In planning mode - how much budget should I keep in mind for Argentina - any experiences?
I toured Argentina for a month - Buenos Aires, Salta, Puerto Iguazú - on about US $60/day. Dorm hostel stays (~US $15), buses (~US $5), and hearty dishes (~US $8) were key. Stretching your budget in Argentina is manageable if you embrace local meals and avoid tourist traps. Weekend bus tickets and ATM fees can upset your balance though, so plan for a 10-15% contingency. Tours and nightlife drive the cost up, but with care you can enjoy a full month for around US $1,800-2,000.
I stayed 10 days and averaged US $110/day, mainly because of guided glacier tours and wine tasting in Mendoza. Without these splurges, my spend dropped to US $80/day. Argentina daily cost for mid-range travelers sits between US $70-120 depending on excursions and lodging. Seasonal changes matter - winter ski season or peak summer in Bariloche pushes prices higher. I recommend planning with flexibility, keeping a buffer, and budgeting for transport between regions which can reach US $30-40 per trip.
I lived on about US $50/day traveling around northwest Argentina - Salta, Cafayate, and Tilcara - staying in hostels, eating empanadas and street food, using colectivos, and doing free hikes. Budget travel in Argentina is very doable if you remain flexible. Comfortable travel with occasional tours might cost around US $70/day. Most expenses are meals and transport - taxis, buses. For a month-long stay, about US $1,800 in total gives you flexibility even for a short Buenos Aires extension.
I spent six weeks between Buenos Aires, Bariloche, and Mendoza with a daily spend of around US $80. That covered a private Airbnb (~US $30/night), coworking space day passes (~US $10), delicious local meals, wine tours, and bus rides. Argentina travel budget per day depends heavily on your style - Buenos Aires can be more expensive for boutique stays, but provinces balance it out. Allocate extra for Buenos Aires nightlife, wine excursions, and scenic bus rides to Patagonia. Keep some buffer for currency fluctuations and card ATM limits reset.