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Money in Argentina, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: why your card now gets a fair rate, the cash still worth carrying and how to get it cheaply, the ATMs to go easy on, and the hotel tax you should not be paying.
The old blue-dollar bargain is gone. After Argentina lifted its currency controls, the official, street and card (MEP) rates converged through 2025 and 2026, so a foreign card now gets a fair rate and there is no longer a big prize for carrying dollars. Prices in dollar terms have risen sharply, so budget realistically and, with inflation still high, check the rate right before you travel.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Now gets a fair rate
A foreign Visa or Mastercard is charged in pesos at the MEP rate, which is now competitive after the rates converged, so cards are the easy default for hotels, restaurants, shops and Uber. Visa applies the rate at purchase; Mastercard charges the official rate and refunds the difference within days. Amex is rarely accepted, and your own bank's foreign fee still applies unless your card waives it.
Check yours →Cash
Still needed, sourced smartly
Keep pesos for ordinary taxis, small shops, markets, casual cafes and tips. The best value is exchanging US dollars at an official casa de cambio or picking up pesos from Western Union, both close to the street rate. Go easy on the ATM for large sums, and always pay tips in cash, since card receipts often have no tip line.
How much to bring →ATMs
Low limits, steep fees
The pricey option. Per-withdrawal limits are low, often the equivalent of 70 to 150 dollars, and the flat fee is steep enough to run 10 percent or more of a small withdrawal, on top of the official rate. A Charles Schwab debit card refunds those fees, which is the main way to make ATMs bearable. Withdraw inside banks in daylight and decline "convert to dollars."
See ATMs in Argentina →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Cards cover most of a city trip now, but keep cash for taxis, small spots and tips.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Cards now cover most of a city trip: hotels, restaurants, shops and rides on Uber. Cash still handles ordinary taxis, small shops and markets, casual cafes, tips and smaller towns, and it leans a little more essential the further you get from Buenos Aires.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Bring a no-foreign-fee Visa or Mastercard for almost everything, plus a backup from a different bank. Amex is rarely accepted, so do not rely on it.
- Add a fee-free ATM debit card for the cash you need. Charles Schwab refunds ATM fees worldwide, which cancels out Argentina's steep machine fees; Wise and Revolut are low-fee.
- Bring a few clean, newer US 100 dollar bills if you want cash on hand. They exchange well at a casa de cambio or Western Union, and small dollar bills make welcome tips for guides and porters.
- Sort travel medical insurance. Argentina now expects foreign visitors to carry it, and public hospitals bill non-residents for non-emergency care, so bring proof and check the current entry rules before you fly.
At the airport
- Skip the airport exchange desks, which give the official rate, the worst of the options.
- If you want a little cash on arrival, pull pesos from a bank ATM and decline "convert to dollars," or wait and exchange dollars in town for a better rate.
- Set up an eSIM before you land for maps and Uber. A local SIM needs passport registration, so an eSIM is the easy route.
- In Buenos Aires, get a SUBE card for the subway and buses, since cash is not accepted on board. Buy it and top it up at a kiosk or station.
Day to day
- Tap or dip your card for hotels, restaurants, shops and Uber, and choose pesos every time.
- Keep cash for ordinary taxis, small shops, markets, casual cafes and tips.
- For a bigger cash top-up, use Western Union or an official casa de cambio rather than the ATM.
- Carry small peso notes for tips and taxis, since breaking a 10,000 or 20,000 peso note in a small shop is hard.
A golden rule
- Always pay in pesos, never in dollars. Choosing your home currency (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds a few percent on both card terminals and ATMs.
- Check the rate right before you travel. With inflation still high, prices and the exchange rate move fast, so a figure from a few months ago may be well out of date.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Good across Buenos Aires and the main cities. The three carriers are Claro (widest national and Patagonia reach), Personal (strong in Buenos Aires and on the main routes) and Movistar (solid in the cities). 4G is strong on tourist routes with growing 5G in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario and Mendoza, and signal thins in remote Patagonia and the national parks. A local prepaid SIM is cheap but must be registered with your passport, which can be fiddly, so an eSIM from Airalo, Nomad or Holafly is the easy route if your phone supports it. You do not need mobile data to pay by card, but you will want it for maps, Uber and QR payments. In Buenos Aires, a SUBE card is what you tap for the subway and buses. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Argentina.
