How much do you have to earn to be middle class in the city of Buenos Aires

Runaway prices and the struggle for wages drive inflation up priority issue for most people. For the anguish of not reaching the end of the month, seven out of 10 people believe they will fall into social class in the near future, according to a survey by the IDAES School of the University of San Martín.

And it is precisely that, in July, to belong to the middle class a typical family (married couple with two children) living in the city of Buenos Aires had to earn at least $ 173,917.50 and up to $ 556,535.99, 8.12% more than in June and 69% more than last year.

These values ​​consider the total basic basket, which in addition to food includes some goods and services, such as clothing, transport, education, health and housing.

The middle-class group includes part of those who will lose subsidies to utilities, since, in the case of gas and electricity, the maximum income is approximately $ 389,541,495, according to the latest INDEC report.

Having an income of less than $ 173,917.50 means going to report in the group of “fragile middle class”, which is one step away from falling into poverty, according to the Buenos Aires Institute of Statistics.

To reach that number, the value of the different consumer baskets is taken into account in the Municipality. Below the fragile middle class, there is another sector that wins between $ 112,765.53 and $ 139,133.99 (always taking into account the family group) and that, notwithstanding don’t be technically pooris in a situation vulnerable.

under the $ 112,766 a family is poor. And if he earns less than $ 61,244.88 a month, he is destitute.

On the other hand, the “rich”, for the municipality, are those with income greater than $ 556,535.99.

Over the past year, the middle class has deteriorated due to the sharp increase in the population the typical products and services of this groupfrom private schools to private medical companies.

For example, last month, according to the Buenos Aires Inflation Report, price increases were driven by food and soft drinks. restaurants and hotels (12%)housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (7.1%), recreation and culture (13.3%) and clothing and footwear (9.4%), which together account for 66.9% of the increase in the overall level of 7.7%.

lower middle class

According to an Idesa report at the end of 2021, 1.2 million people have ceased to belong to the middle class in the last 5 years, a deterioration that is explained by the steady rise in inflation above wages.

In 2016, the highest percentage of the population (48%) was considered middle class and only 32% were considered low or poor, according to INDEC, as they could not cover the total basic food basket. 9% of the population belonged to the upper class and 11% to the lower-middle class, which is the segment of the population considered most vulnerable to falling into poverty.

In the second quarter of 2021, social mobility is decreasing: the most numerous social stratum, with 41% of the population, is the segment of the lower classes, with almost 12 million Argentines considered poor. The middle class has dropped to 41% of the population. The upper class has also shrunk (5%) Y the lower-middle class grew (12%), is growing, not because of improvements, but because of the fall of the middle class.

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