Buenos Aires
Tango, hostel asados and long nights, with your phone kept out of sight
The short verdict
Yes, if you are happy to eat late and keep your phone in your pocket. Daily free walking tours, milongas with a class before the dancing and hostels that run asados and football trips make it hard to stay alone. The real risk is snatch theft, including from motorbikes, in areas the FCDO lists by name. Peso prices change monthly, so recheck them before you go.
Solo Score
| Safety | 56 | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety for women | 74 | |
| LGBTQ+ inclusivity | 86 | |
| Trans recognition | 95 | |
| Social life | 50 | |
| Ease | 80 | |
| Cost for one | 75 | |
| Nightlife and events | 40 | |
| Singles demographics | 37 |
version v1 · How we calculate it
Buenos Aires is good alone because it is a city that runs in groups. Dinner is late, milongas start with a class so beginners have a way in, and the big hostels organise asados and football trips without you having to ask. Take the 10:30am free tour by the Teatro Colón on your first morning and you will probably have dinner company that night.
The one real drawback needs saying plainly: snatch theft. The FCDO's list of areas for extra caution overlaps almost exactly with the places you will visit, from Palermo and San Telmo to La Boca and Florida Street. It describes thieves on motorbikes, bags slit open in crowds, and the mustard scam, where someone squirts you and an accomplice offers to clean you up while another takes your bag. Italy's foreign ministry advises against using your phone on the street at all. It is not a violent city for visitors, but a phone held out on the pavement does not last long.
The second issue is money. Argentina still has high inflation, 33.5 per cent a year in August 2026 according to the INDEC series, so any peso price here ages quickly. That is why every figure on this page has a date and, where possible, a dollar or pound equivalent, which holds up better than the peso number.
From London the clocks are only three to four hours behind, so jet lag is mild compared with Asia. From New York it is a long flight, and some tour operators quote in dollars as well as pesos, which makes budgeting easier than the peso figures suggest.
Who it's for / who it's not for
- Anyone who wants easy company through free tours and sociable hostels
- Night owls happy with late dinners
- LGBTQ+ travellers looking for strong legal protection
- Long-haul South America travellers who need a comfortable base
- People who want to walk around phone in hand without thinking
- Travellers who need stable, predictable prices before booking
- Early sleepers
Where to stay alone
San Telmo
€€€ProThe Sunday neighbourhood, with the market and the Patio de Tango in Plaza Dorrego, and small, sociable hostels.
ConThe FCDO names San Telmo market and the general San Telmo area among places to be particularly cautious about theft.
☾ At nightLively at weekends. Get back by radio taxi or app rather than walking towards La Boca.
- America del Sur Hostel, San Telmo, dorms from EUR 13.14 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
- Viajero Buenos Aires Hostel, San Telmo, dorms from EUR 14.87 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
Palermo (Soho and Hollywood)
€€€ProBars, restaurants and parks, the neighbourhood for going out. The graffiti tour starts at Plaza Serrano.
ConPalermo is also on the FCDO's caution list.
☾ At nightBusy late around Plaza Serrano. Watch your drink; the Italian advice reports robberies after drugging in nightclubs.
- Play Hostel Garden, Palermo Soho, dorms from EUR 17.13 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
- PH Palermo Hostel, dorms from EUR 18.39 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
Recoleta
€€€ProResidential and calm, with the famous cemetery and museums within walking distance.
ConLess nightlife and fewer hostels, so you travel to go out.
☾ At nightQuiet. Street theft remains the main risk.
- MONS hostel, Recoleta, dorms from EUR 19.15 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
- ilVero Hostel Recoleta, dorms from EUR 10.82 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
Centre and Avenida de Mayo
€€€ProSteps from Plaza de Mayo, subte lines A and C on the doorstep, historic cafés like the Tortoni.
ConThe FCDO lists Avenida de Mayo, Florida Street and 9 de Julio as caution areas, and protests are common near Congress and the Casa Rosada.
☾ At nightBusy by day, much less at night. Take a taxi if you come back late from Palermo.
