When traveling to Argentina it is important to know what the official currency in the country is. The currency in Argentina is the Argentine Peso (ARS) since 1992.
But the Argentine Peso and currency exchanges have some secrets. In this article, I explain to you all about the Argentine Peso, the Dollar Blue, and the tourist exchange rate.
Read more: How get from Ezeiza (EZE) airport to Buenos Aires city
Currency in Argentina
The official currency of Argentina has had a difficult time and is experiencing it again for several years. The official currency in Argentina is the Argentine Peso. You will see the $ in stores and with card payments. Not to be mistaken with the symbol of the US dollar. The USD is expressed in U$S in Argentina. You will normally also see this on payment terminals.
You can pay with the Argentine peso throughout the country. But the Argentines also like you to pay in US dollars. If you want to pay in USD, I advise you to continue reading the article. Because in Argentina there is high inflation. This means that the national currency is struggling and that it is best to use all your exchanged Argentine pesos in the country and not exchange them outside the Argentine borders.
Read more: Argentina Travel Checklist for first-time visitors
How does the Argentine peso look like
Below you can see what the Argentine banknotes look like. The layout can sometimes be different because new designs have been made over the years. The largest banknote is 2000 Peso. The smallest can go up to 5 Pesos. There are also 1, 2, 5, and 10 peso coins.
Where to exchange USD, EUR, GBP to Argentine Peso
Most likely you will land at Buenos Aires International Airport to start your trip in Argentina. I recommend taking cash with you when traveling. Preferably USD or EUR because they are easy to exchange.
You can exchange your cash in one of the many exchange offices in the city. I wrote an article that you should know before changing money in Argentina. Be sure to read this because some USD or EUR banknotes are not accepted or have a lower exchange rate. Check here the official exchange rate.
Read more: Where to exchange money in Buenos Aires
Currency in Argentina for tourists
Due to the high inflation in the country, the Argentine peso quickly loses its value against other currencies. This has created parallel exchange rates in Argentina. One such exchange rate is the tourist exchange rate. For the same 1 USD, you get almost double the amount of Pesos in your hand. This only applies to credit cards and not cash or debit cards.
It is important to know that some companies increase the total amount in Argentine pesos so that it is still equal to the official exchange rate.
I’ll give you more explanation in the blog post: Tourist foreign dollar exchange rate
What about the Dollar Blue
It is already a lot of information about money exchange and the currency in Argentina. And we have yet to talk about the Dollar Blue.
This is an unofficial exchange rate and depends on supply and demand. As a result, the exchange rate for USD or EUR to Argentine Peso is higher. These transactions are done in cash. This of course entails risks and going to Calle Florida well-prepared is recommended.
I made a video about what the Dollar Blue in Argentina is right. You will also find here the information on where Calle Florida is located and what you can expect.
1 Comment
Hey Glenn,
We wrote briefly on Friday about the national airlines and their reliability.
You wrote that you will also travel to Salta in September.
I have noticed that there are currently violent strikes north of Salta in the Prince Jujuy.
How do you assess the situation? Has this been done by September/October or is it problematic to travel there?
We want to go there. To Pumamarca, Tilcara and Humahuaca. How do you see it?
Greetings Robert