Due to the income and salary crisis, 62% of Argentines have gone into debt to cover basic expenses

The deceleration of inflation has yet to translate into an improvement in everyday economics. According to the report, 87.4% of Argentines believe their salary continues to lose value against inflation, while 61.9% have taken on debt in the last six months, and in more than half of the cases, it was to cover essential expenses such as food, services, and other basic expenditures.

The study from the Public Opinion Monitor (MOP) of Zentrix Consultora also reflects a change in the perception of the labor market. 86.6% believe that a single job is no longer enough to make ends meet, a view that crosses various social and political sectors and highlights the deterioration of purchasing power.

Reaching the end of the month, the main challenge

The survey shows that two out of three Argentines exhaust their income before or on the 20th of each month. Only 9.3% claim to finish the month with savings capacity.

The situation is even more complex among young people. In the age group of 18 to 39 years, 85.5% report running out of income before the 20th, compared to 60.6% among those aged 40 to 59.

The report also reveals that credit has changed its role within household economics. 61.9% of respondents took on debt in the last six months and 53.7% did so because their income is no longer sufficient to cover basic expenses. In contrast, only 11.5% resorted to financing to acquire durable goods.

The situation also exposes generational differences. Among young people aged 18 to 39, 35.8% turned to financial institutions or informal lenders, while among those over 60, that proportion drops to 7%.

At the same time, indebtedness is beginning to show signs of strain. Among those who took credit, 28.9% acknowledge that they find it very difficult to meet the payments, 12% have already experienced delays, and 6.4% directly admit that they cannot pay. In this context, 55% believe that interest rates are so high that credit ends up becoming a trap.

Inflation is down, but perception does not improve

The survey also reflects a gap between the deceleration of inflation and consumer perception. 67.1% of Argentines believe that the inflation data published by INDEC does not reflect the price evolution they observe in their daily lives, while only 29.6% claim to trust the official figures.

According to the study, the perception of economic deterioration remains dominant despite the drop in the CPI, as the macroeconomic improvement has yet to translate into a visible recovery of purchasing power for salaries.

Corruption and salaries, the main concerns

When asked about the main problems in the country, corruption ranks first with 48.8% of mentions, closely followed by income and salaries (46.9%). Completing the ranking are economic uncertainty (41.6%), unemployment (29.1%), and public service rates (26.8%).

Overall, the report shows that while inflation has lost its centrality as an immediate concern, the deterioration of income, the difficulty in making ends meet, and the growing indebtedness continue to shape the economic perception of Argentines.

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