Buenos Aires Supermarkets More Expensive Than London?

[ajoknoblauch]

The reason for low-priced utilities are high subsidies. That's why Argentines can afford to clean the walkway with water instead of a broom

Actually, most porteros seem to think that, if you irrigate the sidewalk sufficiently, it will grow.

 

[Sockhopper]

London is so expensive that we had to move from it to the French Riviera to be able to afford the rent for a 2 BR unfurnished apartment! London rents cost 3.85 times more than ours which is in an area on par with Belgravia (very good part of London) and Recoleta.

Then there's the cost of public transit - truly cheap in BA, a little more where we live, but a whole lot more in London! In BA, I was using up to 40 cabs a week. Here I dare not exceed 8 PER YEAR and those fares must come from our grocery fund. In London about 5 a year. In Canada, I once paid $CAD 100 each way to reach my doctor’s office. I lived in a city centre but all our doctors were moving far away to suburbs not served by public transit because they couldn’t afford rents in the centre any longer.

Anti-K press has been riling Argentines since at least 2008 by telling them that in Madrid or London etc on this or that date, some shop in Europe was selling milk for less than it costs in BA. These ridiculously sensational 'articles', often hearsay or spurious one-off examples, are intended to cause Argentines to hate their government.

What good would it do an Argentine, a European or an American to be homeless in London so that he might drink straight from a bottle of milk (no home to keep glasses) assuring himself that at least milk costs a few pence less than in BA?!

Were those articles to care at all about being truthful, they'd include comparisons of medical and dental care costs; resto prices for full meals that are of 100% fresh food fully prepared and cooked from scratch on a resto's premises; the cost of university tuition and childcare, utilities, tech service, prescriptions, entry fees to museums and wide-ranging public events and entertainment (ballets, theatre, social dance) -all those things that actually nurture a sense of one’s belonging to and participating in a society. There is so much in BA to do that’s either free or very cheap compared to what these things can cost in Europe and North America.

 

[citygirl]

Replace "somewhat" with "so much lower".

Gas (heating+stove+hot water): in Italy we spent €1500-1800/year, here we spend less than €20/year [different climate, of course, but not just that!]
Electricity: In Italy we spent about €300/year, here €35/year
DSL (landline only, no mobile phones): in Italy we spent €450/year, here less than €200/year
Water: in Italy we spent less than €100/year, here we don't even track that expense since it is ridiculous, I'd guess less than €10/year?
Rent: in Italy we spent €5200/year, here it is hard to tell due to the exchange rates changing, but I'd say slightly less over the last 12 rolling months.

Comparing/converting prices is generally irrelevant IMO - what is important is what percentage of your income did you use for those things? That's when things start to get interesting.

 

[johnw100]

Kind of sums it up really

http://www.numbeo.co...y2=Buenos Aires

Good comparison if you`re a chain-smoking, alcoholic Argentine that uses the trains a lot . Everything else is painful to look at , especially compared to 8-10 years ago.

 

[Sockhopper]

No point left in thinking dainties such as 'percentages of income' once renters in your city have to spend on average 40% of their income on rent already; there’s nowhere within 100 miles of their jobs that’s cheaper than where they live; and then their landlord raises their rent 100% or 400% because their building was sold to a giant local housing fraudster or to an increasing number of Chinese investors. To qualify for a mortgage of a 'starter' house (euphemism for ‘disgusting’) in London, one needs to earn 4 times the average British salary! And a whole generation has no idea that there used to be a rental protection called ‘security of tenure’.

I just can't see middle-class Argentines (or French) putting up with this degree of social cleansing right across all social classes except for the ultra-wealthy so as to pay a bit less for milk. That’s why we joined the exodus from a city that determined so much about our lives.

"London: The City that Ate Itself":

http://www.theguardi...elf-rowan-moore

and,
http://www.theguardi...eneral-election

 

[sleslie23]

No point left in thinking dainties such as 'percentages of income' once renters in your city have to spend on average 40% of their income on rent already; there’s nowhere within 100 miles of their jobs that’s cheaper than where they live; and then their landlord raises their rent 100% or 400% because their building was sold to a giant local housing fraudster or to an increasing number of Chinese investors. To qualify for a mortgage of a 'starter' house (euphemism for ‘disgusting’) in London, one needs to earn 4 times the average British salary! And a whole generation has no idea that there used to be a rental protection called ‘security of tenure’.

I just can't see middle-class Argentines (or French) putting up with this degree of social cleansing right across all social classes except for the ultra-wealthy so as to pay a bit less for milk. That’s why we joined the exodus from a city that determined so much about our lives.

"London: The City that Ate Itself":

http://www.theguardi...elf-rowan-moore

and,
http://www.theguardi...eneral-election

Put up with it? It's been built into the system for decades. You've just described the life of the majority of people who live in "el conurbano."

Most Argentines live outside of Palermo, Belgrano, and other areas frequented by Expats.

 

[citygirl]

Or yes, you could live in Argentina where you won't get a mortgage. You could earn in pesos and realize that taxis are out of the price range of most people here, much less using them all the time. You could deal with health care costs that are increasing 25% a year and can easily cost thousands of pesos a month (or um.. a big percentage of most people's salary) for a basic plan. You could try and figure out how to feed a family in a country where prices are increasing 30% a year along with every other cost but your salary probably isn't.

I love Argentina, I live here, I have a family here but quite frankly, if you live and earn in pesos - it is NOT an easy country to live in, esp in/near cap fed. If you earn or have savings in dollars or pounds, absolutely come and enjoy and yes, it will be a bargain across the board. But understand your reality is far, far away from what most Argentines deal with every day.

 

[scotttswan]

You could deal with health care costs that are increasing 25% a year and can easily cost thousands of pesos a month (or um.. a big percentage of most people's salary) for a basic plan. You could try and figure out how to feed a family in a country where prices are increasing 30% a year along with every other cost but your salary probably isn't.

Unless you are a ñoqui, and/or have a strong union behind you. Then everythings grand!

 

[steveinbsas]

I laugh every time I buy a stalk of celery. It's as limp as I am after a big night hehehe!

It's true. The quality of veggies in the supermarkets in Argentina is low compared to other countries.

But that's one of reasons I bought land where I could grow my own food.

Nothing beats veggies fresh from the garden, especially when they're "almost" free.

 

[sleslie23]

Nothing beats veggies fresh from the garden.

Even A-Knob would agree to that!