Salaries in Argentina

[Futboljunkie]

This how they do it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCt1bmSASCI

 

[mini]

That's a good point.

Most families in Argentina do the laundry themselves and also cook at home a lot. Transportation is very cheap in BA, unless you travel by taxi everyday.

Right. Because they bought a fridge & a washer which don't come already installed in the apartments.

 

[brocolliandtea]

Just worked in a call center-1.80 dollars per hour. Worked in a kitchen, backbreaking work for 14 dollars a day! Many many people here earn 2500 a month or a little more. 800 dollars lets call it. Prices are soaring and soaring. Things, which are smaller and not the same quality as back home, now cost the same here or more. Theyve never known abundance here. Its small packages, ground coffee loaded with sugar, juice loaded with sugar, lousy baked goods, inferior sheets, and the grumpiest customer service you will ever see. Its a life of scrimping by here. Could be worse. They arent throwing people alive out of airplanes here anymore.

 

[gusgutier]

Argentine figures :
Rent 1bd , living room & kitchen apt
$1200 expensas $240 electricity
$10(20 every 2 month)
cable,internet, $100 (if you have cablemoden ,u also get analogic cable tv)
water $8,5($17 every 2 month)
gas, $15 ($30 every two month)

transportation $55($ 2.5 x 22 working days)
cell phone $15 food $600($25 x 30 days)
laundry moist your hands

abl $30 ($60 every 2 month)

Total expenses $ 2273.5. If you earn $2700, you still have $426.5 for other issues like entertaiment, clothing, cleaning goods, etc.
If you´re in this position, it´s a good idea to get married or share your life with some kind of room mate. Two persons living is far less than than the double of one person living.

 

[chris]

GUS, your figures may be right but the apartment would obviously be outside the expat zones. Places few expats would ever want to live in.
Do I sense a change of tone from expats? it used to be that most defended prices here and found life very comfortable and pleasant. I seem to detect some grumbling from more than a few.

 

[mini]

GUS, your figures may be right but the apartment would obviously be outside the expat zones. Places few expats would ever want to live in.
Do I sense a change of tone from expats? it used to be that most defended prices here and found life very comfortable and pleasant. I seem to detect some grumbling from more than a few.

I think it's the difference between those with local vs. foreign salaries/income.

 

[gusgutier]

GUS, your figures may be right but the apartment would obviously be outside the expat zones. Places few expats would ever want to live in.
Do I sense a change of tone from expats? it used to be that most defended prices here and found life very comfortable and pleasant. I seem to detect some grumbling from more than a few.

Blanco Encalada 3400 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/353524

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 40

$ 1,200
Olazabal 2500 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/356397

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 38

$ 1,250 Vista Ampliada Ver

Anchorena 1300 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/358080

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 35

$ 1,300

Of course, a tourist can´t rent these apts. The post was intended to show how the locals live. To the figures shown before, must be added a ground phone ($25 a month) to use only $15 in cell phone calls or sms.

 

[KatharineAnn]

My humble opinion is that it is silly to say the minimum income for a rentista should increase to much more than $2700 because "most" foreigners are not "able" to live on that little money. This is probably true, but those who are not "able" to do so (see: willing. It is more than possible for ANYONE to live in BA on that little. It's all a question of what you feel you MUST have). Okay, so then those people guess what? They can leave! I don't think many US or European citizens are going to start trying to leech off of the government somehow because they are not happy with the life that $2700 here provides them. If you're not happy you can always leave.

What's more, it's more than possible to live on that or less. I have lived on much less than that for years. I know lots of other young people who do. Of course, the thing is that older people are not willing to adapt as easily to new ways of living and therefore tend to spend more on "necessities" that are actually "luxuries". I guess my point is that if I happened to have a random $2700 income coming from some investment or business of mine, and HAPPENED to want to live in Argentina even though it means adapting to a new standard of living, I would like to be able to do so, and not be denied a visa just because "most" Americans cannot handle that lifestyle

I guess this was a really pointless post but I'm just saying. I've lived 3 years on a lot less than $2700, and I would have loved to be able to get a visa but unfortunately I am still an en negro worker with no rentista income

Saludos!!

 

[chris]

Blanco Encalada 3400 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/353524

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 40

$ 1,200
Olazabal 2500 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/356397

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 38

$ 1,250 Vista Ampliada Ver

Anchorena 1300 http://aviso.zonaprop.com.ar/358080

• Ambientes: 2
• Dormitorios: 1
• Sup. total (m2): 35

$ 1,300

Of course, a tourist can´t rent these apts. The post was intended to show how the locals live. To the figures shown before, must be added a ground phone ($25 a month) to use only $15 in cell phone calls or sms.

Interesting. These are all tiny apartments - around 35-40 meters. From the pictures they don't appear to be in great condition - original bathrooms and kitchens. Add to the $1,200 - $1,300 rent the expensas which ranged from $170 to $200 then the utilities, telephone, taxes. Locations are OK but far from the best. To have this kind of money a local would have to be professional or have some other high paying job. Thanks for posting this as it should give people an idea of how fairly well off locals live.

 

[ElQueso]

And you all are talking about middle and lower middle class Argentinos living in the city. Now you have to start talking about the hoteles where a lot of people without resources live.

$400 pesos to $1000 pesos depending on the size and sometimes the higher ones have a bathroom in the room. Cable. Place for a hot plate and a small refrigerator. Some places are halfway clean, some are pigstys.

I know a Paraguayan construction worker (well, really more than one) who lives in such a place, among other Paraguayans, Argentinos, Bolivians, etc. He makes about $1800 pesos a month in the white. His place costs $800 and he shares it with another guy. He manages to save about $500 pesos a month.

I lived a lot like that when I went to college, everything being relative. I paid my own way to college. I lived in the bad part of town in a cheap-ass apartment (yeah, that's a difference between poor in the States and poor here - I didn't need a guarantee to rent it - better quality of life to a degree). I remember when instant macaroni and cheese boxes were 4 for $1 and a 5 pound bag of potatoes was $1. I could live for a week for about $10. I made about $800 a month. Paid $150 a month for my part of the apartment (three of us in a one bedroom apartment - I slept in a fold-out bed in the den!). Paid my own school. I had three jobs, all part time.

I've lived like that, but I quickly realized that I wanted to live better, so I worked smarter. I was lucky that I had the chance to advance and that the country I lived in advanced as well. I don't want to live like that any more, but I have, and I could again if I had no choice.

I think that's a big difference between the US and Argentina, though. As I proved, having no advantages unless one counts my white skin as an advantage. And if you think that, I can tell you some stories about reverse descrimination that would tend to cancel that perhaps. The only thing holding anyone back in the States are the memes that keep those who don't want to advance in their place, whatever memes those may be. Work hard and work smart and you have a good chance to advance.

Here, there simply aren't as many opportunities for advancement. I am opening up a cafe here with some partners (if everything proceeds as it seems) and I can tell you that without resources, it's just not as easy to do some things like that, and that also affects other jobs - of course, the ease of creating jobs.

We've looked at buying some local small businesses and the one thing we see is a squeeze between the government and what people can afford. Owners depend on just about every centavo they make from a store and can't afford to put much back into growing or maintaining the business. They are stuck often hiring family members or close friends because of liability worries.

Commerce is not quick or voluminous here at most levels.

So my overall point is that you CAN live like that, some of us have, but who wants to if you don't have to? Those who are young(er) should be able to handle it just fine. They may find themselves moving back to the home country after awhile when they realize how relatively hard it is to get ahead and may even return in the future when they've done better and can live better at that point.