Money in Argeninta is called pesos, but they use the same $ (dollar sign) as we do in the USA. One can be confused looking at a menu and see a price of "$7.40" for a cold beer. Fear not, this is only $2 in US terms as the current exchange rate is approximately 3.7 Pesos = 1 USD. One should assume all prices in Argentina are in pesos. If something is priced in US dollars it will be clearly marked (e.g. US$50).
ATM machines are the best way to exchange money in Buenos Aires. Most of the machines work with the +Plus network. These should work with your debit, credit and ATM cards. These machines do NOT dispense US dollars, only Argentinian Pesos. Depending on your bank, they may or may not charge a minimal amount for a foreign transaction. However a few things should be done before departure:
1) If you plan on using your cards on a trip to Argentina, it's best to call the issuing bank and let them know that you are about to travel. This will keep them from blocking any transactions as part of their automated fraud protection.
2) Depending on your daily withdrawal limits, you can work with your bank to establish different limits during your travel.
The apartment we are renting has a built-in safe for holding our passports, money, etc. I advise that we store our credit cards in the safe once we've withdrawn the appropriate cash from the ATM. Our apartment is only 4 or 5 blocks from a bank with an ATM. As can be seen below.
View Buenos Aires Tourist & Restaurant Map in a larger map
When withdrawing Pesos from an ATM, be careful to NOT round to the nearest 100 pesos, as small bills are good to have around (taxis, etc.). So rather than withdrawing 400 pesos, withdraw 370 to insure you recieve some smaller demoninations.
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