A coffee for $3.50: Argentina is the most expensive country in Latin America

[Ries]

The most important items in life are much more expensive in Argentina than overseas . One is good qualty food health food stores are the most expensive in the planet with prices for olive oil greek yoghurt nuts vitamins three times european prices . Restaurants for basic ethnic food ie mexican , chinese, indian are double UK prices . I went to Saigon restaurant in San Telmo a hole in the wall restaurant now 40 us dollars for a simple dinner same meal in London 20 pounds maximum . Indian food the same half price in the UK . In regards to medicines every item I see at the local pharmacy is vastly more expensive than Europe prices . I posted a clear article that states that medicines in Argentina are 5 times dearer than Spain . Did you read it?

I live part time in the usa. good olive oil is triple what I pay here.
the medicines I buy here are not 5 times.
restaurants are very expensive here, there is no doubt.
but I buy excellent vegetables for less than I pay in the USA.
I go to meat markets like Converso, and the prices are half what you pay in the USA.
everyone thinks different things are the most important.
I know I spend less per month here than I do in the USA, and I live in each of them every year.
Your mileage, obviously, varies.
I have one kid in NYC, and another in Seattle. A lot of what they buy costs a lot more than here.
I am no expert on Spain.

 

[Quilombo]

I was in Brazil for a conference and went to the pharmacy as I had run out of one of my medications.

90 pills, 3 month's supply: $3.49 USD

Meanwhile, here in Argentina, 50 pills, not even 2 months' worth is $20,809.25 ARS ($17.34 USD)

I have to go back next month and I'm thinking of brining back basically all my medications, antiperspirants, food, everything I can since it's so much cheaper there.

 

[Redpossum]

I was in Brazil for a conference and went to the pharmacy as I had run out of one of my medications.

90 pills, 3 month's supply: $3.49 USD

Meanwhile, here in Argentina, 50 pills, not even 2 months' worth is $20,809.25 ARS ($17.34 USD)

I have to go back next month and I'm thinking of brining back basically all my medications, antiperspirants, food, everything I can since it's so much cheaper there.

That is so wrong. Poor Argentina.

 

[Ries]

I think there is a huge difference between saying "there are other countries where things are cheaper than Argentina"
and
"Buenos Aires is the most expensive on the planet"

the first is obviously true.
the second is hyperbole.

Many things are expensive here. Much more than they used to be, and more than in many other places.
Other things are less expensive than in many first world cities.
Both of these can be true at the same time.

I am here because I love it, because I have over 15 years of history, friends, and a home.
I am not happy, just as no one is, with how completely screwed the economy is.

but there are still many cities where many things are much more expensive than here.

I maintain, as I have here for years, that, until Argentina has a completeTax Reform, and a National Industrial Policy, nothing much will change.
The problem is that the ultra wealthy have no interest in either.
Milei doesnt believe in either at all.
The congress is deadlocked.

 

[Che1990]

The exchange rate definitely isn’t lagging behind though, hence they were able to lift the cepo.

Oh wait.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Yes it's expensive at the moment.
It's also been dirt cheap in the past, one thing about Argentina is it's never stable!

I'm here because my family 3/4 of which are Argentine born, are happy here and I can afford to live here with a decent standard of living.
Until such time as that changes I'll be trying to look on the bright side and enjoy the good weather, good social life, and cheap (ish) beef and wine.

Will what he's doing be for the benefit of the country in 5 to 10 years time it remains to be seen, it appears that the Argentine public are prepared to put up with the pain for now.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

I think there is a huge difference between saying "there are other countries where things are cheaper than Argentina"
and
"Buenos Aires is the most expensive on the planet"

the first is obviously true.
the second is hyperbole.

Many things are expensive here. Much more than they used to be, and more than in many other places.
Other things are less expensive than in many first world cities.
Both of these can be true at the same time.

I am here because I love it, because I have over 15 years of history, friends, and a home.
I am not happy, just as no one is, with how completely screwed the economy is.

but there are still many cities where many things are much more expensive than here.

I maintain, as I have here for years, that, until Argentina has a completeTax Reform, and a National Industrial Policy, nothing much will change.
The problem is that the ultra wealthy have no interest in either.
Milei doesnt believe in either at all.
The congress is deadlocked.

I would say that the whole system has been developed precisely to benefit the ultra-wealthy land-owning elite.
They'd rather have the peones earning a pittance than a developed economy.

 

[Ries]

I would say that the whole system has been developed precisely to benefit the ultra-wealthy land-owning elite.
They'd rather have the peones earning a pittance than a developed economy.

I would agree. No income tax is actually paid, less than 100,000 people are even eligible. No taxes on land- and over 80% of the arable farmland is owned by under 1000 people. Hardly any corporate taxes collected, compared to similar size economies in other countries.
Instead, the actual collected taxes that run the country are mostly paid by the poor- IVA, pension and healthcare taxes on wages, together make more than half the total govt tax income, and most of the balance is made up by the loophole filled export tax on soy, corn, grain, and oils.

 

[Redpossum]

I would say that the whole system has been developed precisely to benefit the ultra-wealthy land-owning elite.
They'd rather have the peones earning a pittance than a developed economy.

This, exactly

 

[Stevied]

Lots of good comments. Yes, it’s expensive now (not the most expensive in the world, but definitely pricey) - but what makes that magnified is how expensive it is relative to salaries. Salaries have to come up, otherwise you will wipe out the middle class. I also think this period is part of instability - it’s too expensive now - but it’s been too cheap for too long. Some of what Milei is trying to do is good - you have to start chipping away at the huge government; the “plans” for almost everyone; the free education and medical care for non-citizens; etc. - you don’t have enough government income to pay for all of these benefits. The peso is overvalued - he’s worked hard to rein in inflation but that’s done nothing to help people afford to live.