Buenos Dias from Buenos Aires: Eating out in Argentina

¡Hola, muchachos! I never thought I would live in a city where chicken McNuggets and fries from McDonald's cost more than a meal at a nice restaurant. But luckily, here I am in Buenos Aires.

Most food is incredibly cheap in Argentina. I went to a restaurant and ordered a delicious, huge milanesa napolitana, which is basically breaded meat topped with special sauce and cheese. It was so large I couldn’t finish it all. Later, my friends insisted on going to McDonald’s for a snack. I ordered chicken McNuggets and fries, which cost the same price as that milanesa. McDonald's, and I think all United States restaurant chains in Argentina, is more expensive than the other food here. It’s the same price as it is in the U.S., but Argentinian food is cheaper.

When I go out to a nice parrilla (steak house), I order a steak and fries, and I split a bottle of wine with my friends. It usually costs me about $12. In Buenos Aires, a high-quality steak costs about seven or eight dollars, whereas it is about $18-20 in the U.S. Basically, you can get a steak dinner with wine for the same price as a milkshake and burger at Union Street Diner. That might make it tough readapting to nights out in Athens when I get back.

Beer and wine are also not expensive. My study abroad director told me beer is cheaper than milk in Argentina, which is interesting. You can buy a bottle of Malbec for about seven dollars, which when split among four people is pretty cheap.

Some products are unfortunately expensive. I’m glad that I brought enough clothes with me because clothing here is very expensive. A friend of mine described the clothing and its prices as H&M quality clothing for J-Crew prices. A pair of Levi jeans costs more than $100 in Argentina, too. Hopefully, I will not need to buy any clothes while I’m down here, although I wouldn’t mind having a souvenir that I can wear when I get back to the U.S.

One purchase I can’t avoid, however, is water. In every restaurant, you have to pay for water. No more ordering free water at restaurants to save money. That’s not a thing here. The waiter brings out a fancy bottled water that costs about three dollars. I’ve started sneaking bottles of water into restaurants so I can spend more money on my meal and not on staying hydrated.

Other than expensive clothes and pricey water, Argentina offers many great deals, like steak and wine. I now see why many people told me Argentina is a great country to live in.

Before I let you get back to procrastinating from studying or whatever else it is you have to do, I just wanted to inform you that I will not be writing a column for Feb. 28. I will be off the grid for 10 days, taking a trip to Patagonia, Argentina, where I will see glaciers, visit penguins and walk around the end of the world in Ushuaia. So, enjoy your break from these annoying columns that might make you wish you were in Argentina too, and be prepared to read about Patagonia on March 7. ¡Hasta luego, amigos!

Jessica Hill is a sophomore studying journalism and global studies. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Are you surprised by the meal prices in Argentina? Contact Jessica at jh240314@ohio.edu or tweet her @jess_hillyeah.