Buenos Aires on a Budget
A cemetery, a colourful street and free street tango that all cost nothing to see, here’s how to keep the rest of a Buenos Aires trip affordable too.
Buenos Aires is genuinely one of the more affordable major cities in the world to visit for international travellers, several of its best sights, Recoleta Cemetery, Caminito, cost nothing at all. Here’s how to keep the rest of the costs down without cutting the trip short.
Recoleta Cemetery and Caminito are free
Walking Recoleta Cemetery and the Caminito street museum costs nothing, only guided tours and museum entries charge admission. Street tango in Plaza Dorrego is free too, one of the better cultural experiences in the city at no cost.
Visit outside December and January for lower prices
Argentine summer, December through January, brings Buenos Aires’s highest accommodation prices given local holiday travel, alongside genuinely intense heat. Autumn or spring instead offer noticeably lower rates and more comfortable weather.
Use the Subte and buses over taxis
Buenos Aires’s Subte metro and bus network cover the city cheaply and efficiently, considerably cheaper than taxis for most journeys. A SUBE transit card covers both systems, worth picking up on arrival.
A neighbourhood parrilla beats a tourist-priced steakhouse
Steak from a proper local parrilla is widely excellent value by international standards, considerably cheaper than a tourist-priced restaurant near Recoleta or La Boca. An empanada stand remains one of the better cheap eats too, a genuine Argentine staple.
Consider San Telmo or Almagro over Recoleta
Hotels right in Recoleta sit at the top of the price range given the location. San Telmo and Almagro, both well connected by Subte, run noticeably cheaper while offering a genuinely strong, more local character of their own.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
