Arriving in Buenos Aires: First-Week Essentials

Theme: Packing Up and Landing Smooth

¡Bienvenidx! If you can pronounce that gender-inclusive Spanish greeting, you’re already ahead of most tourists. I’m Sofía—relocation coach, former Porteña expat, and the person who has inevitably wrestled with the same questions now knocking around your head:

How do I open a bank account? Is tap water safe? Will I accidentally order a kilo of steak for breakfast?

Take a deep breath. Over the next ~15 minutes of reading time, we’ll walk through:

1. A pre-move checklist that prevents last-minute freak-outs.
2. The seven must-do tasks in your very first week on Argentine soil.
3. A real-life budget for your maiden month.
4. Handy tools, public offices, and under-the-radar resources.
5. A few friendly nudges to make your relocation plan bulletproof.

I promise to keep the bureaucratic jargon to a minimum and the dulce-de-leche references to an acceptable maximum.

Pre-Move Preparation Checklist

Argentine immigration isn’t hard, it’s just… layered. Picture the world’s most delicious milhojas pastry: dozens of thin, delicate sheets that will crumble if you rush. Work through these layers calmly, and you’ll arrive with everything you need.

1) Paperwork: Scan, Print, Repeat

“I’ll just email myself the files,” said every newbie ever. Then the wifi went down. Print two physical sets and stash a USB drive—you’ll thank me when the migraciones officer asks for “una copia impresa, por favor.”

2) Cash Strategy = Two Cards + USD Bills

Argentine pesos love to tango—sometimes elegantly, sometimes wildly off-beat—thanks to the multiple exchange rates. The “MEP” and “blue” rates usually work in your favor when you bring crisp USD100 notes. Pack:

• A no-foreign-fee debit card for ATMs (but expect low withdrawal limits).
• A credit card that supports chip-and-PIN (some older machines reject tap-to-pay).
• 300–600 USD in clean, untorn bills to exchange on Florida Street or via reputable “cuevas.”

I once lost 4 % to a “friend of a friend” who swore he had the best rate. Don’t be me; compare on dólar hoy apps before handing over cash.

3) Tech & Connectivity

• Unlock your phone—local SIMs are dirt-cheap at kioscos.
• Download offline Google Maps for Buenos Aires city & province.
• Pre-install the “BA Cómo Llego” transport app; it beats guessing which colectivo (bus) stops near your Airbnb at 11 pm.

If you juggle work files the size of a Malbec barrel, pack a lightweight travel router. Argentine fibre is fast (300 Mbps in many barrios) but routers in older apartments can be… how do I put this politely? Vintage.

4) Housing Plan—Even If Temporary

Landing without accommodation feels adventurous until you’re dragging suitcases on cobblestone at 2 am. Book at least a week in a barrio you plan to test-drive long-term: Palermo Soho for nightlife, Colegiales for families, San Telmo for colonial charm.

Need inspiration on how to hop from short stay to six-month lease? The mindset mirrors what we outlined for Thailand in our post on finding long-term accommodation in Chiang Mai—scout local Facebook groups early, over-communicate with landlords, and inspect in person before paying deposits.

5) Health & Safety Basics

• Vaccinations: Routine jabs + Hep A recommended.
• Prescription meds: Bring 3-month supply plus original prescription (customs may ask).
• International health insurance card printed in Spanish—some clinics still photocopy them onto carbon paper (yes, that still exists).

Arrival Week Must-Dos

Time zone surprise: Buenos Aires (GMT-3) means your 9 am Monday Slack call may now be during Argentine brunch hours. Here’s how to use your first seven days wisely.

Day 1: Breathe & Register Immigration Entry

Before the dopamine of landing fades, confirm your entry stamp is legible. If you’re aiming for temporary residency (e.g., digital nomad, student, rentista), that stamp is Day 0 of your countdown.

Grab a SUBE card—the rechargeable ticket to buses, subways, and trains—at kiosk stands inside Ezeiza Airport or any Subte station. Cost: ~400 ARS (about one mediocre croissant).

Day 2: SIM Card + eSIM Activation

• Purchase a physical SIM from Claro, Personal, or Movistar kiosks.
• Or scan an Airalo/Ubigi eSIM QR code if your phone supports it.
• Register your IMEI online within 24 hours to avoid automatic deactivation (yes, they really do it).

Expect 50 GB monthly data for ~8 USD when paying at the blue exchange rate. That’s cheaper than my Spotify habit.

Day 3: Temporary Address Registration

Technically, tourists don’t need to register, but police sometimes ask for a “domicilio” slip when you open utility accounts or apply for a CUIL (tax) number. Your Airbnb host can write a simple certificado de domicilio; notarise it at any escribano (~1,500 ARS).

Day 4: Bank & Money Exchange Day

Option A: Ride the wave of Argentina’s new digital banks (Brubank, Ualá). Sign up with your passport and selfie; card arrives in 2-3 business days.

Option B: Open a “caja de ahorro en dólares” at Banco Nación or Santander—requires a CUIL and proof of address. Lines are long; bring headphones and empanadas.

After banking, visit a reputable casa de cambio (Cambio Alpe or Banco Piano) or coordinate a MEP transfer with an online broker. I purposely do this mid-week; Monday’s rates can be wild, and Fridays all the good bills disappear.

