Go, but pay attention.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Argentina
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Unsolicited card distribution
People hand out cards with horoscopes or pictures in the street or subway and demand payment if you accept them. Simply return the card with a no, gracias or remain silent.
The mustard or cream distraction
Someone sprays you with a substance like mustard or hand cream, and others approach to help. Ignore their assistance, focus on your belongings, and leave the area immediately.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: Yes
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Argentina must obtain a visa from one of the Argentine diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Terrorist attacks in Argentina cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Argentine society is open and diverse. Discrimination based on sexual orientation is rare. Same-sex marriage is legal. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Because it is well known that tourists bring hard currency to Argentina to avoid the official exchange rate, tourists can be targets of crime.
- •Argentina has a relatively high traffic mortality rate, with about 20 road deaths per day, and with more than 120,000 injured people each year, including tourists.
- •There is plenty of activity and foot traffic throughout the night.
- •As in any large city, certain particular neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and other cities are very dangerous.
- •Many people in the street and in the subway hand out small cards with horoscopes, lottery numbers, pictures of saints, or cute drawings on them.
- •Most crimes involve petty theft (pickpockets) in the subway and on crowded city streets, and especially inhabitant from Buenos Aires have a story to tell, which is also why many people carry…
Staying healthy
- •Visiting Argentina doesn't raise any major health worries.
- •Dengue, a mosquito borne illness, is a serious and potentially fatal illness.
- •Different climate conditions might take your body by surprise, so be aware of the weather before you arrive.
- •It's also best to ease yourself gently into the local diet – sudden quantities of red meat, red wine, strong coffee and sweet pastries can be very unsettling for a stomach used to gentler re…
- •Although oral contraceptives are sold over the counter, without a prescription, a woman considering taking them is well advised first to consult a wise and licensed physician about their pro…
- •Hospitals are free, and won't charge you for treatment.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers hold conflicting views on safety in Argentina, particularly regarding Buenos Aires. Some visitors report feeling unsafe in the capital, citing locals who remain hyper-vigilant with their phones and belongings, while others describe the city as manageable if you stay aware in crowded areas. Patagonia and regions like Jujuy are widely considered secure, with solo travelers reporting no issues walking at night. Crime concerns often center on urban environments, while rural areas are viewed as peaceful. Practical advice includes using credit cards to avoid carrying large bricks of cash, utilizing ride-sharing apps, and staying alert in tourist-heavy zones to avoid opportunistic theft.
“I never left premium areas (Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano, Microcentro, etc.) and you could see people (locals!) looking around while using their phones. Or whenever I walked down the street, if I overtook another person on a walkway, he or she will look back to check that I was not a safety threat.
— r/travel
“I walked around Purmamarca at night alone as a woman and felt safer than I do in any U.S. city. People are out strolling, families are in the plazas, kids are running around, and there is basically zero sketchiness.
— r/travel
“We felt very safe throughout the trip. In Buenos Aires, be cautious in crowded areas and stay aware of your surroundings (similar to any big city). Patagonia felt incredibly secure, with many solo travelers, including women.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / I · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Tipping
There is no obligation to tip in Argentina although it is considered customary. Some restaurants already charge customers with "cubiertos" (table service). In these cases tipping is not expected. Sometimes rounding up or telling them to "keep the change" is enough on small checks, deliveries, gasoline tenders, etc. Leaving at least a 10% tip is considered kind and polite at restaurants, cafes, hot
SIM / Data
You can get a prepaid Movistar / Claro / Personal SIM card for a few pesos / free at phone shops, all you pay is about ARS20 (about US$5) for your initial credits. Inserting the SIM card into your unlocked mobile phone should work, although to register the SIM you might have to enter your passport (or any 9 digit) number. You then have your personal Argentinian phone number, which is very useful t
Cash vs. Card
The situation for foreign travelers using non-Argentine credit cards changed dramatically at the end of 2022. In short, the Argentine government established a new exchange rate for such transactions, called the "MEP" rate. As of December 2022, major international credit cards such as Visa began to process transactions at the new MEP rate. At the end of January, when the black market exchange rate
Zoom in
2 Argentina cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09