number, Western Union is the way to go for Sat/Sun until we know the MEP on Monday. i just got a very low number with my MasterCard on a Disco grocery order, so i'm hoping Visa is a bit higher. if anyone wants to share a Visa receipt/info, message me or post here, and i'll add it. i've been bad at spending now that i'm in a smaller town of Cordoba. full write-up and grocery list prices to come, if anyone wants them. but i started a couple college classes online so i haven't been doing this forum at all, or doing MEP data, sorry!

WU 1020, MEP MasterCard 927 - get cash out tomorrow if you need to spend big!! i expect to see Peso prices going down this month, with the MEP dropping so much.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1766245457531985928
Click to expand...
Good to hear from you. Was wondering if you died from Dengue Fever. :p

I have never been to Cordoba but heard good things about it. My girlfriend told me life there is much more laid back there.
 
no Dengue here, though my Airbnb Host warned me to use bug spray (i told her i don't trust DEET/permethrin, so i'll just go inside at sunset since there are barely any mosquitoes here) and said Dengue was around, but rare. i heard Salta Province has more Dengue risk.

i also saw that there's a new worry that Bill Gates' gene-editing experiments on mosquitoes in Brazil are causing huge swarms...conveniently leading more people to buy his Dengue Vaccine. interesting conflict of interest?

1.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1765950108749713814

2.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1763570833908248821

3.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1766298361953669197

i would look-into using Ivermectin if i were to be infected with Dengue, but like most diseases, my immune system is pretty rad and my diet/sun exposure/supplements/fitness regimen puts me in the least-likely category to have medical issues. TL;DR - i would't get any genetic-based vaccines with so short of testing periods!! (COVID or Degue, or otherwise)
 
StatusNomadicus said:
even in Midwest 'big' cities it's been bad all last year, too...bot just NY! it seems like you can get a cancerous fast food item for $4-7 USD and get somewhat full, but if you want to buy fruit or veggies or something somewhat healthy, it's $10-20 USD per person minimum in the USA, and sit-down restaurants are $15-20 USD per meal plus tax and tip. at least in the States, if you don't mind a big chain, usually the franchise pricing is somewhat stable and lower.

here's a Denny's breakfast for $7.99 USD ($9.83 USD with tax and 15% tip) https://www.dennys.com/menu/signature-breakfasts/scrambled-eggs-cheddar-breakfast

so, about $10 USD per person for a breakfast meal, at the cheapest in the USA, with nothing else added.

compare that to an elegant cafe in Palermo Chico, 6900 Pesos ($7 USD) for an English Breakfast, coffee w/ milk, and orange juice: https://menu.pconnect.ar/menu/88

(and the Tostado on the menu is delicious, i can vouch!)
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you @StatusNomadicus. I have family all over USA and they are reporting to me that even in fast food places like McDonalds the prices are insane. You are right that the more healthy it is the more expensive it is. I still find meals in BA affordable compared to the USA. Granted it is expensive for locals making pesos. But the expats complaining I am wondering where else they can move to for major metropolitan city the calibre of BA and pay less. Maybe possible but I think people need to compare similar sized cities.
 
it's been bad all last year, too...bot just NY!
Click to expand...
not - not bot! i need to proof-read more, apparently. @Vince yeah many places in the USA got crazy expensive during lockdowns 2020 and onward :/

Vince said:
I still find meals in BA affordable compared to the USA. Granted it is expensive for locals making pesos.
Click to expand...
of course they are, it's so cheap here in Argentina! it's been the case for a long time that Peso-earners are at a disadvantage, which is why so many people are trying to work abroad, or save money in Dollars/crypto. i just ate nice Fajitas at a brewery in Cordoba Province (Menu Ejecutivo), 2 people ate and had 2 pints of Quilmes beer each (2x1 Happy Hour) for $9.10 USD (plus i added 2000 Pesos as a big tip). service was great, outdoor patio was nice for my dog and my girlfriend, and no mosquitoes. less then $6 USD per person for a small meal and 2 pints each...tell me where you can find that, anywhere else!

Vince said:
But the expats complaining I am wondering where else they can move to for major metropolitan city the calibre of BA and pay less. Maybe possible but I think people need to compare similar sized cities.
Click to expand...
i've only been able to identify 3 or so people on this forum that continually rant about high prices in Argentina, and they never respond to my criticisms and evidence to the contrary. i haven't ruled-out that Avocado, CheVos, and a couple others aren't just the same Peronist or a group of friends that brigade this forum. there's also probably some bots/AI here, if you look at my posts about how they write (and they never respond to my questioning of their existence).

regardless:

StatusNomadicus said:
today 08Mar2024 (Saturday
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d'oh, i was in a hurry, i guess, and can't edit it now, but obviously i meant today 09Mar2024 Saturday. here's the twitter post, where i tested Visa Credit, Visa Debit, and MasterCard Credit (i'll try an ATM withdrawal on Monday to compare to WesternUnion).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1766588589192692049
 
