Chilean poorest decile earns 52% more than Argentine counterpart

Researcher Daniel Schteingart, a sociologist at the think tank Fundar, has sparked debate by comparing the daily income of the poorest 10% in Chile and Argentina. Using data from the World Bank and the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP), Schteingart presented a comparison of average daily income measured in purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars between 1990 and 2025.

While Argentina's poorest decile historically earned more than Chile's in the early 1990s, the trend reversed around 2014. According to the data, the gap has continued to widen. By 2025, the daily income for the poorest 10% in Chile reached approximately US$8.2 PPP, while in Argentina it was around US$5.2, meaning Chile's poorest decile has 52% more purchasing power.

The findings drew reactions from various figures, including Mercado Libre founder Marcos Galperin, who attributed the economic divergence to the difference between capitalism and populism.