Thinking about a move to Argentina?

Question

My husband and I are a young couple (28 and 31) with 3 kids ages 10, 4 and 2. We have lived in a few places all within the Houston area but haven't put down any real roots. We are ready to do that, and I've heard and read good things about Argentina, specifically Buenos Aires: it's coastal, Spanish-speaking (as are we), mild climate, relatively safe and full of character.

What would be the best area(s) of BA to check out for our situation? What is the job market like? I am a graphic designer, he is a construction manager; can we find work? What can we expect salary-wise?

What is family life like? And the schools? Public/private, etc.?

What about housing? All I seem to find online are 2-bedroom apartments, million-dollar estates, or secluded ranchos. I hear BA is "inexpensive" but we come from Houston, home of the $300,000 mansion.

We want to learn more before making a decision like this, and before we use our coveted airline miles to visit! Point me in the right direction!

Answer 1

You should 100% go here!!! Argentina is very nice, and romantic! :)

You should go there and have some fun (and i mean "fun") lol :)

Have a nice trip!!

just kidding about the "fun" (unless you weren't!)

Answer 2

Hello :o)

Job market for graphic degin is good in Argentina. It's good especially cause the work cost is cheaper than in some other countries. you can espect to earn around 2.000/2.500 pesos for the begining which is not a lot but for Argentina is good. argentina is a great country.Life in Bs As is beautiful but there is a small problem. Immigration. there are 3 ways to get the residence in Argentina: get married with a local. (not your case :o), Invest at least 100.000 pesos in a business who employes at least 1 argentinean, Have a fix income of minimum 2.500 pesos (Renta). In the last case you cannot go to Argentina, find a Job and dimostrate that you earn 2.500. you already should have this 2.500 per month before going to Argentina.

Answer 3

yo soy de argentina.es un pais muy lindo.es como vos dijiste relativamente seguro.si te gusta la vida tranquila no tenes que ir a la capital porque es un ambiente mucho mas acelerado e inseguro. yo vivo en una ciudad  que queda a una hora de capital y es mas tranquila, hay una zona centrica y si te gusta mas el campo podes conseguir una casa quinta.

sin embargo, por sus trabajos es mas probable que encuentren un buen puesto en capital. hay mucho trabajo, no van a tener problema con eso.

hay departamentos chicos y casas mas grandes en las zonas menos centricas.

te recomiendo que vengan con algunos ahorros de alla, porque aca el dinero tiene mucho menos valor que el dolar y si ustedes vienen con dolares les va a ser mucho mas economico conseguir lo que necesitan.

suerte y espero que entiendas bien el castellano(o español como todos le dicen a nuestro idioma)

Answer 4

hi

You should really go to the Argentine Embassy in the States and get better informed.  The situation here is a little difficult but no impossible to live...

good luck!

Answer 5

First, and foremost! VISIT, as much as you can for as long as you can!!!

With no kids and NOT as tourists but as potential residents!

Spanish will help a lot, but AR is quite a country on it's own.

BA is great BUT expensive (even more tham Houston, in some cases) plus is a big city with it's positives and negatives.

BUT you have other places (AR is quite large) where you may find whta your are looking for.

The South (Patagonia) is beautiful, inexpensive and with lots of opportunities for entrepeneurs. BUT it is cold, coming from HOU.

Search for:

Bariloche

Esquel

Calafate

Usuahia'

Comodoro Rivadavia

Puerto Madryn

Trelew

Mendoza, on the west beside Chile is a great option.

Hot weather (and humid), the North:

Misiones

Iguazzu Falls

Salta (across Bolivia)

La Rioja

Plenty of oppotun ities for small farming and small business

All around BA will find opportunities but will need quite an investement. i.e. farms or business in BA province.

Again, take a trip from HOU to BA (with CO/Continental)

and from BA visit around in bus. Long trips, but inexpensve and you get to know the places.

BA is coast, yes but to one of the widest RIVERs in the world. NO ocean here. Need to drive 400kms (250miles) South to enjoy beaches with no as warm water as the Gulf of Mexico, for sure. But beautiful indeed.

All the coast, from Pinamar up-to Bahia Blanca in the BA province has lovely places to settle, for a family.

NOw will your 10 year old like it in few year: Yes, he will love it!

Good recommendation to go to the AR consulate in HOU, as the education transfer of your 10 years old, need some very important documents and steps.

see:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2942...

http://www.escapeartist.com/Live_In_Arge...

http://www.expatexchange.com/goingabroad...

http://www.traveldm.com/sites/argentinas...

http://www.southamerica.travel/

http://www.flycheapabroad.com/Special-BU...

http://www.ripioturismo.com.ar/ebueexc.h...

http://www.easybuenosairescity.com/place...

http://www.e-mountain.com.ar/0BUS/busind...

http://www.cocucci.com.ar/guia_inversor....

http://www.e-ventoslink.com.ar/

http://www.xcolectivo.com.ar/

Enjoy!

Disfruta!

http://movingtoargentina.typepad.com/

Answer 6

Im in the same boat as you.

Im planning to go to school in Argentina though.

Well, Argentine Pesos arent really that much, I mean, seriously, 34 USD and you get 90 pesos. Not that bad isnt it?

My friend went to school in Argentina(he's Argentine himself) and he really liked it there, He always felt home in Argentina(and he plans to move to Ushuhaia, the southernmost city in the world).

First, you need to get a visa and then you need to spend some time there. They wont let you go to Argentina if you cant afford anything! You can go to the Embassy and and find out from there, the main Argentine Embassy is in Washington DC, but you can go to their site and look at where you can meet consultants.

Also, when you're ready to move to Argentina, you need to stay there for 5 years to become a citizen, (And the test is, to read a spanish newspaper!) and you dont need to give up your US Citizenship, because Argentina is one of the countries where you can have dual citizenship. Also, Argentines are pretty crazy when it comes to futbol, I mean, tearing the seat cushions out and throwing them on to the pitch crazy.

Answer 7

heya!

well! if u want..good!

I'm Argentinian..and u know, there are many problems with the goverment and all that stuff.

but if I think seriously, it's a cool place to live...

so many beautiful places to visit..

so do what u think is the best!

best wishes,

Andrés

Answer 8

Forget about it... Argentina is about to enter into a huge crisis... The Kirchner's are driving Argentina into disaster... Inflation is about 25% annual, unemployment rate is growing and absolutely nobody will hire foreigners (specially Americans). Buenos Aires has become an insecure city (a lot of social differences between poor and rich people). My advice is stay in the US and, if you want to know Argentina, just go and visit the country...