Buenos Aires is one of the best cities in South America for digital nomads right now.
The capital of Argentina has long been a popular destination due to its vibrant culture, including the arts and tango scene, and its cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Buenos Aires is also quickly becoming popular with digital nomads, who find this South American city the perfect place to make a home base.
Here’s why Buenos Aires is trending for digital nomads:
1. Affordability
Unfortunately, Argentina is suffering from an ongoing inflation crisis. But as a result, U.S. dollars are in high demand, and travelers with this currency are able to get more for their money, especially when exchanged at the unofficial “blue dollar” rate.
This means that everything in Buenos Aires is more affordable for travelers right now, including food, lodging, and transportation.
As for concerns about impacting the locals in Buenos Aires, a long-time Peruvian expat living in Buenos Aires stated, “Some people think: ‘Oh, I’m taking advantage of the hard times Argentines are living through!’ On the contrary, they need dollars to offset the debt their government has run up. If they didn’t have your dollars, their challenge would be just a little bit worse.”
2. Safety
Argentina ranks among the top five safest countries in Latin America and accordingly, Buenos Aires is a very safe city for digital nomads.
While there are many safe areas to stay in Buenos Aires, Palermo and Recoleta are two of the safest neighborhoods, and both are very popular with tourists, digital nomads, and expats.
The U.S. State Department currently gives Argentina a Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions rating, which is the lowest on a rating system of 1 to 4 and one of the only South American countries to receive this safe rating.
3. Things To Do
Buenos Aires is a world-class cosmopolitan city with tons of things to do, making it perfect for digital nomads who want to get a taste of living here.
After work, you can go try tango classes at one of the many dance studios around the city, or just sit back and watch other dancers in Plaza Dorrego, a public square popular with tango dancers.
You can hit up one of the many museums in Buenos Aires or spend the evening at a trendy restaurant or cocktail bar. There’s no shortage of things to do in the city.
4. Digital Nomad Visa
Argentina allows visitors of many nationalities, including Americans, to stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa. This is ideal for digital nomads who want to test out life in Buenos Aires for up to three months without having to worry about a visa.
For longer stays, Argentina now offers a digital nomad visa that is good for up to 180 days. The Argentinian government is also offering a free benefits package to digital nomads that include a SIM card and a public transit pass.
To qualify for the digital nomad visa in Argentina, you must be able to demonstrate earnings of approximately $2,500 USD per month.
5. Explore South America
While living in Buenos Aires as a digital nomad, you can easily explore more of South America when you have some free time.
For example, Montevideo, Uruguay is just a two-hour ferry ride away from Buenos Aires and makes a great weekend trip. Santiago, Chile is also just a short two-hour flight away.
There are also affordable domestic flights to destinations all around the country. You can explore Argentina’s wine country in Mendoza, hit the Patagonian slopes in Bariloche, or visit the breathtaking and impressive Iguazu Falls on the border with Brazil.
