Thanks to Milei, workers can buy more staple foods than in 2023.

A recent report by Coninagro, titled "From Salary to Plate: How Far Does the Wage Go?", revealed a sharp increase in the purchasing power of Argentine workers over the past eighteen months, thanks to the government of Javier Milei.

According to the document, between March 2024 and September 2025 there was a sustained improvement in the ability to purchase basic foods, driven by the increase in the average wage compared to decelerating inflation.

The study, based on data from the RIPTE index (Average Taxable Remuneration of Permanent Workers) processed by the Ministry of Human Capital, analyzed how many units of essential products can be purchased with an average income. The evaluation focused on frequently consumed foods such as sunflower oil, yerba mate, milk, asado, eggs, and bread.

According to the rural entity, the period between August 2024 and August 2025 showed a year-on-year wage increase of 46%, a figure that was well above the accumulated inflation of 31.8%.

This difference resulted in a real gain of 14% along with a cumulative recovery of 25.6% compared to the values observed in March 2024. The evolution led to a greater margin for consumers when it comes to stocking up on essential foods.

The report also detailed that in September 2025 monthly inflation stood at 2.1%, while RIPTE rose 1.4%. In this scenario, the average wage went from $1,236,416 in March 2024 to $1,551,832 in August 2025, reinforcing the trend toward greater purchasing power.

The products

One of the products where this change was most evident was yerba mate. Coninagro highlighted that in September 2025 the average income could cover the purchase of 659 half-kilo packages, a figure much higher than the 356 that could be obtained a year and a half earlier. The jump represented an 85% increase in workers' purchasing ability for this everyday item.

Milk showed a similar trend. While in March 2024 the wage was enough for 583 one-liter sachets, in September 2025 the amount climbed to 982, which meant a 68.5% increase in the quantity available for households.

The document also noted a significant advance in sunflower oil. The number of bottles accessible with the average wage increased by 93 units, equivalent to a real rise of 39.5%. Meanwhile, asado showed a 27% improvement, which translated into 28 additional kilograms (61.7 pounds) compared to the initial measurement.

Eggs was another product that reflected a positive change: purchasing power grew by 33%, rising from 293 dozen in March 2024 to 389 in September 2025. Finally, bread showed a 27% increase in the number of kilograms (from 319 kilograms to 405 kilograms (891 pounds)) that could be purchased during the period analyzed.

According to data collected by Coninagro, the evolution of wages allowed Argentine workers to access a greater quantity of basic foods, generating a direct impact on household supplies and the composition of the daily table.