Enda Carey: Irish Expat in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Irish expat Enda Carey left a career in banking to indulge his passion for travel, something he and his wife have been doing extensively since moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here he shares information on what it's like to live in Buenos Aires, his favorite activities, the prices of some of the local goods, and his observations about how certain things are done there.

-Where were you born? 

Dublin, Ireland 

-In which country and city are you living now? 

Buenos Aires, Argentina

-Are you living alone or with your family? 

With my wife 

-How long have you been living in Argentina? 

15 months 

-What is your age? 

41 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Argentina? 

I had been working in banking for 13 years and wanted a career break to do more of my passion (traveling). My wife is from Argentina and the cost of living is low compared to Europe or US so it was an easy choice. 

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit? 

No, it's not that difficult to get a work visa - a lot of paperwork but not many restrictions. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived? 

I waited until I arrived and although it's not cheap it was easy to get as there are many health insurance companies here.

-How do you make your living in Argentina? Do you have any type of income generated? 

Currently not working - the salary here is not good unless you earn dollars, Euros or pounds. Our focus was to use Buenos Aires as a base from which to travel to other parts of South America which we've done extensively. 

I'm not working but if you could arrange to get some type of telecommuting job before you come (paid in pounds, Euros or Dollars) - you would be very comfortable here. 

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language? 

My wife is a native so obviously I can depend on her to a large extent. I speak a reasonable amount of Spanish. My grammar is not very good but I can make myself understood. My comprehension is not as good especially where more than one person is talking. It's very important to speak the language here - you will miss out on so much if you don't. In terms of local customs - they kiss each other on the cheek here which is difficult to get used to. Guys kiss too if they know each other, otherwise they just shake hands. 

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? 

I miss parts of home (the Guinness!) - I prefer the weather here though - there is plenty to see and do here. I play a little golf and I like to walk so there are plenty of opportunities for those activities. There is a good nightlife scene here which goes very late so that is good and bad (the day after)! 

-Do you have other plans for the future? 

I would like to live in Asia, maybe Hong Kong or Singapore. It's tough arranging that right now with the global recession. 

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

We own our apartment - A one-bedroom costs approx US$500 per month to rent for a non-national or US$350 for a resident. To buy costs about USD$60K. Mortgages are not common here so people pay cash in full. 

-What is the cost of living in Argentina? 

Still cheap 

$US

e.g. Litre of beer in supermarket = $1.50

Good bottle of young wine = $3

Excellent bottle of wine = $10

Steak & Fries in reasonable restaurant = $8

Subway / bus = 30 cents 

but getting more expensive due to inflation and the global financial crisis 

-What do you think about the Argentines? 

For the most part they are very friendly and curious of tourists since tourism is still relatively new here (only really started on a large scale after the crash in 2001).

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Argentina? 

Positive = low cost of living / culture / great food and wine. 

Negative = Bureaucracy / red tape / corruption - It takes forever to get anything done here. e.g. to pick up a package in the post office took me 7 hours. To pay a simple telephone bill took me 1 hour. 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Argentina? 

Try to learn Spanish before you arrive (at least the basics) and don't arrive without savings if you're planning to work - you won't earn much money here. Research blogs and info websites before you come so you are aware of the good and the bad. Don't just arrive without being prepared.