- Milhouse Hostel Avenue, Avenida de Mayo 1245, 4- to 8-bed rooms and daily activities, dorms from EUR 17.85 (Hostelworld list price, October 2026)
How to meet people
Free walking tours
Two operators run at the same times. The Recoleta and Retiro tour starts at 10:30am at the corner of Libertad and Viamonte by the Teatro Colón, lasts three hours and is tip-based. The city centre tour leaves at 3pm from the front of Congress, Avenida Entre Ríos 51.
- Daily, 10:30am and 3pm
- Teatro Colón and Congress
- Tip-based
Asado, tango and football with Milhouse
The hostel runs tango classes, a Thursday asado, ping pong and trips to matches. Sign up at reception, even on the day.
- Asado on Thursdays
- Avenida de Mayo 1245 and Hipólito Yrigoyen 959
La Bomba de Tiempo
Monday nights at Ciudad Cultural Konex with the percussion ensemble La Bomba de Tiempo. Turning up alone is perfectly normal.
- Mondays, 7pm
- Ciudad Cultural Konex
Milongas with a class
The city tourism board's milonga finder lists dances by day of the week and flags the ones with a class beforehand. The most natural way to dance with strangers when you cannot dance.
Patio de Tango, Plaza Dorrego
Every Sunday at the San Telmo market people dance tango in the square. Tango has been on UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 30 September 2009.
- Sundays
- Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo
Things to do alone
Teatro Colón guided tour
Departures every 15 minutes from 10am to 4:45pm, in English at 11am, noon, 1pm and 3pm. The general ticket is 34,000 pesos, about 22 dollars; residents with a DNI pay half. Pesos only, cash or card.
- ARS 34,000
Recoleta Cemetery
Open daily 9am to 5pm, entrance at Junín 1760. The English guided tour leaves at 3:30pm from the main gate; cemetery entry is extra.
- Junín 1760, Recoleta
Guided tour of La Boca
The FCDO advises staying within the Caminito tourist area, where police patrol. The guided tour leaves daily at 11am from Magallanes and Caminito, for 10 dollars or 14,000 pesos.
- ARS 14,000
Feria de San Telmo
The Sunday fair, with more than 40 artists showing work and tango in the square.
- Sundays
Palermo graffiti tour
Four afternoons a week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat) at 3pm from Plaza Serrano, two hours in English.
- ARS 14,000
Eating alone
Café Tortoni
The city's oldest café, opened in 1858 on Avenida de Mayo. A small table and a coffee on your own is exactly the point.
- Avenida de Mayo 825
The Thursday hostel asado
If a parrilla for one feels awkward, Milhouse's Thursday asado is a long table already set with new people.
- Thursdays
- Milhouse, Avenida de Mayo
Lunch at an inexpensive restaurant
Numbeo users put a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about 27,800 pesos, around 18 dollars or 13.50 pounds. With inflation at 33.5 per cent a year, expect that peso figure to move within months.
- About ARS 27,800 (Numbeo, October 2026)
At night
Going out
Palermo around Plaza Serrano for bars and clubs, San Telmo at weekends, milongas for dancers and learners, and La Bomba de Tiempo at the Konex on Mondays.
Getting back
The FCDO recommends booking taxis in advance or, if you hail one, using only radio taxis with a logo on the doors. The city government publishes a list of authorised operators.
Avoid
Holding your phone out on the street, unattended drinks, and inviting people you have just met back to your room. Outside the Caminito area, avoid La Boca, especially in the evening.
Safety
General
The FCDO lists areas for particular caution in Buenos Aires as Palermo, San Telmo market and the surrounding area, La Boca, the Ecological Reserve, Retiro and its bus terminal, Florida Street, 9 de Julio, Avenida de Mayo, Avenida Rivadavia near the Obelisk and the cruise and ferry terminals. Italy's foreign ministry describes widespread pickpocketing, bag snatching and robbery, often with violence, especially in Buenos Aires and Rosario.
Women
The Italian advice reports many cases, including foreign tourists, of robbery after being drugged by someone met in a nightclub. The FCDO reports tourists robbed or assaulted after inviting a new acquaintance back to their accommodation. Línea 144 for gender-based violence is free and open 24/7, also on WhatsApp at +54 9 11 2771 6463.
LGBTQ+
The FCDO describes Argentine society as open and diverse, with discrimination based on sexual orientation rare. Marriage equality has been law since 2010.
