Like The "deme Dos" Days

[estebandepraga]

Hi to all,
Well, I am back in my beloved Prague and I am in what is like a millionaire's shock.
I went to the grocery store and other shops yesterday to replenish goods after my 6 months in BA(although I leave for Japan in 2 days)
I had a literally suitcase of groceries and other toiletries(including the new mid-sized suitcase for my Japan trip) for under $40USD.
A huge Romaine lettuce for .40cents USD, fresh milk for .20cents USD 1 litre, the suitcase $22 usd which was almost $100usd in BA, 6 eggs for .55cents USD, etc I feel like a millionaire wanting to buy 2 of everything, thus the deme dos of those gone days when Argies traveled abroad as well did their maid. Even Japan is cheaper than BA.
I dont want to make you even sadder but just wanted to share this with you.
Cheers,
Esteban

 

[Dada]

Easy fix, Esteban. Just stay there for a week and share this with the locals. I'd be very surprised if by the end of the week most of them won't think you're nuts I am yet to meet a nation where people wouldn't think they own prices are outrageous and wonder how the hell they are supposed to manage. Of course, with the exception of those who just returned from somewhere where the prices are much worse, but those are lonely wolfs.

 

[Somewhereinba]

It is a fact now that Argentina is no longer cheap. It's prices are higher than the US for the majority of goods and services. Inflation is still rolling along.

 

[estebandepraga]

Hi Dada, yes you are right!
However even the Czechs(who love to complain as you know, especially here in Prague) will recognize that the public transport is the cheapest in Europe(the annual transport pass has gone down in price 25% a full yea'rs pass on trams, buses and metros is 135euros or 148SUD thats .40cents of 1usd or 5.60 pesos daily for unlimited excellent transport!) Of course rents are high for many Praguers but in relation cheaper than in BA. Basic food items are not expensive nor is the private health insurance I pay less than $50USD monthly for excellent care. It is now totally different than before. Now one should earn money in Germany , UK or USA and live here while waiting for some normalacy to return to Argentina..that said, I've been waiting for that for almost 58years!

 

[steveinbsas]

It is a fact now that Argentina is no longer cheap. It's prices are higher than the US for the majority of goods and services. Inflation is still rolling along.

There's no doubt that many (if not most) goods in Argentina cost more than in the US, but certainly not all.

I just returned from one of the small shops in the nearby village where I bought a dozen large brown eggs, two kilos of white potatoes and two freshly baked "semi-baguette" style loaves of bread (but too thick to be considered "real" baguettes).

The total cost was $52 pesos. I converted that to dollars at a rate of 13 to one. The cost in dollars was $4.00.

I then did a little research regarding prices for the same items in the USA,

As of yesterday, the average price for one dozen large eggs in Los Angeles was $4.52

https://www.expatist...ggs/los-angeles

The price for two kilos of potatoes in New York City was $4.02

https://www.expatist...s/new-york-city

The "semi-baugette" loaves of bread I bought cost six pesos each, so they were slightly less than 50 cents each.

The price of bread for "two people for one day" in New York City is $2.83.

https://www.expatist...d/new-york-city

One loaf like I bought is more than enough bread for one person per day. If I buy enough for a week the total cost would be $42 pesos (about $3.25 USD).

So, a weeks supply of potatoes, eggs, and bread purchased in a small shop in a tiny village in Argentina cost about $7.25 USD.

The same groceries in L.A. and/or New York would cost about $28.00 USD.

PS: The expatisan website also compares the prices of other goods on each results page. Here 's one example of something in Argentina costing significantly more than in the USA:

The price of a pair of Levis in New York City is $53 USD. The cost of a new pair of Levis in Argentina is about double that (along with many other items like laptops and TVs).


PS2: My most recent electric bill was $322 pesos for two months (about $12.50 USD per month).

My property taxes this year were a little over $100 USD (for land of almost 12,000 mtrs2 and construction of just under 250mtrs2).

I simply have nothing to complain about when it comes to the cost of living here.

 

[Ceviche]

I simply have nothing to complain about when it comes to the cost of living here.

It helps not to live in Palermo!

 

[estebandepraga]

which is where I live!

 

[steveinbsas]

It helps not to live in Palermo!

It also helps not to pay monthly espensas on an apartment, which I did in Recoleta for three years.

In 2006 they were $450 ppm. In 2009 they were $900 ppm.

I would not be surprised if they are over $4000 ppm now.

 

[Roxana]

Hi Esteban, by any chance, do you know the reason that the prices went down, specifically the public transportation in Czech?

 

[estebandepraga]

Yes, they want to encourage more people to take public transport so they followed Vienna's same action. Lower the annual pass by 25%. Good idea and it is working.