Buenos Aires hikes basic living basket for senior couples

In June 2026 the Defensoría del Pueblo of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires reported that the basic cost of living for a couple of retirees who own their home rose to ARS 1,639,508, a 1 % increase from May. For retired couples renting their home, the basket cost reached ARS 2,422,868, up 1.2 % month‑on‑month.

The report broke down the expenses for renters as follows: rent, fees and services ARS 1,335,378; food and groceries ARS 610,507; personal care and clothing ARS 228,750; health and pharmacy ARS 179,611; home maintenance ARS 68,623. The main drivers of the increase were home‑maintenance costs (+3.8 %), health expenses (+2.9 %) and basic utilities (+1.3 %). The monthly medication price index also rose 1.5 %, led by heart‑pressure drugs (+2.2 %) and psychotropics (+2.0 %).

Compared with the minimum pension of ARS 411,989.33, retirees receive a ARS 70,000 bonus, giving a total gross income of ARS 481,989.33 for July. The minimum pension is set to increase 1.89 % in August 2026 to ARS 419,775.93, bringing the total with the bonus to ARS 489,775.93.