Your First Week in Buenos Aires: The Practical Checklist

Your first week in Buenos Aires will feel simultaneously exciting and overwhelming. Jetlag (Buenos Aires is GMT-3, so the UK is 3–4 hours ahead depending on BST) combines with the disorientation of a new city and the immediate practical needs of daily life. This checklist is in priority order — do these things roughly in this sequence.

Day 1: The Essentials

1. SUBE Card

Your first purchase. The SUBE is a contactless card used for all public transport in Buenos Aires — Subte (metro), colectivos (buses), and trains. You cannot pay cash on buses. Buy one at any kiosko (corner newsstand/shop) for around ARS 3,000 and load it with ARS 5,000–10,000 to start.

2. SIM Card

Walk into any Personal, Claro, or Movistar shop with your passport. A prepaid SIM with a generous data plan costs ARS 5,000–10,000/month (£3–7). Personal has the best coverage in Buenos Aires. Make sure the SIM works before leaving the shop.

3. Cash

You need some Argentine pesos immediately. Options:

• ATM withdrawal (any Banelco or Link network ATM) — works but the per-transaction limit is low (ARS 30,000–60,000) and fees are high (ARS 2,000–4,000 per withdrawal)
• Western Union to yourself — create an account before you leave the UK. Send GBP, pick up pesos at any WU location in Buenos Aires at a competitive rate. This is how many expats move money week-to-week before setting up proper banking
• Bring USD cash from the UK — you can exchange at cuevas (informal exchange houses) for the blue dollar rate. Ask your Airbnb host or a fellow expat for a trusted one — don't change money on the street

4. Download These Apps

• Uber and Cabify — ride hailing (both work well in BA)
• BA Taxi — the city's official taxi app
• WhatsApp — this is how Argentina communicates. Nobody uses SMS. Business, personal, group chats — everything is WhatsApp
• MercadoPago — the dominant payment app (it's the Argentine equivalent of having Apple Pay). Many places only accept MercadoPago or cash
• Google Maps — works well in BA and essential for navigating the bus system
• Pedidos Ya — food delivery (the Argentine Deliveroo)

Days 2–3: Getting Oriented

5. Learn Your Neighbourhood

Walk. Buenos Aires is an extraordinarily walkable city. In your first few days:

• Find your nearest supermarket (Día, Carrefour Express, or Disco for basics)
• Locate the nearest Subte station and learn which line you're on
• Find a café you like (you'll spend a lot of time in cafés)
• Identify the nearest farmacia (pharmacy) — they're everywhere and sell most over-the-counter medications

6. Supermarket First Shop

Argentine supermarkets stock differently from the UK:

• Fresh bread from the panadería (bakery section) is excellent and cheap
• The meat counter is a revelation — ask for bife de chorizo or entraña if you want steak
• Dairy is good and cheap (try the dulce de leche)
• Don't expect the same range of international products — some things you're used to simply aren't available or are very expensive

7. Understand the Money

Argentina's currency situation is confusing for newcomers:

• The peso (ARS) is the legal currency
• The "official" exchange rate and the "blue" (parallel) rate are different — sometimes dramatically
• You want the blue rate for better purchasing power
• Don't carry large amounts of cash — keep what you need for the day
• Credit cards work in most restaurants and shops, but some places are cash-only
• Learn to say "¿Aceptan tarjeta?" (do you accept cards?) before ordering

Days 4–7: Building Infrastructure

8. Apartment Hunting (If Temporary)

If you're in an Airbnb, start looking for longer-term accommodation:

• ZonaProp and Argenprop are the main listing sites
• Facebook groups ("Apartments for Rent Buenos Aires") have direct-from-owner listings
• Consider a relocation agent for your first apartment — they handle the paperwork and negotiation (cost: one month's rent, but saves enormous hassle)
• Always view in person before signing anything

9. Health Insurance

If you don't already have international coverage, look into Argentine prepaga (private health insurance):

• OSDE, Swiss Medical, and Galeno are the main providers
• You can sign up within days of arriving
• Monthly cost: £40–150 depending on plan level
• This gives you access to excellent private healthcare

10. Start Spanish

Even if you think your schoolboy/schoolgirl Spanish will suffice — it won't for long. Book a few initial classes:

• VOX Language Academy (Palermo) — popular with expats
• italki.com — online tutors, £5–10/hour
• Tandem language exchanges — free, social, and a good way to meet people

The Mindset Shift

Your first week will involve moments of "what have I done?" — this is normal. The jetlag alone is enough to make everything feel harder than it is. The bureaucracy (banks, phone contracts, anything involving government offices) will test your patience. The late dinner schedule will disrupt your sleep.

By the end of week one, you'll have a SUBE card, a phone number, a favourite café, and the beginning of a routine. By the end of month one, Buenos Aires will feel less like a foreign city and more like somewhere you could actually live. By month three, going back to the UK for a visit will feel weirdly disorienting.

That's how it works. Everyone who's stayed will tell you the same thing.