Work Remotely In…Buenos Aires

Welcome to our “Working Remotely In…” series.

The idea with these series of posts is to get good insights on how to get the most out of your remote lifestyle in a particular city.

It doesn’t matter if the said city is not ranked well in terms of the so-called “nomadic lifestyle” rankings you see out there. We believe that remote working is global, and not exclusive to nomad heavens such as Berlin and Chiang Mai.

Buenos Aires is indeed a unique city. Unlike most of its Latin American sisters, this capital retained its European heritage strongly, resulting in a cultural (and architectural) mashup that brings the best parts of the “old” and “new” world together in an intoxicating culture and landscape.

Photo by Geraldo Figueras

To top it off, the Argentinean capital quickly embraced the remote lifestyle even before we discussed the idea of remote work. A vibrant coffee-house culture combined with a natural laid-back attitude means Buenos Aires is one of the most well-served cities for living la vida remotely.

So let’s go through some of the points that this particular author – which I must say, is incredibly biased due to its love for Argentina – consider to be the best features Buenos Aires has to offer you, beautiful remote workers, out there.

Coffee Shop Culture

With a huge influx of Italian immigrants when the city was still shaping itself, it’s no wonder that the coffee shop carries such cultural importance in Buenos Aires. They are everywhere. From centenary traditional places to business innovating with the same entrepreneurial energy you’d expect from the world’s biggest capitals.

What does that mean to the remote work exactly? It means you don’t have to worry about lack of options.

Coffee shops will welcome everyone for an extended stay, with no rush whatsoever. If you – like me – feel rather uncomfortable in certain places where the staff seems eager to see the tables with a high rotation of clients, chances are you’ll be left alone to enjoy your time at the coffee shop.

In recent years, many places tried to adapt with the current technology. That means that good to average free WiFi is a given. Places with an outlet are also not that hard to find.

Rest assured, if you decide to work exclusively in coffee shops you will have a beautiful range of options to try, keeping your working place flexible and variable.

Since real-estate is not exactly an issue such as other, densely packed capitals around the world – I’m looking at you, Tokyo -, expect big spaces such as Café Registrado or Ninina Bakery, with not only basic corners but nice couches and communal tables. Or maybe the cozy-chic environment of Santal Café with its lovely outdoor tables.

Santal Café

The coffee shop culture is so strong that you can enjoy its perks even outside coffee shops. Get yourself a spot at one of the coziest libraries of Palermo neighborhood Libros de Pasaje for a change.

Libros de Pasaje

Cost of life vs currency

One the greatest advantages of securing a remote job is that you can better balance cost of living with your salary. Certain cities can easily drain even a higher-than-average salary – check how much Londoners spend on rent for an idea.

Photo by Geraldo Figueras

Besides that, you can take an extra-advantage by moving to a city where the currency is devaluated from the one your salary is based on.

Buenos Aires is such a case. Even modest salaries in Euros and Dollars can support a high quality of life, and no wonder the city hosts a huge number of foreign residents. In this particular case, even the complicated and volatile economy from Argentina can be safe-guarded by a strong-currency income – a much welcome situation overall in Latin America.

Let’s compare some numbers with another vibrant world capital to make this point even more clear.

Compared to New York, cost of living in Buenos Aires, for most main aspects, is a breeze. Basically, in Buenos Aires:

• Rent is 800% cheaper;
• Groceries are 230% cheaper;
• Restaurants are 180% cheaper;
• Consumer prices are 155% cheaper.

That means you can be a part-time intern at a US-based remote company and afford a 500 square meters penthouse in Buenos Aires. That’s a drastic difference that can be easily covered with the difference in currency value, irrespective of the salary.

Truth be told, Buenos Aires is…

…great! It really is! Apart from those specific points that makes for a wonderful hotbed for a thriving remote workforce, the truth is Buenos Aires is a fantastic city to in.

Photo by Geraldo Figueras

It’s a big city but immensely walkable. Cobbled streets, gorgeous architecture and some of the greenest urban landscapes you’ll find in the world make for a pleasant city to walk and bike while you’re looking for that specific nice coffee shop. For a remote worker who doesn’t have to experience rush hours in traffic, these natural pathways add a lot to the quality of life.

And what is remote work if not the biggest boost you can have in quality of life?

The post written by Geraldo Figueras

Originally from Brazil, living in Tokyo since 2017. Remote worker since 2012. Favorite thing about remote work: My 5 seconds commute from desk to couch when work time is over; being able to crank up the air conditioner as I see fit