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With the dollar blue rate largely now matching the official rate, are there any ATMs in Argentina that do not charge excessive fees on foreign cards?

Which Argentine banks do not charge any fees for ATMs and what is the maximum limit for those banks? Is there another strategy that can be used?

As of January 2017 Most ATMs are charging 90 ARS ($5.6 USD) and limiting the withdrawal to 2000 ARS at a time, which is effectively a 5% tax on all cash purchases that you make in the country.

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    This article suggests that the fee is fairly universal but you might be able to get a credit card which refunds it. (as of beginning of 2016)
    – mts
    Commented Dec 4, 2016 at 10:07
  • Why is this this closed? This is as on-topic as any question on this site! There indeed exist banks whose fees are consistently lower than those of other banks, and this is precisely the kind of knowledge that should be on Travel SE. This should be open just like the equivalent for Chile
    – Jonik
    Commented May 17, 2018 at 1:32
  • 1
    Ok, we got it reopened. For now, I'll document what I know here: as of 2018, most banks have a fee of about AR$ 204, but at least for Banco Santa Fe it's considerably lower, around AR$ 100. (I suspect there are other good options, and I'll post an answer when I know more.)
    – Jonik
    Commented May 17, 2018 at 1:43

3 Answers 3

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This is the way that I dealt with the problem:

  1. Make good use of any free ATMs while you can: Make use of any ATM networks that may be specific to your bank. In my case (as an Australian) I was able to use an Australian Citibank Plus Visa Debit card in a Citibank ATM in Buenos Aires and not pay any fees. Try to work out how much cash you will need for the trip and load up while you have access to cheaper (i.e. fee free) ATMs. Many banks are members of "global ATM alliances" so it is worth checking with your bank to see if they are a part of one.
  2. Obtain a credit card that does not charge any fees for foreign currency purchases and use it for every purchase that you possibly can - regardless of how small. Supermarkets, some cafes, some restaurants and some tours will accept this. Perhaps 30%-50% of your spend can be covered by this. In my case (Australian) the 28 degrees MasterCard is perfect for this.
  3. Whenever you use an ATM, withdraw the maximum: The "better" ATMs would limit you to 2x2000 ARS transactions per day Per card. Because I had a joint account with my wife (2 different card numbers linked to the same account) we could double up and get 4x2000 ARS transactions per day per ATM.
  4. Avoid ATMs that have a low maximum withdrawal: Some ATMs have a maximum withdrawal as low as 1500ARS and some go as high as 2500ARS. A 90ARS fee on a 1500ARS withdrawal is a 6% fee.

My hostel also suggested using azimo to send money to a local pickup location although we were unable to try this as we were already away from those locations when it was suggested. I have also seen Xoom suggested which I was unable to test and finally supermarkets seem to do cash out at the till but this may be for Argentine accounts only.

For those who already hold USD in cash, taking your USD to Argentina and exchanging it for ARS at a Cambio is apparently a good option as well. As a holder of AUD I didn't fit into this category.

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It seems like all ATMs in Argentina are charging the crazy fees, and the linked site notes that your best bet is to get a credit/debit card in your home country that doesn't charge/refunds international fees.

The author also notes that they were charged considerably more at ATMs outside of Buenos Aires, so at the very least you'll want to consider drawing more cash in Buenos Aires before you leave the city.

An alternative way to obtain cash it is to exchange with fellow travellers at hostels, everyone's usually keen if it works out for them, and you all win.

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I have just spent few months living in Buenos Aires. Researched the topic of ATM withdrawals and money exchange, and can confirm the following findings.

The smallest ATM fee is at Banco De La Nacion. It's around 230 ARG (or 5 USD). All other banks charge 10 USD or more.

Max withdrawal limit: Up to 4000 ARG

Also, Banco De La Nacion seems to be the best place where you can exchange your foreign cash. Just don't forget your passport.

Updated information here.

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