Trans people
Law 26,743 of 2012 established the right to gender identity. Airport screening and document matching should be reviewed by a trans editor before publication.
At night
Radio taxi or app home, and be aware of occasional express kidnappings, which the FCDO says are a particular risk at night.
Common scams
The mustard scam, where one person squirts you and another helps clean you up while a third takes your bag, is flagged by the FCDO. Refuse help and walk away. Keep your bags close while checking into a hostel; thieves pose as guests.
Emergency numbers
- 911Emergencies, police
- 107SAME ambulance
- 100Fire
- +54 11 5050 9260Tourist Police (24 hours, also WhatsApp)
- 144Línea 144, gender-based violence
- Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires
- Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires
LGBTQ+
Same-sex relationships are legalchecked on 2 November 2026
- Marriage
- legal since 2010 (Law 26,618)
- Legal gender
- self-determination since 2012 (Law 26,743)
- Spartacus 2026
- #32
Argentina legalised same-sex civil marriage with Law 26,618, passed on 15 July 2010, and the right to gender identity with Law 26,743 of 9 May 2012. The FCDO describes society as open, with discrimination rare. We have not yet verified current venues or this year's Pride date and will add them when we can.
AreasPalermoSan Telmo
Dating
TinderBumbleGrindrHinge
A typical first date is a bar in Palermo or a milonga, later in the evening than in London or New York.
The Italian advice reports robberies after drugging by people met in clubs, and the FCDO reports robberies and assaults after inviting someone home who was met online. Meet in public, keep your drink in sight and do not bring home someone you met a few hours ago.
When to go
Aug–Dec| Month | Lows / highs | Rain | For walking |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21°29° | 9 d | 77 |
| February | 20°28° | 7 d | 88 |
| March | 19°25° | 8 d | 90 |
| April | 15°21° | 9 d | 89 |
| May | 11°17° | 7 d | 91 |
| June | 8°15° | 7 d | 79 |
| July | 8°14° | 8 d | 70 |
| August | 9°16° | 6 d | 88 |
| September | 11°18° | 6 d | 97 |
| October | 13°21° | 9 d | 88 |
| November | 17°25° | 9 d | 90 |
| December | 19°28° | 8 d | 87 |
2016-2025 averages, Open-Meteo / ERA5 (CC BY 4.0)
Cost for one
- Low ARS 85,000per day
- Mid ARS 140,000per day
- High ARS 250,000per day
Prices checked 27 October 2026 and worth rechecking: in Argentina peso prices rise every month. In the INDEC series, consumer prices in August 2026, the latest month in the series we consulted, were up 1.7 per cent on July, 21.3 per cent since December 2025 and 33.5 per cent on a year earlier. The official BCRA rate on 26 October 2026 was 1,541 pesos per dollar, 2,058 per pound and 1,724.53 per euro. Low: a dorm bed (EUR 13-19 on Hostelworld, about 26,000 pesos), two inexpensive meals at about 27,800 pesos according to Numbeo users, who record Buenos Aires prices in dollars, and a few subte rides (2,541 pesos on an unregistered SUBE card). Mid adds a mid-range dinner (100,000 pesos for two on Numbeo) and the Teatro Colón tour (34,000). High is an editorial estimate. In dollars, the low budget is about USD 55 a day, or GBP 41: if the peso moves, that is the figure to trust.
Verified on 27 October 2026
Recurring events
- Culture · January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, DecemberFeria de San TelmoEvery Sunday, with artists, antiques and the Patio de Tango in Plaza Dorrego.
- Music · January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, DecemberLunes Bomba at the KonexLa Bomba de Tiempo's percussion every Monday at 7pm; next date 2 November 2026.
Getting around
From the airport, also at night
From Ezeiza, Tienda León buses run to Terminal Pellegrini, Pellegrini 971, in about an hour for 16,500 pesos; the company also has a private remis car service around the clock. For taxis, the FCDO advises booking ahead or using radio taxis only.
In town
The subte takes the SUBE card. With a registered card a trip costs 1,817 pesos for up to 20 trips a month; unregistered, 2,541.10. Combining subte and city buses within 120 minutes gives 50 per cent off the second ride and 75 per cent from the third.
