Neighborhoods of Character: Immersing Yourself in Buenos Aires’ Local Culture
Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, is a big and bustling metropolis that combines European sophistication and flair with the vibrant energy of South America. There’s always something happening here, and this infectious energy and passion make Buenos Aires a great place to live as well as to visit. Plus, with a cost of living that’s well below that of North America or Europe, Argentina, in general, and Buenos Aires, in particular, make very attractive locations for digital nomads to spend some time exploring the local culture.
Living and working in Buenos Aires, even for a short time, is different from visiting on vacation. After you store any unneeded baggage, the first thing you’ll want to know is where you should look for a place to stay. Buenos Aires is a city of neighborhoods, or barrios, each with its own unique atmosphere and charm. Here’s a guide to some great places to consider staying in the Argentinian capital.
Best neighborhoods of Buenos Aires
Centro
In most cities, the downtown district is where the action is, so it can be tempting to stay in the Centro district, which also includes Montserrat and San Nicolas. This is where you’ll find most of the city’s top attractions, like Avenida 9 de Julio and Plaza de Mayo. That makes it a great place for a vacation. Plus, the bars and restaurants in this area ensure that it has good nightlife.
However, the central district can be more expensive than other areas. Plus, the downtown core can get quiet on weekends, and you may feel it lacks the authenticity of a lesser-known neighborhood.
Palermo
Buenos Aires doesn’t come much trendier than this. Palermo is where you’ll find some of the best nightlife the city has to offer, with bars and restaurants staying busy well into the night. This hip barrio is also home to some of Argentina’s best street art, and it has a lively and energetic vibe that’s hard to beat. If you want to spend some time in a neighborhood that offers just about everything you need to have a good time, this is it.
San Telmo
One of the oldest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, this is an area steeped in Argentinian culture. Home to some of the best tango shows the capital has to offer, this is a barrio of antique shops, bookstores, and historic churches. The Sunday market on Dorrego Street is a great place to take the pulse of the neighborhood and do some shopping.
Recoleta and Retiro
If you’re after architectural beauty, these upscale districts are hard to beat. These are some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and are beautifully maintained with low crime and great services. This area is also home to the Museo de Belles Artes and the famous Recoleta Cemetery. However, you can expect to pay a lot more for a stay in this neighborhood than you would in other parts of the city.
Buenos Aires for digital nomads
Argentina makes an excellent choice for digital nomads. English is widely spoken if your Spanish isn’t that great, and more and more coworking spaces are being established across the city. Additionally, the city has great amenities, including cheap and fast Wi-Fi. Add that to the fascinating culture and great food of the city, and you have a fantastic place to make a home base for a while.
Cost of living
The relatively low cost of living makes Argentina very attractive for digital nomads from wealthy countries. A one-bedroom apartment in the city center can cost as little as US$250 per month and even less if you’re willing to stay outside the city center. Public transportation is equally cheap, with a monthly transit pass costing around $15. High-speed Internet with unlimited data should cost you around $20, and groceries are significantly cheaper than what you’re probably used to paying at home.
It’s worth noting that the average monthly salary for workers in Buenos Aires is around $1000 US. Many working-class people make far less than this, so if you can generate even close to this working online, you can live quite well here.
Safety
Buenos Aires is a generally safe city, but like any major city, it does have its share of petty crime. If you stand out as a tourist, especially if you don’t speak Spanish, you may become a target for theft. Watch out for motochorros, thieves who operate on motorized scooters and snatch bags in some of the seedier parts of the city, including around the Retiro Bus Station. You can minimize your risk of being robbed by leaving your bags behind with a secure luggage storage service like Bounce.
Visas
Another factor that makes Argentina appealing to digital nomads is its special Digital Nomad Visa, launched in 2022. Open to residents of countries that do not require tourist visas (including the United States, Canada, the EU, Australia, Mexico, and all of Central America), these visas allow you to stay for 180 days at a time instead of the usual 90 days. There’s also the possibility of extending your visa to 360 days.
Note that visa requirements are subject to change, so make sure you contact the authorities to make sure you follow all the rules.
Living and working in Buenos Aires
Thanks to relatively simple visa requirements, a low cost of living, rich and vibrant cultural life, and fantastic scenery, Buenos Aires is quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular cities with digital nomads. Whether you want to take a short break or spend a longer time here immersing yourself in the culture of the Argentinian capital, you’ll find BA an extremely rewarding city to get to know. And with its relatively low cost of living and good amenities, the city makes a perfect base for further exploration of Argentina and South America.
But picking the right neighborhood is key to your enjoyment of this fascinating city. Choose a place to stay in one of these lively barrios, and you will be sampling the very best the city has to offer.
Where to Next?
Planning your digital nomad destination can be time consuming so Nomad Stays helps solve the problem. Did you know you can choose a genre City Life and find stay in cities around the world and book instantly? If you are looking for places to stay as you work and travel around you can find affordable monthly stays hat are nomad ready so make sure you become a member today and never miss the deals.
By Guest Blogger Charlotte Baker
