How's everyone hanging in there with the cost of living these days?

[Lanick]

Sad to pick where to live on the basis of where things are cheaper. Life can be so much more than low prices and purchasing power.

I completely disagree with your comment! Finances play an important role on people’s decisions. If they can’t afford it then what will they do?

 

[on the brink]

I completely disagree with your comment! Finances play an important role on people’s decisions. If they can’t afford it then what will they do?

Read the post again and note this sentence: "It’s not that we’re struggling to live or can’t afford things..."

Frankly, Argentina can do without people like that, who are here for what they can get out of the country. Like free medical care, paid for by all of us who have made a commitment to, and invested in, this generous, if struggling, country.

 

[Lanick]

Read the post again and note this sentence: "It’s not that we’re struggling to live or can’t afford things..."

Frankly, Argentina can do without people like that, who are here for what they can get out of the country. Like free medical care, paid for by all of us who have made a commitment to, and invested in, this generous, if struggling, country.

You don’t know what you talking about. First of all I’m Argentine. Second of all; I and my family contribute to this country. And lastly; everyone is entitled to their opinion and all you can do; in a civilised world, to respect it! If someone can not afford this artificially inflated country, they have right to leave as they like. And no expats are getting free healthcare in general.

 

[on the brink]

You don’t know what you talking about. First of all I’m Argentine. Second of all; I and my family contribute to this country. And lastly; everyone is entitled to their opinion and all you can do; in a civilised world, to respect it! If someone can not afford this artificially inflated country, they have right to leave as they like. And no expats are getting free healthcare in general.

Glad to know you are Argentinian, but who was talking about you?

 

[Lanick]

Glad to know you are Argentinian, but who was talking about you?

You quoting me!

 

[on the brink]

You quoting me!

I quoted Patrick2006, not you - read the complete paragraph below.

...... Although Argentina boasts stunning landscapes, it is no longer a country offering great value for money (except for healthcare services — we plan to do a body check-up and dental work before leaving). It’s not that we’re struggling to live or can’t afford things, but the same items cost half as much in my home country and are of better quality. We simply want to save money and prefer not to spend it in Argentina.

Have a Happy New Year.....!

 

[steveinbsas]

After living here for over two years, we’ve decided to leave in a few months and return to our home country.

Living off foreign currency income, we’ve had to monitor exchange rates daily to know when to convert to pesos. The constant fluctuations in the exchange rate have left us feeling exhausted. Months of inflation and a weakening dollar have reduced our purchasing power by 30-40%. While I used to enjoy shopping on supermarket discount days, now I rely on them out of necessity.

Over the ten month period, from January through October of 2024, the "purchasing power" of the dollars I spent for all of my living expenses (including food, all utilities, fuel (LP gas and nafta) bottled water, home and auto insurance, wifi, Netflix, bank and credit card fees, driver's licence renewal and related medical exams, and car inspection fees) excluding rent, actually decreased by 100%.

It would be interesting to know if the calculations for the 3o%-40% reduction of your purchasing power includes rent. That's the biggest thing I can think of that could explain why the decrease in the percentage purchasing power of your foreign income has been so much less than mine, even though I am assuming you aren't buying nafta or paying for car and home insurance and, if you are paying rent, ir may have increased by a lower percentage than other goods and services.

Although Argentina boasts stunning landscapes, it is no longer a country offering great value for money (except for healthcare services — we plan to do a body check-up and dental work before leaving).

Using the words "great value for the money" implies that you are actually paying for these services. You have the right to spend your income however you choose and you should not be shamed for it. No one deserves to be criticized for paying the current "market price" for dental work or medical exams in Argentina any more than they deserve to be criticized for paying for a meal in a restaurant, even it is "cheaper" in Argentina than other countries.

It’s not that we’re struggling to live or can’t afford things, but the same items cost half as much in my home country and are of better quality. We simply want to save money and prefer not to spend it in Argentina.

That's a choice as a foriegner with foriegn income that you have the good fortune to make, and you have the right to make it. Since this forum was launched in 2005, many others have made the same decision and left Argentina for the same reason.

PS Exactly one year ago, the cost of the lab tests required to renew my driver's licence was $14.000 pesos at a private lab in Punta Alta. Now the cost at the same lab for exactly the same tests is $70.000. It would be interesting to know what the cost of the same lab tests are in the USA now, but I really don't care. I will never leave Argentina.

 

[FrankPintor]

I arrived in Argentina in October 2017, and within a few weeks, I was ready to run, screaming, for the hills. I told the agency then employing me, send money!! I can't afford this!!! Every damn visit to the supermarket USD 50. Like now.

And then, in a matter of 9 months or so, everything had changed.

@Patrick2006 take your time, think things over, imagine the upheaval and cost of moving (we bought a bunch of furniture from a forum menber a few weeks back, for which we are truly grateful, but she must have lost quite a lot selling it off).

I hate moving. And while I can't echo @steveinbsas' "I will never leave Argentina", I'm not going to take a major life decision based on a couple of months' adversity.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Blanqueo ends May 2025 so probably around then...

 

[on the brink]

A personal note: my apartment's expenses have ballooned from $ $95.521,24 pesos in January, 2024, to $348.677,02 in November.

I live in a 5 unit building, and two of the units have stopped paying "expensas". One owner has not paid since Nov. 2019, and another paid only half last month. We took owner One to court and won; she was evicted, but we still haven't received a single peso. The building badly needs maintenance and is decaying - that, plus the astronomical expenses, makes it practically impossible to sell the apartments.

I love my apartment, on a dead end street with a wonderful view, and don't plan on selling, but can envision a future when only three of us will carry the weight of the whole building. Will go on paying expenses while I can, and after that Heavens help us....!