I give you an overview of the best locations where to exchange your money in Buenos Aires. A local tip to change your Dolar, Euro or other currency to Argentinian peso (ARS). In many cases you get almost 25% more pesos for the same amount of money. That will increase your travel budget in Argentina
In the article “Where to change money (Euro and Dollar) in Buenos Aires” I gave you some extra do and don’ts to change your money in Buenos Aires. If you want to exchange in Calle Florida, be sure to read continue reading.
Read also: How get from Ezeiza (EZE) airport to Buenos Aires city
Current exchange rate in Buenos Aires
| Actual rate: 1 USD: 198.13 ARS / €1= 211.65 ARS |
. | |
| USD | € | |
| Banco Nacion | 198,25 ARS | 210,00 ARS |
| Cambio Baires | 203,50 ARS | 219,70 ARS |
| Florida Street (Black market) | 367,00 ARS | 391,00 ARS |
| Montevideo Cambio | 330,00 ARS | 330,00 ARS |
| XOOM | 344,69 ARS | 373,04 ARS |
| Western Union | 368,71 ARS | 389,65 ARS |
Add with Western Union and XOOM a transfer fee.7
Currency controls in Argentina
At this moment there are currency controls in Argentina. This means that the black exchange market is back and often gives the best exchange rates.
Important to know. Imagine that you changed too many dollars or euro to the Argentine peso and you want to change it back to the dollar. First, I suggest just using the money because buying dollars or euros back, will cost you a lot. On top of that, you can only exchange back to your currency up to a max of 200 USD per person. Make your calculation of your expected expenses before exchanging in Buenos Aires.
Calle Florida. What is that and where?
Street “Calle Florida” is full of black market handlers. Located near Plaza de Mayo and the Obelisco. Calle Florida is not the most attractive place to be. Crowded and a narrow street. However, at this moment it is the best place to change your money.
When walking you will hear people saying “cambio, cambio”. Ask for their current exchange rate. Don’t agree directly and step to another one to compare. This is how you will get the best exchange rate.
When you agree with an exchange rate, ask for the note and they will guide you to a small office somewhere in a building or to a person in the same street.
Tip: you will get a better rate if you have banknotes of USD 100 or €100.
Be aware that you will need to double-check on fake banknotes. All at your own risk.
Read also: Calle Florida, everything you need to know
At the airport
Hold on! Arriving at Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini Ezeiza (EZE) or better know at Buenos Aires International airport?
Banco Nacion will give you an ok rate and nowadays better than the exchange bureaus in Buenos Aires. You can choose to exchange your money there because it feels safer. In street “Calle Florida” it’s a little bit more adventurous.
Exchange bureaus (Casa de Cambio)
There are enough exchange bureaus to find in Buenos Aires. Finding the right one with the best rate is another case. Avoid touristic areas such as Caminito and Recoleta. Below are some exchange bureaus. Check the rate daily above.
Cambio Maguitur: Sarmiento 46, Buenos Aires (close to Plaza de Mayo).
Montevideo cambio: Florida 580, Buenos Aires (San Telmo)
Casa de Cambio Baires: Pierina Dealessi 578, Buenos Aires (Puerto Madero)
Cambio Alpe: Sarmiento 480, Buenos Aires (close to Plaza de Mayo)
Cambio Maxinta: 25 de Mayo 386, Buenos Aires (close to Plaza de Mayo)
Paris Cambio: Sarmiento 399, Buenos Aires
Supermarket
I can suggest going to the Coto supermarket and buy something small if you’re in the need of some money. In return, you will get pesos in exchange. Check the rate at the cashier and compare it with the actual rate of that moment. Mostly the exchange rate of the Coto supermarket is above the actual rate.
Argentinian friend
Do you have a friend of Argentinian nationality and with a national bank account in Buenos Aires? Ask him/her to go to the bank of their account. The exchange rate in national banks is often higher than the exchange bureaus. The rate of Banco la Nation is the highest on the market, but sometimes a waiting line occurs.
49 Comments
Hello,
What the best Western Union to get cash from? Would Western Union allow to take the cash myself if I sent it to myself?
I have heard some WUs were not giving cash when they find out you wired it to yourself.
Gracias!
