From April of this year until now, that is, from the moment of the partial exit of the shares, according to the Ecosur Foundation, the cost of filling the shangito with dollars in Argentina has decreased. For a family of four, the price has fallen by 5.5% in the past seven months, putting the country in sixth place compared to the rest of South America. At an average cost of $526 per month.
Overall, the average price of monthly purchases rose by 20.9% regionally, but Argentina was actually the only country where this price, always measured in dollars, fell.
This represents a profound change compared to April, when… Argentina ranked second for the most expensive shopping cart in the region, at US$577.
The countries more expensive than Argentina, in these terms, are Colombia, Peru, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay.
Uruguay is the most expensive country in South America, in US dollars. At a monthly cost of $827Paraguay is the cheapest, Where you can fill a small monkey for about $408 per month.
These numbers, in terms of percentage points, for shopping, mean just that Uruguay is 57% more expensive and Paraguay is 22% cheaper than Argentina.
Regarding the products that constitute the majority of food expenditure in Argentina, Meat ranks first, specifically beef, where an Argentine family of four can spend $102 per month. Chicken is also an important expense for Argentines, accounting for $90 of monthly expenses. In other words, Meat makes up 36.5% of Argentines’ monthly spending.
Mineral water and bread are also relevant expenses in Argentina, with Argentines spending US$43 and US$37 per month, respectively.
However, this does not mean that purchases in the country have become cheaper for consumers, quite the opposite, since inflation in this period, according to the report: The depreciation of the dollar shangito is due to the real depreciation of the peso that has occurred since the exit from the exchange rate in mid-April. From April to November, inflation will reach 14%, while the official dollar will rise by 27%.
In the same period, the value of the dollar declined globally, which led to a strengthening of the currencies of emerging countries. This is reflected in the rise in shangito prices in countries of the region. While the peso depreciated against the dollar, the currencies of most Latin American countries rose in value from April to November. As a result, the cost of the Argentine shangito fell by 5.5% in dollars and became 22% cheaper compared to the average value of the remaining nine countries.
That is, Argentine purchases, in dollar terms, have generally become cheaper compared to other South American countries. However, the prices of these purchases have become more expensive for Argentines in the past seven months.