Money and Currency in Argentina

Currency in Argentina

Buy Argentine Pesos Online

Money and How To Use It

What to do about Money in Argentina

Argentina's official currency is the Argentine Peso (pronunced "pay-so") and unlike in some other South American countries, you won't officially find the US dollar used in day-to-day life, although many Argentines have dollar-denominated savings accounts and it's often possible to pay for things directly in dollars as well, although this is nowhere near as popular as it was prior to the currency reforms of 2016.

Latest Argentine Peso Exchange Rate
argentina peso£1 = $1082.32
Last Updated: 08:02 28 March 2024
Buy Argentina Pesos Online

These reforms meant an effective end to the semi-illegal "blue dollar" exchange rate which was a fact of life for many years in Argentina, and means that holidays in Argentina are now much simpler in terms of dealing with cash, using cards, and all the other money issues you might have to worry about.

Sample Holidays in Argentina

  • Tango Classic

    • Length: 10 days
    • From: £1795pp
    • Highlights: Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls

    Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls are probably the two places you simply have to include on a tour of Argentina, and this trip includes both...

    Book this trip now
  • Patagonia Self-Drive

    • Length: 10 days
    • From: £1995pp
    • Highlights: Perito Moreno, Torres del Paine, Buenos Aires

    Get behind the wheel and explore the very best of Patagonia! Our self drive holidays in Argentina and Chile let you explore both sides of the border so you don't miss an inch of this beautiful region ...

    Book this trip now
  • Encompass Argentina

    • Length: 10 days
    • From: £2195pp
    • Highlights: Iguazu Falls, Perito Moreno, Buenos Aires

    This is one of our favourite holidays in Argentina, taking in everything from the sophistication of Buenos Aires to the natural splendour of Iguazu Falls, and right down to the mountains and fjords of Patagonia ...

    Book this trip now
  • Tale of Two Cities

    • Length: 10 days
    • From: £1795pp
    • Highlights: Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls

    This holiday in Argentina and Brazil takes you to both Buenos Aires and the fabulous Rio de Janeiro, with time to stop and marvel at the majestic Iguazu Falls in-between ...

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  • Andean Cross

    • Length: 14 days
    • From: £2695pp
    • Highlights: Lake District, Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno

    Enjoy the best of both sides of Patagonia, visiting Torres del Paine, the Perito Moreno glacier and the beautiful Lake District ...

    Book this trip now
  • Great Circle

    • Length: 13 days
    • From: £2950pp
    • Highlights: Puerto Madryn, Peninsula Valdes, El Calafate, Bariloche

    This tour includes whale watching in Peninsula Valdes, as well as a trip to Perito Moreno and time in the Lake District around Bariloche...

    Book this trip now
  • Gaucho Grande

    • Length: 16 days
    • From: £3350pp
    • Highlights: Salta, Lake District, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires

    For a 2020/21 holiday to Argentina that has it all, try our Gaucho Grande itinerary for size and enjoy the best of Argentina ...

    Book this trip now
  • Malbec and Mountains

    • Length: 10 days
    • From: £2550pp
    • Highlights: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Salta

    This wine tour of Argentina takes in both the Malbec heartlands around Mendoza and the high-altitude vineyards of the Cafayate Valley near Salta ...

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  • Family Argentina

    • Length: 12 days
    • From: £2195pp
    • Highlights: Buenos Aires, Whale watching, Iguazu Falls, Rio

    Argentina has some spectacular scenery and is a great place for seeing wildlife. This family-friendly tour combines whale-watching and the jungles of Iguazu Falls with Buenos Aires and a quick trip to Rio ...

    Book this trip now

Using Cash and Cashpoints in Argentina

Some bureaux de change in the UK are now carrying Argentine Pesos, and you can also order them online. However, because it's not always possible to get hold of pesos in the UK, our usual advice is that if you want to take cash, then take US dollars with you and change them into Pesos in Argentina, where you'll get a good exchange rate.

Exchanging money this way is just a fact of life for most Argentinians, and not something you should be worried about, but just ask us if you have any queries or concerns. Dollars are definitely the major currency of exchange, although you can exchange Euros almost everywhere as well.

Changing money in Brazil

Using Cash and Cashpoints in Argentina

Rather than bringing either Dollars or Pesos to Argentina with you, you could always just bring a small amount of cash so you have some on arrival, and then just use cash machines once you are in Argentina. You'll find them just about everywhere, and they take all UK bank cards, although there will usually be a small cash machine fee charged. You can also use a pre-paid currency card if you prefer not to bring your usual card - dollar-denominated ones are the best choice.

Travellers Cheques and Credit Cards in Argentina

Paying on your card is very common in Argentina, particularly in the larger cities so although at times you'll need cash, you can manage quite well without it so long as you're not going off the beaten track and don't mind paying at the official exchange rates.

If you plan to use your card either in cash machines or to pay directly for something, we'd recommend contacting your bank before travel so that they know you will be overseas, and when.

Haggling and Tipping in Argentina

No drivers or guides in Argentina will expect tips so please don't feel you have to tip them unless you think they've really done more than you could reasonably expect. In general Argentina is similar to the UK or Europe in its tipping culture, so meals are usually tipped at 10%, but a few coins for a coffee or a beer will be fine.

The main exceptions to this rule are hotel porters, who expect a small gratuity for carrying your bags up to your room. This is obviously discretionary and you don't have to do this, but they tend to receive next to no wages, so the tips are effectively their salary. A tip of $5-10 is reasonable, but more like $20 if you're at a 5-star hotel.

Argentina is emphatically NOT a haggling society, and it's generally seen as a little uncouth to try and get a discount on anything. The exception would be street markets like the 'hippy' market in Buenos Aires, where a more laid-back vibe is the order of the day.

Setting a budget for your holiday in Argentina

While inflation isn't in dangerous territory, we have seen prices for basics increasing noticeably every year in Argentina, so setting a budget for your Argentina holiday is a little trickier than a few years ago. The table below should give you some idea of how much day-to-day expenses are likely to set you back.

ItemCost (£)
Postcard £0.80
Lunch (set menu - mid-range) £4
Lunch/Dinner (a la carte - mid-range) £5-8
Lunch/Dinner (a la carte - high-end) £15-25
Bottle of water £1
Bottle of beer £1.50 (Quilmes) / £3 (Heineken)
Glass of wine £3
Coffee / Tea £1.50

One thing to bear in mind is that even though Argentina isn't the cheapest country in South America, what you will always get is quality, so even in a cheap restaurant your food will be really good; if you order a coffee it might set you back more than it would in, say, Peru, but it will be GOOD coffee - you get the picture!

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