Hi Julio, in the past I did that. Send myself money with WU. Pick up is best in street Montevideo as it is the HQ.
Hello Glenn,
I will be coming to Buenos Aires on the 19th April, Is there any currency exchange in Jorge Newberry airport?
Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Amy, there is also an office of the national bank. If I remember well it’s located at the end of the check-in area.
Hello Glenn
Have you heard much about the tourist dollar exchange with mastercard and visa? Supposedly you can use the card, pay in official currency and then the cards will reimburse you in the MEP? Are Western Unions a safe way to exchange currencies? All the Western Unions the same rate?
Thank you, so many questions, getting ready for a 3 week trip in January, very excited!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie, that’s correct. WU is also a good way to get cash at a good rate. All WU offices are giving the same. You need to order your exchange online on their website.
Hi Glenn,
Thanks for this information it’s super useful! Do you know if Western Union tend to be open on the Easter Weekend? We are arriving on Friday and trying to figure out our best options! We will be staying in Palermo, if you know anywhere with particularly good exchange rates around there?
Hi Elena, the HQ of WU will be closed probably. Many offices are closed on Easter weekend. You have some exchange offices in Palermo with maybe the tourist dollar rate available.
Excellent resource, Glenn! Keep up the good work. What are the chances of finding a cueva in San Telmo? My flight gets in in the afternoon and I’d really prefer to go straight to my hotel rather than detour to Florida for pesos.
Any idea when they’ll be rolling out the 2000 peso notes?
Hi Nancy, in the street Defensa there is a exchange office “Montevideo cambio”. For tourists they have an exchange rate of 330ARS for 1 USD. Not too bad.
Glenn – This is the best info I could find on USD to ARS – thank you! The web lists a Banco Nation in Terminal A (EZE) open 24 hours. Can you verify this? Also, in smaller towns like Puerto Iguazu there is only one WU. Should I keep my transfers to something like $200 or do you think I might be able to get more? I read somewhere that some WU outlets will refuse transactions over a certain amount –
Glen, I am arriving at Ezeiza on a Sunday morning around 7 am. I think the Banco de la Nacion branch does not open until 10 am. Are there other change booths in the airport I can use? Alternatively, I could take an Uber to my hotel in Palermo on Av Santa Fe. Would there be exchange booths open there on a Sunday morning?
Hi Patrick, I believe that since shortly the office is closed on Sundays. There is an exchange office on Plaza Italia 🙂
Hello. What is the maximum amount that I should transfer if I am picking up at the main Western Union office?
Hi Belle, it depends to which WU office you go. Small kiosko’s are smaller amounts. Mostly they pay you in notes of 500. And when lucky notes of 1000. A friend went some months ago and he exchanged 150.000 worth of pesos.
Hi Glen, I live in US. can i bring cash US$ and exchange in WU office? or I have to send the cash to WU ? the rate will be same? eg. I check today’s rate is 1=189 + $8 fee. if i bring cash to WU in Argentina, I will get same rate? Thank you in advance !
Hi John, for WU office, it’s better to send online and pick it up the office. The rate zill be the one that you got when completing the transaction.
Hi There. I have 40 000 ARS left after my trip. How many dollars can I get for it? I’m getting mixed information from my friends. Some tell me it’ll be only 170 dollars, some say 250 dollars etc. What is the truth? 🙂
hi Peter, how much USD did you get and where did you exchange? Thanks!
Hello Glen,
I am wondering where can I get more information about opening a temporary bank account in Argentina as mentioned in this bloomberg article:
Argentina Will Let Foreign Tourists Bring in Dollars at a Lucrative Rate
Foreign travelers can open temporary bank account in Argentina
Tourists can exchange money at rate weaker than official peso
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-28/argentina-to-let-foreign-tourists-sell-dollars-at-lucrative-rate
Links to appropriate website will be highly appreciated!
Warm regards,
Hi Mau, indeed this was hot news a month ago. However, the banks are responsible to provide this service and they are not doing it. As soon, there is news, I will update 😀
Dear Glenn, thank you for the information you have provided. During the covid last 2 years your website was the only one resource to check with instant updates. Could you please advise on the websites or Facebook with the long local rentals? 1-6 months. Can I pay in pesos or USD for the rent ? Thank you!
