Argentina wages leave 80% of workers below poverty line

New data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) shows that 10.5 million workers in Argentina – about 80 % of those surveyed – earn ≤ 1.5 million pesos a month, a level that fails to cover the basic consumption basket for a four‑person household in Greater Buenos Aires. The median monthly income is 900 000 pesos, with a pronounced gender gap: men earn an average of 1.352 million pesos versus 959 000 pesos for women.

Formal employees represent 56.5 % of low‑income earners, while 43.5 % work in the informal sector, where average pay is roughly half that of formal jobs. Real wages have been falling, with the salary index down 4.2 % in nine months despite a 2.2 % increase in May that still lagged behind the 2.1 % inflation rate.

The government claims a salary recovery is underway from June, citing a slowdown in inflation, but the latest figures indicate continued erosion of purchasing power and a contraction in formal employment. Over the past three years, the number of contributors to the pension system fell by more than 300 000, highlighting broader labor market deterioration.