Tips on Prices on Argentina/Patagonia

Uhhh nothing is cheap in Argentina. Even rent is high for what type of accommodations you’re getting.

Living in small town America is more inexpensive than living in most of Argentina.

Sure the currency is devalued immensely currently, but vendors realize this and take the opportunity to hike up prices artificially (se “avivan” para los Argentinian).

I want to go to a cold place where aren't a bother.
Why on Earth would I want to go to Rio?

How are groceries, everyday drugs (medication) and stuff?
Also, what's this avivan thing? I googled it, and it seems like inflation from times past - like the 60s or something.

I remember seeing nice, large apartments in San Telmo for like $300k; that is really cheap

Are you the guy who made a post like 2 years ago asking about what he could do with his 800 dollar pension he got from the military or some shit?

300,000,000? How big an apt? That is indeed quite cheap. I haven’t rented in BA for a few years, but unless you’re willing to set for a like 40 sq mt apartment, you’ll have to pay a sizable amount in rent.
I may be wrong, this may be cheaper now, rent-wise.
You also have to take into consideration that there’s plenty of availability in BA, whereas I’d imagine there’s limited placing anywhere in Patagonia due to how underdeveloped it is.

Again, I’d say budget for a low end American city. Especially if you’re buying meats, which is 90% of Argentinian diet anyway.

Se avivan is just an expression in Argentinian Spanish to say they take advantage of the situation to hike up prices on items. Everyone from grocery store chains to small businesses do this in Argentina. They make up for the low purchasing power by offering installment payments on even groceries.

Are meats expensive? I thought they were because local. How about poor food, like /ck/'s poor guide - potatoes, chicken, rice, microwave stuff?

Also, thanks for clearing the avivan stuff. I'm not sure I get it tough, prices are ranked up for everyone and paid monthly? Or just for gringos and tourists?

No, but that does sound like a good getaway.

Thought they were cheap because of local production, sorry.

Prices were listed in USD which is how I think real estate purchases usually go in Argentina. Size I don't remember exactly but it was over 100m^2

There’s like 40% yearly rate inflation in Argentina currently. And devaluation of currency currently underway. Meaning Stagflation.
This means that prices on items naturally go up. By virtue of limited supplies/stock, and the artificially increased currency in peoples hands. The market has to make up for the high demand in items by hiking up prices. Again, this occurs naturally. However, Argentinians, opportunistic as they are, artificially hike up prices even more, to make a profit. And they’ll blame it on the stagflation.

Foreigners can usually afford to pay the prices as they’re comparable to, say, American prices in a lot of ways. For products like meats. Non-flexible items (economic term) like the ones you listed (rice, etc) are still relatively cheap comparatively speaking.

But I’ll give you a specific example. Here in the US you can purchase a 2 ltr soda for a dollar. In Argentina, and I’m not 100% on the exact amount (some argie should correct me on this), but I wouldn’t be surprise if that same item goes for $50 pesos argentinos. Basically you’re paying more for the same product in Argentina, than in the US. Same applies to a lot of items at the grocery store.

Locals have to pay in installments (cuotas) to afford everyday items.

Does that mean that a foreign currency will rise in value and afford more purchasing power compared to pesos argentinos?

Also, doesn't the State intervene in some way? Sounds like bad social security, even for South and Latin Americas.

Yes of course
The dollar will go a long way, but not compared to other shitholes. Because, again, inflation and hiked up prices.
But you’re better off than with pesos, that’s for sure.
The state is there to make sure the absolute poorest get welfare. The middle class is left to its own devices. Whatever’s left of it.

What about political and civil unrest? Pose any major problems?
Also, I think that the government at least has the sense to keep things going on major tourist locations, like Bariloche or Mendoza, is that correct?

I grew up there, it's a shithole

No. The government does jack shit for Patagonia. You wouldn’t believe how underdeveloped it is. There’s literally everything to be done there, still. Barely any road infrastructure.
They could turn that into a major tourist destination if they played their cards right. Unfortunately Argentina is a pricey destination for most first worlders due to how remote it is. Doesn’t help that Patagonia is a 1-2hr flight away from their capital. And flights are around $300usd due to their shitty state ran airline monopoly (aerolíneas Argentinas)

Safety wise you should be fine? Pretty sure. Unless you run into some Mapuche savages, but my guess is that’s rare.

Idk where all the argies are, sleeping their siestas I suppose, would love if one could chime in to correct or verify

Why's that? Could you give me some details?

I see. Thanks a lot, man.
What happens if inflation hikes up way too high, too fast, and people can't access basic supplies like water or food? Is that what happened on Venezuela?

FUCK OFF
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Not too familiar with Venezuelan situation but I think their problem was they only produce oil, and literally nothing else, ie no food items, so when the embargos happened they couldn’t feed their people

There’s been hyperinflation in Argentina before in the late 80s (1989, the year I was born) not sure how it was handled desu. I know they created a parallel currency (austral) to help alleviate the effects of the hyperinflation.

I was born in Argentina btw this is why I’m so familiar with the situation there, I just haven’t lived there for a long ass time

They switched to a new currency and pegged it 1:1 with the dollar. This was way too strong for an Argentine currency and eventually it led to a total collapse similar to the Great Depression. Their new President Nestor Kirchner fixed that by switching to a new peso and letting it depreciate. No one in Argentina understands monetary economics but the negative consequences of the inflationist left's mistakes haven't been nearly so bad as the deflationist right's and people remember

Oh yeah? Must've been nice.
And oh, I get it Venezuela. I was afraid the same thing could happen, but it's different situations and stuff.