The Argentine Peso Blue Rate: How to Exchange Money in Buenos Aires
目次
Argentina has two exchange rates. There is the official rate, the one you get at banks, airports and on international card payments. And there is the parallel market rate, known to everyone here as the dolar blue, the blue rate. Depending on the period, the gap between the two can be dramatic.
This guide comes from years of living in Buenos Aires. It explains how the two rates work, how to check them, and how travelers actually exchange money in the city.
Before anything else: you can see today's blue rate, the official rate and the gap between them on our live page, updated automatically every day.
Why two rates exist
Argentina has lived through decades of inflation and currency controls. Because locals face limits on buying US dollars through official channels, an informal market for cash dollars has existed for many years. The price of a dollar on that market is the blue rate.
For travelers the practical consequence is simple. If you bring US dollars in cash and exchange them at the blue rate, your money can go significantly further than if you withdraw pesos from an ATM or exchange at the airport at the official rate. How much further depends on the gap at the time of your trip, which is exactly why it pays to watch the rates before you fly.
Bring US dollars in cash
The golden rule of traveling to Argentina: bring US dollars in cash. Clean, undamaged bills, ideally 100s, since larger bills usually get a better rate. Exchange a small amount for your first day if you need to, and do the rest in the city.
Euros can also be exchanged in Buenos Aires at reasonable rates, though dollars remain the standard. Other currencies are much harder to place, so if you are coming from elsewhere, converting to US dollars before the trip is usually the practical route.
How to check the blue rate
The blue rate does not appear on standard financial sites. Argentine news outlets publish it daily. These are the pages locals actually check:
Or simply bookmark our own page, which tracks the same numbers with the traveler in mind:
Where to exchange at the blue rate
Exchange offices
In tourist areas you will see plenty of casas de cambio. Some offer close to the blue rate, others sit somewhere between blue and official. If hunting for the very best rate is not worth your time, a convenient office with a fair rate is a perfectly reasonable choice.
Ask a local
The fastest and best way is to ask someone from Buenos Aires. A simple phrase works:
Donde se puede hacer cambio en blue? Where can I exchange at the blue rate?
Locals often have a trusted spot, sometimes an unmarked place you would never find on your own. These spots look informal from the outside, but inside you will usually find ordinary residents quietly waiting their turn.
Confirm the rate before you hand anything over
If the rate is not displayed, ask:
Cuanto esta el dolar hoy? What is the dollar at today?
Check the number against the sites above. If the offer is far below the published blue rate, negotiate or walk away.
Safety when exchanging
Exchanging at the blue rate means carrying meaningful amounts of cash, and that calls for a different level of caution than the airport counter.
- Do not take your money out before entering the exchange
- Put everything away in your bag or wallet before stepping back onto the street
- Remember the simple logic: whoever walks in has dollars, whoever walks out has pesos
After exchanging, move promptly to a busy street and check casually that nobody is following you. Exchanging in smaller portions across the trip is safer than one large transaction. If you do exchange a large amount, go back to your accommodation first rather than heading straight to shopping or sightseeing.
One more practical note: official exchanges require your passport. Street-level blue exchanges generally do not ask for identification.