Economy What will the cost of living increases be for August 2024 (Utilities, transportation, rent, etc) ?

[lovelyM]

Prepare your wallets:

• Fuel: 3% increase
• Taxi fares: 50% increase
• Water service: 5.16% increase
• Private Health Insurance (Prepaid): Between 4.9% and 7.8% increase
• Cell phone service: Between 5% and 6% increase
• Rent: 247% increase
• Private schools: Between 5% and 7% increase
• Electricity and gas: 4% increase

Los aumentos que llegan en agosto: cuánto costarán la nafta, las prepagas, los taxis, los colegios y los alquileres

Arrancó agosto y son muchos los rubros que aplicarán ajustes en sus precios, a pesar de que la inflación está bajando. Los nuevos valores de los servicios y el impacto en los consumidores

www.infobae.com

 

[troyano]

A 50% increase in taxi fares? Wow, I think this is a good reason to start using Uber.

 

[Uncle Wong]

A 50% increase in taxi fares? Wow, I think this is a good reason to start using Uber.

From the article it sounds like the starting amount on the meter starts at 1,280 pesos now and rate it goes up from 85.40 pesos to 128 pesos during the day and 102.50 to 154 pesos at night. Says the rate is going up for November too. Very expensive for locals but still a deal for tourists or expats I guess. But I would guess that Uber and the rest will probably also raise their rates.

 

[shonda]

The bus fare will also increase. The hike will be announced next week, but the minimum fare will jump from $270 to nearly $485.

El Gobierno prepara un nuevo aumento de colectivos en el AMBA: a cuánto puede subir el boleto mínimo

El secretario de Transporte, Franco Mogetta, anticipó que la suba será “gradual y responsable”. El funcionario además negó que pueda otorgarse un incremento en los subsidios que reciben las empresas que operan en la región metropolitana

www.infobae.com

 

[Betsy Ross]

The bus fare will also increase. The hike will be announced next week, but the minimum fare will jump from $270 to nearly $485.

El Gobierno prepara un nuevo aumento de colectivos en el AMBA: a cuánto puede subir el boleto mínimo

El secretario de Transporte, Franco Mogetta, anticipó que la suba será “gradual y responsable”. El funcionario además negó que pueda otorgarse un incremento en los subsidios que reciben las empresas que operan en la región metropolitana

www.infobae.com

That jump will be painful for a lot of people that depend on the bus.

 

[Melibaires]

The government has finally announced the new rates that will take effect on August 12th, the minimum fare in AMBA will exceed $370. Those without a registered SUBE card, the minimum fare will be around $600.

Aumentan las tarifas del colectivo: el boleto mínimo en AMBA pasará los $370

Los nuevos valores comenzarán a regir el 12 de agosto y, para quienes no tengan la tarjeta SUBE registrada, el mínimo se acercará a los $600

www.infobae.com

 

[FuturoBA]

I don't see why BA doesn't have monthly public transport passes. Discount it for those that use it daily such as workers and students, but have the one offs or infrequent riders pay more. Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is you pay for each trip and on the buses it depends on how far you go is how much it costs.

 

[Spring]

The government has just announced that starting in September, it will stop subsidizing buses in Buenos Aires. This could be very negative for people who rely on this transportation to get to work every day. If companies don’t take responsibility, the users will end up paying the consequences.

El Gobierno anunció que a partir de septiembre dejará de subsidiar los colectivos de CABA

Ambas jurisdicciones “se van a tener que hacer cargo del boleto integrado”, anunció el secretario de Transporte, Franco Mogetta, en la Cámara de Diputados

www.infobae.com

 

[Spring]

I don't see why BA doesn't have monthly public transport passes. Discount it for those that use it daily such as workers and students, but have the one offs or infrequent riders pay more. Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is you pay for each trip and on the buses it depends on how far you go is how much it costs.

In Buenos Aires, the transportation system has a few interesting details. You pay for each trip, and the cost depends on how far you travel. However, there are discounts for frequent users. If you take multiple buses, the subsequent trips get a discount: the second trip costs only 50% of the fare, and the third trip costs just 25%.

Additionally, primary and secondary school students get reduced fares if they present their student ID. But this benefit could disappear if the government decides to remove the subsidies. If that happens and the companies don’t cover the cost, users might lose these discounts and end up paying more for each trip. Although there aren't monthly passes, there are ways to save if you use public transport regularly.

 

[Russell]

The government has just announced that starting in September, it will stop subsidizing buses in Buenos Aires. This could be very negative for people who rely on this transportation to get to work every day. If companies don’t take responsibility, the users will end up paying the consequences.

El Gobierno anunció que a partir de septiembre dejará de subsidiar los colectivos de CABA

Ambas jurisdicciones “se van a tener que hacer cargo del boleto integrado”, anunció el secretario de Transporte, Franco Mogetta, en la Cámara de Diputados

www.infobae.com

Yes, you’re right! If the subsidies are removed and transportation companies don’t cover the costs, the minimum bus fare could rise to between $1,350 and $1,400.

