Checking the exchange rate

Abroad I used xe.com to check the exchange rates, but here it seems that local sources provide slightly different numbers than international exchange platform, and at the end of the day, we exchange money locally, so this is where we should be looking at.

These are the resources I check:

1) Banco La Nación (national bank of Argentina) - under Cotización billetes: http://www.bna.com.ar/Personas

2) Ámbito financero (financial newspaper) - https://www.ambito.com/contenidos/Dolar.html

3) Banco piano (exchange house) - https://www.bancopiano.com.ar/

For example, as of now (Aug 14, 3:30 PM ART),selling USD for ARS you get:

1) 1 USD = 57 ARS

2) 1 USD = 57.45 ARS (oficial) and 55,50 (blue)

3) 1 USD = 59.75

Quote from Semigoodlooking

serafina You're paid in dollars yes? Are you getting blue rate of official?

Depending on where I exchange, the rate varies. I think everybody does 'lo que se la da la gana'. The blue rate is lower than the official and has been so for a few months in a row.

My favorite exchange is with family and friends - we pick a rate halfway between the ones of compra and venta published on Banco La Nación.

On a FB expat group there is a thread of people willing to exchange money - I had found a good match (another expat who wanted GBP for pesos) but he wanted to use Azimo rates which are lower than official rates because 'he was doing me a favor'. Thanks, buddy

Quote from JAN

I just paid with a foreign debit card, bad deal...0,02......so that's peso 50

Was it VISA o Mastercard? You should be able to check the rates they are using online, but you have to consider that your foreign institution may apply a commission or fee.

Besides official pages from VISA and Mastercard that allow you to take into account also your bank fees, there is a website offering both VISA and Mastercard rates in real time at a glance. Check it out: https://ferates.com/ars

This rate is applied if you pay in the local currency (pesos) and not if you decide to be charged in your home currency. See here.

Quote from Splinter

A tab has been added to the menu to check on the dollar

Now, that's useful! (please notice where I put the emphasis).