Buenos Aires: Cash or Card?

First of all, welcome to my country, I love that you’re visiting. I wish I could be there to greet you and show you around. But I’m in Vietnam… SORRY (?). So you are about to travel to Argentina and you are wondering Buenos Aires: Cash or Card?

That said, Buenos Aires is a spectacular city, but if you’re a foreigner, you need to be careful with exchange rates, which banks you use, who gives you your cash, and so on.

Let’s go step by step so you don’t lose it.

Buenos Aires: Cash or Card

ATMs in Buenos Aires: What You Need to Know

Most Argentine ATMs accept foreign cards, but they tend to have some of the highest fees and lowest withdrawal limits you’ll find anywhere. And not only that: the exact amounts change often because of inflation.

ATM tips:

• Check the screen before confirming. The ATM shows the fee, and you can cancel at no cost.
• Always choose Argentine pesos. If it offers to charge you in your home currency (dynamic currency conversion), decline it.
• Withdraw less often, but larger amounts, to pay fewer flat fees, without exceeding your bank’s limit.
• Ask your bank about its international fees and whether it has agreements with Argentine banks that reduce or eliminate fees.
• Use ATMs inside bank branches, in broad daylight and in places with people around.

The Key Issue: The Exchange Rate

Argentina has had several exchange rates at once for years: the official rate, the “blue” (informal) rate and the MEP (electronic payment market) rate. For tourists, this directly affects which option is best for you.

Since late 2022 there has been what’s known as the “tourist dollar”: payments with foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are processed at the MEP rate, which was much more favorable than the official rate at the time. However, anyone who withdraws pesos at an ATM without that benefit pays the official or bank rate plus fees.

AVOID THE OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATE WHENEVER YOU CAN. It’s usually the least favorable one if you’re arriving with foreign currency.

Buenos Aires: Cash or Card

If you ask me, what I would do is bring cash, exchange it at exchange houses (NOT at a bank), and when I need more money, send myself money through Western Union to avoid ATM fees.

US dollar cash: for years it was the most profitable way to exchange money. Today the advantage is smaller, but it’s still useful for tips, small purchases and places where cards don’t work.

Western Union: The Alternative to ATMs

This is what I used most when I came back to Argentina and had no pesos. Still, it’s worth noting that it comes with caveats: the rate is usually around 2-4% below the blue rate, and sometimes the offices run out of pesos.

Other Useful Tools for Buenos Aires

• Revolut: its app lets you filter for fee-free ATMs and recommends always choosing to pay in Argentine pesos. Check your plan’s monthly free limits.
• Wise: useful for transfers and withdrawals with transparent fees.
• Apps like Moreta Pay: these QR payment apps for travelers are aimed at Asia, so don’t assume they work in Argentina; check coverage before relying on them.

A Practical Plan for Your Trip

• Tell your bank and check your international limits and fees.
• Carry two cards from different networks (Visa and Mastercard).
• Bring some cash in USD or euros as a backup and for small expenses.
• Compare exchange rates (official, MEP, blue) on the same day you pay.
• Consider Western Union if you need a lot of cash.
• Check current data on the BCRA (Argentina’s central bank) website and with your bank, because everything changes fast.

Conclusion: Buenos Aires Cash or Card

For Buenos Aires, the best strategy usually combines a card for most expenses, dollar cash as a backup, and Western Union if you need cash in pesos, leaving ATMs as a last resort because of their fees. Since Argentina’s exchange rules change frequently, always double-check the figures before you travel.

This might help you:
Where to Stay in Buenos Aires
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