StatusNomadicus said:
of course they are, it's so cheap here in Argentina! it's been the case for a long time that Peso-earners are at a disadvantage, which is why so many people are trying to work abroad, or save money in Dollars/crypto. i just ate nice Fajitas at a brewery in Cordoba Province (Menu Ejecutivo), 2 people ate and had 2 pints of Quilmes beer each (2x1 Happy Hour) for $9.10 USD (plus i added 2000 Pesos as a big tip). service was great, outdoor patio was nice for my dog and my girlfriend, and no mosquitoes. less then $6 USD per person for a small meal and 2 pints each...tell me where you can find that, anywhere else!
Click to expand...
Wow it sounds like Cordoba is much cheaper than BA. $6 USD per person and 2 beers each sounds like a bargain!
 
Digital Nomad said:
Cordoba is much cheaper than BA
Click to expand...
i'd say 5-10% cheaper, but i'm pretty thrifty (there are many threads about prices on this forum) - my go-to burger spot in Palermo Chico (7167 Burger) had a sweet Happy Hour for 2500 Pesos to get 2x1 beers (500mL) of Andes/etc. local craft beers, so 1 liter for 2500 Pesos (under $3 USD right now) is pretty great! combine that with a double burger w/ fries for $10 USD and you have a $16 USD small meal and 4 beers, so $8 per person (no Cubierto charge of course), in a really trendy area, for that is pretty good! i usually aimed for $7 USD burgers, though, but it's hard in touristy areas. i'm in a smaller area, in a smaller province, so yes it's cheaper on some things

 
@MikeYoung, only did 1 week in the capital (Cordoba city), and now 1 week in a nicer area of the province ~30-min drive away, but overall:

1. more wild dogs (but not like Romania or border-town Mexico, more like Greece with some sleeping dogs around the towns). - not as dog-friendly as BsAs because of this (i had to kick one dog already, charging my dog).

2. in the capital of Cordoba it seemed like not many people spoke English, but in this nicer area there are wealthier people who travel and like to speak English with me! even the provincial police officer who did my girlfriend's fingerprints recently was pretty good at English :)

3. way less mosquitoes. they are around at sunrise/sunset, but easy to just go inside for a bit. nothing like the swarms in BsAs where the rivers are so close.

4. i'm walking a ton (as usual), but many people in the suburbs (just outside the capital-province line) have cars. Uber is around, and same ~$2-5 USD to get anywhere nearby. i just paid $2.50 USD to go from the Hypermarket to my Airbnb house.
5. prices like ~10% cheaper for Airbnb - i'm in a nice house on a big lot (shared with the owner's 2 other houses) near a golf course and the Airbnb Host was happy to get $800/month on Zelle. i probably could have talked them down, because lots of places are vacant. here's some monthly stays for $400-700 USD near the Cordoba Airport:

www.airbnb.com

Córdoba Province Sublets, Short Term Rentals & Rooms for Rent - Airbnb Córdoba Province - Argentina

Rent rooms with Wifi, Air conditioning, and Washer in Córdoba Province, Argentina from € 18/night. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. Belong anywhere with Airbnb.
www.airbnb.com www.airbnb.com

and i didn't spend yesterday, but it's the weekend so the MEP didn't change, so here's today Monday, and looks like the MEP is going down down down:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767333880510460366
 
StatusNomadicus said:
@MikeYoung, only did 1 week in the capital (Cordoba city), and now 1 week in a nicer area of the province ~30-min drive away, but overall:

1. more wild dogs (but not like Romania or border-town Mexico, more like Greece with some sleeping dogs around the towns). - not as dog-friendly as BsAs because of this (i had to kick one dog already, charging my dog).

2. in the capital of Cordoba it seemed like not many people spoke English, but in this nicer area there are wealthier people who travel and like to speak English with me! even the provincial police officer who did my girlfriend's fingerprints recently was pretty good at English :)

3. way less mosquitoes. they are around at sunrise/sunset, but easy to just go inside for a bit. nothing like the swarms in BsAs where the rivers are so close.

4. i'm walking a ton (as usual), but many people in the suburbs (just outside the capital-province line) have cars. Uber is around, and same ~$2-5 USD to get anywhere nearby. i just paid $2.50 USD to go from the Hypermarket to my Airbnb house.
5. prices like ~10% cheaper for Airbnb - i'm in a nice house on a big lot (shared with the owner's 2 other houses) near a golf course and the Airbnb Host was happy to get $800/month on Zelle. i probably could have talked them down, because lots of places are vacant. here's some monthly stays for $400-700 USD near the Cordoba Airport:

www.airbnb.com

Córdoba Province Sublets, Short Term Rentals & Rooms for Rent - Airbnb Córdoba Province - Argentina

