For those wishing to rent a property in Argentina, then Buenos Aires will offer the most choice of accommodation, though most of the country’s big urban areas will have a variety of options.

Most rental leases in Argentina will be for two years. Shorter tenancy agreements are available but these are not as common. A typical up-front payment will be the equivalent of two month’s rent money as a deposit (the maximum allowed by law) and one month’s rent in advance. When an estate agent is used to negotiate the tenancy agreement, they will take a commission from the tenant which usually equals one month’s rent. The deposit is refundable to the tenant when they leave the property unless there are unpaid bills or damage to the accommodation.

The shorter temporary contracts may have a number of conditions attached which could include paying the total rent in advance (particularly if the new tenant is a foreigner), paying the rent in a different currency and a higher commission to any estate agent involved. For those who are moving to the country for work it is recommended to opt for the longer two year tenancy. All agreements will cover exactly what is and is not included in the monthly rent charges, details on the procedures that will be followed in the event of a dispute and confirm the regulations on subletting and remodelling.

In the cities both furnished and unfurnished properties are available, but those wishing to move to a more rural area may find that furnished properties are not often available. This will also affect rental costs, as will the size and location of the property. There are a number of estate agents and websites which advertise property rentals ranging from anything from 200 pesos per month to over 1000 pesos per month.

Descriptions of rental properties available in Argentina will usually refer to the size of the house or apartment in square metres, and when the number of rooms is mentioned it will not include the kitchen or bathrooms. Some properties will have cleaning and maintenance services included in rental costs and this should be stated on the tenancy agreement.

Argentina is becoming a very popular destination for expats and there are large numbers of Americans and Europeans living in Buenos Aires but the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city allows all nationalities to mingle easily, so there are not whole communities of expats living closely together.