Blue Dollar

The Blue Dollar, also known as the Dólar Blue or Unofficial Dollar, refers to the parallel exchange rate for US dollars in Argentina. This is the rate used for buying and selling physical dollar bills in a 'cueva', a clandestine financial house commonly found in Buenos Aires. The Blue Dollar offers the best price for exchanging physical bills, with no involvement from government-regulated entities like banks.

This black market for currency emerged in response to the strict currency controls imposed by the Argentine government. Essentially, you can exchange your money at an official outlet for one rate, or go to an unofficial trader and get the Blue Dollar rate, which will leave you with significantly more pesos. Although carrying large amounts of cash typically goes against travel advice, many tourists in Argentina do so to take advantage of the Blue Dollar market.

So, how can you find the better Blue Dollar rate? Many foreign visitors rely on local contacts or ask their hotel to recommend a trustworthy 'cueva' (which translates to 'cave', though in reality, these are fully functioning businesses accepting dollars, euros, and pounds). Others head to busy shopping streets and listen for the calls of '¡Cambio! ¡Cambio!' (exchange); the smart ones check the current rate beforehand to ensure they can negotiate.

On our website, you can find a list of verified and reliable cuevas that have proven to be serious and well-organized businesses. You just need to enter the city and region you're interested in and select the nearest exchange office. You can also use a map to locate a convenient exchange office. The dollar exchange rate on the site is updated several times a day. However, we recommend contacting the exchange office directly to confirm the current rate before your visit.