Hi Marco, mostly I just search on Google Maps some local car rental offices. It’s often the cheapest way to rent a car. You can also use more popular services like Hertz. You can book on their website in pesos but when paying with a card, always the official rate will be used.
Hi Glenn, I’m wondering if you have any k formation on paying for domestic flights within Argentina with cash in pesos. Obviously that would be a game changer with the blue dollar conversion rate.
Hi Serge, Aerolíneas Argentinas is only by debit or credit card but you can pay in pesos. Flybondi has the option to pay at a local store (RapiPago) and there you have more the benefit of the blue rate 🙂
Thank you so much for all the information you have posted. My wife and I are scheduled to visit mid-November from the US, for a week and we are very excited (and hopeful).
Any chance you could do a small update on this particular issue? With the borders reopening soon, I am sure a lot of people are eager to see how has everything evolved as far as the money exchange
Glenn, thank y9u for reposting this. Still hoping for a December 1 arrival in B.A. and for near nomality. Seems Astra-Zeneca is sending 4 million doese in May alone. Hoping for an abosolute avalanche of vaccines for you. W.U. seems like the best bet, but will check before we come. I will be there for eight days and don’t want a lot of pesos left over. Hey, times are tough to be sure, but you could be in Colombia. God help them. Cheers, mi amigo.
Colombia had a really rough time. I live in the US now, but I lost 3 relatives and my best friend to the pandemic. Thankfully, things are much better there now. I even visited twice in the last 6 months. Now we can’t wait to go to BsAs!
Glen I only have GBR will I have problems exchanging? Is it better ti bring euros? I don’t have any US$. I will be 2 days in DEC 2022 and 2 days in JAN 23. Thanks
Hi, GBP is possible. Euro and of course USD are popular.
What are the monthly and annual limits for receiving money with WesternUnion and XOOM? I heard that its difficult to use them if you base yourself in Argentina permanently due to those limits.
Hi Art, currently the monthly limit for transferring or withdrawing money with Western Union is 335.000 ARS. On top of that, withdrawing money at a local WU office is limited to 114.000 ARS per transaction. So, if you want to withdraw 335.000 ARS at the local store, I would suggest to split it.
For Xoom, you can find the updated information here
Cheers!
Thank you for the comprehensive breakdown Glenn. If I have too many pesos and want to convert back to USD, via wire to my US bank or paper conversion locally, where is the best place to do that? Converting to pesos from USD is great with WU and Xoom, but if I want to get closer to the official rate going back to USD, how should I do that?
Hi Jonathan 👋, that’s a pretty tough question. You’re right, exchanging US dollars to Argentinian peso in Buenos Aires is done in minutes. But the other way around it will be difficult to get it at the official exchange rate.
First, I suggest exchanging ARS to USD at the local bank. There is a limit of USD200 per month per person. The exchange rate is then +30% taxes. That is the best rate you can get official.
Second, if you know somebody that is able to exchange USD dollar by “Dólar MEP”. That is actually buying a “bonus” in ARS and you can sell the bonus back again after 5 days. You will receive it in USD.
Third, if you have an Argentinian credit card or know somebody. Then you can create a payment link with a payment system other than PayPal or Revolut (because it’s blocked). Afterward, you can imagine how it goes 😉
Then we have Xoom and WU are possible but the exchange rate is pretty high.
Saludos!
Just to let everyone know that the Banco Nacion exchanges at Ezeiza no longer allow you to change ARS into any other currency when you’re leaving the country, so if you don’t have time to try to change or spend any leftover cash in the them in the city you’d better hope there’s something you want in Duty Free!
Thank you Paula for the information 🙂
Glenn,
Just noticed your post and the limit for Western Union transfers. Still planning for arrival in B.A. on 1 Dec 21 and thing may change, but I have a question. There are various outlets to pick up pesos from W.U. transferss. Are these outlets able to set their own lower limits. I do know that the post office does. Thanks.
Hi Joseph 👋, indeed the limit may change at that time but I will keep the post updated. The limits of the WU offices depend on how much cash they have at that moment. The WU office in street Montevideo has always cash and a lot :-). If you exchange all the money in one transaction then the chance is there that the office can’t give you the money. So, two options: split the amount in multiple small transactions or one transaction but best go to the WU office Montevideo. Cheers!
