A Puerto Madero & Recoleta Comparison
Moving to Buenos Aires and not sure where to live? Trying to decide between Recoleta and Puerto Madero neighborhoods? We examine cost of living, restaurants, parks, activities and overall vibe so you can better understand each Buenos Aires neighborhood.
I highly recommend you watch our video on this article. There’s lots of good film and photos from the areas to help you get a better feel of the neighborhood vibes. -->
We are American expats that have lived in both Recoleta and Puerto Madero and today we’re going to share with you insider information about both neighborhoods. We’ll keep tally throughout the post and at the end you’ll see who wins the battle!
Moving to or visiting Buenos Aires? Be sure to check out this activity list I created with over 50 things you have to do when you’re in Buenos Aires!
Cost of Living
This includes utility bills, water and taxes for the neighborhood. When you compare the two neighborhoods, Recoleta definitely has lower utility bills and overall cost of living.
Something we didn’t realize until we moved to Puerto Madero is that some of the utilities in Recoleta (and most other Buenos Aires neighborhoods) are subsidized by the government so that helped keep our electric bills low.
To give you an idea on our electric bills, we paid around $2,000 - $5,000 Argentine Pesos/month in Recoleta versus in Puerto Madero, our average bills are $11,000 - $12,000/month.
Recoleta - I Puerto Madero - 0
Everyday Shops
We’re including in this category your bread stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, clothing boutiques, etc. I think shops like these give your neighborhood a special characteristic and walk-ability.
Living in Puerto Madero, there aren’t as many shops to choose from. For example, there’s one hardware store in the whole neighborhood compared to 5 stores to choose from in Recoleta. And it’s the same way with other shops too. Recoleta will have many more bakeries, clothing boutiques and other places to shop. And the cost of goods for purchase is higher in Puerto Madero.
Recoleta - II Puerto Madero - 0
Activities
This can be anything from tourist sites, to malls and cinemas. In Recoleta, there’s plenty to do! There are many tourist attractions to keep you busy year-round. Not to mention a great mall and two cinemas in the neighborhood. Recoleta is actually pretty well known for the amount of tourist attractions located in that area.
Puerto Madero has a great shopping and eating area along the canal however there isn’t much more to do in Puerto Madero other than walk around, eat and go to the park.
Recoleta - III Puerto Madero - 0
Which brings us to our next category….
Parks/Green Spaces
This category can be really important for people with children or dogs. Most Buenos Aires apartments won’t have large balconies, much less a yard. But being close to a park for your pup or kids to run around is great.
Recoleta has three good-sized parks around the neighborhood to choose from, depending on where you live. There are markets that set up during the weekend and many small restaurants around to enjoy while you’re at the park.
But Puerto Madero is the big winner here. Can I give it two tally marks?? Okay, I won’t but basically the entire neighborhood is one big green space. There are tons of outdoor activities you can do here including jogging, bike riding, rollerblading (it’s huge here!) and bird watching. There’s always something going on in the parks here. If being next to or super close to a park is a priority for you then I highly recommend Puerto Madero. It will not get any better with parks. No other Buenos Aires neighborhood has near the amount of park area.
Recoleta - III Puerto Madero - I
Restaurants
In Recoleta, you can find a wide range of restaurants. Everything from mom and pop type traditional food restaurants to higher end steakhouse. You really have a large spectrum of choices available to you.
But in Puerto Madero you won’t find those family-run restaurants that have been around for decades. It’s more “corporate” and chain restaurants. Food in Puerto Madero starts in the mid to the higher end price ranges.
The coffee shop scene is also very different between the two neighborhoods. In Recoleta, there are a lot of little coffee shops and when you walk by, you’ll see people out on the sidewalk or in the cafe having a coffee and enjoying a medialuna.
You don’t have that same cafe vibe in Puerto Madero. It’s more of a Starbucks vibe. There are Starbucks and Havana shops where people go in grab and coffee and take it to go - to their offices, apartments, etc. They don’t sit down as much and take their time to enjoy it like you’ll see in Recoleta.
Recoleta - IIII Puerto Madero - I
Overall Vibe
Recoleta has more older buildings with a European feel to it. Whenever you hear that “Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America”, this is where that saying comes from - the beautiful building architecture.
In Puerto Madero, the buildings were built very recently so the architecture is very modern. I would compare the area to buildings you would see in Dubai instead of Paris!
The general population of Puerto Madero has many expats. There are several large employers that employ expats globally to work in their offices in Buenos Aires. The Puerto Madero neighborhood allows those expats to live within walking distance to work. The apartment buildings are also very secure with large gates and 24hr. security guards. If security and safety is important to you then definitely check out Puerto Madero.
The population of Recoleta is mostly Argentines and as a whole, the population is a little older than other neighborhoods. When walking around, you’ll see lots of retirees. There also aren’t any office buildings in the area so you really feel like you’re in a neighborhood. There can be a lot of tourists walking around, so be prepared to hear all languages and people not knowing where they’re going!
Recoleta - IIII Puerto Madero - I
So from our tally marks, it looks like Recoleta is the winner! Recoleta is a great family-friendly neighborhood that has beautiful architecture and great places to eat and shop. If you choose Recoleta for your stay in Argentina, you will not be disappointed!
To help prepare for your move to Argentina, be sure to read my post on everything you need to take in your suitcase when you move overseas!
And be sure to check out this activity list with over 50 things you have to do while in Buenos Aires, Argentina!
