Nov 3, 2008
Q&A: The Northwest versus Buenos Aires
We had a question from Joe in Seattle regarding things to consider when moving here. There are certainly pros and cons to living here versus in the Northwest, and I’ll do my best to be as objective as I can, hopefully without offending any Argentineans (I love it here, honest!)
For Sara and I, perhaps the move was easier than it would be for others. Sara and I had been married for less than a year when we came here, so we didn’t have too much stuff (this is where Sara’s mom rolls her eyes at all the boxes in her garage).
Culture
Argentineans are very friendly and always ready to help. I have been shocked and humbled and their willingness to put up with my attempts to communicate. Porteños have a reputation for being somewhat cold, but in my experience, that’s totally untrue. For a Northwesterner, interacting with locals will be familiar and normal.
Food
The food here is, overall, quite fantastic. In fact, some of the best meals of my life have been here. But don’t expect an American-style grocery store, where you can buy organic English cucumbers year-round (why is that possible again?) You are at the mercy of what the grocery store stocks.
You may also want to bring your own spices, if you are a someone who loves spicy food. Argentina is known for its lack of spicy food.
Money
If you are coming to Argentina because you are expecting the bargain of 2001, think again. The U.S. dollar is strong, and there are still some good deals to be had but living in Buenos Aires can be expensive. This is especially true if you are planning on maintaining the same quality of life you had in the U.S. A nice apartment in Palermo can set you back $1,200 a month!
City Life
Yes, Seattle is big… kind of. It’s not big in the way that New York or Chicago is big. Buenos Aires is big, and it will be a change for someone from Bellevue who is used to driving to the mountains after work. For us, it was going from a small city to a HUGE city that was quite different and with the metro area of B.A. coming in at 13 million, this wasn’t trivial. However, I think we would have had this same “shock” were this a U.S. city as well.
Housewares
We decided to acquire anything we needed here in Argentina rather than ship our things down, which would have been quite expensive. However, if you are planning on buying housewares here, be ready to fork over twice what you would pay in the U.S. for quality goods, even after the exchange rate. It would probably be worth it to bring lighter items, such as knives, since they tend to command a premium here as well.
Pay Scale
Working in Argentina is possible, but you will need to understand that the pay will be in pesos and will probably be a lot less than you are used to. If you are working more for the experience, more power to you. It could be a nice supplement to your savings, but don’t expect to earn a fortune.
Medical
This is actually one of the perks of living here. You can get private health insurance for much less than in the states ($80 dollars a month!) If you are living Buenos Aires, Swiss Medical is a good option if you are in the city, but there are other providers as well. The Disclaimer: I don’t have any first-hand experience with them yet, thankfully.
Car
Sara and I made a conscious choice not to have a car when we moved here. It’s very easy to get around the city without a car. Taxis are cheap, the subway is 90 centavos, and buses go just about everywhere. If you do want to have a car, be ready for very aggressive drivers. Driving in Buenos Aires is an adventure in itself.
Eric,
Thanks for sharing your insights, Eric. If I come to visit you, I won’t drive there, I’ll fly, and I’ll bring along my knives and spices!
Having moved to BA from Seattle in April, I would say it’s the size of the city that is the biggest difference, and the fact that the number and quality of green spaces in the northwest just can’t be matched. And i’ve had decent Korean and Chinese food here in BA, but the quality of the best asian restaurant is probably on par with an average restaurant in Seattle or Vancouver. Still there are so many culinary treasures here that there’s nothing to complain about. And my recent experiences with Swiss Medical pretty much blows away most of my healthcare experiences in the US…
Chad,
There are some great parks in Buenos Aires for sure, particularly in Palermo. I would agree with you on the Chinese food here, I’ve had some decent Chinese here that is on par with restaurants back home, which was quite a pleasant surprise.
I’m glad to hear you had a positive experience at Swiss Medical!
Cheers!
Eric
We moved our family to BA from Portland last month and the few things I would add:
Language: I think it would be pretty difficult to live here without decent working Spanish. People here are super friendly and helpful and will do what they can with gestures and expressions, but it will drive you nuts if you can’t speak the language (my husband is experiencing that and has every intention of learning, but he can’t imagine being here without my brother and I to translate).
Air: The buses spew some pretty nasty exhaust. You will miss the fresh air on hot, non-windy days.
Noise: The street level noise is very high, another adjustment from Seattle/Portland.
Produce/Meat: The PNW is bountiful in terms of amazing, locally grown, really tasty produce. My husband and I love to cook, and we miss the quality of produce we can buy in Oregon. Having said that, you can buy amazing quality chops, poultry and steak for a fraction of the cost in the US.
I am not trying to bash BA, just point out differences we have noticed (and we have lived in both Portland and Seattle) and the things we have missed.
Good luck!
Michree:
Thanks for your added feedback! I definitely agree that there are things we all have to adjust to, no matter how much we love living in Buenos Aires. We’ve found the noise and pollution to be a little less in the Palermo area.
I grew up in Portland, so it’s good to see kindred spirits reading the blog!
Cheers, Sara