The salary is not enough: 7 out of 10 workers say that their salary is less profitable than a year ago

The most compelling fact is that 74% of Argentine workers consider that their purchasing power has worsened in recent months. The figure represents a 16 point jump percentages compared to the same study carried out in 2025, when that percentage was 58%.

The perception of salary insufficiency is almost unanimous. 87% of workers in Argentina consider that their salary is not enough to cover their basic needs. two more points than in 2025. Only 13% believe that it is enough.

Where does the money go? He rent is the main expense for 44% of respondents, followed by food (27%) and the payment of debts (16%). Education, health and transportation complete the picture with lower percentages.

And the length of time the salary lasts is another thermometer of the situation: 73% of workers affirm that their salary does not last more than two weeks. 28%—almost 3 out of every 10—acknowledge that as soon as they get paid, they allocate 100% to paying bills. Only 9% arrive with the money at the end of the month.

Savings were left for few. 90% say they cannot save. Only 1 in 10 manages to save anything from their salary, and most of them barely between 5% and 10% of their monthly income.

Why don’t they save? The answer is almost obvious: 54% say that their salary is not enough. 20% have too much debtand 12% prioritize covering basic needs.

Among those who do manage to save, 30% choose to invest in investment funds – the highest percentage in the region – while 16% buy dollars or another foreign currency as a safeguard.

Debt also increased. 77% of Argentine workers have some type of debt, five points more than in 2025, when it was 72%. And if a salary increase were to arrive, the first priority for 46% of those surveyed would be precisely to pay those debts. Only 22% would save, and 15% would allocate it to daily consumption.

Furthermore, the context is not only individual: 50% of workers help family members or close people financially, either regularly (25%) or occasionally (25%).

Federico Barni, CEO of Bumeran, warned that the data reflects a gap between macroeconomic indicators and the concrete experience of workers.

“The slowdown in inflation does not automatically imply a recovery in real wages. After several years of accumulated loss of purchasing power, people continue to allocate a large part of their income to basic needs. Today the challenge is no longer just about ‘beating inflation’, but rather about rebuilding consumption capacity and predictability,” said the executive.

And he added: “The social perception of salary usually recovers more slowly than macroeconomic indicators because people evaluate their daily situation: how long their income lasts, if they can save or borrow less and if they feel the ability to project.”