Day 5: Transport & Navigation Rehearsal

Take a self-guided orientation:

1. Bus 152 from Palermo to Microcentro—learn to flag it down.
2. Subte Line D from Catedral back to Plaza Italia—note rush-hour crowds.
3. EcoBici bikes around Puerto Madero—download the BA EcoBici app; first 30 minutes free.

Subtle flex: mastering colectivo etiquette impresses locals more than tango shoes. Flash a knowing nod as you shout “una parada, por favor” before your stop.

Day 6: Healthcare Check-in

Register with a private network (OSDE, Swiss Medical) or locate the nearest public hospital (Hospital de Clínicas is foreigner-friendly). Drop by a neighborhood pharmacy (farmacia) and ask how to refill your meds; some require a local prescription rewrite.

If you have kids, scout bilingual pediatric clinics early. Parents who juggle homeschooling while roaming can revisit our strategies in Digital Nomad Families: Homeschooling On The Road.

Day 7: Culture & Community Immersion

• Join expat Facebook groups like “BA Expat Hub” or “Almagro Expats.”
• Attend a language exchange at La Confitería (Colegiales) or Mate Club.
• Sunday market in San Telmo for vintage shopping and spontaneous tango.

Networking early helps with landlord referrals, job leads, and deciphering why papel higiénico comes in such comically small rolls.

Budgeting Tips for the First Month

Yes, Buenos Aires can be wallet-friendly—if you play the exchange-rate game and shop like a local. Below is a realistic, mid-range budget in USD, assuming the blue rate (~900 ARS per USD at the time of writing). Round numbers for sanity.

First-month total ≈ $1,068

If you split a two-bedroom or score a ph (petit hôtel) with roommates, shave off ~30 %. Families: double rent, triple groceries—kids inhale facturas.

When Inflation Attacks

Prices fluctuate weekly. Consider the “Rule of 3 Days”: if you find a great price—be it a kettle or a cross-city flight—buy within 72 hours. Chances are it’ll be more expensive next week.

Tools and Local Resources

Below is my curated toolbox; I keep it bookmarked on my phone home-screen.

Finance & Exchange

• Western Union Argentina app – receive transfers in pesos at the blue rate; pick up cash in nearly any locutorio.
• P2P apps – Airtm, Lemon, Belo for crypto-to-pesos conversions.
• Dólar Hoy – real-time exchange rates; the homepage is everyone’s morning coffee companion.

Transport & Mobility

• BA Cómo Llego – route planner with bus, Subte, walking, cycling filters.
• Cabify / Didi – Uber exists but can be glitchy; Cabify’s drivers comply with city regulations.
• EcoBici – free city bikes, 24/7, docked stations across central barrios.

Daily Living

• PedidosYa – food delivery + basic groceries; saves you the 9 pm supermarket scramble.
• MercadoLibre – Argentina’s Amazon; usually delivers within 48 h.
• CAFÉ app – government platform to schedule appointments at AFIP (tax agency) and Migraciones. Interface stuck in 2009, works best on desktop.

Community & Learning

• Meetup.com – “Buenos Aires Expat Entrepreneurs” meets every Thursday.
• Spanish-Bites Podcast – Argentine Spanish with transcripts.
• BorderPilot Dashboard – yes, shameless plug, but our relocation plan generator now integrates live blue-rate alerts and visa timeline checklists specifically for Argentina.

Coach’s Corner: Five Advanced Tips Most Guides Skip

1. Always ask “¿Con tarjeta o en efectivo?” Many restaurants give a 10 % discount if you pay cash. Some do the reverse—surge pricing if you pull out plastic.
2. Use two SUBE cards if you’re a couple. Transfers (combinación) within 2 hours are discounted only per card. Sharing one negates the savings.
3. Carry a reusable shopping bag. Supermarkets charge for flimsy plastic sacks; you’ll collect enough as souvenirs anyway.
4. Learn lunfardo slang early. Words like laburo (work) and bondi (bus) are your secret handshake into local circles.
5. Sunday evening is “the vacuum.” Between 6 pm and midnight, the city empties. Perfect time to grocery shop or photograph iconic spots without crowds.

Call-out block:

“Your first week sets the tone. Nail the logistics early, and every steak dinner afterwards tastes 17 % better.”

I might be biased, but the math checks out.

What’s Next?

By now, you’ve:

• Ticked off the pre-move checklist.
• Sailed through immigration with two copies of every paper.
• Secured housing, a bank account, and local health coverage.
• Learned why colectivos don’t stop unless you hail them like a 1950s movie star.

Next on your horizon: understanding long-stay visa options, optimizing taxes, and maybe scouting property in the leafy suburbs of Zona Norte. All topics we tackle inside BorderPilot’s Argentina relocation module.

Curious how your timeline stacks up, which neighbourhood matches your lifestyle data, or how to optimise currency transfers as inflation gallops?

Take two minutes, answer a handful of questions, and generate your free, personalised relocation plan on BorderPilot. We’ll crunch the data, so you can focus on your tango footwork.

Hasta pronto, future Porteñx—see you at the next asado.