Uber
Places mentioned
- Buenos Aires (-34.600, -58.382)
Frequently asked questions
Is Buenos Aires safe for solo travellers?
For most visitors the risk is theft, not violence. The FCDO asks for particular caution in Palermo, San Telmo, La Boca, Retiro, Florida Street, 9 de Julio and Avenida de Mayo, and warns about thieves on motorbikes snatching bags and phones. Armed robbery does happen; if it does, hand over your valuables without resisting.
Is it safe for a woman on her own at night?
Italy's foreign ministry reports many robberies of people who were drugged by someone they met in a nightclub, and the FCDO reports tourists robbed or assaulted after inviting someone they had just met back to their accommodation. Keep your drink in hand, meet in public and get home by radio taxi or app. Argentina's Línea 144 answers 24 hours a day.
How much does a day cost?
A dorm bed, two cheap meals and a few subte rides come to about 85,000 pesos, roughly 55 dollars or 41 pounds at the official rate of 26 October 2026. Peso prices rise every month; annual inflation was 33.5 per cent in August 2026, so recheck before you travel.
How do I meet people?
Free walking tours leave daily at 10:30am near the Teatro Colón and at 3pm outside Congress. Milhouse runs tango classes, a Thursday asado and trips to football matches. On Monday evenings at 7pm La Bomba de Tiempo plays at the Konex.
Is Buenos Aires good for LGBTQ+ travellers?
Yes. Argentina passed marriage equality in 2010 and its gender identity law in 2012, and the FCDO describes Argentine society as open and diverse, with discrimination based on sexual orientation rare.
How do I get into town from Ezeiza?
Tienda León runs buses from Ezeiza to Terminal Pellegrini, at Pellegrini 971, in about an hour for 16,500 pesos, roughly 11 dollars. If you take a taxi, the FCDO recommends booking ahead or using only radio taxis with a visible logo on the doors.
Where should I stay?
San Telmo and Palermo for sociable hostels, Recoleta for quiet. The centre around Avenida de Mayo is handy for transport but is also on the FCDO's list of areas where theft is common.
Sources
24 sourcesContent checked against sources, waiting for an editor's sign-off. Not indexed yet.
- Argentina travel advice (updated 7 May 2026), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- BA Free Tour, BA Free Tour · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Buenos Aires Free Walks, Buenos Aires Free Walks · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Café Tortoni, Café Tortoni · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Cementerio de la Recoleta, Ente de Turismo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Censo 2022, resultados definitivos, indicadores demográficos, INDEC · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Cost of Living in Buenos Aires (dati degli utenti, aggiornati il 26 ottobre 2026), Numbeo · crowdsourced, treat with care · accessed 27 October 2026
- Cotizaciones de divisas, 26 ottobre 2026, Banco Central de la República Argentina · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Feria de San Telmo, Ente de Turismo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires, Hospital Británico · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Hostels in Buenos Aires, prezzi di listino dei dormitori, Hostelworld · media · accessed 27 October 2026
- IPC Nivel General Nacional, serie mensile (INDEC) fino ad agosto 2026, datos.gob.ar, API Series de Tiempo · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- La Bomba de Tiempo, Lunes Bomba, La Bomba de Tiempo · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Ley 26.618, Matrimonio civil, Argentina.gob.ar, Normativa · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Ley 26.743, Identidad de género, Argentina.gob.ar, Normativa · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Línea 144, Gobierno de la República Argentina · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Milhouse Hostel, sedi ed eventi, Milhouse · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Milongas, buscador por día, Ente de Turismo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Scheda Paese Argentina, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Viaggiare Sicuri · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Subte, pases y tarifas, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Teatro Colón, visitas guiadas, Teatro Colón · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Teléfonos útiles de la Ciudad, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Tienda León, Aeropuerto Ezeiza - Terminal Pellegrini, Tienda León · official source · accessed 27 October 2026
- Sources: 24
Photos
- A street corner near Caminito in the La Boca district of Buenos Aires: Luis Argerich / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
- Café Tortoni, one of the historic bares notables of Buenos Aires: Defensoría del Pueblo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The San Telmo Market, the covered market of Buenos Aires' San Telmo district: Josefito123 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated on 2 November 2026
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