Local Currency v Dollar

[JohnSC]

We are doing the South America cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires next month. Can someone tell me if US dollars are accepted for onshore purchases. We will spend some tome in BA following the cruise and plan to exchange dollars for Argentinian pesos. But for incidental expenses in Chile and Uruguay I would prefer to use dollars if at all possible.

[Hambagahle]

We just returned from a S A cruise - Lima to BA. We took scads of USD cash and TC's. In fact we didn't need the TC's. We used the cash everywhere to pay for most things. All the shops seemed to be set up to do this and while we did get local currency to pay taxis etc it seemed to us that when we offered dollars they would take those as well.

When you are in BA be aware that it is very hard to cash TC's or change money at banks and hotels. Also that cash machines are not easy to find and ones that will take non-Argentinan cards even harder. Change money at the airport on arrival.

[greatam]

We are doing the South America cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires next month. Can someone tell me if US dollars are accepted for onshore purchases. We will spend some tome in BA following the cruise and plan to exchange dollars for Argentinian pesos. But for incidental expenses in Chile and Uruguay I would prefer to use dollars if at all possible.

 

The Argentine peso is pegged to the US dollar. No need to exchange in Argentina-dollars are READILY accepted.

 

In Chile, IF you are doing strictly "touristy" things, your dollars will be accepted

IF you are going off the beaten path (ie a local grocery/convenience store that you were NOT taken to by a guide, Mickey D's) US dollars are frowned on. You will NOT get a good exchange rate if you use US dollars in Chile in that type of place. Exchange a small amount of US at either the airport or on the ship.

 

US dollare are fine in Uruguay.

[rdowney]

When you are in BA be aware that it is very hard to cash TC's or change money at banks and hotels. Also that cash machines are not easy to find and ones that will take non-Argentinan cards even harder. Change money at the airport on arrival.

 

We had no problem finding ATMs in BA that would take our US cards. However, they would not allow us to withdraw more than 300 pesos--about $100--per transaction. If your bank charges a fee for each foreign transaction, the costs could add up quickly.

[FlyerTalker]

Argentine peso is not officially pegged to the dollar. It has however remained in a fairly narrow band relative to the US dollar, with interbank rates over the past year being between 3.04 and 3.23 (less than 8% max swing). The best place for changing dollars to pesos is at the Banco Nacional at the airport, NOT the exchange booth inside the baggage claim area. Significant difference in the rate given, with the booth being the worst I've seen in Argentina. The bank is as you are exiting from the customs area - you can go to windows within the customs area or make a quick right after leaving the secure area and there is a separate entrance to the bank.

 

ATM's vary on amounts of pesos that can be distributed. I have found machines that will dispense up to 1000 pesos, some up to 500. Shopping and daily activities tend to be facilitated through the use of pesos if only because you can use them anywhere. I also do a bunch of shopping in non-tourist venues, so pesos work well for me. Do not expect everyone to be able to break "big bills"...I always try to get rid of the 100 peso notes at the hotel and tend to have a wad of 20 and 10 peso notes, with some 50's.

[greatam]

Argentine peso is not officially pegged to the dollar. It has however remained in a fairly narrow band relative to the US dollar

 

Not to be argumentative, but official Argentine policy is to keep the peso at the exchange rate of 2.90 to 3.10.

 

From one of my SA export manuals regarding wine imports to the US:

 

"The current administration has publicly acknowledged a strategy of keeping the exchange rate between 2.90 to 3.10 pesos per U.S. dollar, in order to maintain the competitiveness of exports."

[chica]

I just got back from our cruise and I have to affirm early comments about Chile. Get enought pesos for your incidental expenses. On the ship they told us US dollars were readily accepted and discouraged us from getting Chilean pesos. So we didn't and subsequently could not purchase sodas, ice cream, incidental items or even use the pay toilets (no public free toilets in Santiago, at least not where the tour took us) and we were on a ship tour. They do take credit cards but some places add a charge for credit cards.

In Brazil and Argentina they seemed willing to take American dollars, and you got a better deal if you paid cash whether it was their money or US. The exchange rate we got from the bank in Buenos Aires was $3.12 Argentinian pesos to the dollar.

[jewels95]

All of the ports took US dollars. Bring small bills as they will give you the change in their currency.