I just moved to Buenos Aires in argentina. My landlord only accepts USD, we gave her our money in USD (around 4k) as a deposit payment and first months rent, but unfortunately we will need more USD soon as the landlord only accepts payment in USD.

If any of you have been to argentina, you know it is near impossible to find USD. A Casa de cambia will allow you only if you recently changed USD to ARS and have a slip to prove it.

Anyways, if anyone knows of any way at all to get cash usd argentina from A US bank account let me know! We have tons of pesos in cash as well as US cash in bank accounts at home, but its frustratingly hard to access greenbacks. let me know if you know anything... Thanks!

Cant you just wire him money?

Can't you just ask the landlord where is the best place?

Thanks for the advice, but ultimately I ended up asking as you said.

She said that i'd have to find it myself. I imagine I could have tried and argue that it was illegal or something to not accept pesos but I figured that would be a bad idea.

Randomly one of the owners Property manager's has a US bank account I am transferring the money there when I sign the lease.

So just a warning I guess. If you are planning on coming to BA or argentina for a several months and rent a furnished apartment gringo style like me, make sure to have US cash to cover it,
or be willing to argue with the landlord to accept pesos/hunt around town for a cheap casa de cambio or amex or something that randomly works for a large amount. People dont take checks (ldo) Dollars are very hard to come by here, especially larger amounts and many landlords ask for them.

hmm, I exchanged my left over Argentinian Pesos for USD at an exchange for a reasonable rate when I left BA 9 months ago, odd.

Do watch out for the street exchanges, there are a lot of currency frauds going on where you get fake bills.

Hmm, Why does your landlord only accept USD? You aren't living in America, your in Argentina. She is running you over.

I would tell her its near impossible to find USD, the local currency isn't USD, and you will be paying in the local currency. I would say I won't be paying her in USD unless it is explicitly stated in the lease contract.

If she persists, tell her you only make payment in Rubies.

Almost all landlords who rent short term furnished ask for this, from what ive heard or read.

I read a long thread on BAexpasts thread abt the legality of the issue, but the consensus was that it was legal to ask for payment in whatever currency the landlord desired. Seemed odd to me too, but hey.

I suppose I could have still tried to argue that it was illegal to demand and that I'd only pay pesos and report him otherwise, but this was by far the nicest apartment we'd found in our ~two weeks of searching everyday and we didnt want to let it go, LDO paying USD costs us the same as peso equivalent so assuming we could find an easy way to get it, I had no problems with the request (btw as I said the landlord found us a very convenient place to wire to)

plus it felt weird to tell someone they were out of line for such a standard practice in the rental (and apparently real estate purchasing) business. I hardly speak spanish too fwiw.

@Iamurdream, apparently something happened with the central bank that has shaken up the currency exchange situation in the last few weeks

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...21-717128.html

It may still be possible, like I said I just got here and only asked around for a couple days. but believe me I tried many many ways and it is without a doubt very very difficult. And if it can be found I imagine it would be a very bad deal by at least 10+% or black market.

DO NOT DO BLACK MARKET EVER THERE, you will be getting fake currency left and right, it's a huge risk

threatening landlord just has no reward, you won't get anywhere with it and all it does it make you lose the place

I'm talkign about the situation 1,5y ago but citibank us account should allow you to withdraw USD at BA citibanks. Just like you can cash out 3K/withdrawal at city whereas every other ATM is about 900pesos max.

or withdraw pesos -> go to bank exchnge 4 usd. Always a losing deal but that how most do it.

anyone have experience using traveler's checks abroad? specifically in mexico (yucatan area)

I've never been able to get dollars at citibank, and it's practically impossible to convert any meaningful quantity of pesos to any other currency now.