Get your Nomad eSIM for Argentina→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Strong care can sit a long way from where you are traveling and an evacuation is a genuine possibility, so this is one to weigh seriously for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 911 is the nationwide line for police, fire and ambulance and works from any phone, even with no SIM or credit. In Buenos Aires and some provinces 107 reaches the SAME ambulance service directly, with 101 for police and 100 for fire. There is also a tourist line, 0800 999 5000, with some help in languages other than Spanish. Save your address in Spanish to read out.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The peso, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
At about 1,500 pesos to the dollar in mid-2026, 10,000 pesos is roughly 7 dollars, 50,000 about 33, and 100,000 about 67. The largest note is 20,000 pesos, worth about 13 dollars, so you tend to carry a thick stack. The peso moves fast, so check a current rate before you go.
The blue-dollar myth
For years, dollars bought far more pesos at the street 'blue' rate than at the bank. That gap has closed: the official, blue and card (MEP) rates now sit within a few percent of each other, so a card gets a fair rate and there is no big prize for carrying cash. The flip side is that prices in dollar terms have risen, so Argentina is no longer the bargain it was.
Cards get the MEP rate
A foreign Visa or Mastercard is charged in pesos at the MEP rate, which is now competitive. Visa applies it at purchase; Mastercard charges the official rate and refunds the difference a few days later. Amex is rarely accepted, so carry Visa or Mastercard, and always choose pesos on the terminal.
Tipping is cash, about 10%
Around 10% at sit-down restaurants, usually not on the bill, and card receipts often have no tip line, so cash in pesos is the sure way to reach your server. The cubierto (a per-person cover charge) is not a tip. See the tipping section below.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 1,475 ARS
Entry, taxes and insurance
No visa, a VAT refund on hotels, and the new insurance rule.
Good news on entry: US travelers need no visa for stays up to 90 days, and the old US reciprocity fee is gone, so there is nothing to pay on arrival. There is also a real saver in the fine print: as a foreign tourist you are refunded the 21% VAT (IVA) on accommodation when you pay with a foreign-issued card (or an international transfer) and show your passport and entry record. Breakfast counts if it is included in the rate. The refund is meant to be automatic, but some hotels or booking sites add the VAT anyway, so pay direct with a foreign card where you can and check the bill. The newer thing to know: since a 2025 migration reform, Argentina expects foreign visitors to carry valid travel medical insurance, and public hospitals now bill non-residents for non-emergency care (emergencies are still stabilized). Border checks on tourists have been inconsistent so far, but the rule is on the books, so carry a policy and proof and confirm the current requirement before you fly. There is no general nightly tourist tax, though a few places like Bariloche add a small local fee, and there is no separate departure tax to pay at the airport since it is built into your ticket.
Before you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
About 10%, in cash, and not on the bill.
Tipping in Argentina is modest and almost always cash. In a sit-down restaurant, around 10% is the norm for good service, closer to 15% for something special, and it is usually not added to the bill. Card machines often have no tip line and a card tip may not reach your server, so leave the tip in cash pesos, handed to the person where you can. Watch for the cubierto, a small per-person cover charge for bread and the table setting: it goes to the restaurant, not the waiter, so it does not replace the tip. Taxis are not tipped beyond rounding up, though a little extra is kind if the driver helps with your bags, and Uber is paid in the app. For hotel porters and housekeeping a small tip is appreciated, and because the peso loses value quickly, a small US dollar bill (a 1 or a 5) is genuinely welcome to guides, porters and drivers who like to save in dollars, even though pesos are more practical day to day.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Is Argentina still a bargain, and do I need to bring US dollars?
Not the bargain it was. After the country lifted its currency controls, the official, street 'blue' and card rates converged, so the old trick of bringing dollars to change at a much better rate no longer pays off, and prices in dollar terms have risen sharply. You do not need to arrive with a thick envelope of cash. A modest amount of clean US dollars is still handy to exchange for small daily spending, but a no-foreign-fee card now gets a fair rate for most of your trip.
Should I pay in pesos or dollars in Argentina?
Always pesos. If a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in US dollars, decline; that dynamic currency conversion adds a few percent. Pay in pesos and let your card's network handle the exchange, which gives you the MEP rate.
What exchange rate does my card get in Argentina?
The MEP rate, applied automatically when a foreign Visa or Mastercard is charged in pesos. It is now close to the street 'blue' rate and clearly better than the airport or bank counter. Visa applies it at the moment of purchase, while Mastercard charges the official rate and refunds the difference a few days later. Note that the scary 'dolar tarjeta' figure in the local news is the rate Argentine residents pay, not what a foreign visitor gets.
What is the best way to get cash in Argentina?
