Argentina
Currency in Argentina: what to use and how to exchange
Argentina uses the Argentine peso (ARS, symbol $). Bring some US dollars or euros in clean, unmarked notes as a backup, but plan to pay by foreign card, which has converted near the market rate since 2025 — check. Change only what you need, keep small notes for buses and tips, and never accept a rate quoted in a street or shop back room.
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GuideArgentina
Key facts
- Currency
- Argentine peso (ARS, $)
- Card conversioncheck
- Foreign cards convert near the market rate since 2025 — check
- Cash to carry
- Small peso notes for buses, kiosks and tips; USD or EUR notes as backup
- Best exchange route
- Bank or official exchange house (casa de cambio) with a printed receipt
- Notes to avoid
- Torn, marked or old-series foreign notes; street or shop 'special' rates
- Tipping
- About 10% in restaurants, preferably cash; not expected in taxis
- Time zone
- UTC−3 all year, no daylight saving
Details
Argentina's currency is the peso, written with the same $ symbol as the US dollar, so check which one a price means. Prices in Argentina move with inflation, so treat any figure here as a 2026 estimate and confirm at the counter.
Since 2025 foreign cards have converted near the market rate rather than at an official rate far below it — check. That makes a card the simplest option for hotels, larger restaurants and flights. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Buenos Aires and in Patagonian tourist towns; smaller shops, kiosks, buses and rural areas still run on cash.
If you bring cash, bring US dollars or euros in clean, unmarked, untorn notes. Older or damaged foreign notes are often refused or taken at a worse rate. Change money at a bank or an official exchange house (casa de cambio) and ask for a receipt. Avoid anyone who approaches you on the street or offers a rate in a shop back room: the count can be short and there is no recourse.
ATMs exist in cities and larger towns but can charge high fees and limit withdrawals; carry a backup card and check your bank's foreign fee before you fly. For day-to-day spending, keep a stack of small peso notes — many kiosks and bus drivers cannot break a large note.
Tipping is about 10% in restaurants and is best left in cash; it is not expected in taxis. Budget for the peso prices you will actually pay rather than converting every item in your head.
| Situation | What to do | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel, large restaurant, flights | Foreign card | Ask to be charged in pesos, not in your home currency |
| Café, kiosk, bus, taxi | Small peso notes | Large notes may not be accepted |
| Need cash fast | Bank or official casa de cambio | Ask for a printed receipt |
| ATM withdrawal | Backup card | High fees and low limits |
| Street or shop 'special rate' | Walk away | Short counts, no receipt, no recourse |
Tips
- Carry two cards from different networks and keep them in separate bags.
- Photograph your exchange receipt and your card's foreign-fee terms before you travel.
- Keep a small amount of pesos for the last day so you are not changing money at the airport.
- Prices change with inflation; re-check costs the week you book.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Argentina?
The Argentine peso (ARS), written with the $ symbol. Foreign cards have converted near the market rate since 2025 — check. Carry small peso notes for buses, kiosks and tips, and US dollars or euros in clean notes as a backup.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Argentina?
A bank or an official exchange house (casa de cambio), where you get a printed receipt. Avoid street offers and shop back rooms: counts can be short and there is no recourse.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Argentina?
Use a foreign card for hotels, larger restaurants and flights, since it has converted near the market rate since 2025 — check. Bring some US dollars or euros in clean notes as backup, plus small peso notes for everyday cash purchases.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check