Rent rooms with Wifi, Air conditioning, and Washer in Córdoba Province, Argentina from € 18/night. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. Belong anywhere with Airbnb.
www.airbnb.com www.airbnb.com

and i didn't spend yesterday, but it's the weekend so the MEP didn't change, so here's today Monday, and looks like the MEP is going down down down:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767333880510460366
Click to expand...
Thanks for letting us know how it is. I've traveled around a bunch in Argentina but never to Cordoba but I heard nice things about it. Bummer about the wild dogs. I thought it would be a better place for you and your dog with more room but didn't account for wild dogs. Buenos Aires is pretty dog friendly or at least I see dogs all the time all over and lots of dogwalkers. Have fun in Cordoba.
 
earlyretirement said:
Thanks for letting us know how it is. I've traveled around a bunch in Argentina but never to Cordoba but I heard nice things about it. Bummer about the wild dogs. I thought it would be a better place for you and your dog with more room but didn't account for wild dogs. Buenos Aires is pretty dog friendly or at least I see dogs all the time all over and lots of dogwalkers. Have fun in Cordoba.
Click to expand...
I know you will hate me for asking but how is the dog poop situation in Cordoba vs. Buenos Aires? :poop::poop::poop:
 
@earlyretirement Cordoba Province is still great for patios, even if the eighborhood streets have some wandering dogs (they're sort of adopted by security guards and whatnot...half-stray?) - and now my dog has a huge backyard in this Airbnb where we can sprint for 20 seconds in 2 directions, as well as a mini pool for him :) so with the fenced backyard, if i had a car, i'd never be bothered by the dogs (it's just the walking in the neighborhood, toward town, where i have to throw rocks at them when they see my dog).

Jenn: muted and staying muted...go f*ck yourself

PedidosYa, for some more good news, for the first time worked for me! my girlfriend used my Argentina cell number (Movistar) and i actually got a verification text to set-up a profile! then, on the ordering page, she used her Chase Visa credit card (USA) to make the order, and it worked! looks like something changed, so now we're good on Rappi and PedidosYa (can order beer and wine, as well as food!). now, if the federal gov't can de-regulate MercadoLibre and MercadoPago, and give tourists temporary DNI #s, we'd be sitting pretty here!

for last night 12Mar Tue:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767896563735531960
 
StatusNomadicus said:
@earlyretirement Cordoba Province is still great for patios, even if the eighborhood streets have some wandering dogs (they're sort of adopted by security guards and whatnot...half-stray?) - and now my dog has a huge backyard in this Airbnb where we can sprint for 20 seconds in 2 directions, as well as a mini pool for him :) so with the fenced backyard, if i had a car, i'd never be bothered by the dogs (it's just the walking in the neighborhood, toward town, where i have to throw rocks at them when they see my dog).



PedidosYa, for some more good news, for the first time worked for me! my girlfriend used my Argentina cell number (Movistar) and i actually got a verification text to set-up a profile! then, on the ordering page, she used her Chase Visa credit card (USA) to make the order, and it worked! looks like something changed, so now we're good on Rappi and PedidosYa (can order beer and wine, as well as food!). now, if the federal gov't can de-regulate MercadoLibre and MercadoPago, and give tourists temporary DNI #s, we'd be sitting pretty here!

for last night 12Mar Tue:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767896563735531960
Click to expand...
Sounds great about the big yard for your dog. And good news about PedidosYa working. I always could get it working with my Argentina cellphone and USA credit card. I'm glad it's working now. Maybe something changed with the new law posted below.

Economy - Card purchases: the Government ordered changes in the way of paying with the aim of avoiding fraud - Infobae

Card purchases: the Government ordered changes in the way of paying with the aim of avoiding fraud - Infobae Source: https://www.infobae.com/economia/2024/03/12/compras-con-tarjeta-el-gobierno-dispuso-cambios-en-la-forma-de-pagar-con-el-objetivo-de-evitar-fraudes/ March 12, 2024 The...
www.expatsba.com
 
Betsy Ross said:
it will go widespread
Click to expand...
maybe! it seems like 40% of the time the merchant allows me to use "Tap" or ApplePay anyway. but som cashiers still have muscle-memory to look at your physical card. i guess it depends how the law is written, interpreted, and enforced; does taking my physical card and holding it 3 feet away count? can they be at the nearby counter 10 feet away? should they even touch your card? how can they verify your name and ID, if so? (funnily enough, my $10 USD grocery swipes get asked for passport copy/driver license, yet paying $80 USD at a nice restaurant gets tapped and no questions! weird priorities)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768640821044138000
 
StatusNomadicus said:
maybe! it seems like 40% of the time the merchant allows me to use "Tap" or ApplePay anyway. but som cashiers still have muscle-memory to look at your physical card. i guess it depends how the law is written, interpreted, and enforced; does taking my physical card and holding it 3 feet away count? can they be at the nearby counter 10 feet away? should they even touch your card? how can they verify your name and ID, if so? (funnily enough, my $10 USD grocery swipes get asked for passport copy/driver license, yet paying $80 USD at a nice restaurant gets tapped and no questions! weird priorities)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768640821044138000
Click to expand...
I have never once ever been asked to show an ID when paying at any restaurant no matter how expensive it is.
 
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