For a larger sum, exchange US dollars at an official casa de cambio or pick up pesos from Western Union, both of which sit close to the street rate. Argentine ATMs are the expensive route: low per-withdrawal limits and steep flat fees on top of the official rate. If you do use an ATM, a Charles Schwab card refunds the fees, withdraw inside a bank in daylight, and choose pesos, not dollars.
Do I need travel insurance to enter Argentina?
You should carry it. A 2025 migration reform introduced a requirement for foreign visitors to hold valid travel medical insurance, and public hospitals now bill non-residents for non-emergency care, though emergencies are still stabilized. Border checks on tourists have been inconsistent, but the rule is official, so travel with a policy and proof and confirm the current entry requirement before you fly.
Do I have to pay the hotel VAT in Argentina?
As a foreign tourist, no. You are refunded the 21% VAT (IVA) on accommodation when you pay with a foreign-issued card or international transfer and show your passport and entry record, and breakfast counts if it is included. The refund should be automatic, but some hotels or booking sites add the VAT anyway, so pay direct with a foreign card where you can and check the final bill.
How much cash should I bring for a week in Argentina?
Less than you would expect, since cards now cover most of a city trip. For two mid-range travelers, roughly 200 to 350 dollars' worth of pesos across a week beyond your card spending is plenty, for ordinary taxis, small shops, markets, cafes and tips. Get it by exchanging US dollars or from Western Union rather than leaning on ATMs, and keep small notes for tips.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in Argentina.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Argentina's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In Argentina, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Argentina.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Argentina, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
Argentina leans on cash more than its reputation suggests, so the card that earns its place is a fee-free ATM debit card, with a no-foreign-fee credit card for hotels and bigger spots. If you are getting one, this is the pairing I would pick. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Schwab refunds worldwide ATM fees with no cap, the standout for pulling cash abroad. Opening it also opens a linked Schwab brokerage account, though you never have to fund or invest it.
No foreign transaction fee
No foreign transaction fee
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA little Spanish goes a long way
A little Spanish goes a long way
A few words and a couple of stories that turn you from a tourist into a guest. Argentines are expressive and welcoming, with an Italian warmth to them, and they love when a visitor makes the effort.
Say a few words
Tip: Two very Argentine things: they say che for hey or buddy (yes, that is how Che Guevara got his nickname), and they pronounce ll and y like sh, so calle (street) sounds like CAH-sheh and yo like sho. Dale (DAH-leh) means okay, go for it.
Know a story
Born in Buenos Aires
Tango was born in the port neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, danced to the sighing squeeze of the bandoneon. It can be fiercely passionate or quietly melancholy, and Argentines take it seriously. Watching it danced well, close and intense, is unforgettable.
Say it: bandoneón (ban-doh-neh-OHN)
The gaucho and the pampas
The gaucho, the free-roaming horseman of the endless pampas, is to Argentina what the cowboy is to the American West: a symbol of independence and skill. His world gave the country two of its loves, the asado (barbecue) and mate. Ask about either and you will make a friend.
Say it: gaucho (GOW-choh)
The crossing of the Andes
In 1817, General Jose de San Martin led an army across the towering, freezing Andes to help free Chile and then Peru from colonial rule. It was a feat to rank with Hannibal's crossing of the Alps, and San Martin is revered across the continent as El Libertador, the liberator.
Good to know: San Martin is honored as El LibertadorThe heart of Argentine friendship is mate, a bitter green tea shared from one gourd and a metal straw, passed around the circle. Being offered the gourd is a small act of belonging. That, and a Sunday asado, is the country at its warmest.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkSources added. Verified with Argentina's national and Buenos Aires tourism boards that non-resident foreign tourists get an automatic 21% VAT discount on accommodation, and on breakfast if it is included, when paying with a foreign-issued card or an international transfer, shown at billing with a passport and entry record. Confirmed the 2025 migration reform (Decree 366/2025) that expects foreign visitors to carry valid travel medical insurance and lets public hospitals bill non-residents for non-emergency care, with border checks on tourists inconsistent so far. The exchange picture is current: after the April 2025 lifting of currency controls the official, blue and MEP rates converged, so a foreign card gets the MEP rate. Peso figures are a fast-moving snapshot.
- Visit Argentina21% VAT refund on accommodation for foreign tourists
- City of Buenos AiresVAT-free accommodation for visitors
- Buenos Aires Heraldhealth insurance now required to enter Argentina
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, tipping norms, and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure.
More money guides in the Americas
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
This is how Argentina stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.