Buenos Aires culture & etiquette

Argentina's official and parallel ('blue') exchange rates diverge sharply, and the blue can make your money go much further. Bring clean, crisp US$100 bills (older or marked notes get rejected or pay less), or receive money via Western Union, which tracks a near-blue rate. Spending foreign cards now often gets the better 'MEP/tarjeta' rate too — check before assuming cash is king.

Prices change fast and are often quoted in USD for big-ticket items (rent, electronics). Don't hold large peso balances — spend or convert. Always carry cash; many small places prefer it, and exact change ('¿tenés cambio?') is perpetually scarce.

Almost everything formal — a job, a bank account, a phone contract, a lease — needs a CUIL (if you work) or CDI (if you don't yet). It's issued by ANSES and is the Argentine equivalent of a tax/social-security number. Sort it in your first weeks.

One rechargeable SUBE card covers the Subte (metro), colectivos (buses) and trains. Buy it at kiosks or stations and load it with cash. Buses are dense and cheap but you must know the route; the Subte is fastest for central trips.

Buenos Aires is a big city: watch for phone-snatching and distraction thefts in crowded spots (Subte, San Telmo fair, Retiro, La Boca beyond the tourist street). Keep your phone off the table at cafés, use a money belt for cash, and take Cabify/registered taxis at night.

Dinner starts at 9-10pm, bars fill after midnight, clubs after 2am. Shops may shut midday. Embrace the rhythm: a late merienda (afternoon coffee + medialunas) bridges lunch and a very late dinner.