A cuánto podría llegar el precio del boleto de colectivo si CABA quita los subsidios

El Gobierno nacional decidió que en septiembre dejará de subsidiar a las líneas de colectivos en la Ciudad. Aún no hay precisiones sobre si las autoridades porteñas mantendrán el actual esquema o lo modificarán

www.infobae.com

 

[Betsy Ross]

I don't see why BA doesn't have monthly public transport passes. Discount it for those that use it daily such as workers and students, but have the one offs or infrequent riders pay more. Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is you pay for each trip and on the buses it depends on how far you go is how much it costs.

Agree with you @FuturoBA that they should offer a monthly public transportation pass like many countries but to my knowledge, there is no plan to do anything like this.

Yes, you’re right! If the subsidies are removed and transportation companies don’t cover the costs, the minimum bus fare could rise to between $1,350 and $1,400.

A cuánto podría llegar el precio del boleto de colectivo si CABA quita los subsidios

El Gobierno nacional decidió que en septiembre dejará de subsidiar a las líneas de colectivos en la Ciudad. Aún no hay precisiones sobre si las autoridades porteñas mantendrán el actual esquema o lo modificarán

www.infobae.com

Prices are very low but the problem is that salaries are also very low. I think this is a mistake increasing these prices in the middle of a deep recession when many are unemployed. It will create even more problems. I understand about things like utility rates and transportation increasing from prices that don't support them even running but part of this has to be looked at differently. In many cities transportation is subsidized because without it everyday life would be impossible for citizens trying to get to and from work.

 

[Digital Nomad]

Agree with you @FuturoBA that they should offer a monthly public transportation pass like many countries but to my knowledge, there is no plan to do anything like this.



Prices are very low but the problem is that salaries are also very low. I think this is a mistake increasing these prices in the middle of a deep recession when many are unemployed. It will create even more problems. I understand about things like utility rates and transportation increasing from prices that don't support them even running but part of this has to be looked at differently. In many cities transportation is subsidized because without it everyday life would be impossible for citizens trying to get to and from work.

Well it sounds like the subsidies are ending. This says all 31 bus lines are subsidized by 51%. Ouch.

Another conflict between Javier Milei and Jorge Macri

While the revenue sharing distribution is being solved, which will have a new chapter with a letter sent to the Supreme Court, the Transport secretariat served a notice on its City counterpart to inform that the funds would be removed for all 31 bus lines. This may be starting in September...

www.batimes.com.ar

 

[rainbow]

Another increase goes into effect today: tolls, with hikes ranging from 6% to 157%, depending on the route and vehicle category.

Aumentan los peajes de acceso a Buenos Aires: desde cuándo y cuáles serán los nuevos precios

En las rutas nacionales, incluidos los accesos a la Ciudad, se incrementarán los valores de las tarifas que pagan los usuarios

www.infobae.com

 

[Uncle Wong]

How is everyone coping? I imagine expats are freaking out if they are on fixed incomes? One of the girls that I met during my trip to Buenos Aires and I keep in contact and she is absolutely freaking out. She said it's was cold last month and she just got her electricity bill. She said first time ever this high! She claims her bill was over 175,000 pesos which is over $130 USD. Are bills really this high now for electricity?

 

[Betsy Ross]

How is everyone coping? I imagine expats are freaking out if they are on fixed incomes? One of the girls that I met during my trip to Buenos Aires and I keep in contact and she is absolutely freaking out. She said it's was cold last month and she just got her electricity bill. She said first time ever this high! She claims her bill was over 175,000 pesos which is over $130 USD. Are bills really this high now for electricity?

Definitely people are worried about increasingly high utility bills. Subsidies are mostly ending but you should see if she qualifies for any subsidies. There was a thread on this forum that explains how you can get it. Expats aren't going to qualify for the most part but your friend might depending on her income level. That bill is probably correct. I just got my statement and it is higher than that. I have a 2 bedroom apartment. I am not sure how big her place is. But keep in mind @Uncle Wong the electricity bills are for 60 days so it is for 2 months worth of usage.

My apartment doesn't use any gas for heat at all so I have an AC unit that also has heat which consumes significant amounts of electricity. But gas prices also are going up. Unfortunately people here got accustomed to subsidized and very low prices and that is all changing now. There is still a lot more the government wants to raise the rates but they would be smart to slow that down.

 

[walter50]

Definitely people are worried about increasingly high utility bills. Subsidies are mostly ending but you should see if she qualifies for any subsidies. There was a thread on this forum that explains how you can get it. Expats aren't going to qualify for the most part but your friend might depending on her income level. That bill is probably correct. I just got my statement and it is higher than that. I have a 2 bedroom apartment. I am not sure how big her place is. But keep in mind @Uncle Wong the electricity bills are for 60 days so it is for 2 months worth of usage.

My apartment doesn't use any gas for heat at all so I have an AC unit that also has heat which consumes significant amounts of electricity. But gas prices also are going up. Unfortunately people here got accustomed to subsidized and very low prices and that is all changing now. There is still a lot more the government wants to raise the rates but they would be smart to slow that down.

