What currency is used in Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires uses the Argentine peso (ARS).

What is the emergency number in Buenos Aires?

In Buenos Aires, call 911 for police, 107 for an ambulance, 100 for the fire service.

How much does a day in Buenos Aires cost?

Roughly $35-60 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $80-150 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.

Is Waypacker free to use in Buenos Aires?

Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.

Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?

Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.

Can I meet locals in Buenos Aires without staying with anyone?

Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.

Will anyone see my exact location?

No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

Buenos Aires travel guide

Argentina

A city of wide avenues, old cafés and dinners that start well after nine. Buenos Aires is best taken barrio by barrio, with long walks between parrillas, bookshops and leafy plazas.

Essentials

Language: Spanish, with a distinctive Rioplatense accent; English is spoken in many hostels and restaurants in Palermo and Recoleta
Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)
Plugs: Types I and C, 220 V
Emergency number: 911 for police, 107 for an ambulance, 100 for the fire service
Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants is customary, ideally left in cash as card machines often have no tip option.

Rough daily budget

Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:

Backpacker: $35-60, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
Mid-range: $80-150, with a private room and restaurant meals.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Where to stay in Buenos Aires

Palermo: tree-lined streets, parks and much of the city's café and restaurant life.
San Telmo: cobbled streets, antique shops and tango in the older part of town.
Recoleta: grand architecture, museums and the famous cemetery, with a calmer feel.

Getting around Buenos Aires

Get a SUBE card for the Subte, city buses and trains. Buses reach almost everywhere, and the flat grid makes walking between nearby barrios easy.

Best time to visit Buenos Aires

March to May and September to November, mild and pleasant for walking.

Top things to do in Buenos Aires

Wander Recoleta Cemetery, a maze of marble mausoleums that includes Eva Perón's family tomb
Take a guided tour of the Teatro Colón, one of the world's great opera houses
Join a beginners' class at a milonga, then stay to watch the regulars dance
Browse El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a bookshop inside a converted early twentieth-century theatre
See Latin American art at MALBA, then walk through the parks of the Bosques de Palermo

What to eat in Buenos Aires

Asado: slow-grilled beef and offal from the parrilla, often with chimichurri
Empanadas: baked or fried pastries filled with beef, chicken, ham and cheese or sweetcorn
Medialunas: small, sweet croissants eaten with coffee at breakfast or merienda
Mate: a bitter herbal infusion sipped through a metal straw and shared among friends

Day trips from Buenos Aires

Tigre and the Paraná Delta: river islands, wooden houses and boat trips, about an hour by train from Retiro
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay: a cobbled colonial town across the River Plate, roughly an hour or more by ferry (bring your passport)
San Antonio de Areco: a quiet town of gaucho traditions and silversmiths, around two hours by bus

Local etiquette

People usually greet with a single kiss on the right cheek, even on first meeting. Dinner rarely starts before nine, and restaurants can feel empty before then.

Staying connected

Prepaid SIMs from Claro, Movistar and Personal are sold in shops and kiosks with a passport, eSIMs work well, and most cafés and hostels have free Wi-Fi.

Staying safe

Pickpocketing and phone snatching happen on the Subte, in busy areas and from café tables near the kerb, so keep phones out of reach. Be wary of the distraction trick where a stranger points out a stain on your clothes while someone else goes for your bag.

A local tip

On a Sunday, browse the San Telmo street market that runs along Calle Defensa.

Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.

Meet people in Buenos Aires on Waypacker

Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Buenos Aires for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Buenos Aires, you could be one of the first hosts.

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Questions about Buenos Aires

What currency is used in Buenos Aires?: Buenos Aires uses the Argentine peso (ARS).
What is the emergency number in Buenos Aires?: In Buenos Aires, call 911 for police, 107 for an ambulance, 100 for the fire service.
When is the best time to visit Buenos Aires?: March to May and September to November, mild and pleasant for walking.
How much does a day in Buenos Aires cost?: Roughly $35-60 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $80-150 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
Is Waypacker free to use in Buenos Aires?: Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?: Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
Can I meet locals in Buenos Aires without staying with anyone?: Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
Will anyone see my exact location?: No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

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