Understanding Buenos Aires currency and price labels
Buenos Aires currency is the Argentine peso, identified by ARS. The “$” sign on a local price can mean pesos: a local tango tariff, for example, uses that sign for Argentine currency. Look for the currency code before comparing a local price with a tour sold in US dollars. Treat the amount and the currency as a pair rather than deciding from the symbol alone.
For planning, separate the price of the activity, any transport payment and the conversion made by your payment service. A peso amount translated into dollars for comparison serves a different purpose from a product actually sold in USD. This matters when comparing a museum visit, a transport card and a prebooked sightseeing ticket. Our Buenos Aires tours guide helps compare the activities themselves.
A dated exchange comparison
On 5 November 2026 at 17:00, the BNA banknote quotation showed ARS 1,520 buying and ARS 1,570 selling for USD 1. The approximate dollar comparisons in this guide use the selling figure of ARS 1,570. This is a dated comparison basis, rather than an offer for exchanging dollars or a promise about the conversion on a card statement.
When making your own spending plan, retain the original ARS price alongside any dollar comparison. Keep its date as well, particularly if the comparison was saved before your visit. For card purchases, consult your issuer about conversion, foreign-currency fees and the handling of refunds. Those details come from the terms of your payment account. A historical arrangement for foreign cards should not be treated as a guaranteed current rate.
Sightseeing by bus
This sightseeing bus helps you explore the city; it is a separate product from local payment or transit cards.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Prebook a sightseeing transport option
The hop-on-hop-off ticket offers a separate way to organise city sightseeing, with ticket length and extra activities depending on the chosen option.
SUBE: buying the card and adding balance
SUBE is intended for buses, trains, the Subte and other participating transport systems. Foreign visitors can purchase the card at authorised sales points. The official purchase information, read on 8 November 2026, listed ARS 1,500, approximately USD 0.96 using the comparison basis above. That amount is for the card itself. Keep the cost of obtaining the card separate from the balance used to pay for journeys.
Purchase is available through Puntos SUBE or online. Before your first journey, plan both how you will obtain the card and how you will add usable balance. An electronic top-up needs to be credited through a supported channel, such as a Terminal Automática or the SUBE app. Follow the instructions for the channel you choose rather than treating an electronic payment receipt as the final step.
Card ownership, registration and entitlement to a particular fare are different questions. Compare the fare category that applies to you and the service you intend to take. Do not build a transport budget around a social or personal concession without checking its eligibility conditions. Likewise, check compatibility before relying on an overseas payment app for a top-up.
Subte card payments and QR
The Subte has additional ways to pay alongside SUBE. A city announcement dated 29 May 2025 documented QR payment as well as debit cards, credit cards and mobile-phone payment. That announcement described the options supported at that time; it is useful context for understanding why SUBE is not the only payment route on the underground.
Choose a method supported for your journey and payment account, and check the current instructions before depending on it. In particular, a payment method described for the Subte should not be assumed to work identically on every bus or train. Keep the question “Can this method pay here?” separate from “What fare applies to this journey?” They concern different parts of the payment.
Public transport, sightseeing buses and airport travel
The hop-on-hop-off sightseeing ticket is a prebookable alternative for organising a city visit. Its inclusions cover the bus ticket for the duration of the chosen option, a downloadable app with a multilingual audio guide, online bus tracking and a digital discount booklet. Additional activities depend on the option. Compare this sightseeing package with your intended visits rather than with a single public transport fare.
Airport transport is another separate purchase to plan. Ezeiza and Aeroparque are different airports, and the published buses to Terminal Pellegrini describe a terminal journey. A terminal bus price should not be used as a hotel-transfer estimate. The airport and transfer guide explains the routes, while the accommodation area guide helps you choose a city base by your interests.
For a day in Tigre, use the delta transport guide to distinguish a train journey, a boat outing and an organised excursion. Assign a separate budget line to each part you actually intend to buy. This keeps the comparison useful without treating different tickets as interchangeable.
Currency and payment questions
Does a local “$” price mean US dollars?
It can denote Argentine pesos. Check whether the price is labelled ARS or USD before comparing it with another offer.
Is travel balance included in the SUBE card price?
The card purchase and travel balance are separate. Arrange a top-up and complete any required crediting step before relying on the balance for a journey.
Can the dated comparison rate predict my card charge?
Your issuer's conversion and fees determine the charge. The guide's comparison uses the banknote selling quotation from 5 November 2026 at 17:00.
Is SUBE the only way to pay on the Subte?
The city has also documented card, mobile-phone and QR payments. Check which method your payment account supports for the journey you plan.