Buying property as a foreigner

Yes. Foreigners can buy urban property in Argentina freely, and prices are quoted in US dollars. The purchase runs through a notary, the escribano (notary), and follows the steps below.

This page covers the purchase only. It does not cover residency.

Who can buy

Urban property is open to foreigners. Our sources set no special limits on flats and houses in towns and cities.

Non-residents can buy too. They need an Argentine tax number. A 2024 guide also says non-residents must appoint a representative in Argentina to pay property tax.

Rural land is different

A 2011 law, Ley 26.737, known as the Ley de Tierras (rural land law), limited foreign ownership of rural land. It capped foreign holdings at 15% of rural land nationally. It limited any one foreign holder to 1,000 hectares in the core zone. It also barred foreign holdings on major bodies of water and in border security zones.

A 2023 decree repealed that law. In 2024 a federal appeals court declared the repeal unconstitutional. On 29 September 2026, the Supreme Court revoked that ruling. It did so because the challengers lacked standing. It did not decide whether the repeal is constitutional. Legal press reports say the repeal applies again.

Our sources do not say whether the border-zone restrictions still apply. For rural land, or anything near a border, speak to a specialist lawyer before you commit.

The tax number

You need an Argentine tax number to buy.

The old number for foreigners, the CDI (tax identification code), was abolished on 2 March 2026. The CUIT (tax ID) replaced it. Foreigners without a DNI can ask for a provisional CUIT, valid for up to 2 years. People who live abroad must apply through a legal representative based in Argentina.

Practice lags the rule. On 9 October 2026 the government's CDI page still described the old process. A September 2026 buyers' guide still said foreign buyers usually need a CDI. Ask your escribano which number they need from you.

The steps

1. Title and registry search. The escribano checks the title and the property registry.
2. The preliminary contract, the boleto de compraventa (preliminary sale contract). You sign it and pay a down payment. A 2024 guide puts this at usually about 30% of the price. If either side pulls out: Forfeited if the buyer withdraws; repaid double if the seller withdraws.
3. The deed, the escritura pública (deed). Ownership passes once the deed is signed and registered.

An older guide also describes a reserva (holding deposit) paid when you make an offer.

The 2024 guide put a purchase at 1 month to 2 months, and registration of the deed at about 55 days. These are reported examples, not promises.

Choose your own escribano

An older practitioner guide advises choosing your own escribano rather than the agent's. Buyers on a forum advise hiring one who speaks your language. Contracts are in Spanish, and some buyers signed a boleto without understanding it.

The same buyers report listings that understated the expensas or exaggerated the size. They also report cancelled viewings, and title deeds not shown until an offer was made. Ask to see the title documents early.

What it costs

The only itemised costs we found date from July 2024. Treat them as a guide, not a quote.

The same guide put the buyer's total at 6.8% to 7.3% of the price. It noted that agents downtown may charge more.

Buenos Aires City also has a stamp tax. From 2026, a single-family main home valued up to ARS 226,100,000 (about USD 146,820 at ARS 1,540 on 6 October 2026) is fully exempt. Above that, one source describes a rate of 2.7%, but its wording is unclear. Ask your escribano to confirm what applies to you.

Prices

Prices are quoted in US dollars. Closings have historically been paid in physical dollars.

Sale prices in Buenos Aires City in July 2026, from Zonaprop:

The city average was 11.7% below its historical peak. In Rosario, the average was USD 1,841 per m² in May 2026.

What to do next

Renting first lets you learn the neighbourhoods before you buy. Read Renting as a foreigner. If you plan to live here, see the residency routes you may fit in the Route Finder.