Inflation Wingers Post Here!

[steveinbsas]

I'm from London and apart from the crazy rents, almost everything else is already cheaper over there...the main difference is that for second hand stuff, most is dirt cheap or even FREE!!!

This also is true about second hand stuff in the US.

And a lot of it is high quality and in nearly new condition as well.

 

[CarverFan]

Just got a menu for Ebro restaurant on Entre Rios 390, it's a family eatery. $35 for a tomato, lettuce and onion salad!!!! Who is eating out these days?

 

[steveinbsas]

Even if you are an expat and still love it here, you cannot possibly be unaware of the staggering increase in the cost of living in the past five years or even just the past 12 months.

Some of us have deeper pockets than others and are affected less by these increases, but I have the disticnt impression that most of us here are living on dwindling funds or funds that have much less purchasing power than when we arrived.

Five years ago the visa overstay fee was $50 pesos..today $300.

Five years ago the cost of the temporary visa was $200 pesos...today $600.

Five years ago the income requirment for the visa rentista was about $2500 pesos per month...today at least $8000.

Five years ago the cost of roast beef was less than $10 pesos per kilo...today about $40.

Five years ago the monthly expense for my apartment in Recoleta were $450 per month..today about $1300.

Five years ago the annual ABL for a $60K USD apartment in Recoleta was $200 pesos...soon it will be $1800.

Five yeas ago it cost about $5 pesos to have a sweater dry cleaned...today at least $20.

Five years ago a "plastic tube" of Xmas lights was $30 pesos...today$150.

Five years ago a liter of Stella Artois was $3 pesos...today $12.

Five years ago the cheapest sliced "cheese" was $15 a kilo..today about $45.

Five years ago I could take a taxi from my apartment in Recoleta to San Telmo or Palermo Soho for less than ten pesos...soon it will be three times that (if it doesn't already).

Five years ago the exchange rate was 3 to one. Today it's about 4,25 to one.

That means the dollar has significantly less purchasing power in Argentina today.

If anyone thinks the quality of thier life (or life in general) in BA has improved in the past five years (or even two or three) I hope they will contribute to this thread and explain how that was possible.

Many of those who's quality of life declined significantly in the past five years are already gone...or are about to leave...so we probably will not hear from most of them.

 

[PhilipDT]

The problem with the currency manipulations that the government is carrying on with are not just limited to expats with dollars coming to them. Any business that sells overseas is getting slammed. There prices (in non monopoly money) can't go up or they're no longer competitive, but since all there costs at home are soaring and the dollar to ARS rate is barely moving they're getting squeezed until they pop.

I have some friends in the wine business and they've told me that its tough. Cost of fuel up, cost of labor up, cost of water up, cost of everything up up up, shelf price on the international market DOWN.

 

[starlucia]

Just got a menu for Ebro restaurant on Entre Rios 390, it's a family eatery. $35 for a tomato, lettuce and onion salad!!!! Who is eating out these days?

Cue Marksoc piping up to inform us that restaurants here are still cheap; we're all just going to the overpriced, "touristy" ones.

 

[perry]

There are very few retaurants that are cheap here of good quality . One that I can highly recommend is a Venezuelan restaurant that does incredible arepas . They are around 30 pesos each and one will be enough for dinner .

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Arepera-Buenos-Aires-9802

 

[Napoleon]

There are very few retaurants that are cheap here of good quality . One that I can highly recommend is a Venezuelan restaurant that does incredible arepas . They are around 30 pesos each and one will be enough for dinner .

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Arepera-Buenos-Aires-9802

There's an Italian one on the corner of Jufre & Julian Alvarez that is good and cheap. It's not high falutin', but it's good. And relatively very cheap.

INFLATION GRIPE!:

Just stopped by the gym at on the corner one block over. For one month it's AR$220 and for 3 months it's AR$510.

I last did the 3 month thing about 6 months ago and it was AR$450. And today, when I checked on the price, they told me that it's only good through tomorrow night (Nov 30th) because on Thursday (Dec 1st) it's going up again.

I would assume that it won't be less than AR$575 and maybe it will be AR$600.

AR$575 = 27% inflation in 6 months
AR$600 = 33% inflation in 6 months

Wow.... just wow.

 

[perry]

Buenos Aires is now I believe in the top 20 most expensive cities in the world . If we put in all the costs of a middle class lifestyle I am sure that that this city is dear as most . The only costs that are cheap in Argentina are for education and medicine ( public system) .

 

[steveinbsas]

The only costs that are cheap in Argentina are for education and medicine ( public system) .

I would add property in the country, but you still have to be selective.

I bought the nicest (4 bedroom) house in the area in which I now live for less than any "decent" two bedroom apartment in Palermo...and my house is on a huge and densely wooded lot (2916 mtr2).

My "municipal" fees are less than $10 pesos per month and my annual taxes are just over $100 dollars per year.

I also have a top level (zero deductible) private health care plan for less then $650 pesos per month.

I don't have to pay any gym fees, either. I work outside at least four hours a day on average (year round).

 

[marksoc]

Property for sure. Most of you could only dream about living in some of the others "world class cities" out there (NYC, Paris, etc, ok, you could do it in Berlin). Still you can afford a nice place in BA. And if any American that is not from NYC or San Francisco have anything to say about BA not being a world-class city, well, your "Springfield, Flyover State" hometown is still awaiting for your return.

Now, somebody asked if we are better than 5 years ago. Sure dude! I earn in pesos and I got raises to match inflation year after year. Now I am independent, and my potential income for the next year will triple my current one, just because the economy is booming and locals are buying stuff. If you own property, your wealth has also increased a lot. If you are a scientist, a teacher, or poor, now you can do science without leaving the country, teach with dignity, and eat for a change

Of course, if I was an expat earning in USD with a fixed income I would be also remembering the old good times of 3 dollar-steaks.