rstidolph

I will be in Argentina for about 10 days as part of a cruise and several days post cruise in Buenos Aires.

Will I be able to pay for most things with U.S. dollars? e.g. cabs, restaurants, small purchases?.

I don't want to insult anyone by offering dollars, but I have read on other sites that dollars are welcome.

GUWonder

That's certainly far less the case today than 3 years ago (and in the years before when it was 1 AR$ to 1 US$). However, at the more touristy places, the USD is generally still welcome.

That said, increasingly people are being given either lousy exchange rates and/or being sent to get local currency nearby (often at lousy exchange rates too).

rstidolph

Thanks, I was trying to keep life simple. I had read about conterfeit pesos on another thread.

GUWonder

That's something to keep in mind ... or the substitution of "older" currency. However, if you use a proper ATM and/or convert currency at a legitimate location and don't need change, then you'll certainly minimize such risk.

Viajero Perpetuo

There are good quality fake $100 USD and fake local currency bills in Argentina and Chile.

In both countries, ATM machines are the least likely place to receive fake local currency. The danger then is getting fake currency in change when you are using the large bills you get at the ATM to purchase goods and services. The best place to break large bills with the least chance of getting fake bills in change is at a supermarket. On the opposite extreme, taxi drivers are the worst offenders when it comes to passing out fake currency.

Important things to watch for, all real local currency has raised ink images that you can "feel" between your fingers or rub off on a piece of white paper whereas most fakes will have a sort of waxy feel. Also get to know the other security features like the watermarks and security thread.

FYI, the paper currency of Chile and Argentina are both produced by the fine fiat printing presses of the Central Bank of Chile.

rockhoundm

Most of the hotels and shops accept dollars. Also some restaurants. About cabs most of them will not accept them.
You can change dollars in any bank. Also you can take out pesos from lots of ATM's.
Note that U.S. dollars should be in very good condition to be accepted in most of the places. They are usually rejected if they have any damage, writing or stamp on them.

silver springer

You will need to get pesos. Agree with the suggestion to use a bank ATM, that also gives you the best exchange. You can also use your credit card for purchases in stores and restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised by how widely the American Express card is accepted (and advertised as accepted) as it is my card that charges the least in currency conversion (2% instead of 3% on other cards).

arfgoblue

note that the 3% "overseas transaction fee" also generally applies to cash taken out at the atm

TheKnife

don't forget to get an amount of $X90AR at the atms so it will give you change.

obscure2k

Just a couple of observations:
Our hotel rate at the Four Seasons was charged in USD. Charges in the bar and restaurant were charged in the local currency. Apparently, this is the norm. Agree with previous poster about ATM fees. Hotels are not permitted to exchange currency, but there was an ATM in the hotel. I got a very good exchange rate, however, in looking at my bank statement noticed that I was charged about $4.00 per transaction (depending on the amount of transaction).

arfgoblue

Chase right now charges $1.50 for "forgeign ATMs"; however in march it will go up to a $3 "overseas foreign ATM" fee in addition to the 3% "overseas transaction fee" charge.

borderline criminial, when you need to have 100k with them to earn 3% in a year!

GUWonder

Whenever I have a rate quoted in my account's native currency in a country where the local currency is not fixed and I am paying with a credit card, I become more alert because many a hotel -- although not necessarily specific to the Four Seasons in Buenos Aires or even to Argentina in general -- has a bad habit of using conversion rate games when processing the charges.

I haven't had such an issue in Argentina, but I've been on the receiving end of such shennanigans in several countries, and especially in Australia with Starwood hotels.

Just something to keep in mind. To go from a USD-quoted rate to one that is 6-9% different is not unusual when the charges are being processed in the local currency after one or two applications of conversion rates that are not reflective of the best available exchange rates.

Eastbay1K

Back to the original topic, I just left Buenos Aires and you are best off getting whatever currency you need from an ATM in ARS. Make sure you spend them all before you leave the country - I was sure IŽd be able to change the leftovers in Santiago at the Sheraton and well, people laugh here in Chile with Pesos Argentinos. My how times have changed. Also, in Argentina, just about every bill I used was held up to check for authenticity.

Viajero Perpetuo

The chilenos have become the new " ugly, but de$ired, 'Americans' " in Argentina. Many places big and small in Mendoza and BA will accept Chilean pesos. A street beggar in BA even accepted Chilean peso coins from my pareja chilena!! If you do a chart, you can see how much the Chilean peso has gained against the Argentinian peso in the past 12 months making Argentina the most popular destination for the hordes of Chileans riding the wealth effect from the worldwide commodity boom.

arfgoblue

you see how much the Chilean peso has even gained against even the US$, from about 600 or so less than a year ago!

viajero, have you noticed Chile being substantially more expensive than Argentina? When i went to both about a year to year and half ago, Chile was mildly more expensive, but that was with the peso about 15% lower!