BLUE DOLLAR IN ARGENTINA EXPLAINED AND HOW TO GET IT

The Blue Dollar rate is the unofficial or black market exchange rate in Argentina. I was very confused about it before going there and couldn’t find enough information on the topic. In addition to my Argentina travel guide, I am sharing here all you need to know about the Blue Dollar, based on my extensive first-hand experience.

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Although unofficial, you can find the Blue Dollar rate published daily in newspapers and online. It is almost double the Argentine peso official rate. You can also exchange euro to Argentine peso at the blue rate. New $100 bills in perfect condition will get you the best exchange rate.

However, when I exchanged my dollars for Argentine pesos at the Blue Dollar rate, I got almost double the bang for my buck. And everything I paid for was half the price. Think about accommodation, for example. Or the tours and activities. Their prices in USD may seem high, but with the Argentine currency to USD Blue Dollar exchange rate, they become reasonable and even cheap.

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Table of Contents

How to get blue dollar rate in Argentina?

Where to exchange money at the Blue Dollar rate in Buenos Aires?

Before going to Buenos Aires, I have heard of Calle Florida (Florida Street). Florida Street is a pedestrian street in the heart of Buenos Aires. As I walked down it, I heared people shouting “Cambio, cambio” (change, change). I met them in other places in the central area too. They will direct the tourist to a nearby store or office where they will exchange their money. A $100 bill in perfect condition is highly appreciated and got me the best rate. Euros in perfect condition are also appreciated.

Calle Florida in Buenos Aires — Calle Florida

I didn’t feel comfortable exchanging on the street, so I asked for advice at my hotel reception. They showed me an ENVIARg exchange office, which happened to be just across the street. ENVIARg exchange offices are green with a big “enviar” sign on the window. They will offer you an exchange rate close to the Blue Dollar rate (i.e. with a difference of no more than 1-2%). The rule of the $100 dollar bill in perfect condition applies there too.

Enviarg Blue Dollar exchange offices in Buenos Aires — Enviarg office

You can find four ENVIARg offices in Buenos Aires, conveniently situated in the central part of the city. You can find them here:

Av. de Mayo 1343, C1958ABD CABA – This is the most central one. It is practically in front of the Palacio Barolo.
Rodríguez Peña 1580, C1012 CABA – This one is in the Recoleta neighborhood. Very convenient if you are staying there.
Pres. José Evaristo Uriburu 1718, C1114AAT CABA – Also in Recoleta.
Thames 1632, C1425 CABA – This one is in the Palermo neighborhood.

NOTE: None of these offices is open on Sundays.

Can you exchange money at the Blue Dollar rate outside of Buenos Aires?

While travelling outside of Buenos Aires, I found many shops or cafes offering an exchange rate close to the Blue Dollar rate. In the center of Ushuaia Patagonia almost every souvenir shop and cafe had an exchange rate advertised at the counter. You’d better ask at your accommodation but be sure to find the Blue dollar rate in advance.

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How much money to exchange?

FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE TIP: Don’t exchange a lot of money at once.

Here are the reasons why:

Basically because the largest Argentine bill is a 1000. At the May 2023 Blue Dollar rate of 460 pesos to 1 US dollar, if you exchanged a $100 bill, you would receive about 46,000 pesos, or forty-six bills of 1000 pesos each. That’s quite a pile.
Another reason to exchange less money at a time is that you will most likely get an even better exchange rate the next day. I exchanged money every other day and the difference in the exchange rate from one day to the next bought me at least the food for the day.

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