Job Offer in Buenos Aires

[Davidglen77]

From the $5.000 peso salary your deductions will be as follows:
3% Obra Social (required)
11% Aportes Jubilatorios (required)
2% Aportes sindicales (this MAY be optional)
Approximately $4.250 in hand.
If you can find a place to rent for around $1.500 pesos per month you should be okay. Anything more than that for rent/living expenses and you will feel squeezed financially. You will be surprised how much things can cost here especially small things which in the USA are not even considered part of your budget ie: I went to buy office supplies yesterday, paper clips $12 pesos, staples $10 pesos, pens $8 pesos each, ream of paper $38 pesos, printer cartridge $400 pesos, just to name a few simple items.

 

[nikad]

It is also important that with around 25% yearly inflation you discuss how your salary will be adjusted.

 

[jb5]

Come for a visit, look at apartments, go to the grocery store and eat out.

Given that starting engineers from good US schools can make $60,000 plus, I'd say you will not be living as well here as you would in the US. If you're hoping to live a comparable life, you'd have to make much more.

While restaurants are a bit cheaper than in big US cities, mostly because wine is cheap, my college student daughter found them expensive on a student budget, which is pretty much what you'll be living on. If you're willing to live on empanadas, choripan and cheap pizza, food will be cheap. Our diner last night: a rotisserie chicken with some bad fries delivered, was $15, more than we would have paid in the States.

When I go to the grocery store I'm amazed that the average person here is even eating. While a few things are cheaper, most are on par with, or more expensive than, groceries in the States. Anything imported is multiples of what it is in the states. Decent Dijon mustard is $10 US per bottle!

Apartments can be a bargain if you live modestly. The city is full of small cells in big buildings that rent at fairly low prices. If you want something with some charm and nice furnishings, prices go way up fast. Expect to live in a much smaller apartment than you would have in the states and ask your employer if they will provide a garantia so you can rent at local rates. Still, I'd plan on paying at least $750 US for a decent furnished place without roommates.

This is a great city for a young person. If you come knowing and accepting the limitations on your salary, you'll have a lot of fun.

 

[gouchobob]

I would question some of the advice being given. People are saying you'll be fine on $5k a month, that's his gross, not his net. He can expect close to half his pay to be withheld for taxes and other payroll contributions. Optimistically I think he can expect to take home about $3k a month. That works to about $750 dollars a month. I don't know where the OP got his PPP but B.A. COL is about the same as average in the U.S. I wouldn't want to try to live on $750 a month in B.A. or in the states. I'll bet a lot of the Argentines described as being recent graduates on equal or less pay are also living at home with mom and dad as they couldn't afford to live on their own based on this pay.

 

[French jurist]

I would question some of the advice being given. People are saying you'll be fine on $5k a month, that's his gross, not his net. He can expect close to half his pay to be withheld for taxes and other payroll contributions. Optimistically I think he can expect to take home about $3k a month. That works to about $750 dollars a month. I don't know where the OP got his PPP but B.A. COL is about the same as average in the U.S. I wouldn't want to try to live on $750 a month in B.A. or in the states. I'll bet a lot of the Argentines described as being recent graduates on equal or less pay are also living at home with mom and dad as they couldn't afford to live on their own based on this pay.

Indeed, being a gross income, I don't know how much is deduced. Maybe is 50% taxes a bit much? If that is 30% --> 3.500 pesos a month.

I see it difficult for you unless you share an apartment. Even like this, don't expect anything fancy regarding your stay.

 

[Davidglen77]

I would question some of the advice being given. People are saying you'll be fine on $5k a month, that's his gross, not his net. He can expect close to half his pay to be withheld for taxes and other payroll contributions. Optimistically I think he can expect to take home about $3k a month. That works to about $750 dollars a month. I don't know where the OP got his PPP but B.A. COL is about the same as average in the U.S. I wouldn't want to try to live on $750 a month in B.A. or in the states. I'll bet a lot of the Argentines described as being recent graduates on equal or less pay are also living at home with mom and dad as they couldn't afford to live on their own based on this pay.

Payroll deductions are as follows:
11% Aportes Jubilatorios (retirement, obligatory)
3% Obra Social (national health insurance, obligatory)
2% Aportes sindicales (trade union, MAY be optional)

Approximate salary after 15% deduction, in hand $4.250 pesos

 

[gouchobob]

Payroll deductions are as follows:
11% Aportes Jubilatorios (retirement, obligatory)
3% Obra Social (national health insurance, obligatory)
2% Aportes sindicales (trade union, MAY be optional)

Approximate salary after 15% deduction, in hand $4.250 pesos

Just to point out this doesn't include income taxes, quite high in Argentina. Total deductions including taxes can come close to 50% of a paycheck in Argentina. In this case its probably going to be 35 to 40%.

 

[nikad]

Income tax is not payed on salaries under 5792$ ( single ) or up to ( 7998$ ) married with kids based on the new minimum as of April 2011. So basically his deductibles will be 15%

 

[Davidglen77]

Earning $5.000 pesos per month, you shouldn't be paying impuesto a las ganancias. 2 months ago, the minimum salary that would be required to pay the ganancias tax was raised to $ 5.782 for a single unmarried person with no children.

La AFIP informó, que a partir del aumento del mínimo no imponible en ganancias, unas 405.917 personas dejarán de pagar el impuesto. Informando que hoy lunes será publicada en el Boletín Oficial la nueva resolución que establece que los solteros serán gravados cuando ganen más de $ 5.782 y los casados con dos hijos cuando cobren más de $ 7.998 por mes.

 

[Ashley]

5,000 is an excellent starting salary by local standards. I know plenty of graduates from top schools here (and abroad) on much less than that ...
I think that the only issues you will come across on that salary are the usual ones that most younger expats have to endure - You will not be able to rent an apartment as a local and therefore your rent is likely to be much higher. Perhaps a way around that is to talk to your company and ask them to provide you with a guarantee as part of your employment package (that way you will be able to rent a local apartment on a normal, 2-year lease). Furniture is expensive here though so you should come prepared to fork out a US1,000 or so on basic appliances, etc.
Another salary issue will be your flights back home (if going back to visit is important). While you will be able to live a reasonable life on 5,000 per month, you will probably not be able to save much... You should definitely look at working here as an experience and not as a money making exercise!