Best Areas of Buenos Aires for British Expats

Buenos Aires is a large, complex city. The standard tourist map and the map of where expats actually live happily are quite different things. Here's a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood breakdown that reflects how the city actually functions.

Palermo

Best for: Young professionals, remote workers, active social life

Palermo is split into several sub-neighbourhoods — Palermo Soho (boutiques, cafes, bars), Palermo Hollywood (media industry, good restaurants), and Palermo Chico (elegant, quieter, more expensive). For most arriving British expats in their 20s–40s, Palermo Soho and Hollywood hit the sweet spot.

What you get: excellent café infrastructure (important for remote workers), walkable streets with plenty of greenery, the parks of Palermo itself, and a large international community that makes the city feel less alien when you first arrive. English is widely spoken in shops and restaurants here.

Rents: a one-bedroom in central Palermo runs USD 600–900/month; two-bedroom USD 900–1,400/month (as of early 2025, in USD-denominated leases as is standard for long-term rentals).

Downsides: It can feel like an expat bubble; some find it too touristy; some streets have motorbike theft issues.

Belgrano

Best for: Families, those wanting a more residential feel, proximity to good schools

Belgrano is a large, established residential neighbourhood in the north of the city. It's less overtly fashionable than Palermo but arguably more liveable for day-to-day life. Excellent transport links, good schools (including several British-curriculum schools), lower street hassle than central areas, and a noticeably safer feeling after dark.

Chinatown (Barrio Chino) is in Belgrano — a useful resource for Asian ingredients and international food shopping.

Rents: slightly lower than Palermo — a two-bedroom apartment is USD 800–1,200/month.

Downside: Less nightlife and "scene" than Palermo; quieter evenings.

Recoleta

Best for: Those who want elegance, culture, and proximity to the centre

Recoleta is Buenos Aires' most traditionally prestigious neighbourhood — think Mayfair or Kensington. It has outstanding cultural infrastructure (MALBA modern art museum, the famous cemetery, Teatro Colón nearby), beautiful buildings, and a polished feel.

It's also more expensive to rent than Palermo without necessarily offering more for everyday life. The café scene is more formal, nightlife is quieter, and the demographic skews older. Many well-off retired British expats end up here.

Rents: two-bedroom, USD 1,000–1,800/month.

Nuñez and Villa Urquiza (Northern Suburbs, Still City)

These northern barrios are less discussed in expat guides but worth knowing. Very residential, low crime, excellent for families, with large apartments at lower rents. Less cool, but very functional.

San Isidro (Greater Buenos Aires)

Best for: Families wanting space, gardens, a suburban feel, and a strong British community

San Isidro is a suburb 25km north of the city centre, on the Río de la Plata coast. It's home to a substantial British community historically — the British schools (St. Catherine's Moorlands, Northlands) are here, there are several Anglican churches, and the area has a long Anglophile history.

What you get: space, gardens, mature trees, a quieter pace, and a properly different feel from the capital. It requires a car or the Mitre line trains into the city.

Rents: house with garden, USD 1,200–2,500/month depending on size. Less expensive than comparable space in London zones 3–4.

Downsides: You're suburban; Buenos Aires' restaurant and nightlife scene requires a trip into town.

Areas to Be Cautious About

La Boca — remarkable for a visit to the Caminito, but not a place to live or walk after dark.

Constitución — transport hub, generally rough around the edges, not recommended for residential life.

Once — the garment district, lively and interesting but not a neighbourhood for expats to base themselves in.

This isn't about snobbery — these areas are fine in daylight with awareness. They're just not where you'd choose to walk home at midnight.