If you want to spend your golden years in one of the most stable and developed countries of Latin America, stay tuned until the end of our list of best places to retire in Argentina.
For a reasonable amount of money, Argentina can offer you a very pleasant life. For example, the rent prices in the country are 50% cheaper than in the United States. Same goes with the groceries and utilities. Despite being affordable, Argentina is considered a high-income economy, being second largest on the continent while having a high human development index at the same time. The country is open to strangers, has a rich culture and people are happy here. According to the World Happiness Report, Argentina is 24th happiest country in the world, which isn’t a bad feat by any means.
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When it comes to healthcare in the country, the word is that you’ll get a satisfying medical care in the capital Buenos Aires, but outside the capital, the quality can vary. WHO data tells us that Argentina currently spends 4.8% of GDP on health, which is below the percentage spent by Chile and Brazil for example. Still, there are 3.8 physicians and 4.7 hospital beds per 1,000 which represent pretty good rates.
Now, let’s take a quick look at the safety and crime situation in the country. WEF (World Economic Forum) report doesn’t make us too confident since it ranks Argentina on 97th place in terms of safety and security among 136 nations. Crime and Safety report made by The United States Overseas Security Advisory Council goes along the same lines. It reveals us that crime is a constant problem in the major cities for both residents and visitors. The United States citizens are mostly targeted by thefts and other non–violent crimes. Touristic attractions are the locations where most of the crimes occur, so you should be on the lookout for pickpockets, scammers, muggers, and purse–snatchers. Criminals are armed in the most of the cases and can become violent if victims show resistance. Argentina’s neighbor Chile, on the other hand, is considered a lot safer. In case you want to entertain the possibility of retiring there, check out our list of 10 best places to retire in Chile.
We are sure you are curious about our methodology for making the list of best places to retire in Argentina, so let’s cover it before proceeding. First, we took recommendations about best places to live and/or retire in Argentina from various sources including Wandering Trader, AARP, and Nomad List. After getting the list of recommendations, we ranked each place according to rent cost (Numbeo and Expatistan), hospital to population ratio (Google Maps), the cost of a flight to the United States (Google Flights) and Quality of life rank (CONICET). After awarding points depending on the ranking and summing them into IM Score, we got our list. We should just note that hospital to population ration is there to give you a closest possible info about how many people can be assigned to one hospital. Let’s get to it then and find the one of the best places to retire in Argentina for you.
10. Salta
IM Score: 13
Rent Cost: $550
Hospital to Population Ratio: 21,412
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,498
Quality of Life Rank: 63
Located in the north of the country, Salta is a charming city that has a feel of Andalucía. Expats say that the natives are friendly, there are plenty of attractions to experience, and you’ll have everything you need to lead a comfortable life. The weather is also very pleasant, never being too hot or too cold.
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9. Ushuaia
IM Score: 19
Rent Cost: $740
Hospital to Population Ratio: 6,288
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,746
Quality of Life Rank: 8
You should only head to Ushuaia if you have enough money to pay for costly flights to the United States. You can choose not to go back too often as well, but we know that isn’t an option. You’ll also have to pay the most for rent compared to all other entries on our list of best places to retire in Argentina. But, on the other hand, there is plenty to gain here. The city is developing rapidly and attracting many expatriates and retirees from all part of the world. Ushuaia is also considered to be one of the safest Argentinian cities while offering amazing scenery and tons of exciting things to experience. Just, don’t get high hopes for the warm weather.
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8. La Plata
IM Score: 19
Rent Cost: $480
Hospital to Population Ratio: 47,836
Flight to U.S. Cost: $960
Quality of Life Rank: 46
Situated an hour away from Buenos Aires, La Plata is considered to be one of the first planned cities in the South America. This is visible on each corner since La Plata boasts modern infrastructure and beautiful architectural landscape. Still, the city has managed to incorporate lots of parks and gardens, and enable its residents to escape the concrete jungle when they want. The downside of life in La Plata is the lack of flights towards U.S., so you’ll have to travel to Buenos Aires.
