Investment property: Argentina

Updated 6 October 2026

Argentina is a large market centered on Buenos Aires: quality housing stock, recognizable neighborhoods like Recoleta and Palermo, and a long-standing culture of property ownership.

Foreigners buy urban real estate freely and on the same terms as locals; restrictions mainly concern rural land and border zones. The market's defining quirk is how deals settle: mortgages are practically nonexistent, transactions have historically closed in cash dollars, and dollar prices swing with the country's economic cycles. Buying property does not by itself grant residency - Argentine residency is obtained on other grounds, though it is generally more attainable than in many countries.

We help you navigate a market where much depends on practice rather than the storefront: we match the property to your goal, verify title and history through an escribano, manage the transaction and its settlement specifics, and advise on ownership structure and non-resident tax questions. If the property is part of a bigger plan involving relocation or residency, we run both tracks in parallel. We make no return promises: the Argentine market rewards the patient and well-informed, not the optimistic.

Does property give residence in Argentina

Buying a flat does not by itself give a residence permit. But property can underpin one of two grounds of the National Migration Directorate:

• Rentier. You need a stable monthly income of at least 5 Argentine minimum wages that will be paid for at least 2 years. Income from assets counts, including rent from property, but not earnings from your own work.
• Investor. An investment of at least ARS 1,500,000 in a productive, commercial or service project of interest to the country. The directorate assesses the project itself, the legality and origin of the funds and their entry into the country; buying a home for yourself does not usually qualify.

Both grounds give temporary residence for up to 3 years, renewable, and after 3 years of temporary residence you can apply for permanent residence. Details are on our Argentina residence page.

How to buy property in Argentina: the steps

On purchase you pay the transfer tax under the province's rules, the notary and registration. An owner pays the municipal property tax and the personal assets tax every year; details are on our Argentina taxes page.

Taxes on buying and selling

• The 1.5% property transfer tax was repealed by a law published on 8 July 2024, according to Argentina's tax authority.
• When selling a home bought after 1 January 2018, an Argentine tax resident pays 15% on the gain.
• In Buenos Aires a 3.5% stamp tax applies on purchase; buying a sole home for permanent residence within the city's threshold is exempt.
• The deal is executed by a notary, whose fees and registration in the property register are paid separately.

Money for the purchase

Home prices in Argentina are quoted in dollars. Since April 2025 most currency restrictions for individuals have been lifted, so purchase money is easier to bring in and later take out, but the notary and the bank still check its origin.

Can a Russian citizen buy property in Argentina

Yes. A Russian citizen buys an apartment or house in a city in their own name on the same terms as an Argentine, without a residence permit. Restrictions on foreigners buying rural land were repealed by a 2023 decree, while plots in border security zones still require prior authorisation.

Argentina does not apply sanctions against Russia, and banks here work with Russian citizens, but they check the source of funds under financial intelligence rules: the notary must verify where the money came from. The deal requires a tax number, issued to non-residents under a single procedure since 2 March 2026.

Apartment prices in Buenos Aires

Prices are average asking prices in 2026, rounded up; the final deal price is usually lower by the negotiation margin. After currency controls were lifted in 2025 the market stabilised: in 2026 the capital's average square metre rose about 1%. A district-by-district review is on the Buenos Aires guide page.

Owner taxes: rent and sale

• Non-resident's rent. A non-resident pays 35% income tax on a deemed income equal to 60% of the rent, i.e. effectively 21% of the rent.
• Resident's rent. Income is taxed under the progressive individual income tax scale. Residential lettings are exempt from VAT.
• Sale. If the home was bought after 1 January 2018, 15% is paid on the gain. The 1.5% property transfer tax was abolished in 2024.
• Annually. Municipal property tax and the personal assets tax, which non-resident owners also pay.

A Russian tax resident declares rental income in Russia and notifies the tax office of an account in an Argentine bank.

How to buy property in Argentina remotely

The deal is signed before a notary, and a representative under a power of attorney can do it for the buyer. It is executed at an Argentine consulate or before a notary in your country of residence with an apostille and a sworn translator's translation certified by the translators' association. Through the representative the tax number is obtained, the title extract and tax debts are checked, and the preliminary agreement and deed are signed.

Payment is usually in dollars, by transfer or in cash at a bank on the day of the deal, and the notary records the source of funds. Buyers come in person if they need a bank account or if the purchase is part of a residence plan.

For the deal you prepare an international passport, source-of-funds documents - statements, contracts, income returns - and, if buying through a company, its constitutional documents and beneficial owner details. Foreign documents need an apostille and a Spanish translation, so they are ordered in advance while the property is being checked.

What we do

• Property shortlist for your investment goal
• Legal due diligence on the property
• End-to-end transaction support
• Ownership structuring (company, trust)
• Property management and letting

See also

Company formation · Business account · Personal account · All country programs

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