Economic pressures hinder youth independence in Argentina and Uruguay

Young adults in Argentina and Uruguay are facing significant obstacles to independent living due to rising costs of housing and services combined with stagnant wages and precarious employment.

In Argentina, a report by Analytica reveals that approximately 140,000 young people aged 18 to 29 returned to their family homes between 2023 and 2026. The rate of emancipation fell to 22.2% in the first quarter of 2026. This decline is driven by a 387.9% increase in the consumption basket for those living alone since November 2023, largely due to the high cost of utilities and housing, which rose by 637.9% in the same period. Additionally, the unemployment rate for those under 30 reached 15% in early 2026.

In Uruguay, high rental costs in Montevideo are forcing students and young workers to remain in parental homes or share apartments to manage expenses. The cost of a basic studio apartment can equal the national minimum wage of 25,000 Uruguayan pesos. Christian Di Candia, the Undersecretary of Housing and Territorial Planning, acknowledged that access to housing is a real and distressing difficulty for Uruguayan youth.