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7. Bariloche
IM Score: 20
Rent Cost: $505
Hospital to Population Ratio: 9,454
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,611
Quality of Life Rank: 20
Are you an adventurous and outdoor loving person? If your answer is yes, then Bariloche, the next on our list of best places to retire in Argentina is the city you want to be. Located on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and close to The Andes, this place has an amazing potential for winter and water sports. From June to September you can enjoy in the snow, and in the summer you can relax on the beautiful beaches or just take a walk and soak up the amazing landscape.
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6. Rosario
IM Score: 21
Rent Cost: $405
Hospital to Population Ratio: 25,956
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,074
Quality of Life Rank: 61
What do Lionel Messi and Che Guevara have in common? They are both born in Rosario. This is the city that bursts with culture, art, and historical importance. Museums, galleries, cathedrals and many other landmarks are all telling unique and interesting stories. If you like outdoors more, streets are always buzzing with life, and there is always some music to hear or art to witness. Besides this, keep in mind that Rosario will be very gentle to your budget.
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5. Miramar
IM Score: 24
Rent Cost: $275
Hospital to Population Ratio: 10,033
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,313
Quality of Life Rank: 107
In case you fancy a low-key life, you’ll like this entry on our list of best places to retire in Argentina. It is a beach resort that is incredibly cheap and doesn’t receive as many tourists as some other coastal towns. It offers lots of opportunities for relaxation, but will also enable you to enjoy surfing, golfing and fishing.
4. Cordoba
IM Score: 24
Rent Cost: $380
Hospital to Population Ratio: 24,839
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,140
Quality of Life Rank: 28
The second most populous city in Argentina will attract you with low cost of rent and cheap ticket to the United States at first, but there is much more to it. The word is that Cordoba offers a perfect blend of modern lifestyle and traditional values. This makes the city a charming place to be and easy to fall in love with.
3. Buenos Aires
IM Score: 24
Rent Cost: $565
Hospital to Population Ratio: 30,105
Flight to U.S. Cost: $957
Quality of Life Rank: 1
In most other cases, a city that is home to almost 3 million people isn’t an ideal retirement destination, but there is something to Buenos Aires that will make you forget all about it. Besides all the cultural attractions, one of the biggest appeals of the city lies in the people that reside in it. Buenos Aires is a home to millions of expats who come from all corners of the world, giving their contribution to the city’s cultural diversity, while also being one of the world’s most visited cities. No matter the lifestyle you prefer or have in mind, Buenos Aires will be the perfect location to engage in it.
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2. Mar Del Plata
IM Score: 28
Rent Cost: $355
Hospital to Population Ratio: 14,287
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,305
Quality of Life Rank: 19
The most popular beach resort in Argentina, Mar Del Plata that ranks 2nd on the list of best places to retire in Argentina offers the opportunity for a textbook retirement. You’ll enjoy the blue sea, warm weather, and cocktails on the beach, forgetting about everything else. There are other attractions to be experienced in Mar Del Plata, but the beach related ones are dominant. The only thing that may not suit you is the fact that the city gets really crowded in the summer.
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1. Mendoza
IM Score: 29
Rent Cost: $410
Hospital to Population Ratio: 4,793
Flight to U.S. Cost: $1,380
Quality of Life Rank: 5
Although far away from the beach, Mendoza still managed to grab the top spot on our list of best places to retire in Argentina. As you can see, it has the best hospital to population ratio, reasonable rent cost and besides certain parts of Buenos Aires, is the city with the best quality of life in Argentina. Mendoza is especially famous for its wine industry and is considered as one of the “wine capitals of the world.” In case you are looking for a place where you can spend your days engaging in outdoor sports and watching beautiful landscapes while enjoying wine and unique cuisine at night, don’t look further than Mendoza.
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