Cost of Living Comparisons

In the US, Brazil, and Argentina the typical monthly earnings for a starting teacher is about 3000.  But what is the difference between 3000 dollars, 3000 reales, and 3000 pesos?  What can you get buy with this amount, how much can you save per month, what opportunities and purchases are possible or impossible?

This is all obviously a rough estimate, all listed in the local currency.

	Raleigh, NC	Brazil (rough estimate)	San Ignacio, Argentina
Dinner in an inexpensive restaurant (think Olive Garden quality, for example)	15	25	55
Price of a cheap but decent hotel room for 2 people	50	100	300
A pair of shorts	20	40	175
A 12-hour bus ride	75	115	450
Apartment	850 (1 br w/ living, dining, etc)	??	600 (a furnished studio bedroom w/ bathroom, no kitchen, dining etc)
A package of spaghetti at the grocery store	2	2	8
A small soda at a restaurant	2	3	12

As you can see, the 3000 pesos won't get you very far in Argentina.  One night in a hotel would be 10% of your monthly salary, as opposed to less than 2% of yours in the US.  And the cost of food - even basic food at a grocery store - is quite high in Argentina.  In pesos: 2 lbs of flour - 9; 1 cup of yogurt - 6; 1 apple - 4; a head of lettuce - 5; 2 lbs of ground beef - 48.  By the time you've bought food for you and your family there's very little left for the comparatively high-priced clothing (imagine if a pair of shorts cost 175 DOLLARS).  A round trip flight from Buenos Aires to NY is about 18,000 pesos - half a year's salary just for the flight for one person.  Technology, cars, and traveling are all basically available at the price in dollars converted to pesos.  For example, a camera that costs 100 dollars in the US would be affordable to many Americans, but would cost 1000 pesos and therefore be unaffordable to the average Argentine. 

Wow!  34 people read my blog yesterday!! I didn't know I'd be that popular :)  And thanks to Karen for being my first and only follower!!!!