Three networks, cheap data, and a registration process for foreigners that is inconsistent enough to ruin an afternoon. The local operators still do not sell tourist eSIMs, so the eSIM route means an international provider.
- Personal, Claro and Movistar cover the country. Outside the cities Personal and Claro hold up best, and Patagonia is thin: on Ruta 40 and around El Chalten you lose signal for long stretches.
- Data is cheap: a tourist bundle with 10 GB or more costs a few US dollars equivalent, and Claro's Chip Turista is the least painful physical option.
- Every prepaid line is registered to a passport. Buy at an official operator shop rather than a kiosk, which often cannot register the chip, and allow a couple of hours for activation.
- Argentine operators still do not sell tourist eSIMs. Saily covers the country at USD 16.99 for 5 GB over 30 days - several times the local price, but working the moment you land.
- A local number matters more here than in most countries. Mercado Pago, some bank apps and a lot of small businesses expect an Argentine mobile, and WhatsApp is how everything is arranged.
The three networks
- Personal, Claro and Movistar cover the country between them. In Buenos Aires all three are fine; outside the cities Personal and Claro hold up best.
- Data is cheap by any standard. A tourist bundle with 10 GB or more costs a few US dollars equivalent.
- Claro sells a Chip Turista through its own shops and authorised resellers, which is the least painful physical option.
- Coverage in Patagonia is thin and honest about it. On Ruta 40 and around El Chalten you will have no signal for long stretches.
Registration, which is the annoying part
- Every prepaid line is registered to a passport. Bring the physical passport and expect the shop to photograph the data page.
- Some shops also want a local address or proof of accommodation. A hotel booking on your phone satisfies this.
- Kiosks sell chips but often cannot register them, which is how people end up with a dead SIM. Buy at an official operator shop.
- Activation can take a couple of hours rather than minutes, so buy it on your first morning, not on the way to a bus.
eSIM
- The Argentine operators still do not sell tourist eSIMs. The eSIM route means an international provider.
- Saily covers Argentina at USD 5.29 for 1 GB over 7 days, USD 16.99 for 5 GB over 30 days and USD 29.99 for 10 GB over 30 days.
- It is several times the local price per gigabyte and it works from the moment you land, with no shop and no passport scan. For a two-week trip that trade is usually worth it; for two months it is not.
- A local number matters more here than in most countries. Mercado Pago, some bank apps and a lot of small businesses expect an Argentine mobile number, and WhatsApp is how everything is arranged.
Apps to have before you land
- WhatsApp is the phone system. Restaurants, guides and landlords all use it.
- Mercado Pago is the dominant wallet, though it needs a local identity to set up fully.
- Cabify and Uber both work in Buenos Aires and matter for safety, not just convenience.
- SUBE for topping up your transport card, once you have one.
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