Argentina – How Much to Tip, Voltage, Cabs, & Currency Exchange

Tipping

In Argentina tipping, or “propina”, is customarily around 10% of the bill at restaurants. At bars it is common to leave some small change as a gesture of appreciation. Tipping hotel staff, taxi drivers, and tour guides is optional, but it’s always appreciated rather than expected.

Voltage & Adapters

The voltage in Argentina is 220v versus in the US we have 110v. Most electronics such as smart phones and tablets automatically adjust to different voltages. They’ve come a long way since I started traveling in my youth! Small appliances, such as hair dryers and shavers may or may not have dual voltage, so check your appliance. If they are dual voltage there will be a switch, so change that to the appropriate voltage. Remember to switch them back when you return home. If they are NOT dual voltage you would need a transformer, which is heavy and expensive. So ensure that all your appliances are dual voltage before traveling to Argentina.

The outlets in Argentina are type “I” (the letter I) that accept plugs with 3 straight prongs. This is different than Europe, so if you’re used to traveling there, you’ll need a new adapter. You can get a simple adapter, or even more convenient is one that has USB ports so you can easily plug in your electronics. I got mine from Amazon.

Taxis, Remises and Uber

Uber is widely available in Buenos Aires, and less so in other Argentinean cities. We liked using it because it was easier to pay, and we didn’t have to have cash on hand. If taking a taxi be prepared with cash. Some take credit cards, but most will flat out refuse and prefer to drive you to an ATM than accept credit card. If you know in advance that you need a ride to, say, the airport or far outskirts of town, book a “remise” ahead of time. One such company is Radio Taxis Remise in Buenos Aires. If you’re in another part of Argentina check with the concierge of your hotel.

Currency Exchange

Be aware that there are 2+ exchange rates: the standard and the blue exchange rate. To encourage tourism they set up the blue rate, which most foreign credit card banks use. For example currently the exchange rate is about 840 pesos for $1. Whereas the blue rate is 985 pesos for $1. So USE YOUR CREDIT CARD whenever possible.

You will also need some cash for small purchases, though. Bring US$100 bills to get a better exchange rate than if you had smaller denominations. Exchange at banks for exchange windows, not at ATMs and not at the airport.

Turn on text alerts on your bank app for whichever credit card you use. This way you can check your purchases and exchange rate in real time. My friend had a card that wasn’t giving her the advantageous blue rate, so she noticed it via the text alert and therefore switched to using a different card.