Hey Glen,
Glad to find your useful info. I am here since Feb and ‘grounded’ so to speak until Oct. I will be needing to resupply my funds shortly as I was supposed to leave in June originally : |
What is the best way to send myself money via WU? It sounds like they deliver ARG pesos, not US dollars? Do they post their official exchange rate anywhere, (and does it change daily)? How do they extract their fee?
Thanks so much.
Hi Anei, thank you for the compliment. True, sending money with Western Union is the easiest way in your case. The exchange rate is unlikely to fall much in one day, but rather to increase. The day on which you make the transfer entitles you to that exchange rate. Even if you withdraw the money within a week. A few days ago I passed the Western Union office in street Montevideo. There you can withdraw more money in one transaction.
The money to be collected will always be Argentine peso. It is not possible to send US dollars and subsequently receive US dollars here.
We have a reliable contact so you do not have to move to a currency exchange in Buenos Aires. Contact me at info@secretsofbuenosaires.com.
#staysafe
Glenn, Western Union list “Correo” in the international arrivals area of Ezeiza Airport as an “agent”. What is your opinion about safety and service as my Spanish is not great. i am hesitant to go to the office you recommend as I don’t want to walk around B.A. with 100,000 AGS in my pocket even if I take a taxi. I thought that the airport might be safer. Thanks.
Hi Joseph ?, at the Correo Argentino offices it is also possible to pick up your Western Union transfer. Only it is limited to 15.000 ARS per transfer (+/- 123 USD on 18/05/2020). So, indeed the Western Union post office at Ezeiza is a possibility. Only thing is that post offices often don’t have that much cash in their vault. If you’re one of the first, you are probably lucky.
About the limit per transfer. You can say: I will send 4 times 15.000 ARS. Out of experience, the Correo Argentino worker applies his/her own rules and can say only one transfer per person. Even if this is not right. Or they just have enough money for one transfer.
The Western Union offices at street Montevideo and Peru, you will be able to pick up to 114.000 ARS in one transfer.
Your Spanish doesn’t need to be that sufficient for a transfer with Western Union in Buenos Aires. The employee can process your transfer easily only with the WU transfer code and your passport. They know what to do.
About the safety. I understand that walking around with 100.000 ARS is not that convenient. Both areas of street Montevideo and Peru are safe. Maybe you can go with 2 to the office?
Best regards!
Please can you advise where to change UK Sterling £ 50.00 notes at the moment . Best rates and preferably near Palermo area OR easier at the moment with a delivery to my flat ? Thanks Paul .
Hi Paul ?, exchange money in Buenos Aires during the lockdown isn’t that easy. There are two ways now: transfer with Western Union to an office here (WU or Correo Argentino) or make an appointment at a bank such as BBVA, Galicia, Santander, … Select the option “attention a caja”. If you transfer by Western Union in Buenos Aires, you can only go based on the last number of your passport. (Monday 0-1, Tuesday 2-3, Wednesday 4-5, Thursday 6-7, Friday 8-9). The banks are open on weekdays but only on appointment. Best regards.
Glenn , thanks for the info ..
Thank you for this post! So useful. We are going to Argentina for a month and will be travelling from the UK. Do you recommend converting pounds to USD before we come and then go to a cambino to change it? Or western union transfer of GBP to Argentinian peso? I’m a bit confused! Thanks in advance.
Hi Katie ?, If you want to bring cash to Argentina I suggest converting to USD in your home country. USD and EURO are high demanded currencies in Buenos Aires. On the other hand, transferring with Western Union is the cheapest way at this moment 🙂
Hey Glenn!
First of all thank you so much for this super useful info!!
I’m going to Argentina from Bolivia which means that I only have bolivianos. Do you recommend taking lot of cash out here in Bolivia and change it in Argentina or rather send money to western union?
Thanks!
K
Hi Kelly ?, nice to receive compliments like this. With pleasure, we try to give the best tips. The safest way in our opinion is to exchange by Western Union in Argentina. You don’t need to carry that much money, almost in all Argentina are Western Union offices and the exchange rate from USD to ARS is the best at WU now ☺️.
Have a nice trip Argentina!