I have a local friend who signed up a month ago, and it has worked for her. Apparently, she qualified for the subsidy based on her income and standard of living. She used to pay 83 USD, but her latest bill was just 24 USD, so she was happy. It was a relief for her.

Electricity and gas bills with sharp price increases began to arrive: how to read them to know how much subsidy each user receives

The utility bills have started to go up. Learn how to read your bills and see if you're getting any subsidies. https://www.infobae.com/economia/2024/07/22/comenzaron-a-llegar-boletas-con-fuertes-aumentos-de-luz-y-gas-como-leerlas-para-saber-cuanto-subsidio-recibe-cada-usuario/ English version

www.expatsba.com

 

[Betsy Ross]

I have a local friend who signed up a month ago, and it has worked for her. Apparently, she qualified for the subsidy based on her income and standard of living. She used to pay 83 USD, but her latest bill was just 24 USD, so she was happy. It was a relief for her.

Electricity and gas bills with sharp price increases began to arrive: how to read them to know how much subsidy each user receives

The utility bills have started to go up. Learn how to read your bills and see if you're getting any subsidies. https://www.infobae.com/economia/2024/07/22/comenzaron-a-llegar-boletas-con-fuertes-aumentos-de-luz-y-gas-como-leerlas-para-saber-cuanto-subsidio-recibe-cada-usuario/ English version

www.expatsba.com

Yes I also have local friends on pensions or very low incomes and they also applied for the subsidy and it greatly reduced their bill. Anyone that qualifies should apply for it.

 

[earlyretirement]

How is everyone coping? I imagine expats are freaking out if they are on fixed incomes? One of the girls that I met during my trip to Buenos Aires and I keep in contact and she is absolutely freaking out. She said it's was cold last month and she just got her electricity bill. She said first time ever this high! She claims her bill was over 175,000 pesos which is over $130 USD. Are bills really this high now for electricity?

Rates have definitely gone up and it is painful for locals on fixed peso incomes. As @Betsy Ross mentioned, people were used to low subsidized rates but there is a new normal now as the days of super low government subsidized rates couldn't last forever. I do think the government would be good to step back some of these increases. I don't disagree that rates will have to go up but this recession is very painful for many people. Some people can't even afford to pay their electricity bills and getting it shut off during the colder temperatures last month.

@Uncle Wong, that sounds about right. As Betsy mentioned, bills here come in 2 month cycles. So her bill is about $65 per month for the past 2 months. I just got this electricity bill yesterday and this is for a 1 bedroom good sized apartment in Recoleta. You can see it's for 2 months. 121,613 pesos or about $90 US dollars for 2 months. That still is a fraction of what that much electricity would cost in most other countries. Even in Latin America many countries have very high kWh rates compared to Argentina.

You can also see from the bill that a big chunk of it is also made up of various taxes and fees.

 

[Vero]

Rates have definitely gone up and it is painful for locals on fixed peso incomes. As @Betsy Ross mentioned, people were used to low subsidized rates but there is a new normal now as the days of super low government subsidized rates couldn't last forever. I do think the government would be good to step back some of these increases. I don't disagree that rates will have to go up but this recession is very painful for many people. Some people can't even afford to pay their electricity bills and getting it shut off during the colder temperatures last month.

@Uncle Wong, that sounds about right. As Betsy mentioned, bills here come in 2 month cycles. So her bill is about $65 per month for the past 2 months. I just got this electricity bill yesterday and this is for a 1 bedroom good sized apartment in Recoleta. You can see it's for 2 months. 121,613 pesos or about $90 US dollars for 2 months. That still is a fraction of what that much electricity would cost in most other countries. Even in Latin America many countries have very high kWh rates compared to Argentina.

You can also see from the bill that a big chunk of it is also made up of various taxes and fees.

View attachment 6843

Unfortunately all the bills are going up. My monthly apartment expensas jumped up in the past month 100,000 pesos in one month alone. That was very shocking.

 

[FuturoBA]

Rates have definitely gone up and it is painful for locals on fixed peso incomes. As @Betsy Ross mentioned, people were used to low subsidized rates but there is a new normal now as the days of super low government subsidized rates couldn't last forever. I do think the government would be good to step back some of these increases. I don't disagree that rates will have to go up but this recession is very painful for many people. Some people can't even afford to pay their electricity bills and getting it shut off during the colder temperatures last month.

@Uncle Wong, that sounds about right. As Betsy mentioned, bills here come in 2 month cycles. So her bill is about $65 per month for the past 2 months. I just got this electricity bill yesterday and this is for a 1 bedroom good sized apartment in Recoleta. You can see it's for 2 months. 121,613 pesos or about $90 US dollars for 2 months. That still is a fraction of what that much electricity would cost in most other countries. Even in Latin America many countries have very high kWh rates compared to Argentina.

You can also see from the bill that a big chunk of it is also made up of various taxes and fees.

View attachment 6843

That turns out to be in USD $ 0.051 or 5.15 cents per kwh. Much cheaper than US where I'm paying about $0.15/kw but expensive for locals especially if they don't have efficient devices or good insulation.