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Wages versus prices in Argentina
Last updated: . Live values update automatically on the linked indicator pages.
This page tracks what the lower end of Argentina's income ladder earns against what prices and the poverty basket cost. Every figure is from an official publication and is dated. Real changes are our own calculation: the nominal change divided by the change in INDEC's national CPI, or by the canasta básica total (CBT) per adult, the GBA poverty line.
Latest official levels
| Series | Latest value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Salario mínimo vital y móvil | ARS 391,200 from 1 Oct 2026; 398,800 Nov; 406,400 Dec; 414,200 Jan 2027 | Res. 4/2026, Boletín Oficial |
| Minimum pension (haber mínimo) | ARS 435,748.51 for Oct 2026; ARS 505,748.51 with the ARS 70,000 bonus | Res. ANSES 284/2026; Decree 1108/2026 |
| AUH per child | ARS 156,588 (Oct 2026) | ANSES via IMSS, Res. ANSES 283/2026 |
| RIPTE, average taxable pay of stable registered workers | ARS 1,982,518 (Aug 2026) | IMSS, Oct 2026 |
| National public administration (SINEP), General group, entry grade | Level F: ARS 577,878.72; Level D: ARS 744,746.80; Level A: ARS 1,789,632.16 basic pay from 1 Oct 2026 | ATE scale table, agreement homologated by Decree 833/2026 |
| Construction (UOCRA, CCT 76/75, Zona A) | Night watchman (sereno) basic ARS 1,017,485 a month in Oct 2026, 1,034,783 from Nov; hourly categories rise 1.9%, 1.8% and 1.7% in Sep, Oct and Nov | UOCRA, agreement homologated by DI-2026-1248-APN-DNRYRT#MCH |
| Federal police (PFA), agente | ARS 1,125,015.69 monthly haber from 1 Oct 2026; 1,143,015.94 Nov; 1,160,161.18 Dec | Res. 844/2026, Ministerio de Seguridad Nacional, Anexo III |
| Armed forces, volunteer soldier first class | ARS 861,334 monthly haber from 1 Oct 2026; second lieutenant (subteniente) ARS 1,075,659 | Res. Conjunta 44/2026, Economía and Defensa, Anexo I |
| Metalworkers (UOM, CCT 260/75, Rama 17) | Skilled operator (operario calificado) ARS 5,054.03 an hour from 1 Oct 2026; minimum global reference income ARS 1,160,976 a month | UOM scale annex, agreement homologated by DI-2026-1099-APN-DNRYRT#MCH |
| Canasta básica total per adult, GBA | ARS 1,605,497 (Aug 2026) | INDEC via datos.gob.ar; live pageTotal basic basket (CBT)What it isThe monthly cost of the food and essential goods and services a household needs, published by INDEC. It defines the poverty line.What it means for youIt is a reference for the cost of living and the income needed to stay out of poverty.How people use itEmployers and analysts compare wages and pensions with it. Social policy uses it to measure poverty.Read more |
Read this before the unregistered row. INDEC builds the unregistered private index from the household survey (EPH) with a five month lag, using moving quarterly averages (INDEC, Índice de salarios, July 2026 report). Its "July 2026" value really describes pay around February 2026. Comparing it with CPI through July 2026 mixes periods: December 2023 sat at the devaluation peak, so the headline +119% real gain is mostly a timing artifact. Lining the wage months up with CPI five months earlier gives about +27% real. Treat the unregistered series as indicative only.
Real change, December 2023 to July 2026
| Series | Nominal multiple | Versus CPI | Versus poverty basket (CBT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| INDEC wage index, total | x4.13 | +20.9% | +31.0% |
| Registered private | x3.73 | +9.1% | +18.2% |
| Public sector | x3.42 | +0.1% | +8.4% |
| Unregistered private, unaligned (artifact, see note) | x7.49 | +119.2% | +137.4% |
| Unregistered private, aligned for the five month lag | x7.49 | +27.1% (versus CPI Jul 2023 to Feb 2026) | not computed |
| Minimum wage (SMVM) | x2.39 | minus 30.2% | minus 24.4% |
| Minimum pension, excluding bonus | x3.90 | +14.0% | +23.5% |
Base month matters. December 2023 was the month of the devaluation, so prices jumped before wages adjusted and every real series dipped in early 2024. The minimum pension excludes the ARS 70,000 bonus, which has not been raised, so the pension including the bonus has done worse than the line shown.
What these numbers do not capture
Cash in hand and other off payroll pay are not captured by any official series. The unregistered private index is a survey based estimate that INDEC publishes with a longer lag than the registered series, so its jump partly reflects that lag; read it with care. Union scales (convenios) are minimums: many firms pay above them. Pay scales for the City police, nurses, doctors and teachers will be added as each resolution is verified in the Boletín Oficial.
Live indicators
- Wage indexWages indexWhat it isINDEC's index of wages across registered private, public and unregistered employment.What it means for youCompared with inflation, it shows whether purchasing power is rising or falling.How people use itEmployers use it as a benchmark for pay reviews. Analysts compare it with the CPI to compute real wages.Read more
- Canasta básica totalTotal basic basket (CBT)What it isThe monthly cost of the food and essential goods and services a household needs, published by INDEC. It defines the poverty line.What it means for youIt is a reference for the cost of living and the income needed to stay out of poverty.How people use itEmployers and analysts compare wages and pensions with it. Social policy uses it to measure poverty.Read more
- CPI monthlyMonthly inflation (CPI)What it isThe month on month change in the national consumer price index published by INDEC, the statistics agency.What it means for youIt tells you how fast peso prices are rising. For visitors and dollar earners, what matters more is inflation in dollar terms, which also depends on the exchange rate.How people use itBusinesses use it to set price increases and wage negotiations, landlords and tenants use it for rent adjustments, and investors use it to compare with peso interest rates.Read more
Related guide pages
Information only, not investment advice. Figures are dated and sourced; nothing here is estimated by us unless stated.